Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-02
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

Taranto, the great naval base of Southern Italy, where disaster over took one Of that nations battleships recently causing the loss of 300 sea- men, is the subject of the following war geography bulletin issued today by the National Geographic Society from it's Washington headquarters:
 With a history dating back to the eighth century before the Christian era--the same century which tradi- ton says marked the founding of Rome by Romulus-Taranto (the ancient Tarentun), has a past of fas- cinating interest and present Of great commercial importance. This city of 5000O inhabitants, many of whom still retain a Greek accent in herited from the ancient Spartan col noists, clings to a rocky acropelis ian boot at the point where it joins the instep.' In ancient times the rock, which rises from the sea to a height of mere than 50 feet. was a peninsula, but Ferdinand I of Aragon dug canal across the isthmus, making an islet Gulf of Taranto and on the other the Mare Piccolo O.ittle Seal. The en- trance to the magnificent harbor, one of the finest in all Italy, is commended by two well fortified islands. San Pletro and San Paolo. The Little Sea anchorage has a depth of 96 feet and ar area of more than 6.o0o0 acres, affording unlimited accommodations for Italy's Mediterranean fleet. and here the government has installed splendidly equipped dry docks. The arsenal extends for a mile and a half along tho shore of this inner sea.
 'Tegend relates that Tarantum, or Taras, was settled by the Parthenians, @ class if SpartanS who claimed the rights of citizenship in the Lace daemonian capital but who had not received it, perhaps on account of a stain on their birth. The town re- ceived the name Taras from the son of Neptune. Almost from its foundation the colony f1ourished, nor was this surprising for the surrounding land was immensely fertile, soon becoming famous for its olives, while the pas lures sustained wonderful fiocks of sheep whose wool, according to Horace was so fine that it behooved the Taren- tines to make the animals wear cover ings to protect their fleece.
 "As a related industry the flshens of the town found in the waters of the inner sea peculiar nnassel from which the highly orized purple dye was made. Thus weaving and dyeing de- veloped hand-in hand. increasing the wealth and importance of the colony to such an extent that by the begin ming of the fourth century B. c. Ta- rentum was recognized as the most opulent city of Magma Graecia, as the numerous colonies os Southern Italy and Sicily were known. The gold coins of this period, considered the most beautiful ever struck by a Cree ian city, arc an index to the wealth and art of this resplendent community. Prosperity soon bred shameful want onness among it's arfstocrats. so that when a Tarentine mob attacked a Roman fleet at anchor in it's harbor and the latter city declared war on the southern metropolis its citizens were not prepared for the hardships of bat tie. Pyrrhus, king of Epir1ls, was asked to send aid. He responded, bringing his well-trained soldiers and Ia score of terror inspiring war ele- plants to win those costly successes