WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2681, 29 January 1916, Page 5

WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES

■ 1 A JOURNALIST'S EXPLOITS VISITS CONSTANTINOPLE : AND TALKS TO ENVER PASHA By 'Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright London, January 27. The "Daily Mail's" correspondent, who was reported yesterday to have visited Constantinople and Asia Minor, writes that he travelled from Sofia to Constantinople in tho Germany-Balkan express, the handsomest tram in Europe. Its name was blazoned on the carriage in 3ft. letters, in order to impress the Bulgars and Turks. Tlie correspondent found an alarming dearth of necessities in Constantinople, and prices were exorbitant. There was no coal and nearly all the shops _ wero closed. Theatres, cafes, and cinemas have been closed. The only means of journeying at night Is by the aid of small electric torches. The .money position is Qold and silver and official Turkish paper-money is very short. Substitute Turkish notes j havo been issued, ostensibly with a face value of 17s. 6d., but realising only 12s. 6d.

It was not true that 50,000 German troops had arrived at' Constantinople, but thero wero 10,000 there, all firstrate soldiers. The correspondent attended tho celebration on Gallipoli Day. The town was gay with flags, and mobs paraded the sheets waving banners. But the victory was dearly bought. He saw an endless procession of wounded men, filling the tramcars, vehicles, and motor-cars.

Tho correspondent interviewed Halil Bey, tho Foreign Minister, who said that Germany would make Turkey ns wealthy, prosperous, and enterprising as she had made Rumania. Ho persuaded Halil Bey to introduce him to Enver Pasha (Minister for War), who is a real dandy. Ho asked Enver Pasha if it wore true that England was prepared to make separate peace with Turkey. Enver Pasha said: "It is too late. The Entente may have had that design and might havo succeeded, but wo learned that tho Entente designedto give Constantinople, to Russia." Buyer Pasha added: "If tho English had llad the courage to rush more ships to tho Dardanelles they could have reached Constantinople. Their, delay 'enabled us to fortify Gallipoli. We took 200 Austrian guns thither in six weeks. But if tho English had reached Constantinople it would only have been an impasse, because we would have retired to Asia Minor, and the English would not havo destroyed Constantinople. With the Germans' help we can strike the British Empire through the Suea Canal. Our motto is 'To Egypt.' " The correspondent learnt that tho Germans intended to destroy the Canal from end to end and fill it up with sand. Tho Germans generally admitted that there was no chance of reaching Paris, but having walled off the British and French armies they'feel they can operate freely in the East.

German officers admiro the fighting capacity of the British soldiers, and said'that they wish they had British, Australian, and Canadian soldiers to command. ' , .