Norwich bulletin., 1919-02-06
IN THE DAYS NEWS
PRINCES' ISLAND,

The National Geographic society. from it's Washington headG1arters, ha } issued the following bulletin concern ing the Princes Islands, in che Sea of Marm0ra where the warning factions of Russia have been asked to send deI. egates for a conference t.t which it is hoped the internal dissensions in tl.e vast Slav dominions can he composed:
 Tt would seem that the bnace con ference in P1ris may have had the number of the Princes Islan,'s in mind as well as their geographical location when they were named as the plac% of meeting cn February 18th for the war ring factions in Russia. There are nina islands enough for each group of deIe- gates to have an islan1 to themselves should such course Of seEa2gatton prove eXpedient.
 "The islands lie from 10 to 15 miles southeast of Constantinoplc, near the Asiatic shore. Four of them are in habited and the largest uf the grour. Frinkipo (also called Pit?usa meaning rich in pineS0. has q population of more than 10000. Turks and Greeks being about equal in number.
 The islands in modern times have been popular as summer resorts. ow- ing to the ;:;liubrity of their climate and their proximity Lo the Turkish capital.
 Few islands have 2 history more poignant with tragedy. with high hopes and shattered dreams, with diabolical machinatlons of empire wreclIers and makers than these few square miles Of earth washed by the waters of th2 Marmora. Their very name is signifi- cant of their past, for in the dayS of the Byzantine Empire they were t,l4 retreats, either forced or voluntary, of 1 princes and princesses w;c had fallen into disfavcr in the nearby court. Each island in the group could tel 1 it's own story of famous s;xiles. None
 is more pathetic. however, than that , of PrOti as the prison of the deposad l emperor, Romanus ". called Diogenas. 1 The life of this ruler reads like one of l the fictitious ronances of Cleopatra $ l days. He was 2 distinguished young i soldier descended from q CaND5docian 1 family. Having ben implicated in , l conspiracy % depose his sovereign 1 Constantine }E., he was condemned t9
 he executed for treason. While being l led to his q =atn, according to one a. 1 count, he .CaucIt the eye Of the emp
 ress regent Eudccia NacremboIitissa l who instantly fell in love with him granted him a pardon and shortly ! thereafter married him. Alter his cor onation as emperor he led three sue cessful expeditions against the SeliuR Turks, but his fourth campaign against Alp Arslan was , disastrous failure
 "Compelle1 to pay Q Iar@c ransom for his release RonaHu8 returned
 home to be defee ted at the hands of { Dretender to the throne. Blinded, h. spent his few remaining days Of abiec
 misery Imprisoned in 6 monastery O. the highest roint of Proti
 hN f-I1 oF .T,o
 patriarch Methodius spent seven year.
 of his life imprisoned with two bri
 gands.
 "Or Pri1l.iDo. which is now dotte,
 with fine residences and gardens, tn,
 traVeler is shown tho rui1s Cf a con. vent in which eleven centEr.c ago tn
 remarkable woman. Eulnres: Irene vas imprisoned for a time. 4 poo but beautiful orphan of Athens Irene married Emperor Leo ". and soon be caYee the true ruler of the Byzantint i empire. Upon the death oc her bus band she assumed the I'eins of govern ment for her 10-year-old son. Con stantine VT. For a dnaade her reigi was distineuished by firmness an
 wisdom. Then began Inc confiict wit her ambitions son which terminated |
 the greatest blot upon her career in capture of the fleeing youth his retur to Constanttaople, where by his moth
 CTS orders his eyes Wers gouged out } It would seem that the arcients ha good cause 10 interpret an eclipse 0 7 the sun -<h1ail took place about tn:
 time as q sign of heavens horror a such a deed.
 Another famous prisoner of Prin l l1ipo was Zoe the wife of three emper r ors -RonanEs H., Michael ". an
 Constantine TX
 "Qne of the most popuIous of tn Q islands is Hallli (also spelled Chalciti f and KhalllD. where there is a nava
 college and a theological college. f Greek commercial school occupies tn site of an ancient monastery. At tn entrance to the school is the tomE Il stone of Sir Edward Barton, Englis n am6assadr~ to Turkey during tn
 reign of Queen Elizabeth.
 V 'On the island of Plate the peac I delegates will find a castle huilt afte r the model of Windsor Castle. It is no = falling into decay. Once it was tf summer residence of Sir Henry Bu
 wer (the famous author Of the Clay s ton Bulwer treaty of American his 5 tory), when ne was British ambassadt = at Constantinople. Upon i,is retire a ment, the one time British ambasse
 dor at Washington soli he island 1
 the lthedive cf Egypt, whose fami, still owned it at the outbreak of tt | world war;