A COVETED ISLE

Evening Star, Issue 23687, 21 September 1940, Page 15

A COVETED ISLE

CORFU AS CENTRE OF STRATEGY Dividing the blue waters of the lonian and Adriatic Seas is the lovely island of Corfu, whijgh Mussolini now covets as a strategic base. To obtain, it he is prepared to go to almost any lengths to provoke a quarrel witu Greece (writes A. V. Fatseas, in the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’). , Fascinating in its natural beauty and thrilling in its mythical as well as its real history, this sun-bathed Greek island constitutes to-day a spot which, if occupied by Italy, would tremendously augment her strategical position in the Mediterranean. It is chiefly for this reason that'Corfu is as important to Britain as to Greece.

The Power commanding Corfu would be in a position to control the whole lonian Sea, and. if that Power be Italy, England’s position in the Eastern Mediterranean would be dangerously threatened. Italy would have a sea wall right from the Adriatic to the strongly-forti-fied Dodecanese Islands. But Corfu, or Kerkyni, as it is called in Greek, is not only a place of strategical importance; it is an island of rare charm, where Nature has been so prodigal as to make it one of the selected holiday resorts for the royalties and celebrities of Europe. Its history goes back to the time of Homer. It is generally believed that Kerkya is the island of Phsracon, 'of which the great moot speaks in his ‘ Wanderings of Odysseus.’ The island abounds in vegetation, grapevine plantations, olive groves, and maize-producing farms. Lakes are to he seen here and there, while rivers, bays, coves, impressive cliffs, and picturesque mountains and valleys complete an exquisite landscape. It was in these surroundings that the Empress Elizabeth of Austria chose to build her famous villa. Achillion, which, after her death, was bought and used by the German Kaiser. A BRITISH GIFT.. Corfu is one of the seven lonian islands, which, thanks to the generosity of Great JBrituin, are again a precious possession of Greece. For, although it may not be generally known, the islands up to 1804 had been possessions of England. They were presented to Greece in that year as an exceptional gesture of British friendship on the occasion of the ascension to the Greek Throne of King George I. the grandfather of the present King of Greece Traces of British occupation arc still to be found on all the islands, such iis school "buildings, some of which are still in use for educational purposes. An interesting aspect of the life of these islands is the notable ainti.tude of tho people for music and their good singing voices On Corfu and Tomto (Takynthos) especially a person who cannot play an instrument or sing is considered to be very ignorant. Remarkable also is the fact that these islands should have been the birthplaces of so many men of literary, professional, and political distinction If be present Premier of Greece. General Metavns, was born on CephalliniaV The population of Corfu is 115.472, of wbieb 35.221 reside in the capital. The island has progressive educational facilities, including libraries, a military college, ami a school" for the teaching of foreign Innennoes