BRITISH TRANSPORT SUNK IN THE AEGEAN SEA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2544, 19 August 1915, Page 5

BRITISH TRANSPORT SUNK IN THE AEGEAN SEA

HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE THE WAR ON GALLIPOLI PENINSULA HIGH COMMISSIONER'S MESSAGE. ... " London, August 17. • The High Commissioner reports:—. "The Admiralty announces that the British' transport Royal Edward was sunk by a submarine in tho Aegean Sea on Saturday. According to information available, tho; transport: had'thirty-two military officers and 1350 troops aboard, and the ship's crew of 220 officers anil men. "The troops were mainly reinforcements'of tho 29th Division, and details of the R.A.M.C. ■ "It is known that about 600 were saved."[The transport was a vessel of 11,117 tons gross. She belonged to the Canadian Northern Steamship Company, and was built'in 1908 by the Fairfield ■ Company, Ltd., Glasgow.] ... PRESS COMMENT ON THE LOSS. (Rcc. August IS, 10.10 p.m.) London, August 18. The newspapers,-while conceding the point that the enemy has scored a legitimate success, pay warm tributes to . the Navy's splendid guardianship in protecting hundreds .of thousands .of troops in all seas of the globe, including convoys from such remote Dominions as Australia, and New Zealand. The "Daily Mail" says: "The shock of the event seems greater by reason ' of its rarity, and throws into vivid relief the Navy!s wonderful achievement during tho first year of the war." . ; The '.'Daily News" says: ''There ib ample material in the three friendly Navies -which are patrolling the Eastern sea-s for countering any measures threatening the safety of our ships, and therefore the fear-of a German torpedo will divert from Gallipoli not a man, nor a shell, nor an ouhce of stores." The "Daily Telegraph" says: "The Royal Edward's fate suggests, not the failure, but tho triumph of our sea power. Only when the war is over will tho public realise tho harassing burdens that the transport services have thrown on the Navy. That as many as six hundred should have been saved is almost a miracle, as the Royal Edward was not built to resist torpedoes.'' ' . THE NEW LANDINGS AT GALLIPOLI ; ' • TURKISH OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS. ■ ■; Br Telegraph—Press Association—OopjT.tfrht ' London, August 17. A Turkish official message states:—"The enemy have landed fresh divisions at the Dardanelles front since August 6 and 7, and attacked our positions, without result, thanks to our heroic resistance. " "Our artillery hit a hostile torpedo-boat off Ari Burnu. - "Wo exploded'a mine at Seddul Bahr and wrecked a. hostile position, with it-a bomb-throwers and wire obstacles." ENEMY'S CASUALTIES IN RECENT BATTLE. (RflCi August 19, 0.45 a.m.) ,• Athens, 'August 18. The. Turkish casualties in the recent battle at Gallipoli totalled 27,000. TURKISH POSITION BECOMING CRITICAL. " (Rqc. August 18, 3.30 p.m.) Paris, August 18. "Le Temps" publishes a message from Dedeagatch 1 which states that the Turkish position in the Dardanelles becomes increasingly critical. Tho troops are getting very demoralised, and the population in Stamboulis pessimistic. (R-ec. August 18, 10 p.m.) Paris, August 18. The "Temps" states that the action of the Allies' submarines m t-lie Sea of Marmora is completely severing allsea communication from Constantinople to the Straits. This constitutes a great difficulty to the defence, and opens up anew field of activity for the Allies. Tho transport of the Turkish troops and'' the working of their commissariat overland is extremely slow and difficult, inasmuch as tho Allies dominate the position on the isthmus which unites the Gallipoli Peninsula with Thrace. " Two months have elapsed since the date Enver Pasha fixed in his order of the day promising the lurks on the Peninsula that a German army would come and take their places, and it is now daily becoming more difficult to ■ think what can be promised in order to force them to continue the resistance. WHY THE GALLIPOLI WAR WAS INITIATED ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, Aijgust 17. The British Ambassador at Petrograd (Sir George Buchanan), interviewed stated.that when Turkey declared war Russia-appealed to Britain to make a demonstration in some quarter to draw off the Turkish forces in the Caucasus. For this' purpose Britain had- sent a large number of troops and a great quantity of munitions to Gallipoli, thus weakening the western front and delaying tiio Allies' advance. * CANADIAN DIVISION FOR GALLIPOLI. f ' Ottawa. August 17. The Canadian Postmaster-General (Mr. Casgrain) has announced that 16,000 Canadian troops in England have been ordered to Gallipoli. GERMAN WRITER TRIES TO CHEER UP THE TURKS. ("Times" and Sydney "Sim" Services.) (Rec. August 18. 8.30 p.m.) ■ London, August 17. Captain Perseus, tho German publicist, writing in tho "Borlitm - Tago <»Uu." regarding the ooerntions in tho Dardanelles, warns the Turks against

supposing that they would lie abandoned because of their difficulties, and quotes tlie utterance of the "Times": "We cannot draw back, ami nobody 'in authority dreams of drawing back." Captain Perseus adds: "Commonsenso tells us plainly that it will requiro far wore serious disappointments and losses before English endurance will give way." He comments on the seriousness of the situation and the heavy task for tho Turks, and hopes that they will continue to maintain themselves victoriously on both banks of the Dardanelles. . RUSSIAN SUCCESS IN ASIA MINOR Rec* 'August 18, 11.20 p.m.) „ ... . .... . ~ n Petrograd, 'August 18. Official.—'"ln the figuring in the Caucasus tlie Russians routed the Turks and reoccupied Van." ■ TURKISH COAL SUPPLY STEAMER TORPEDOED. (Rec. 'August 18, 11.20 p.m.) Official —'"In the Black Sea a submarine sank with coal. ITALY'S PATIENCE WITH TURKEY EXHAUSTED GOVERNMENT RESOLVED ON DECISIVE ACTION, (Rec. August 18, 3.15 p.m.) The "Giornale d'ltalia" learns from Bucharest that the°Porte hasrevoked its permission to numerous Italians in Asia Minor to repatriate, these including 6even hundred reservists. ' ' The "Giornale" adds that, according to other authentic advices, Turkey is continuing to dispatch large sums of money, quantities of munitions, and incendiary proclamations to Lybia with a-view to provoking native risings. "Our patience and long suffering have been wasted on Turkey's bad faith. Our cup is really full. The Government has resolved on decisive steps to bring to an end such intolerable outrages."