TREBIZOND.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1916, Page 5

TREBIZOND.

The Rev. H. F. Tozcr lias written a brief description of the city of Trebizond that will bear, quotation justJ now. "Its importance," he says, "is due to its command of tiie point where tho chief trade route from Persia and Central Asia, to Europe, over the table land of Armenia by Bayezid and Erzerum, descends to the sea. Its safety was secured by the barrier of rugged mountains (7000 to 80CKWt) which Separate's it from the rest of Asia Minor. The position which was occupied by the Hellenic and medieval city is a sloping table of ground which falls in steep rocky precipices on two sides, where two deep valleys, descending from the interior, run parallel at no great distance from one another down to Ae sea." The old Byzantine walle Of the city, built on. the precipice edges,, are stiil standing, and above the city,' commanding both valleys, is the ancient for'tress. Bridges cross the valleys on either side, and formerly the bridge heads were fortified, but the fortß have fallen into disrepair. Viewed from any point, Trebizond oc'Ciipied an enormously strong position •against a land attack, and adequately fortified it could stand a long siege, provided, of course, supplies were sufficient. The- harbour served well enough in ancient times, though the absence of protection from the north-east rendered it unsafe. In modern times it lias been silting up, and no vessel of consequence can make an approach to. the shore. For months past r .bo Russians have been keeping a close watch on the Black Sea coast, and their destroyers have levied a very heavy toll on the coastal shipping. Supplies may occasionally have reached ■Trebizond, but so many transports have been destroyed that there cannot have been anything like an adequate provision of either munitions or foodstuffs this winter. It may be doubted, also, whether any guns have reached the city since the Russian menace developed seriously. It was reported that guns had been loaded on transports at Contantinople, but it is scarcely likely that the watchful Russian destroyers have let ■them slip through. All land route* are difficult at any season for troops with heavy transport columns, and during the winter the apologies for roads must have bene almost impracticable. It is stated, indeed, that the march from the railhead ut Angora to the Erzerum district would take at least a month.

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