Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-09-30
Where Turks and Greeks Contend
q for the Mastery.
CONSTANTINOPLE is CONTROLLING KEY
Waterways Separating Europe from
Asia Minor Have Always Been of
Natural Commercial lmportance-All
Nations Jealous of Dominance by
Other Nations.

heavily by the document, are hghting
it out in the Near East, the Black sea
and its gates are again field OF worid
events" says a bulletin issued by the
National Geographic society.
"The treaty, which practically endeo
Turkish power in Europe made an en-
tirely new entity known as the zone oil
the Straits out Of the narrow waters
that separate Europe and Asia Minor
the Dardanelles, the Sea Of Marmora
and the Bosphorus-and their shores
over this was placed an international
commission. The door which had so
long been kept closed by the Turks
when they desired, TO the detriment OF
commerce, was TO be flung open to per-
nit the passage of ships of trade or
war to any nation. That this has al
ready been accomplished in measure
is shown forcibly by recent dispatches
stating that Greek warships-barreu
from the Black sea since the prosper
GUS days of Byzantium-are again sail
ing it's waters and have shelled towns
held by the reD2lliouS luTkS.
On Road to the Golden Fleece.
For thousands of years history and
tradition have been busy about this
chain of waters, from the mouth OF the
Dardanelles at the tip of the GalhpoH
peninsula to the point nearly 200 miles
to the northeastward where the mar
rover Bosphorus sucks It's mighty
stream from the Black sea. Tradition
has il that Jason and his fellow search
ers for the golden fleece passed
through the straits; and later hardy
Greek seafarers and cOlonists, and aft
er them Romans and Genoese, built
great cities on their shores and estab-
lished over their water the world-im-
portant trade routes of their days.
"The Dardaneles, or the Hellespont
as the Greeks called it, is the longer OF
the two great salt water rivers that
separate Europe from Asia Minor. II
winds it's way from the Aegean sea
with two sharp turns and numerous
gentler curves, for 40 miles before II
expands into the Sea of Marmora, the
Grecian Propontis. The strait varies in
width from little over three -fourths
Of a mile to five miles. On the Euro
pean side rises the steep ridge of CALI
poll where large numbers of Austral-
ians and New Zealanders perished
while seeking to seize the Dardanelles.
On the Asatic side lies the plain in
which stood old Troy.
The Sea of Cities.
"The Sea of Marmora, from which
the Hellespont leads, is about l4O
miles in length and 40 miles wide at it's
greatest width. 1t is thus somewhat
smaller than Lake Ontario the small
est Of our Great Lakes. But though
relatively small, the Marmora in its
time has been the center of the world.
Pl obably about no other body Of water
Of such size have so many important
cities stood. OF these, Constantinople
alone is of Importance today; but liv-
ing and dead cities cover the shores OF
practically every harbor and headland
of the little sea. The settlements that
still exist are not even the heirs of the
great cities of yesterday but rather i'll
kempt interlOpers that under Turkish
domain occupied their sites.
Typical Of the ancient Marmora
cities was Cyzicus on the peninsula of
that name on the southern shore Of the
sea. 1t was founded earlier than Rome
or Byzantium and had long life, pos
sessCd at various times by Athens,
Sparta. Persia, Maccdon. Pergamus
and Rome. 1t was one Of the finest of
ancient cities in it's prime and it's gold
coins were the standard of their day
as the fiorins Of Florence became the
standard in Renaissance times. But
when Byzantium, thanks largely to its
Incompatible location on the Bcsphor-
us, rose TO power, the glories of CYL
Gus faded Today practically nothing
is left Of the once great city. It's
buildings were not left 10 fall; they
were torn down By Byzartires and
after them by Turks and the stones
used in the construction Of the latest
and still fiourishing metropolis Of the
straits.
Though il is both narrower and
shorter than the DardancllCs the Bos-
phorus, third link in this chain of his
toric waters, is perhaps most import
ant; for it is the immediate gate to
and from the great Black Sea which
reaches toward the heart Of Europe.
To command this strait is to command
one of the great trade routes Of the
world fact which has been written
deeply into history from the days of
the early Greeks to those Of the wan
ing Turks. The strait is about 90 miles
long and varies in width from Il third
Of a mile to two miles Darius Per
sian king, who invaded Europe, took
his army over a bridge of boats which
he had constructed across the Bos-
phOrus.
Water Route to Heart of Europe.
AT its northern end the BoSphOrus
expands suddenly into the Black Sea.
This is no small sea comparable to one
of our Greek Lakes but great body
of water $50 miles long and from 200 10