WHEN TURKEY TOTTERED

Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1929, Page 6

WHEN TURKEY TOTTERED

A BRITISH BLUNDER. LONDON, Nov. 6. By dodging a. British patrol and laying a line of 20 mines, the captain of a little Turkish steamer, the Nousrot saved Constantinople and changed the course of the war, according to John Buchan’s book, “Casual and Casual in History,” which has been published by the Cambridge Press. The volume includes a story of the amazement of German leaders when the British fleet failed to attack Constantinople in March 1915. Air Buchan says that three mines were destroyed by sweepers. “We did not realise that they were part of a line, and did not'look for more,” lie says. “If British leaders had made a different deduction on Alarch 18. 1915. and Admiral tie ltobeck must have taken the fleet into the Sea of Marmora next day. “On Alarch 23 the Admiral, after a talk with Sir lan Hamilton, cabled to London that he could not continue with the naval attack until the army was ready to operate. “Admiral Lord Fisher, First Lord of the Admiralty, promptly agreed, bis argument being that we did not need to lose more ships when Britain was bound to win in any case, seeing tb at the British were tho lost ten tribes of Israel.” Mr Buchan adds; “Turkey was then at the last gasp. Her resistance at The Narrows on Alarch IS was the last, effort of which she wa capable, The Turks believed it. was mathematically “German diplomats then at Constauinople would be in British hands. ‘Members of tlie Government bad their papers packed, and were about to leave for the uplands of Asia Alinor. ‘‘German diplomats then at Constan tinople described to me the complete despair of the Turks. Their German advisers, when they heard that tfie British fleet had given up the attack could not believe their ears. Then it seemed the most insane renunciation of certain victory.”