THROUGH THE DARDANELLES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 24, 26 March 1915, Page 4

THROUGH THE DARDANELLES.

The following information, ;e related by Capt. J. S. Ryder, a member of the Tuakau Town Hoard, who is farming in the Tuakau district, will be of interest to our readers, Previous to his ariival in New Zealand two years ago L'apt. Kvder had been in the service of the Ked R. Steam Shipping Company, of Newcastle-on-TyDe, and had commanded steamers trading under the Red R.S.S. Company's flag tor a period of 20 years, dating which time he mostly traded through the Dardanelles, in the Black b'ea trade and to all rarts' of Rus:ia and Roumania. He has in ConBtantin pie on no less than 2oU o:casions.

S\ Stephano mosque, Constantinople, said the Captain, is one of the finest and most valuable edifices in the Levant. Referring to the operations of the allied fleets in the Dardanelles he considered the Narrows, Is miies op the Dardanelles f'om the mouth of the Straitp ; at which the tleet is operating, the most dangerous part of the Straits, the Nisara i'oint ti the European tide beirg inly half a mile distant. After the fleet had negotiated this ppiifi he considered that there would be no übstacles to contend with, with the exception of floating mines which in the currents, which mostly How from tie Black S;a at a rate of six miles per hour and less than two milep. would be very difficult to cope With. There are forts at Galipoii, situated between the Narrows and Constantinople, some 108 miles distant from Constantinople, but he had often been over them and considered they would offer litth resistance to the combined efforts of the Allies battleships. The banks on either side of the Dardanelles, running the whole length, gradually sloped to the sea, and would afford excellent landing places for infantry, etc. He considered that it would be feasible to avoid floating mines by navigating on the south side of the Island of Marmora and keeping well to the back of the Princess Islands, thus avoiding the rapid flowing currents, and at the aame time keeping out of the range of shell fire. When the fleet leached Constantinople, situated on the Bosphorus, he was of the opinion that they would have no difficulty if resistance was offered in reducirg the town to ruins within half at; hour. The water in the Dardanelles was very commedious ?nd was deep within a chain of the share, and with the exception of the spring and summer months, when mists use with the sun and remain over the Dardanelless for a period of two to three hours at a time the Dardanelless were tree from fogs.