THE SURRENDER OF TURKEY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 100, 22 January 1919, Page 8

THE SURRENDER OF TURKEY

GENERAL TOWNSHEND'S SECRET MISSION SUCCESSFUL DIPLOMACY

I havo not yet noticed any account in our Press of the valuable service performed by Major-General Sir Charles Townshend in the initiation' of the negotiations which led to the Turkish surrender (writes Lieutenant-Colonel Uepington in the "Morning Post"). .

No one doubts that the determining cause of the surrender was the series of defeats inflicted upon Germans and Turks by the Allied arms, but that Turkey should have surrendered when she did, at the psychological moment vost favourable to the Allied cause, was certainly due to Townsheud's perspicacity. He saw Izzet Pasha, the Turkish Grand Vizier, on October 17, and told him-plainly that the Turkish cause was hopeless, and that the only chance for the Turks to obtain any terms was to give way at before it was too late. Izzet was won over to this view by his visitor's arguments, and at dawn next morning Townshend left in a steam yacht, his, departure being kept secret from the Germans. v lznet had been informed by Townshend that he would have to agree to reopen the Dardanelles and Bosphorus, and this he had agreed to do. .

Crossing over the Straits Townshend i proceeded by special train to Smyrna, j which he reached on the 19th, finding all the population'lining the'streets and cheering for peace as lie drove through the town with the Governor in his 'motor-car.' All the Turkish papers now announced his mission, and Bernstorff's rage can be imagined when ho heaid the news. Taking a tug, Townshend passed over the Turkish minefield' at night, and reached Mitylene at 3 a.m. on October 20, where he went, on hoard the destroyer Forester amidst the cheers of the soamen of the British ships jn port. He was now in toucli with England by wireless, and reported to London the'nature of his "mission. He then proceeded to Mudros, accompanied by a Turkish-:naval< officer, who was sent back with the least possiblo delay to fetch the duly accredited Turkish delegates. . Thus, strangely enough, Townshend was instrumental in accomplishing by diplomacy the object which he had not the good fortune to secure by arms when he set out with that .handful of brave men who penetrated to Ctesiphon. Nor did Townshend fail to remember Tiis gallant men.when lie set out on his mission, and he stipulated for them ns for himself absolute freedom and re-, lease from captivity. It is not often given to a prisoner of war to perform such useful service to his country, and if he finds on. his return that his juniors have been passing over- hir head in promotion he is no worse off than our prisoners generally, whose hard cases have not obtained from tb•British Government all the regard that was. their duo.