INQUEST ON THE FALABA'S VICTIMS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2425, 1 April 1915, Page 5

INQUEST ON THE FALABA'S VICTIMS

"PIRACY AND MURDER" RUSSIAN ATTACK ON THE BOSPHORUS REMARKABLE TURKISH PROCLAMATION A "FRIENDLY CALL" BY THE ALLIED FLEETS There is very little news to-day regarding the military operations in the Eastern and Western theatres. The Germans claim' a victory in East Prussia; persistent Austrian attacks in the Carpathians have been repulsed by the Russians; fierce fighting has occurred at several points in the Argonne Forest; Reims has been bombarded. Tho Allies' ( attack 011 the Turkish citadel is progressing; the operations in the Dardanelles are at pi'esent chiefly confined to sweeping for mines, but the Russians are battering vigorously at the back gate of the Ottoman capital, compelling the Turks to divide their fortress engineers in order to meet attacks' from two opposite directions. The Turks, we are told by a courier from Constantinople, are resigned to the inevitable,' and with a view to calming the excitement at the capital a remarkable proclamation has been displayed at tho mosques. The text of the manifesto is designed to create the impression in the Turkish mind that the sole question at issue between the Sultan and the Allies is that of a free passage for foreign warships through the Straits; that after a "demonstration" the fleets will depart; that their visit is rather of tho nature of "a friendly call" which the Government is anticipating with keen delight I FieldMarshal von der Goltz has been interviewed at Bucharest, 'when en, route to Berlin, and speaks optimistically of the coming conflict. He says he will return to Constantinople shortly. We are also told that the Kaiser and von der Goltz attended, a Council of War, when certain matters arising from the fall of Przemysl and the impending fate of Constantinople were discussed. There are further details of the German submarine outrages; at the inquest on the victims of the Falaba attack the Coroner referred to the German submarine war on defenceless shipping as piracy and murder. There is quite an interesting budget of news from South Africa; tho indications are that General Botha has a difficult and arduous task before him in his campaign in German South-West Africa.