Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-22
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

Dobrudja, that fertile Ru1nanian plain lying between the Danube and the Black Sea, where German and Bull garian forces recently began their nm : portant drive northward, is described in the following war geography bulle- tin issued from Washington by the National Geographic Society;
 When the low-lying, treeless, large ly fen-and- swamp province of Dobru- dja was ceded to Rumania in 1878 and in exchange this nation was de- spoiled of the rich, thickly populated a part of her domain since it had been taken from Russia after the Crimean War the Rumanians believed more than ever in their ancient prov erb, Guard me, o God, against my friends, for against my foes l can guard myself In the 38 years which have intervened, however Dobrudja has taken rapid strides, thanks to the advances iii agriculture and to the prosperity of the several Black Sea ports Of the province. So striking has been the development of the region that at the conclusion of the Second Balkan War in 1913, Rumania de- manded as her share of the spells from Bulgaria an enlargement of this formerly despised area. Including this newly acquired territory the De- hrudia now embraces nearly $500 6QudTe 1lll6S, N1iA St pOp liIGt4S1I O4 5OO,0O0, made up of many clements BuIgars, Turks, Rumanians, gypsles and Jews.
 By an ironic whirn of fate Ruman- ia paid her expenses of the war in which she acquired this recent addi- ton to Dobrudja and secured the capi- tai for it's development from the pro- ceeds of a loan of 300,000,G00 francs f1oated in Germany just prior to the outbreak of the great European con flict. Under the improved conditions this section now produces important crops of cereals, tobacco, sugar ceets, vines and muIberries for silk worms.
 Bounded on the north and west by the Danube, on the east by the Black Sea- and on the south by Bulgaria, Dobrudja is of great strategic inn pOrtanCe, fact recognized by the Romans who defended this region on the south by Trajans Wall, a double rampant extending from the Black Sea at a point near Constantza, to the banks of the Danube. The present RUInanian- Bulgarian frontier is some so miles southwest of this ancient wall, and extends from the river to the sea a distance of 100 miles in an airline.
 ''The earliest mention of the Do- brudia region is as the home of the Gets and the Dacians (Pliny explains that the former is the Greek name and the latter the Latin for the same tribe.) Herodotus speaks of this peo- pie as the bravest and most honor able of all the Thraci tribe and credits them with having attempted to stay the march of the Persians under King Darius in the 9th century be- fore the Christian era.
 One of the most picturesque stor- fest of the ancient Inhabitants of an expedition against them headed by Philip of Mecedon. The great general was besieging one of the principal towns of the tribe and just as he was about to give the signal for an assault the gates were thrown open and a long line of priests, clad in white robes and playing Tyres, marched out and came into the camp of the enemy. So impressed was Philip by this sight that he spared the city and took Meda, the daughter of the Getic king, as his wife. Thereafter the Getae were a1- lies of the Macedonians in their cam pa3gn against the Scythians. By the middle of the fourth century B. c. the tribe began to expand beyond the bounds of Scythia Minor, as the region was then known into the land lying on the left bank of the Danube.
 During the last quarter of the 7th century, Isparich, one of the five sons of the legendary Bulgarian prince Kuvrat, with a band of followers from Bessarabia crossed the Danube into Dobrudja and conquered it's people But the Bulgarians experienced the same fate which the Normans en- countered with the Saxons in Eng land-the conquerors were absorbed E by the conquered.
 By the treaty of San Stefano, which ended the Russo Turkish war of 1877- 78, in which the Rumanians distin- guished themselves at Plevna, Do- brudja was ceded to Russia by Fur key, the express design of the former l being to acquire the land and force | Rumania to accept it in exchange for | coveted Bessarabia, as previously l stated.
 From tho point where 1t becomes | the western boundary of Dobrudja the Danube is a wide stream, flowing be- between low banks. Its waters are l studded with numerous islets which l are the homes of vast hocks of water fowls-wild swans, wild geese, peli- cans and herons. A famous travelel described the impression which this | region makes upon passengers of the | river steamers, thus: At night peli- | cans and storlzs stalking about or l lonely islands utter at times a wild | cry, which, more than anything | 1kpoyv briyo to ina mind tho iv,oo croS