The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-07-15
UNDER MANY FLAGS
ISLAND OF CEPHALoNiA PLAY
THING OF THE POWERS.
Small Area OF Land In Ionian Sea Has
Been for Centuries a Shuttlecock
In the Game Of international
Diplomacy.


The reported occupation OF Cepha-
lonia by French and British forces,
for strategic purposes, marks another
cycle in the strange history of this
island In the lonian sea, which has
played the role of shuttlecock in inter
national diplomacy for more than o.
900 years. Its unique story is told in
the following bulletin issued by the
National Geographic society:
With an area about three times as
great as that of Martha's Vineyard
on the Massachusetts coast, Cepha.
lonia is the largest OF the seven Ionian
islands. The origin OF its settlement
is shrouded in the fascinating uncer-
tainty OF Homeric legend, but from
| the year OF its surrender to the Ro-
mans, $50 b. c., It's history has been
marked by succession OF changes
in ownership which would bewilder
the most astute student Of world poll
tics.
After the Roman Emperor Hadrian
made q gift of the island to Athens,
Cephalonia, and the six other islands
of the 1onian group, became free
and autonomous" but during the as
cendancy Of the Byzantine empire
they were subject to its power.
The next change come in the elev.
enth century. When William the Con.
queror was engaged in establishing
himself firmly in the British Isles, an
other Norman, Robert Guiscard C"the
resourceful'), after conquering south
ern Italy, sailed to the lonian sea and
captured several of the islands,
preparatory to overthrowing the Greek
empire. This remarkable adventurer
died on the island Of Cephalonia while
engaged in quelling a revolt, at a time
when he seemed to have laid the foun-
dations for Norman empire similar
to that which William established in
England.
Following Robert Guiscard's inva-
sion, Cephalonia passed in turn un-
der the suzerainty of the princess of
Tarentum, the five counts of Tocco,
the republic of Venice, the ravaging
corsairs of Greece and Naples, the
Turks, the Spanish-Venetian allies,
Venice again, France, the Russo-Turk
ish allies, the French and the British
Great Britain finally relinquished its
protectorate and ceded the islands to
Greece after the latter had allowed
the court of St. James to name q
brother of the princess of Wales al
king of the Hellenes in 1862.
The chief city of Cephalonia is Ar
gostoli, which has an excellent har
Dor and which is especially noted fol
its curious sea mills, operated by {
current of sea water flowing through
a chasm in the rocky shore. Acros,
the bay from Argostoli is the riva
port of Luxouri
Cyclopean and Hellenic walls ar,
still standing on the sites of the an
cient cities of Grant,, Proni and Somos
while a few miles beyond Argostol
there rises a relic OF Venetian days
the strongly fortified castle of st
George.
The Cephalonians, who are mental
ly alert and who are more purel.
Greek than the inhabitants Of any o
the other islands of the Ionian group
have shown great ingenuity and indus
try in building terraces for the cultiva
ton of the vine and olive. One o
the chief products of the island is
peculiarly favored currant whicl
found ready market in Holland, Be
GUM and Germany. In addition t
their agricultural pursuits, the Cepf
! alonians are interested in ship built
, ing, silk spinning, basket making an
. the manufacture Of carpets. An cd
= lace, made OF aloe fiber, is exported
Elato, also known as Monte Negr
(black mountain), which is more tina
l 5000 feet high, gets its name froI
the dark pine forests which clothe it