New Britain herald., 1925-07-07
SANDS, ISLE OF
 MANY MASTERS
Greeks, Romans and Various
 Others Have Controlled It

today says 2 bulletin from the Washington, p C., headquarters Of the National Geographical society.
 "Alhenian Greeks Romans, By. 74n'ines Arabs, Nenetians. Genoese arI Turks have in turn held sway over this little island m the Aegean sea not far from smyrna, and sep- ara'cd from the Asia Minor main. land by channel only a mile wide at its narrowest point Once the home of hardy men and beautiful women, and with its shores and . hills graced with picturesque and beautiful cities and temples, today tt is region Of barren and de. nuled hills, and an occasional vil- laFe and ruin. It is hard to realize that here 4 part of the foundation Of modern ststecraft, philosophy science and art was laid
 Land of Vines and Windmills
 Like its nearby neishbor Chios samos is land o' vineyards and windmills, The latter are squat round stone towers with wheel-like sails, each spoke holding a bit Of canvas. They are not ss large nor as picturesque as those of the dike countries of western Europe but they manage, somehow. to catch the brisk winds that sweep along the coast and put them 10 useful pur- poses such winds as once drove the galleys of Samos' great fleet of merchantmen and ships of war to every port in the known world.
 The island has good harbor al Vathy, the modern capital, but the chief things of historical intereet are at Tigani the site Of the an- cient town of samos. Here are the remains Of the great aqueduct built under a mountain by Eupalius, the long harbor mole, an immense theater with 'belachers' cut out of living rock, and the Temple of Hera, which is described by Hero1o- tus, the Greek Baedeker of his day. as the largest structure he had seen. But the temple, like the is- land, Is mere shadow Of It's former glory, Only single column remains upright, and the top of that has been knocked of, Goats graze where Pythagoras, the philosopher. once taught his pupils.
 Qualifications Like Small Chinese
 Wall
 The city of Samos vas fortified | with walls which twisted and climb i ed over the surrounding hiltopa liks the Great Wall of China on a l small scale. A moat and two large stone watch towers, one near the seq and the other on the mountain top overlooking the town, made Samos almost impregnable in an- i cient times. Traces of both works are still visible.
 Tn the marts of the world today Samos is noted chiefly for its cigar cites and it's wine. The production of these two articles furnishes em- ployment to most Of the 77,000 peo- pie on the island. Several varieties of food fish, figs, melons, grapes and nuts are other products which are lghtered 10 ships in it's harbors and sold in Mediterranean and other ports. The wine is of an excellent flavor, very sweet, and is largely used as a mixing liqueur. The high y favored tobacco grown on the island Is made into cigarettes which are much esteemed in the Levant.
 Ideal Yachting Region
 The little harbors and coves Of the island offer good sport in yacht ing and fishing during the summer months, while there are also several sandy beaches ideal for bathing. Yachting Is not without It's thrills in Samos, however, for the treach erous winds of the locality often arise from a dead calm. while on other occasions the direction and velocity change with surprising sud denness.
 Under the wisdom. skill, and, some say, luck of Polycrates during the 9th century, samos won first place in the Ionian Union, Polycra- tas was one of the first believers in 2 big navy as the first line of de- fenss -- and oTense as well. Hts fleet o' 100 salleys of 30 rowers each, and 000 archers -- q veri- table armada Of that day - vas faster and better equipped than any other on the Aegean sea. IL not only projected the extensive commerce of the island, but frightened the tedium at intervals with plunderins expeditions that Uere invariably successful, Many 8 Persian or Spar tan galley was relieved of is rich burden of treasure hy the tleet-sall- ing ships Of this island tyrant
 Part of Greece Since Balkan War
 Tn 522 B. (. however, Polycra- tss was decoyed 10 Msgnesia and murdered by the Persian satrap of that place, S1ncs his death Samos has fallen into many hands, and has gradually declined into an oh ecure little indigent that dreams Of past glories while is inhabitants 8 husily about the very practical and lucrative business of making wine and cigarettes,
 The island has been under Greek rule since the Balkan war, when force of Greek insurgents, Samians and Cretsns. forced th" Turkish garrison 10 capituIale, and issued manifesto declaring their union with Greece. Although the island formerly was tributary to Turkey, paving annually Si3.ooo, u was per miited to he practically an inde- pendent prirciPality. governed by prince of Greek nationality nomi- n~t.d hv ihe Porte The inhabitants cf fhe island today gre largely Of Greek origin and most cf them fol-