Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1891 — HELLESPONT AS IT IS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HELLESPONT AS IT IS.

AGEAN ISLAND WHERE THE SAILORS LANDED. A Turkish Outpost Which Would TuU Easily In Case of War-The Key to the Dardanelles—Treaty Concerning; Navigation—Where the English Disembarked. Europe’s Political Chess-Board. The whole civilized world was startled at the report that a detachment of blue jackets and marines from a British ironclad, accompanied by a battery of field-pieces and several Gatling guns, had landed on the Turkish island of Mitylene, formally occupying it in the name of the Queen of England. There was an element of truth in the report. The landing had taken place, but the British force remained on the island but two days. Nevertheless it had the effect of attracting attention to the ’{•erennial Eastern question and making the world wonder what would be the next move on the European political chess-board. The whole matter resolves itself into a very simple proposition: Shall Russia have Constantinople and drive the Turk back into Asia whence he came? Since the year 1566, nearly a hundred years after Mohammed the 11. stormed Constantinople, the Rus-

sians and Turks have been fighting. The various wars have been complicated by different issues, but the plain object on the part of Russia has been to obtain command of the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmora, and thus have an outlet for her vessels into the Mediterranean. During these centuries there has been varying success on both sides. Russia has never lost an opportunity of provoking a quarrel. In 1853 she was the aggressor, and made war on the trivial pretext that the holy places in Palestine were improperly

looked after. Turkey was joined in this struggle by England and France, and peace was proclaimed after the fall of Sebastopol in 1855. This peace treaty of Paris neutralized the Black Sea, Russia and Turkey alike engaging to keep no warships and to maintain no arsenal there. The overthrow of France in the war of 1870 and the consequent isolation of England led Russia to declare the provision of the treaty of Paris,

which excluded its ships of war and its arsenals from the Black Sea, to be ao longer in force. In 1877 the administration of government in Turkey had grown more corrupt than ever. Some Turkish provinces had revolted, and massacres of the most fearful character had taken in Bulgaria. Turkey could give no real security for better government, so Russia took the opportunity of declaring war. - The Balkans were passed in midwinter, Adrianople was occupied, and the Turkish armies were captured or annihilated. The victorious Russians marched to the very suburbs of Constantinople, to St. Stefano, where peace was conclude# Match 3, 1878. Great Britain refused to agree to the provisions of the treaty and sent her fleet to the Dardanelles. This had the desired effect and the treaty was modified by a European congress assembled at Berlin.: Great Britain will hot allow Russia to trfke possession of Constantinople, because it would be a menace to British power in the far East. It is the high road to India, that “brightest jewel of the English crown.” England carries on an enormous trade with Asiatic countries, and this she considers tvould’ be endangered as well as her influence impaired by Russian occupation of Constantinople. For this

reason there is always a powerful British fleet in the Mediterranean, and the English chain of outposts, Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, also the Suez Canal—the latter being controlled by Great Britain—are kept fully equipped and garrisoned and ready for any emergency. The Dardanelles, the narrow channel separating Europe from Asia and uniting the Sea of Marmora with the Grecian archipelago, is the bone of contention that has caused the British naval demonstration at Mitylene. Several treaties between the five great powers and Turkey have confirmed the provision that no ship of war belonging to any nation save Turkey should pass the Dardanelles without the express consent of Turkey, all merchant ships being also required to show their papers to the Turkish authorities. A Bussian vessel coming from the Black Sea recently was not permitted to pass, on the ground that she was a war transport and had soldiers on board. Russia protested, the ship was allowed to go through, and the Sultan of Turkey practically apologized. England views this action on the part of Russia as an effort to get in the thin end of the wedge that the provision of the treaty may become a dead letter. The Mitylene incident is to show both Turkey and Russia the British lion is going to look after his own interests at all hazards.

There is probably no part of the world that so teems with historical and mythical associations as the Dardanelles. While sailing through the channel and stopping at the forts, as all vessels are obliged to, one feels in sacred waters. It is the ancient Hellespont, widely known from the story of Hero and Leander and from Lord Byron’s successful attempt to rival the ancient swimmer. Here Xerxes crossed by means of a bridge of boats, and Alexander the Great performed a similar exploit. Xerxes crossed 480 B. C. to enter Europe, and Alexander almost at the same spot to enter Asia nearly 158 years later. Now the Dardanelles is strongly defended on both sides with fortifications mounting many guns of more or less power, but some of them being of immense caliber.

Easily as this narrow passage is defended, nevertheless in 1807 the English Admiral Duckworth made his way past all the fortresses into the Sea of Marmora. The feat was also accomplished by a Russian squadron in the wars of the last century, but it is probable that modern artillery well directed would make it an al-

most impossible attempt. The British fleet in 1878 had orders to force its way through if permission were refused by the Turkish authorities* There are several forts and castles on both sides of the Dardanelles, but the two most important ones are Chanak Kalessi and Lilid Bahr. They are distant but a short mile from each other. From the entrance the European bank is the higher, rising abruptly but not precipitously from the water’s edge to a height of from 100 feet to 200 feet. At Kilid Bahr there is low ground between the water and the hill behind, and metal glistening in the sunlight reveals the fact that there are powerful batteries almost flush with the water. On these are 40-ton Krupp guns* some of which are mounted on earthworks, others on barbette. Above ca the crest of the hill some hundred feet above the water are most formidable batteries. Theso Constitute the greatest danger to an advancing fleet, as from their elevation the shot of the fleet would pass over them, while they would be able to play upon the-decks, the most vital part of ironclad ships. The current, too, is in favor of the forts. An ascending squadron would find the heads of the vessels tending toward the powerful guns of the Chanak batteries. Merchant steamers going up the Dardanelles pass under the very mouths of the guns of Kilid Bahr. A fleet would be met as it advanced by the fire of Kilid Bahr and Chanak, it would pass the guns of the former within pistol shot, as it crossed toward Chanak. it would be raked fore and aft by the guns of both forts, and as it left Chanak it would be similarly raked by other forts, receiving the Are of Kilid Bahr on its broadside. Chanak is not as strong naturally as Kilid Bahr, but the fortifications are much stronger, the guns being

for the most part in casemates. When it is remembered that in addition to these very powerful forts there may be torpedoes in the narrow channel, it will oe seen that the difficulties in the way of forcing the passage are enormous.,, The island of Mitylene or Lesbos is quite near enough to the Dardenelles to make both Russa and Turkey feel uncomfortable should Great Britain take possession of it

THE BOSPHORUS, SHOWING CASTLES OF EUROPE AND ASIA.

TURKISH ASIATIC VOLUNTEER.

CONVENT OF MOUNT ORTHYMNOS, ON THE ISLAND OF MITYLENE.