Adrianople

Adrianoplo is sitnated at the connuenoe of the Tundja, the Maritza, and the Ardii, and is ahout 135 miles from Constantinople. lts population has been variously estimated at from 80,000 to 140,000 "inhabitants. Accordmg to the most trustworthy accounts about half of these are Turks, 30,000 Bulgarians and Greeks, and the remainder Jews and Arïnenians. Adrianople was taken by the Turks from the ürcek Emporors in 1362, and was made the capital of the Turkish empire, remaining so until Constantinople was seized in 1453. It is at present virtually an open town. The old part is surronnded by a wall and contains a citadel, but these are nowuseless as defenses. Eecently more modern works have been constructed by the Turks, but these are only of ñeld or at most of a provisional type. In the opinión of Von Moltke, the hollow roads, ditches, and garden walls without the town afford grtat facilities for its defense, and the approaches may be covered by troops drawn up so as to rest upon the rivers, but only in corps of not less than 30,000 or 40,000 men. The town is, liowever, overlookedby heights on every side, and consequently it would be hardly possible to hold it ngaÍDst an army provided with modern artillery. The first view of Adrianople is described by Von Moltke as being wonderfully beautiful, the white minörets and the lead-roofed cupolas of the mosques, baths, and caravanserais rising in countless numbers above the endless mass of flat roofs and the broad tops of the plane trees. The country around is also" exceedingly lovely. From the valleys of the rivers hills rise up gently, but to a considerable height, covered with vineyards and orcliards; and as far as the eye can reach it sees nothing but fertile fields, groves of fruittrees, and flourishing villages. Within, however, the streets are narrow and irregular, the shelving roofs of many of the houses projecting so as to meet those on the opposite side of the Tay.