CONSTANTINOPLE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 25, 30 March 1915, Page 2

CONSTANTINOPLE.

The heavy loss Buffered by the fleets bombarding the Dardanelles, has served to focus with grea:tr intensity eyes and minds on Constantinople. Despite set-backs, which are inevitable, it may be safely said that Constantinople is- almost within hail of her Christian assailants, after having been in the hands of the Tuiki for 462 years. Thai four and a half centuries of Islamic occupation has been an almcut continuous blight ar.d curse. It tegan in consequence of the divisions bstween the Christians of G eece and Rome, and it has been maintained ever since upon the mutual jealousies of Christian Governments. Whilst the Crescent was gathering strength in Asia, and beginning to menace the city of Constantine, the Greeks, who were in tierce quarrel with Rome over polemicil rites, put up a prayer that nut the tiara, but ihe turban, should rule in Constantinople. That prajer was answered when the conquering troops of Mohammed 11. were carrud in seventy ships up the Golden Horn, and laid siege to the city. On that memorable May morning of 1453 there were not more than 7(J00 Christian soldiers, under the last heir of Ccnstantine, ready to deferd the city. The Greek inhabitants refused to give any help against the cnruehiug Turks, and the Empeior Constantine Dragases fell at the head of his few troops at the gate of St. Romanus, almost before ihe of light had streaked the Boßphorus. Never was a people more stricken than the Greeks were in the granting of their petition. The Jultan had boasted that where bis shod horses had tramped no grass would grow, and the word* became a veritable prophecy. Greeca withered under the malediction of Moslem pressure, and the Greeks grovelled in slavery under the'r taskmasters. But the long night of Turkish misrule seems to be at last about to close. Great Britain, France and Russia are in perfect accord about the fall of Constantinople. The 7 have knocked at the dcor and found the bolts and the hinges shaky