Steinaker (DD 863) - Naval Cruise Book

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ISTANBUL Cconej excellent schools. In 1204- the Crusaders captured and looted the city. Many great works of art of the past were destroyed, and the famous bronze horses were carried off to St. Mark's in Venice. A ghost of the Byzantine Empire survived for a time, until in l4153 the fierce Ottoman Turks closed in on the doomed city of Constantinople, killed the emperor Constantine XIII, plundered, murdered, and took slaves. Since then Quntil l453j the city has been the Turkish capital, and the crescent has replaced the the cross over Santa Sophia. A century later the Turkish armies were thunder- ing at the gates of Vienna in the very heart of Europeg while Asia and Egypt and northern Africa formed part of their vast and barbarous empire. The Black Sea was practically a Turkish lake, and Turkish corsairs, reinforced by pirates of other nations, ruled the Mediter- ranean. ,Solyman the Magnificent was lord of 50 million Moslems and Christians of some 20 races. Constan- tinople was transformed into a fabulously rich and from colorful Mohammedan city, drawing its wealth the trade that passed through its gates. But within two centuries this magnificent capital of the world, with its 65,370 square miles of territory, was on the decline due to poor ruling and high taxes which caused revolt of the Balkan countries. Its territory was reduced to a triangle of 30 by 40 miles immediately around Constantinople. G-hazi Mustapha Kemal, who later added the surname of Ataturk, became the president of the new Turkish Republic after overthrowing the gultan in 1922, and because of the unwillingness of war-tom Europe to fight, won for Turkey possessions that new total about 300,000 square miles. The population is more than l6,000,000. Until he died in 1938, Kemal worked tirelessly to introduce modern methods of farming and manufacture among a people still plod- ding in the ways of 2,000 years ago. As a Mohammedan state, the law of Turkey was based on the Koran, but after the califate was abolished, a new civil code, based on the Swiss code, was adopted fin 19261 to replace to Koran. The religious orders were abolished and monasteries closed. In l930, the name of Istanbul fStamboulj, formerly applied only to the old Turkish quarter od Constantinople, was made the official name of the whole city. Turkey's strategic position, athwart a major land route between Europe and Asia and its control of the Dardanelles, has given the country a key position in world diplomacy. During the second World War Turkey was exposed on both sides to attack, and so from the outset held fast to a policy of armed neu- trality. With weapons provided inparty by Germany and in part by Great Britain, the Turks built up their armaments, then, as the power of the Axis waned, gradually strenghtened their ties with the Allied powers, and at the present time they are a member of NATO. LEMNOS ISLAND, GREECE The chief importance of Lemnos is its strategic location near the entrance of the Dardanelles. The history of the island parallels that of the mainland of Greece down through the centuries, but because of its insular remoteness, the ravages of occupation have been slight in comparison with other parts of Greece. In World War II, the island was occupied by approximately 8,000 German troops. Our visit to Lemnos was at the town of Kastron, the capital of the island, which is situated on the west coast. Kastron has a population of about 3,500. A rugged hill overlooks the town and its small harbor and on it are the ruins of a 13th century Venetian castle and fort. There is a legend about the history of Lemnos: lphistoa, the son of Jupiter and Juno, landed on Lemnos when he was thrown bodily from the com- munity of gods for being over zealous in his atten- tions to Aphrodite. As further punishment, Zeus inflicted the women of Lemnos with balitosis and the resulting disinterest of Iphistoa and the other men of the island led to an uprising by the women who killed all the men at Atrophone, just north of Kastron. Later when Jason and Argonauts, returning from their quest of the ccGolden Fleecen, put into Lemnos they found themselves so welcome in the manless island that they decided to make it their home. Twentieth-century Kastron is no longer the stage for capricious Greek gods, but it has a charm and quaintness that makes it most unusual -among liberty ports. It is even most unusual among places noted for their charm and quaint beauty. Cape Cod appea1'S like a carnival midway when compared with the quiet charm of this fishing village of little cobble- stone streets and small shops. The miniature harbor and breakwater where fishing boats anchor and the gaily painted stucco houses appear like an artist s picture in the bright Aegean sun light. There may be some who missed the aesthetic aspect of Kastron, but few if any, missed the good time of a lively American soft ball game played on the town SOCCGI' field. Another enjoyable event was the entertaining of thirty orphans and underprivileged children on board. Lunch, followed by a tour of the ship, left the children Kready to join the Navyv: according to the director of the school. The toys which had been bought 111 the States were distributed to eager hands. The tour was highlighted by an unscheduled landing of 3 flying boat containing the Naval .Attache to Greece.

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