CHANAK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 23 November 1922, Page 2

CHANAK

j THE "(TTY OK HOTS" i WHERE BRITAIN GUARDS STRAITS

I Chanak. wliich is held by British forces : as the key to the Dardanelles, has fro- . quently figured in military history. .It stands on the Asiatic aide of the waterway some 15 or 16 miles from Cape Hellos at the extreme westerly entrance, ami on die very narrowest nortion of the straits. Although it does not occupy the identical she of thi' ancient Dardanos. the Mine of the treaty between Sulla and Mithridates, 84 8.C., it has frequently ; been known in history under the name . Dardanelles. The. distance across the straits at this point is considerably less than a mile, and its defenders have ways seized upon iis unique situation as the key of their schemes. It was accordingly the rile chosen by Mahommed 11. , Inr the erection of the famous Dardanelles castles. On the, north hank is Kilid Ha hr (Key of the Sea), and oppo- ' site it Kaleh Sultanieh. under the protection of which the town of Chanak ! was built.. | (,'hanak Kalesi. literally interpreted, 'means "City of Hols," and the lamous ok! industry which supplied its nomenclature survived quite recently in a manner which brought it before the attention of every visitor to the town. The potters of Chanak used to descend on the ships as they passed through, offering their quaint productions for sale. Incij dentally, it may he mentioned that even ■ merchant vessels have always been pro- ■ eluded from making the passage at night. Shipping can be in the roads at, all seasons except during strong southei'ly gales. The community of Chanak has grown considerably of late years. Its population, not long ago a dubious l 5000 or 6000, is now returned til 16,000, while just after the war an official estimate made it as high as 22,000. irrespective of the small towns of Lapsaki and K/.ine on either side ol it. >■ Commercially Chanak has many inter'csls. hut. they arc. mainly small. It exports wheal.' barley, oats, rye, maize, chick peas, hides, limber, and olive, oil. Carpets were before the war at Exine. which also contained three flour mill and eight olive mills. Chanak and Lapsaki each has small tanneries, and the larger town has a municipal watersupply. Chanak has a small natural harbour, which at one linn* (ind employment for some 50 lighters. Few remained, however, after the war. There are 12 warehouses and 5 piers, originally reserved'for the use of the military garrison. who had also their own /lour mill. All Chaoak's business operations are conducted through Constantinople, iutd there is no direct export trade .The Imperial Ottoman Bank originally had a branch there, while the Banqne Agricole lias branches in all thmy towns. There are goldmines about 15 miles cast of Ciiauak/and before the war they were actuallv worked hv a British firm.