Evening star., 1922-09-30

Translation often spoils romance.
Chanak, the strategic point on the
Asiatic side of the Dardanelles which
has figured in the headlines ibr: weeks
after the fall of Smyrna as sort
of threatened British ThermoRlae,
means ''pots"-scullery ware-ac-
cording to a bulletin dealing with
the region issued by the National
Geographic Society. 81
But though it has a humdrum
name continues the buhettns
'Chanak-or Tehanak- -Kalessi-and
it's neighborhood have more than
have radically nodded the worlds
history, and even the worlds litera-
ture. Barely twenty miles to the
south rose Troy. to furnish inspira-
tion alike to Homer and his myriad
OF readers. Within stones throw
of Chanak, XerXes. in $50 B. c., led
Dardanelles on a bridge OF boats In
the first formidable expedition of
Asiatics into Europe which history
records. At the same spot a CEN
tury and a half later Alexander led
his smaller but more highly trained
army into Asia on his triumphal con-
quest of the world.
Turks Entered in 1883.
ut was from Chanak in 1853 that
the Turks crossed to their first foot
hold in Europe-a crossing, that g&ve,
Europe problem that has bred wars
and massacres and broken treaties
for more than 500 years. s<t
The Sea of MaEmora, into which
tre pardanelies and the BospHusg
widen, forms barrier between Asia
and Europe. The roads between the
two continents lie across theFtwo
straits at its ends. Constantinpple
at the narrowest point of the Bps
where the DardaAelles is most con-
stricted, is the back door. 1t is nat
ural enough, perhaps. that almost all
OF the historic invasions Of Europe
from the east should have been by
the back way. and that there again
today Great Britain should have made
an important stand. -.
soler Piexus Of Straits.
Castle after castle, each fortified.
and the European sides of the Dar-
danelles as one steams from the
Aegean toward Constantinople. But
the narrows opposite Chanak are re-
served for the castles Of castles: The
castle of Asia on the right. the castle
of Europe on the left. The Chanak
fortif1cations were first constructed in
1910 not long after ConstantinoNte
fell to the Turks. Ever since Chanak
has been a place of importance. In
recent decades it has been the point
of administration for all the Darda-
nelles defenses-the solar plexus of
the outer straits. German artillery
experts resided there during the world
war and, modernized the fortifications
"Chanak. too, has been the gate
way to Constantinople for shipping.
There each of the $4,000 .shfpsa that
passed through the DardaneI1es in
pre-war days was held until its pa
pers were found to be satisfactory,
and none could pass after nfghtfall.
Nearby was anchored an important
unit of the Turkish feet.
In Shadow Of Mount Ida.
ITO the western observer steaming
up the Dardanelles the roles of Asia
and Europe seem reversed. ,All the
scenic beauty is on the Asiatfc side,
where the steep slopes are clad with
beautiful forests. The European side
is rugged and largely barren.
'rOf the beauty spots on the Asiatic
shore few surpass those about Cha
max, where the CONSTRUCTED stream
|; suddenly widens out to form at once
the Dardanelles' most striking cape
and bay. Barely five miles to the
south are the ruins of the ancient city
of Dardanus, which gives the strait