cm. MI-: A 



('HIM KAN WAR 



569 



i' 



Crlllie'n (Tartar Kryin, anciently the Tauric 

 rii.M.soneso), a peninsula of South Ku-sia, oompri* 

 ing live of i ht right districts of the government of 

 Tanrida, l>et\veen tin- Black Sea and Sea of A/ov, 

 joined to the continent of Uuswia by the Isthmus of 

 IVit'kop, ls.|, miles long l.y ,~>^ miles broad at its 

 naiTo\\e-t part ( for a proposed ciinal across the 

 istliniu-. -! CAN vi, ). Tin' peninsula is alxmt 200 

 mil. - from east to west, by 1*25 miles from north to 

 south, with alnmt d-2.~> miles of coast-line, and an 

 area of ahout 10,000 sq. in. In shape it is an 

 i i regular quadrilateral, projecting eastwards into 

 tin- peninsula of Kertch, which terminates at the 

 Stunt of Yenikale. Along the Siwash or Putrid 

 Sea on tin* north, and the Sea of Azov, the coast* 

 arc Hat and open. To the west of the wide bay of 

 Katl'a or Theodosia the south coast becomes rocky 

 and elevated, and forms a succession of capes 

 and small gulfs. Balaklava, and more especially 

 Sevastopol, have fine harbours. 



In the character of its surface, the north, and 

 much the larger part of the Crimea, is only a con- 

 t intuition of the South Russian steppe. The south- 

 rn part, from Cape Chersonese to the Strait of 

 Yenikale, only about one-fifth of the whole penin- 

 sula, is highland, traversed by a mountain-chain, 

 the continuation of the Caucasus a region geologi- 

 cally, climatically, and botanically distinct from the 

 rest of Russia. The limestone mountains from 

 Cape Chersonese to Baffa Bay show deep erosion, 

 presenting the ruins of a vast tableland, sloping 

 gently northwards into the steppe, but hanging in 

 abrupt precipices southwards. Chatir Dagh or 

 Tent Mount (anciently Mons Trapezus or Table 

 Mount), 5450 feet, is a quadrilateral mass of over 

 8 sq. in., isolated on all sides, and seems to be 

 exceeded in height by Roman Kosh. In the hilly 

 district about Kertch are thermal and naphtha 

 springs, and mud volcanoes. There are some 

 fifty small rivers and rivulets, all fordable except 

 after the melting of the snows and heavy rains. 

 There are about four hundred salt lakes, rich in 

 salt. The climate is healthy, and generally mild. 

 But in winter the steppe is exposed to cold winds, 

 frost, and snowstorms, while the south coast is 

 sheltered and warm. The steppe, though not fer- 

 tile, yet grazes innumerable herds of cattle, and 

 yields porphyries and various coloured marbles. 

 The northern mountain-slopes are laid out in pas- 

 tures, thickets, orchards, and gardens watered from 

 the rivers. In the uplands are still magnificent 

 forests of oak, beech, elm, ash, willow, &c. On the 

 southern slopes grow sea-pine ; lower down is an 

 Italian vegetation of laurel, pomegranate, fig, 

 arbutus, and vine. Here are famous health-resorts, 

 with Livadia and other imperial residences. Good 

 wine is largely produced, and some exported. 

 Though the Crimea was once famous for its corn, 

 it has guttered much from drought, and much 

 good land is now uncultivated. The fauna is not 

 rich. Of wild quadrupeds are the hare, fox, and 

 small rodents. All tiie domestic animals of the 

 Itussian steppe have been introduced, as also the 

 two-humped camel. The Crimea has a highly 

 prized oyster. The limestone mountains contain 

 porphyry, diorites, and greenstone. Good coal is 

 mined; an extensive field was opened in 1888. 



The population numl>ers al>out 250,000, of whom 

 S0,000 are Tartars, 130,000 Russians, and 40,000 

 (Jreeks, Jews, Bulgarians, Germans, &c. The 

 capital is Simferopol (q.v.), the old Tartar capital 

 being Bakchiserai (q.v.). The Crimea is con- 

 nected by railway with Russia, the main line 

 running from Alexiejevca to Sebastopol. In the 

 Black Sea, between Europe and Asia, of fine 

 climate and rich in products, the Crimea has from 

 earliest times been a bone of contention for succes- 

 sive nations, and the double or more manifold 



names of many places, Greek, Tartar, Turk, Rus- 

 sian, record the dominations they have succes- 

 sively undergone. For the early history of the 

 Crimea, see BOSPORUS. In the 13th century 

 came the Tartars, the last of the Ghirei dynasty 

 abdicating in favour of Russia, 1787. See J. B. 

 Telfer, The Crimea and Traiutcaucattia (1876). 



Crimean War. For close upon forty years 

 Britain had been at peace with all the great power* 

 of Europe, but in 1853 a war-cloud arose on the 

 eastern horizon. Russia had long cast a covet on* 

 eye upon Constantinople and the Sultan's posses- 

 sions, and had contrived in various treaties to lay 

 the foundation of a claim to something like a pro- 

 tectorate over the Christians of the Greek Church 

 in Turkey, amounting to three-fourths of the 

 Sultan's subjects in Europe. As early as 1844 the 

 Emperor Nicholas had proposed to divide with 

 Britain the inheritance of the ' sick man,' so he 

 called Turkey ; and in 1853 he began to urge his 

 claims in a form which Turkey could not accept 

 without ceasing to remain an independent state. 

 The other great powers intervened as mediators, 

 but in vain ; and meanwhile a Russian army took 

 possession of Moldavia and Wallachia. After 

 nearly a year of fruitless diplomacy, negotiations 

 were broken off, and Britain and France agreed to 

 support Turkey by armed intervention. War was 

 proclaimed against Russia on 28th March 1854. 



The war thus undertaken lasted two years. At 

 first, England and France stood alone in their sup- 

 port of Turkey ; but early in 1855 Sardinia boldly 

 joined the alliance, and sent a contingent to the 

 seat of war. The other powers remained neutral 

 throughout the contest. The chief scenes of opera- 

 tion were the Black Sea and the Baltic. In the 

 spring of 1854 a powerful British and French fleet 

 appeared in the Gulf of Finland ; but the Russian 

 fleet declined the combat, and kept safe behind 

 the granite fortresses of Cronstadt and Sveaborg, 

 which, owing to shallow water and difficult naviga- 

 tion, could not be attacked by the large vessels 

 composing the allied fleets. The only thing of im- 

 portance effected, besides imprisoning the enemy's 

 navy and ruining his commerce, was the destruc- 

 tion of the fortress of Bomarsund, and the capture 

 of the Aland Islands, on which it was situated. 

 The second Baltic campaign, in 1855, was a repeti- 

 tion of the first. Sveaborg was bombarded and 

 partially destroyed, but again the want of gun- 

 boats confined the real services of the fleet to a 

 strict blockade of the Russian coasts. 



In the Black Sea the Russian fleet followed the 

 same tactics as in the Baltic, and took refuge in 

 the fortified harbour of Sebastopol, sinking vessels 

 across the entrance to keep out the enemy. On 

 land, the Turkish forces, under Omar Pasha, had 

 sustained during the winter of 1853-54 an heroic 

 contest on the Danube against the Russian in- 

 vaders. The French and British troops sent to the 

 aid of the Sultan were landed at first in European 

 Turkey, chiefly at Varna (April and May 1854). 

 But the valiant defence of Suistria by the Turks 

 themselves rendered our advance in that direction 

 unnecessary ; after using ever}' effort for six weeks, 

 the Russians had to retire baffled from before the 

 place. The allies having suffered great loss from 

 cholera at Varna, it was resolved to carry the \\.ii 

 into the Crimea; and on 14th Sentemlwr an army 

 of 25,000 British under Lord Raglan, as many 

 French under Marshal St Arnaud, and 8000 Turks, 

 landed on the west coast, 30 miles north of Sebas- 

 topol. On the 20th they attacked and completely 

 defeated a Russian army strongly posted on the 

 steep heights above the 'river Alma; then taking 

 up position near Balaklava, to the south of Sebas- 

 topol, they commenced the siege of that vast 

 fortress. The Russians made repeated attempts, 



