The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-06-26
BRlTAlN'S NAVAL BASE.
Location Described in War Geography
Bulletin Issued at Washington.

| lSlduuS, lHt udNdl DdSe Ol GItdl DIll
aims grand fleet operating in the
North sea, and off whose shore Ear
Kitchener and his staff met death
are described in the following war
geography bulletin of the national
geographic society, issued from its
Washington headquarters:
mo other territory in the British
empire has a more tragic significance
to Englishmen today than the Orkney
Islands, off whose shores the most
distinguished victim of the world
war, Earl Kitchener, lost his life
when the cruiser Hampshire was sunk
by torpedo or a mine.
Selected as Sea Base.
"These islands, ninety in number,
of which only thirty are inhabited,
are separated by the Pentland Firth,
from six and a half to eight miles
wide. They were selected as Eng
lands North Sea naval base not only
on account of their proximity to the
field of operations, but on account of
their semi-isolation and the advan-
tages of the superb harbor of Strom-
ness, in the largest island of the
group. Pomona, which has an area
of 200 square miles.
"The aggregate area of the orkney
archipelago is little more than five
times as large as the District of Col
umbia, and the population is in the
neighborhood of 10000, more than
half the people living on Pomona.
Kirkwall, the capital, has a popula-
ton of 1000.
"While the original inhabitants of
the islands were Picts, whose round
towers and chambered mounds are
among the interesting ruins of this
region. the Morse pirates secured
foothold here during the early cen
turies of the Christian era, and car
ried on their depredations against all
navigators of the North sea. In the
last quarter of the ninth century
Harold Haarfagr (Fair Hair,) put an
end to the rule of the pirates, and
added both the Orkneys and the Shet-
land islands to Norway's domain. In
14GS the Orkneys came under the
sway of the Scottish crown, Christian
| of Denmark giving them as security
for his daughters dowry when she
became the bride of James III. As
the dowry was never paid the islands
have remained a part of Scotland's
domain ever since.
Have Literary History.
"The Orkneys. which are the Or
cades of classic literature, furnish
the setting for many episodes in Sir
Walter SCOTS novel, The Pirate the
Cleveland of that romance being John
Cow, the notorious freebooter born in
Stromness and captured off the ISL
ands in 1925. Another literary asso-
citation of the Orkneys and one of
especial interest to Americans cen
ters in Shapinshay, the birthplace of
William Irving. father of Washington
Irving. The islands were the assem-
bling place in 1850 for the final dis
astrous expedition of Montrose, ac-
claimed by many authorities the
greatest English military leader of
his day, cromwell alone excepted.
Although in the same latitude as
northern Labrador, the Orkney group
enjoys a comparatively mild climate,
owing to the warm waters of the gulf
stream. There is little snow in win
ter and the summers are most pleas
ant. beginning the middle of June
| Barley. oats, potatoes and turnips are
/ the principal crops. The raising OF
cattle and sheep and horses of 4
I larger breed than the famous shet
land ponies. is a profitable occupation
Herring fisheries afford livelihood
! for many of the inhabitants, while 4
small percentage of the people de
vote their energies to hunting wild
birds and gathering their eggs. Tho
picturesqueness of the rocky coasts
and the beauty of the long twilight
evenings attract considerable mum
Der of tourists to the islands during
the summer. on the longest day OF
/ the year the sun rises at 8 a. m. and
sets after 9 in the evening, while on
the shortest day it is visible tor
| scarcely six hours"