Chapter LVI: Appendix: B. (xvii.)

THE CHEKMAGEE LINES.

Major-General Macintosh in his work, "A Military Tour in European Turkey," remarks on the possibility of a winter campaign, and on the defences of Constantinople as follows:—

"About the time that I visited the Dardanelles I made an excursion from Constantinople into Bulgaria, noting as I rode along all that appeared of professional interest in the country through which I passed. It was the beginning of November when I set out, but I found the passes of the Balkan quite practicable as regarded snow, though this is not always the case at that season. Excepting an occasional rainy day, I travelled agreeably enough over the plains on both sides of the mountains. On leaving Constantinople, the Adrianople road carried me over a bleak track of undulating country resembling our downs, but deeply furrowed in many places with steep ravines, and showing few vestiges of habitation beyond an occasional farm-yard enclosed by a solid wall, and generally containing several dwellings and sheds for cattle. These enclosures might often serve for posts, but they could hardly resist artillery; although there is a method employed in the East of digging outside the wall a deep ditch, and throwing the earth up to a certain height against it, which would in some degree deaden the fire, at the same time that the ditch formed by the excavation adds an obstacle compensating for the facility which the earth thrown up within would otherwise give to an escalade.

"The road passes at no great distance from the shore of the Sea of Marmora, about ten miles from the city walls. I reached the crest of one of the elevated downs commanding a view of an extensive lake, about seven miles in length, and two in breadth, bordered with marshy land, and stretching from the sea into the country, and in the direction of the ridge called the Lesser Balkan, which lies to the north. The lake is separated from the sea at its south-western extremity by a low ledge, not many yards in breadth, traversed by the ancient highway, now in a ruinous state, and supported in some places on low arches, through which the brackish water passes and repasses, according to the direction of the wind between the sea and the lake. The causeway could be easily closed artificially, when seven miles of country would be rendered unassailable by an enemy; for, although boats might navigate these lakes to a certain extent, its marshy shores must always render navigation difficult, even if such vessels were at hand, which, hitherto, has not been the case.

"The spot which the Turks call Kuchuk Chekmagee is designated by the Franks Ponte Piccolo, to distinguish it from the greater bridge crossing the isthmus at Buyuk Chekmagee, or Ponte Grande, the second lake, about six miles and a half further on towards Adrianople.

"The ledge at Ponte Piccolo is about three quarters of a mile in length, but the lake expands very considerably further up, and at the distance of four miles is broken into a fork, each branch being fed by a stream which flows from the highlands to the north. Proceeding over the ledge, a country of heights and valleys becoming bolder to the northward extends for about six or seven miles, when the second lake of equal length, but somewhat narrower than the first, presents itself, divided like the other from the sea by a narrow ledge, supporting a bad causeway, the centre of which rests on the large bridge above mentioned. From the brow or crest of the heights above, which are lower than those at Kuchuk Chekmagee, but which command the ledge at a very short distance; a zigzag path leads down to the village of Buyuk Chekmagee. Standing at this point, the spectator is immediately impressed with the conviction of the great strength of such a pass, and of its immense utility to Turkey, if turned to proper account; being, as it were, the abutment on which the left flank of a fine position rests, covering the capital from an enemy in this direction, a capital which, once attained by an hostile army, would mark, most probably, in its own ruin, the fall of the Ottoman Empire in Europe.

"A recent writer has described the locality as 'that formidable position about twenty miles from the capital so celebrated in history, where, owing to the nature of the ground, Attila was stayed in his march to conquer the Eastern Empire, and where at a later period the Huns[35] were signally defeated by Belisarius.' In reference to this statement, however, it must be observed that, as regards the advance of Attila, Gibbon especially mentions that he was only arrested by the city walls of Constantinople, without alluding to any position whatever. The following is the passage from Gibbon. 'The armies of the Eastern Empire were vanquished in three successive engagements, and the progress of Attila may be traced by the fields of battle. The two first on the banks of the Utus, and under the walls of Marcianopolis, were fought on the extensive plains between the Danube and Mount Hæmus. As the Romans were pressed by a victorious enemy, they gradually and unskilfully retired towards the Chersonesus of Thrace (the peninsula of the Dardanelles), and that narrow peninsula, the last extremity of the land, was marked by their third and irreparable defeat. By the destruction of their army, Attila acquired the indisputable possession of the field. From the Hellespont to Thermopylæ and the suburbs of Constantinople he ravaged without resistance and without mercy the provinces of Thrace and Macedonia. Heraclia[36] and Constantinople might perhaps escape this dreadful irruption of the Huns.'... Belisarius is said by the historian to have intrenched himself at Melanthius, about twenty miles from Constantinople, and there repulsed seven thousand Bulgarians, by whom he was attacked."

Major-General Macintosh, after having described the shore road from Constantinople to the lakes, describes the inland road as follows:—

"Quitting the city by the gate of Adrianople, and leaving on the right the River Sydaris, vulgarly called the Ali-bey, which flows through a ravine into the Golden Horn, not far from where it receives the Barbysis (now called the Kheat-Khaneh-soo), the road passes between the two great barracks of Ramish Chiflik and Daoud Pasha, situated about two miles from the walls where the Turks, looking much too near the city for its strongest defences, formerly erected field-works, which, though fallen into decay, might, if repaired, serve as the scene of a last struggle with the enemy. This neighbourhood is intersected by the subterranean conduits and lofty aqueducts which convey water from Kalfas, Kavas-Kioi, and other great reservoirs to Constantinople; and though when I visited them they were quite undefended, the Chekmagee lines if erected would effectually protect these works. The vast importance of preserving them will be understood when it is recollected that Constantinople is situated on the extremity of a wedge of land ill supplied with springs or running streams, and in a climate where, at certain seasons, there is but little rain for months. Leaving the aqueducts behind, a country is now traversed resembling that on the parallel route already described, but in which the heights are bolder, and the valleys more abrupt, while small towns and farm-houses are of more frequent occurrence, and the supply of water near the road is, by means of copious artificial fountains and occasional rivers by which it is crossed, considerably more abundant. This highly defensible track extends as far as the Chekmagee lines, which may be said to run from the two lakes on the Sea of Marmora, nearly to the fort of Kara-bornoo, on the Black Sea, where it has in its front the salt lake of Derkos, and the narrow ledge dividing it from the sea, which, no doubt, might be easily cut through so as to admit the waters of the Euxine. Our approach to the first of these lines, or that nearest Constantinople, is marked, after passing a khan and fountain, by the summit of a bold position on the Constantinople side of a river flowing through a deep ravine towards the lesser lake, and hence a view is obtained of Kuchuk Chekmagee and the neighbouring sea. Descending into the ravine, the road, which is generally good, crosses the river by a substantial stone bridge, close to which is a fountain, and ascending the steep bank on the opposite side passes a large walled farm, where another position commences.

"From this point we come on a succession of inferior slopes, dipping towards the lakes and marshes, each affording a position.

"One of these about two miles from the Chatsalda marsh in its front, to which it extends, has, in its course, a little to the west of the road, a small isolated height, well suited for a fort or telegraph. From this eminence there is an extensive view, embracing the second lake, with its town and isthmus; and several villages occur on both sides of the road. This locality is well suited for the encampment of troops, being elevated above the marshes, and at the same time not far distant from water.

"Descending the height the road commences the passage of the marsh, by a narrow ancient causeway composed of square blocks of stone, often much displaced, and frequently intersected by the Kara-soo and other streams, over which long stone slabs are placed, forming a species of bridge removable at pleasure, thus adding to the other means available here for preventing the advance of an enemy. A similar road leads also from Chatsalda towards Derkos, on the Black Sea, a distance of about ten miles, where the right of the lines described would rest near the Cape and Fort of Kara-bornoo. Chatsalda is also about ten miles from the greater bridge, and fifteen or sixteen from the lesser; and, unfortunately, is in front of the lines, or it would have formed a good station for a depôt, or might have been the head-quarters of a force during the healthy season of the year.... The country extending from the Sea of Marmora to the right of the Chatsalda road is very well secured. Thence to the Black Sea the heights become still bolder, and the valley deeper, till the road crosses the Lesser Balkan. The course of the River Kara-soo lies through one of the ravines peculiar to the country, which look like abrupt cracks across the mountain ranges, and of this peculiar formation the Bosphorus itself affords the most striking example.

"A third pass to the right leads through the lines by the village of Kastana-Kioi, and a fourth across the heights of the Lesser Balkan transversely by a road which leads from it along the shore to Midia, joining one from the mouth of the Bosphorus. The three last-mentioned roads, as well as the Chekmagees, could, if strengthened by defensive works, be included in a position comparable with any existing."

END OF VOL. II.

LONDON:
GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS,
ST. JOHN'S SQUARE.

FOOTNOTES

[1] The Caimacan did not exaggerate, judging by Consul-Gen.
Mansfield's official Report, see Appendix I. p. 323, also
Appendices II. and III.

[2] These remarks of the Mutasarraf Pacha resemble those
made on the same subject by other Pachas in Asia Minor. All
these Turkish gentlemen had the same opinion of the Russian
Ambassador.

[3] See Consul Taylor's Report on this subject, Appendix XII.,
p. 363.

[4] See statement made by the Circassian Deputies, Appendices
IX. and X., p. 351-353.

[5] This extract is quoted from a remarkable pamphlet,
entitled "Circassia," published by Hardwicke in 1862.

[6] See Appendix IV., p. 333.

[7] See Routes which cross the Euphrates and Tigris, Appendix
XIV.

[8] See Importance of Syria from a Military Point of View,
Appendix XV.

[9] See Mr. Taylor's Report to the British Government on this
matter, Appendix XXII., p. 363.

[10] A small coin, but often used as a general term to express
money.

[11] Fortunately for the Turks in the present war, the Russian
cavalry has so far proved itself very inefficient.

[12] This actually happened in the first engagements in the
neighbourhood of Deli Baba.

[13] Since my stay at Erzeroum, the defences of that city have
been strengthened.

[14] Major-General Macintosh, writing in 1854 on the subject,
remarks that "in their desire to win over the Kurds, the
Russian authorities proceeded so far, that on the pretext that
they were a migratory people, they claimed a right for them to
cross the frontier for the purpose of grazing their cattle;
and that even in Turkey they should still be looked upon as
Russian subjects, and have no imports to pay on that side."
He continues, "I have no doubt it is the interest of Russia
that the Kurds should to a certain degree be weakened and
scattered, though it has been her crafty policy, while urging
or encouraging Turkey in this course (referring to attacks
upon Kurds), to pretend to be their champion and friend.
She has pursued a similar course among the Turkomans to the
eastward of the Caspian; and when in a contiguous part of Asia
I heard of dresses of honour having been given to the chiefs,
at the same time that the Shah of Persia was encouraged to
attack them from the south. The more these various tribes of
barbarians weaken themselves by their incessant conflicts,
the more they are paving the way for the dominion of such a
power as Russia."

[15] Subsequent events have proved how right General Kohlmann
was in his opinion.

[16] Fortunately during the present war the Kurds have
remained true to the Sultan, or Major-General Macintosh's
predictions might have been realized.

[17] For Importance of Syria from a Military Point of View,
see Appendix XV., p. 383.

[18] Major Millingen goes more fully into particulars about
this custom of the Kurdish women. See Appendix XIII., p. 366.

[19] See Appendix IX., p. 351.

[20] See Appendix I., p. 323.

[21] See Appendix IV., p. 337, Russian Agents and the
Massacres in Bulgaria.

[22] See Appendix VII, p. 349, The Schoolmasters in Massacre.

[23] Hamlet, i. 5.

[24] The first witness examined at this Court of Inquiry was
Sir Charles Russell, Bart., M.P. for Westminster.

[25] See Appendix IV., p. 337.

[26] See Appendix I., p. 323, The Floggers of Women and
Children.

[27] See Appendix VII., p. 349, The Schoolmasters in Massacre.

[28] See Appendix IV., p. 339.

[29] See page 333.

[30] Is this the way the Rev. Mr. Malcolm Maccoll would like
to see the union of the Eastern and Western churches brought
about?

[31] This is worth while remembering—F. B.

[32] This is worth while remembering—F. B.

[33] I extract these lines from an American paper, which
declares that they were written by the Prelate in question. To
the best of my belief the Bishop has not denied the statement
nor the sentiments which the verses express.—F. B.

[34] Daravish Bey is the last of that celebrated family. He is
nearly ruined owing to some dealings with an Armenian usurer.

[35] Bulgarians.

[36] Situated at the modern Erakler, forty miles beyond Busuk
Chekmagee.