Dardanelles

Dardanelles (the ancient Hellespont), a narrow channel separating Europe from Asia, and uniting the Sea of Marmora with the Archipelago. The name is derived from the ancient city of Dardanus in the Troad, on the southern shore; and Dardanus was named from the Dardani, an ancient people farther inland. The strait extends from north-east to south-west, and has a length of about 40 miles, and a breadth varying from 1 to 4 miles. From the Sea of Marmora a strong current runs through the strait to the Archipelago. Both sides are strongly fortified. A treaty concluded between the five great powers and Turkey in 1841 arranged that no ship of war belonging to any nation save Turkey should pass the Dardanelles without the express consent of Turkey; all merchant-ships being also required to show their papers to the Ottoman authorities. These provisions were confirmed at London in 1871 and at Berlin in 1878, in the February of which year a British fleet had sailed into the Sea of Marmora. The Dardanelles is celebrated in ancient history on account of Xerxes and Alexander having crossed it, the former in 480 B.C. to enter Europe; and the latter in 334 B.C. to enter Asia. The point at which Xerxes crossed, by two separate bridges, was in the neighbourhood of Abydos, on the Asiatic shore, opposite to Sestos. Alexander crossed at nearly the same place; and here also young Leander nightly swam across to visit Hero—a feat performed in 1810 by Lord Byron.