Norwich bulletin., 1916-10-12
HE. WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

The island of Crete - The present revolt in Crete has occurred almost on the fourth anniversary of the an- nouncement of the islands annexation to Greece, made by the Greek premier on October 14th, 1912. Up to that time the Cretans had been in an al- most constant state of revolt against Turlzis and Egyptian domination for the greater part of the nineteenth and fthe first decade of the twentieth, cen. tury. Today's war geography bulle- tin of the National Geographic Society tells of the resources of this revolt riven region.
 Crete and Corsica are practically tied for the distinction of fourth is land of the Mediterranean, each hay Ing an area somewhat in excess of $500 square miles and being surpass- ed in size by Sicily, Sardinia and Cy- prus. But while Corsica, has sustain ed a comparatively inconsptcuous role in world history, if one expects the fact that it was the birthplace of Ma poleon, Crete has played a stellar part in human events for more than 4,000 years.
 'sObIong in shape, with length of 160 miles and a width varying from to 35 miles, the rugged island lies equidistant from Europe, Asia, and Africa It's northern cost is greatly indented and while the anchorage is too shallow for modern steamers in all save one Of it's ports, in ancient times many of it's 100 fiourishing ci- ties of which Homer spoke were reg ularly visited by the light-draft yes sels of the Phoenicians, the Greeks, and the Egyptians.
 Crete today sustains a population of about 35G,e00, smore than nine tenths of whom are Christians and the remaining tenth largely Mohamme- dan. Much of it's land is bare and -+o +6a nOroc+c of I1yJain1o were once it's glory have almost dis appeared. Its rivers are scarcely more than, mountain torrents, which rush down from snow clad heights tower ing more than 5000 feet above the sea.
 Many of the narrow valleys and a few plains are extremely fertile, how ever. Fruits of many varieties es- pecially the orange and lemon, grow luxuriantly, and the olive is one of the most valuable products of the island, the oil being used extensively in the manufacture of soap. The vines of Crete, which were noted in the Middle Ages, have deteriorated somewhat in modern times Currants are proftably grown, but little grain is raised. The mineral resources of the island may eventually prove to be considerable, slate, and whetstone constitute the principal output, which is meager.
 "St. Paul, in his Epistle to Titus prepetuated the indictment that the Cretans are always liars, so it is not astonishing to find in the legends of the island the claim that the supreme god of the Greek world, Zeus, was native and that he Was nursed by nymphs on the slopes of the famous Mt Ida. He was even supposed to have been buried at Iuktar near the ancient center of Minoan civilization. Knossus, or Cnossus, an account of whose astonishing culture thousands of years ago has been given in re- cent bulletin of the National Geo. graphic Society.
 ''The Cretans were the allies or Mithradates the Great in that Par thian's negotiations with Rome, and a few years later the islanders es- poUsed the cause of Cflician pirates, as a result of which the Roman general Metellus brought them under the yoke of the Eternal City in 66 B. c.
 When the Roman empire was di- vided Crete was aportioned to the western rulers and it remained under the Byzantine emperors until S23, when it was captured by piratical Saracens from Andalusfa who held sway over the. island for 140 years. Then 1t was redeemed by the Byzan- tines. During the, Fourth Crusade the island was given to Boniface de Mont ferrat He imediatoiy sold it to the Venetians (120G, who ruled it for more than 100 years.
 "One of the most prolonged block ades in world history was that con ducted by the Turks from s45 to 1869, when the last port of the island sur rendered to Ottoman arms, against whose sway the Cretans were almost constantly in revolt until the final annexation to Greece. The island CTS fought shoulder to shoulder with the Greeks in the recent Balkan i'm brogltos.t'