BOMBARDMENT OF THE DARDANELLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2391, 22 February 1915, Page 5

BOMBARDMENT OF THE DARDANELLES

FULL DAMAGE UNKNOWN " ANGLO-FRENCH FLEET IN ACTION ByTeleerarii—Press Association—CoDyrislit (Rec. February 21, 4.20 p.m.) ■ London, February 20. The 'Admiralty reports that a strong Allied battleship-squadron bombarded the Dardanelles on Friday and Saturday, and silenced the European-forts. The Press Bureau states, that the bombardment of the forts on Cape Helles commenced at 8 o'clock on Friday morning by a British fleet of battlcshipß and battie-cruisers, accompanied by flotillas, and aided by ■ a strong French squaZn the whole being under Vice-Admiral S. H. OMm, The deliberate louE-ran"e firo produced considerable effect. The two forts , and two others were frequently hit, but being open earthworks, it is difficult to estimate tho damage. Tho forts were outranged, and were unable to reply. A portion of the battleship force at 3 o'clock in the afternoon was ordered to close in, ensaginf the forts at closer range with the secondary armament. The forts at bbth sides to the entrance then opened fire, and were engaged at moderate ranees by the Vengeance, Comwallis, Triumph, Suffren, Gaulois, and Bouvet supported by the Inflexible and Agamemnon at long range.. The forts on the European side were apparently silenced, but one Asiatic fort was still firing when tho operations were suspended through failing light; Tho firing was renewed in the morning, after an aerial reconnaisance. : '. Athens reports that , twelve battlc-snips > and twenty torpedoers took part in the bombardment. The forts El.Hamidieh and Kum Kaloh were destroy ed the powder magazine exploded and many guns put out of action.

There are two main forts at the entrance to the Dardanelles, the Sedil Bahr (new castle of Europe), and Kum Kaleh (new castle of Asia), and there al ° and cruisers mentioned above are of tho preJ)readnought type except the Inflexible, which is a battle-cruiser of the same build as the Npw' Zealand' carrying 8 12in. guns. The Agamemnon, built in 1906, is a battleship 0f'16,500 tons, carrying 4 I2iu and 10'9.2in. guns. _ The Cornwallis built in 1901, has a displacement or 14,01)0 tons, and 4 12in. and 12' Gin guns. Tho Vengeance, 12,950 tons, built in 1899, carries tho same armament as' the Comwallis. Tho Triumph was purchased from Chile at the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese war, and is a battleship of 11,800 tons, carrying 4" lOin. and 14 V.oin. guns. . . t t THe Trench battleship Suffren, 12,750 tons, waß built in 1899, and carries 4 12in and 10 6.4 in. guns. The Gaulois, 11,260 tons, built in 1896, carries i 12in. and 10 5.5 in. guns, and the Bouvct, 12,205 tons, carries 2 12iu., 2 10.8 in.', and 8 5.5 in. guns. . TURKISH REPORT OF THE ENGAGEMENT. (Rec. February 21, 4.20 p.m.) ■ _ ' London, February 20. A Constantinople .official report says £he outer forts were shelled, and four hundred shots were fired. Tho bombardment was unsuccessful, only one soldier being wounded. , , • BRITISH USE OF NEUTRAL FLAGS COMPLETE JUSTIFICATION BRITAIN CANNOT BE BOUND TQ RULES GERMANY DEFIES

(Roc. February 21, 4 p<m.) London, February 20. Sir Edward Grey states that the British have just become awere of the ifresh German dccree of February G, ostensibly exempting imported grain and flour from the Government monopoly, apparently for the express purposo of embarrassing the proceedings against the Wilholmina. The effect of this dccree on the question of contraband is best investigated by the Prize Court, and proceeds: "There are other grounds for submitting tho cargo to the Prize, Court. Germany publicly claims to treat all English East Coast towns as fortified places and bases for operations, thereby justifying tho bombardment of Yarmouth, Scarborough, • and Whitby, a ' so the seizure of neutrals carrying contraband to the East C6ast. The' Karlsruhe similarly sank tho Dutch vessol Maria, carrying "rain for Dublin and Belfast. Germany cannot have it both ways. If such"acts are justified, Britain, a fortiori, is justified in similarly treating Hamburg, whither tho Wilhelmina- was bound." He reiterates the assurance that the owners of the vessel and cargo will bo indemnified. Regarding the use of Hags of neutrals, Sir Edward Grey points out that American passengers requested the fjusltania, when bound for Atecricti, to boisi, the American lUr;, She Government naAnot advised the eom»W. IwM to ilieat

tlio request. Britain permits a foreigner to uso the British flag m war time fo avoid capture. aud it is unreasonable to oxpect Britain to forbid lier merchantmen the uso of foreign flags, and especially unreasonable when ctoima y in-» tends piratically to sink at sight. ■ , ~ . American vessels used British flags during the' Civil War, and it is contrary to fair expectation if, when the conditions are reversed, American neutrals should grudgo British ships similar fasilitios. -The Government does not intend to adviso British merchantmen to uso foreign flags as a general practice or resort thereto except to escape capture and destruction, it a belligerent fulfills the universally recognisod obligation of examination before capture, a fortiori, before destroying, tho use of neutral flags by the British will not endanger the neutrals. Britain holds that neutrals suffer becauso the obligation is disregarded, and the solo responsibility is upon the vessel the Government of which so disregard. , , . . , , . " Britain lias not declared foodstuffs absolute contraband in accordance With civilised, principle, as civilians should not be treated similarly as combatants, but the novel German doctrines abolish distinction. Instances are given of the treatment of civilians in Belgium and the north of Prance, indiscriminate mining in tho North Sea, the killing of defenceless Englishmen, women, and children by warship'and airships, and tho recent decree of torpedoing at sight. Britain' cannot bo expected to be bound to rules Germany defies, and ho ooircludes: "If Britain declares food to be absolute contraband or otherwise, it takes a reprisal, and the Government trusts neutrals will not appeal to international usages so long as neutrals cannot compcl Germany to abandon, lier ilegal and inhuman methods." .