THE DARDANELLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3984, 17 July 1915, Page 7

THE DARDANELLES.

FRENCH SEE ERROR IN ATTACK A New York business man who returned from Paris- recently said that he had been told by persons intimate with 'French Government affairs that the French already regret that they embarked on tho expedition against the Dardanelles, avlikli was undertaken at the suggestion and request of tho British Government (states the “Now York Bun”). “The French do > not question the result of the expedition, which they believe will ultimately be successful in forcing the strait,”, the “Sun’s” informant said, “but they feel that it has had tho effect of uniting the Balkan States and Greece against the Allies, since these countries naturally would prefer to see. weak Turkey continue in Constantinople than to see Russia holding the NarroAVS. That the French authorities are not far Avnmg in the diagnosis of the situation is shown by tho fact that Germany is delighted at the political 1 outcome of the Allies’ attack.”

Efforts on the Allies’ part to induce Holland to join them and thus give an ..opportunity to Hank the Germans have increased, according to the reports which reached the “Sun’s” in- ; formant, since tho cost 'of a British • gain of a couple of miles at Nciiau: Clmpellb and the French gain of three or four miles in the district of Los j E] largos Avas couiued up. “Any direct attempt at an offensive j in the present situation in the - Avest Avould cost more lives than any Power Avould care to lose,” lie said. •‘Tliereloro some other moans must be lountl to drive the German.- out <>i France and the attention of ihe Allies has been turned more than ever to Holland. England is offering her all sorts of guarantees, but Queen \\ dhelinina is notably obstinate and the influence of her German husband is, of course, exerted against such a move. t even heard rumors that tho possibility of sending an Allied army through the Netherlands without- Dutch consent, was being considered by the Allies, but was unable to find much ground for these rumors. Sucli action on the part'of the Allies would seem to me to be more unlikely since Germany's invasion oi Belgium lias shown the effects of such wanton violations of neutrality on public opinion in other countries. “Peace talk at the present time undoubtedly is premature. There seems to be no likelihood that the Allies will talk peace while German troops remain on French or Belgian soil. On the other hand, informed observers told me they did not expect to live t ( > see the Allies enter Berlin. 'I lie best informed opinions which I heard expressed indicated a belief that peace proposals would find a hearing and ultimate acceptance by both sides as soon as tho German are driven hack upon their oAvn soil. “Frenchmen avlio know the Germans well express the belief that they will never give in, and it- is believed that their defence of their own land

will be the more desperate since the\ themselves have shown in Bcginm and northern Franco what invasion can be like. There is no belief in Paris that French troops Avould ever do the things that the. Germans have done or that a French invasion of Germany would parallel in its hmiois the German invasion of Belgium ami France. But fears that a retaliatory policy might be adopted by the Allies, it is believed, will steel the Germans to offer the greater resistance.”