New Britain Herald Newspaper, October 30, 1915, Page 9

Lottt s -~ Photos by American Press Assoclation. 1.—Robert college, Amorlaln, in Con- stantinople. 2.—A view of Constan- tinople and Galata bridge, which unites European and Asiatic Turkey, Yreportod to have been blown up by British submarine. 3.—Birdseye view of Conltantmapla, showing govern- ment buildings. 4.—~*“Burnt tower” of Stamboul. There is a legend told of this tower which prophesizes that when the tower falls so will Con- stantinople. 5.—Mosque of St. So-. Constantinople. 6.—A street vender, Constantinople. - ‘ ALL eyes are watching Constanti- nople and the allied attack on the Turkish city. Military experts both in this country and Europe agree that the British and French forces, alded by their Italian allies, will score one of the most de- cislve victories of the war at this point aRgd thereby be placed in a position to | &lve more aid to Russla by keeping the buge armies of the czar adequately supplied with ammunition and also providing an outlet for the immense Russlan crop of grain, now in such great demand all over the continent of Europe. Constantinople finds herself more seriously menaced than in all her 462 yedrs of Turkish rule. Not that she has not been besieged and threatened during that time, for indeed besieging Constantinople eitler on the fleld of battle or in the subtler precincts of diplomacy has always been the sport of kings. More than once in the last century the besiegers were practically in sight of the city, and in the Balkan war the rezidents of the city paused in the course of their daily avocations to listen to the roar of the enemies’ guns in the distance. But always before something had happened to save Constantinople. First Recorded Siege. The first recorded sica® in the long lst that the city has undergone was about 170 A. D, when Septimus Se- verus contended with Pescennius Niger for his position as Roman emperor in the east. The fortifications of Byzan- tilum were famous throughout the “world, all the scientific means cf de- fense then known were at her come mand, and her navy, manned by skill- ful, brave seamen, was feared by every other country. For three years she sustained the slege and only when the ravages of famine became so horrible that the weaker became food for the stronger did she finally yield to her Roman captors. From then until her capture by Constantine in 324 A. D. the city was without a strong government and suffered frightful hardships. The first siege of the Saracens, about 673, brought with it a new and terrible means of defense, Greek fire, the most destructive agent then known to man. It could be projected on objects either near at hand or at a distance and would burn on water or on stone as readily as on substances that could be themselves ignited. This was the first great siege of the Moslems, The second came about a hundred years later. Eighteen ships, mostly manned by Christian slaves, were sent out to prevent aid from 2 of the 1,800 uhlpa returned to Syria, and only the barest remnant of the great army ever reached Damascus. Sovereigns Accumulated Wealth. As the centuries went on Constanti- nople grew slowly weaker, though the authoritative accounts of its riches during the tenth, eleventh and twelfth centuries sound like the tales of a ma- giclan. Its customs revenues alone amounted to 20,000 pleces of gold daily, and in spite of the great cost of keep- ing the armies on a constant war foot- ing, of building splendid public edifices, of supporting a iuxurious court and a nfagnificent church, the sovereigns ac- reaching Constantinople, while 180,000 foot soldiers besieged the walls. The slege lasted eighteen months. Only five cumulated vast personal wealth which was estimated in tons of pure gold. The connection of Constantinople with the fourth crusade was one of the romantic incidents in its history. The crusaders were called on to oust a pretender and restore the rightful heir to the throne. Aided by the Ve- netians they at once set about the slege of Constantinople. In the spring of 1203, 440 vessels carrying 40,000 sol- diers sailed up the sea of Marmora to the very walls of the city. The capture of Constantinople by the Turks was not a sudden thing. The Turks were established in Europe with a capital at Adrianople before they ever laid siege to the greater city. In 1847 the Christian emperor made terms with the Moslem ruler by giving his daughter in marriage to Orchan, son of Othman, the founder of the ruling PROMINENT AND CULTURED MEXICO ADRIFT ON A SEA OF REVOLUTION REQUENT clashes which have recently occurred on the Mex- Acan border indicate that big things are soon to happen in our troublesome neighbor. It is ad- mitted on all sides that the acute dip- lomatic situation with European pow- ers has delayed the action necessary to restore order. AF’ insight into the actual conditions Lxlstlnx in Mexico is interesting now. Cultured Mexico is adrift on the World’s sea. No longer have the seats &t the marble topped tables outside the fashionable Chapultepec cafe in Mexi- co City éducated and refined occupants. Zapata and his band of savages have driven the last native Mexican of breeding out of Mexico City. Those nof*Pejected by Zapata were hurled forth by Carranza, including the Bra- zillan and Guatemalan ambassadors. Instead of being in Mexico, these pol- ished dons are now scattered every- where, many impoverished, a few in comfortable circumstances. Let us glance over a few of thece distinguish- od pxiles. In Spain we find Diego Redo, Floren- elo Noriega and Luis R. Creel at Ma- drid; Gumercindo Enriquez and In- dalecio Sanchez Gavit, the lawyer, at Barcelona; Adolfo de la Lama, Jose $anchez Ramos and General Manuel Mondragon at San Sebastian. In Paris are living J. Y. Limantour, izard of finance; Pablo Escandon, L‘.l}’ capitalist; De Zayas Enriquez, the writer; Aurelio Canales, Luis Tornel, Francisco L. de la Barra, Guillermo Obregon, Jr.; General Fernando Gon- zalez, Ramon Corona and Carlos Gon- zales. There are many prominent Mexicans in New York city, among whom we find Joaquin Casasus, Emilio Rebasa, Gavito Alogso Mariscal, 1. Sanchez, Se; Vincante Senin, Luis Elguer Martinez Carillo, all lawyer: ex-President Huerta’s son Jorge, cousin Fernando Gil and son-In-law, Senor Colon; General -Felix Diaz, General lernando Limon, Jose Luis Requena, | Ricardo Guzman, Pascual Lunay Par- ra, Antonio Guzman, General Rubio Navarette, Enrique Fernandeéz Castel- lo, Colonel Fernandesz Zerate, General Caglos Garcia Hidalgo. *Wo, years ago, in Mexico City, Luls fltrsl: Pimentel, Rivero Collado, S. n de Valle, Andres Matienzo, Bu-lol Landa y Escandon and J. Luis = cs. J. Sanchez Juarez, a Photos by American Press Association. Troops on border, General Funston and the international boundary, uena were six capitalists of impor- |the blg Mexicans In New York are jon [ Marquis de San Juan de Rayas and l(u!co’- liberator, Benito Juarez, is |Javier Pina Axuum, both capitalists; mducxllu. A few more of Ct-pr-ldont Mexico Pedro Lascu- rain, Eduardo N. Iturbide and Emeterio de la Garza, Jr. These constitute only a fragment of Mexico’s noted exiles, men of talents who opened that country and made it attractive to the rest of the world. They are kept out of Mexico because their property 1s coveted. T S O SR R T a3 PR Constantmople Besneged Often ln the Last Twenty Cent_urnes dynasty. A conditlon of this bargain provided the first Moslem outrage in the Christlan city, when Orchan sold his Christian prisoners in the market place of Constantinople. Men, women and children of all castes were exposed naked and sold into a terrible bondage. This is the last time that the city was ever actually captured by an in- vading host. Constantinople has been often besieged since then, though not after the medieval fashion, but it has never since fallen. How Turks Took City. The circumstances of the capture of the city by the Turks have never been forgotten or forgiven by the Christian peoples of southeastern Hurope. The sultan had promised his soldiers that (T “uraes when they entered the city he would reserve for himself only the walls and the public bulldings. Everything else, people and treasure, was to be theirs. Waiting for them in and about the church of St. Sophia the invaders found a multitude of Christians, 20,000 of them, waliting with sublime faith the miracle that would deliver them from the Moslems, More than once during this time was Constantinople threatened by force; more than once was the Dardanelles passed by unfriendly warships, but not a single time did the city actually sus- tain other than a diplomatic siege. In 1807 an English fleet under Admiral Duckworth entered the Dardanelles and sappeared before Constantinople, R but the Turks entangled the admiral in. diplomatic negotiations, at the same time hurriedly strengthening their for- tifications untll he was obliged to re- treat beyond the Dardanelles, and Con- stantinople was saved. In 1829 Constantinople was seriously threatened by Russian land forces, but not until 1878 did Russia actually ap proach the goal of her ambition. Not until her soldiers were actually in sight of Constantinople did the sultan accep! her proffered terms of peace. From 1878 until 1912 Constantinople was not menaced by an enemy. Bul in the fall of 1912 the Balkan allies after a series of amazing and dramatic victories, swept over the plains of Thrace and attacked the defenses of Tchatalja, practically the last defense of the city. What the disorganized Turkish armies would have done alone cannot be guessed, but they had thelr old ally, diplomacy, on their side, as well as the dread cholera whick at- tacked the Bulgarians and Turks alike Importance of Tobacco In European War Shown by Great Demands For the Weed OT unlike big centimeter guns, Zeppelins and submarines, tobacco is playing an Iim- portant part in the great war that is raging in Europe. The soldier craves tobacco. He must have it— whether in the trenches, on the battle- fleld or in camp. “To the soldier and the saflor in the present war, with his nervous system in a ceaseless state of tension from the dangers and excitement, tobacco must be a real solace and joy when he can find time for this well earned indul- gence.” So says the London Lancet, the well known medical journal. The soldier in the Franco-Prussian war also enjoyed his tobacco. And therein lies a good story that has for its principal character Count Moltke. The count was & great user of snuff. ‘When marching against Marshal Mac- Mahon he used more than his allow- ance. Although he won this memorable campaign, which meant millions of dol- lars increase in the treasury of the fa- therland, in addition to a province, the government presented him with a bill which read, “For one pound of snuff supplied to General von Moltke, 1 thaler.” He pald, though Germany reaped the benefits of that extra pound of snuff. Good stories about smoking and smokers continue to fill the space in the papers not occupied by news of “major” engagements. For instance: “A British force recently met the Germans. One soldier broke into a house occupled by eight Germans, bay- oneted four of them and captured the rest. Othqrs who entered the house later found him contentedly sucking on his clay pipe.” The following tribute has been pald to General Sir Philip Chetwode by Ser- geant A. Bowler of the Fifth signal corps, R. E, who is at the front: *“I have watched him calmly smoking a cigarette when shells have been drop- ping all over the place. I think that if all the German army were firing at him he would carry on as usual, smok- ing his cigarette and giving his orders as if he were at his club ordering a drink.” German soldlers on the western frontier receive dally two cigars and two cigarettes, or an equal amount of chewing tobacco, snuff or pipe tobacco. The allies not long ago signed a con- tract with a large American manufac- turing firm for 400,000,000 cigarettes, to be delivered In the fall. The order has kept the factory handling it busy night and day, it is stated. In order to get the “smokes” completed on time the factory had to turn out cigarettes at the rate of 10,000,000 a day, or about 7,000 for every minute of the day, which is “goin’ some,” every man who “rolls his own” will admit, “For the fellows who are hungry for a smoke and chew—G@G. L. Barker, Bil- lings, Mont,, U. S. A, 11-21, "14." This was the only clew to the iden- tity of one of the quaintest consign- ments yet recelved by the commission for relief in Belgium. The above in- scription was written on an address tag found in a large shipping case that had been sent from Seattle. The case co, Including 176 pounds of “plug.” sev: eral gross of tinfoll wrapped packages of smoking tobacco, several dozes packages of cigarette tobacco, & large quantity of cigarette papers in book- lets, two gross of tin boxes filled with Scotch snuff and seven boxes of cigars Although the commission made every inquiry, it is unable to trace the giff farther back than Seattle. Howeven it is belleved that the case is a pari of a consignment sent last Novembes from Billings, Mont., tp Seattle by the cowboys and cattle rangers of Montans and Wyoming and that G. L. Barker of Blllings was not the sole donor. That the “boys” of the western plains con- celved the idea of sending to the “fel. lows” in Belgium, who perbaps had not had a smoke or a chew since the beginning of the European war, some was filled with an assortment of tobac- Photo by American Press Assoclation. real solace, there is little doubt, - Giving a wounded soldier what may be his last smoke,