Evening star., 1924-07-07
PLYMOUTH infant
CITY BESIDE VARNA
Pilgrims Landing Place But
800 Years Old, While
Latter Marks $500.
BULGARIA TO CELEBRATE
Town Was Settled in Centyry
That Cyrus Took Babylon and
Roman Rennblic Began

jamestown, Va, had tercentenary
in 1907. Plymouth, Mass, celebrated
the 3e0th anniversary of her settle
| ment in 1920. Varna, Bulgaria, plans
a modest commemoration of her 900
years this month
"Varna was born in the century
that Egypt was made Persian
province. that saw Cyrus take Baby
lon, that heard Solon's plea for re-
forming the Athcnian constitution
and experienced the founding of the
the headquarters of the National Geo
graphic Society.
Among Worlds Oldest Cities.
"In point of continuous existence
the Bulgarian seaport ranks with the
ancient cities of the world; it -four
ished when the famous cities OF
Europe-London, Paris, Berlin, Mos
cow-were yet unborn.
1T nestles on the hilly north shore
of the Bay of Varna, near the border
of Rumania- That country's acquisi-
tion Of Dobrudja was blow to Var
mas shipping.
1T was having its 300th birthday
when a strip of territory now rough
ly comprised in Bulgaria, and Serbia
was known as Moesia, not very
conspicuous province of the Roman
empire. The Romans are reputed to
have acquired this region about %
B. {. from the Celts. Indeed, col
Cny of Milesidns is supposed to have
been located
ans are legendary early Irish race,
Narnd might appropriately invite an
Irish delegation TO help her celebrate.
Absorbed by Conquerors.
What is more to the point with
Bulgarians of today is that Varna is
in a literal sense the Plymouth and
jamestown of their country. Along
with the Slavs and the Avars, the
Bulgarians swarmed into Europe in
the sixth century, and the Buiga-
rians formed a thriving kingdom in
south Russia between the Volga and
the Danube. In that same century
colony of these Bulgarians pressed
on south of the Danube and estab-
lished themselves at Varna.
Like the Franks in France, they
gave their name to the country they
founded. but, as a pure stock, they
disappeared. And like the Normans,
| in England, the conquerors were ab-
sorbed by the conquered. Today they
are accounted a Slavic people.
"Earna is strangely modern for so
ancient city. Its breakwater and
its quays. its public library. womans
college. and branch national bank.
and various other business and official
buildings are new-new since Bull
garia gained an autonomous identity
in 1878.
Had Stormy History.
Between that time and the loss of
Dobrudja. Bulgaria has had a stirring
military history, in which Varna has
been conspicuous. 1t formed a corner
of the so-called 'Varna quadrilateraL
! This quadrilateral comprised, besides
/ Varna- the cities of Shumla, Rust
chuk and Silistria, the last mentioned
now being in Rumania.
AT Varna, in 1874, the romantic
Wladislaus III, King of Poland and
Hungary. was slain by the I~--aical
Murad II. The former fner ~ un-
timely end becaASc he resA ded a
treaty as scrap of paper.
| I'm 1915 Varna was bombarded by
a Russian fleet.
Despite the loss of Dobrudja busi-
ness. Varna continues a busy port
shipping out cattle and dairy prod
! ucts grain, skins and cloth. The city
! is decidedly wet in aspect, because
| of numerous brewerieS and dtStil-
| leries 1t also has important tan