The Island of Lesbos.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 665, 29 September 1891, Page 2

The Island of Lesbos.

Lesbos, or Mitylene, is an island of the Grecian Archipelago, belonging to Turkey, near the coast of Asia Minor, and off 'he Gulf of Smyrna, having an area of 276 square miles, and a population of 40.000, half of Greeks It has a good harbor and a fertile soil, and i« a rich agricultural plaoe. The prinolpal town, Castro or Mitylene, is on the West Coast In 1867 the plaoe was visited by a great earthquake, which killed 800 people and devaVed the island. A channel 8 miles wide divides it from the Myslan ooast The surface is mountainous and the climate delightful. The chief town is built on an island close to the Western cast of Lesbos, and is joined to the mainland by a causeway, the city spreading itself out along the shores, there being a harbor on each side of the isthmus. In old time it was the only ASoleen oity that possessed a strong navy. During the Byzantio period the place was a very Important and prosperous locality. It has belonged to the Turkish empire since 1640. The island Is a most important strategical position, being situated quite close to ths mouth of the Dardanelles, ab ut whose safe guardianship Turkey, as well as the other European Powers, have always been an jealous The Gulf of Adramy’i separates it from the Asiatic mainland, and it is only a few hours’ steam from the Dardanelles. Onoe a hostl'e force took possession oj Mitylene it can command the whole Dardanelle entrance ; In fact, Mitylene may be desoribed as the “Koy to the Dirdanellns." The other principal town on the island is Kaloni, situated on a deep indentation ot the sea. The island is of irregular shape, and has three high prominent points. At the time of the Trojan War Mitylene was famous; from this time it continued long to he one of the chief homes of Hellenic civilisation. Homer refers to its wealth and its nopulous cities; its chief fame lies in its oonnertion with the earliest develops ment cf Greek poetry and literature, Probably no district of Greece can bout of bo many names, most of them associated with some marked advance in literature, as Lesbos can enumerate between 700 and 500 b.c. It has in former times been ths scene of great battles, as early as 500 B C. In 429 B.c. it revolted from Athens, anfl was only reduced after a long siege. In the latter part of the Peloponnesian Wap the harbor of Lesbos was the scone of n great naval battle between Oallioratedls and Conon, and the plaoe was long a stronghold of the Venetians in the Middle AgesOne of the Auckland B f ar stnff interviewed a military officer of considerable experience, who has been past the Island several times. He says Lesbos is a position of the ereatsp) Importance. I: Is perhaps two hours' steam from the mouth of the Dardanelles, whioh It commands. Indeed, he s»vs Great Britain con'd close the Dardanelles at on hour's notice by torpedoes, and the presence of her fleet in such a position.