SIR lAN HAMILTON

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2602, 26 October 1915, Page 5

SIR lAN HAMILTON

CONFERENCE WITH LORD ' KITCHENER

NO NEWS OF FUTURE APPOINTMENT

By Telegraph—Press Association—OoDyrighl London, Ootobor 24. Sir lan Hamilton ha 6 reported at the War Office. He had a two hours' conference with Lord Kitchener to-day. Mr. Balfour, Lord Derby, and others were present. Speaking to friends, Sir lan Hamilton gave full praise to all ranks of the Australians and New Zealanders. He was' deeply touched by the magnificent sendoff given him at Anzac. Farewelling the men, ho said that no wordiy honours could give him satisfaction equal to the goodwill of the heroes of Anzac. Interviewed by the Paris "Journal," Sir lan said he had no knowledge of where he would be eent now. He trusted that his period of inactivity would be very short. He paid a tribute to tho dash and gallantry of the French troops, particularly the Algerians. He added: "The British troops alike were splendid, from Cockney to Australian and New Zealander." "GOOD-BYE MESSAGE FROM ANZAC" (Rec. October 25, 6.35 p.m.) London, October 25. Sir lan Hamilton's reference to the Australians and New Zealanders was a Teply to the following telegram from Sir George Birdwood (Commander of the Anzac Army Corps): "Anzac greatly regrets your departure. In wishing you good-bye, all ranks offer you personally our very best wishes." PARLIAMENT AND THE DARDANELLES ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. October 25, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 24. Nine Liberal members- of the House of Commons _ identically moved for a Select Committee to inquire into tho Dardanelles campaign. Others demanded' a debate on th» question. HAVE WE FAILED IN THE DARDANELLES? STRIKING ARTICLE BY SIB CONAN DOYLE (Rec. October 25, 9.15 p.m.) London, October 25. "Have wo failed in the Dardanelles?" This question Sir Arthur Conan Doyle undertakes to answer in a striking article in the "Daily Chronicle." In a plea for an attitude of optimism, and a cessation of this "unreasonable and pessimistic criticism," he writes: "There has been a great contrast between the German and the British Press during the last, few months, yet in. oiir heart of hearts we are as certain of victory as ! that to-morrow's 6un will shine. Look at the work of fourteen months! We have annexed tho German colonies, swept the German flag, imperial and commercial,' from the ocean, repelled submarines, conquered Southern Mesopotamia, and, greatest of all, raised an enormous voluntary army. "The severest critic in the whole world could only point to one place in which wo failed —namely, in the Dardanelles. But has there been failure there P I believe that if we never forco the Straits the enterprise nevertheles* was worth the undertaking. We held ,up a great body of the best troops which otherwise would be operating against us or the Russians. Sir lan Hamilton has taken off the pressure from Sir John Maxwell in Egypt, on the one side, and Sir John Nixon, in Mesopotamia, on the other, but the greatest result has been that _it has thoroughly united us with Russia, who knows that we have spent our blqod and our ships in trying to force the gates which were enclosing her. Again, we have drawn the Central Powers on to the southern advance, the immediate result being to bring in the Serbians, who for nearly a year have been practically neutral.

"Could the Central Powers advance oil Constantinople with tho Allies entrenched on their flank? Would tho Turks welcome an army of Bulbars and other hereditary enemies? And if even we assume tliom to be in Constantinople how could they cross the Egyptian desert? It- is too early to say that wa have failed in the Dardanelles. Sir. Churchill has been criticised for saying that we are onlj; a few miles from vie-, tory. Yet that is obviously true. Had he said, a few months from victory, this criticism would have been intelligible. What ho meant was that if we had a victory, the prize would immediately fall into our hands. Mr. Churchill did not underrate the formidable task. It is surely too early to write off the Dardanelles on the/debit sido of the account."

THE SUVLA BAY FAILURE (Rec. October 26, 0.5 a.m.) London, October 25, Mr. Nevinson, the war correspondent, in a lecture on Gallipoli said that th« men were shot down so quickly at the landing at Helles that the spectators aboard the ships inquired why our men were resting, .not realising that their fighting days were over. Tho landing was one of tho most terrible in our history, and in this war. Tho French beat us in laying out their stores, trenohes, and encampments; everything was beautifully engineered. They also beat our organisation out of sight. The Australians and Now Zealanders filled him with new hope for the race tho world over. One of the reasons of the Siivla Bay failure was the staff work, although he was inclined to attribute it to tie use of new troops unaccustomed to the country. They were hurriedly landed and rushed to a tremendous battle, not knowing the hardships it meant or any. thing of bloodshed, wounds, and death. \Uter was scarcc, and men almost died from thirst. Thoy behaved with gallantry, the first night and morning, ■and then suddenly failed.