THE WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 28, 16 January 1912, Page 5

THE WAR.

great naval bombardment BY ITALIANS. TURKISH GUNBOATS DESTROYED. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) Rome, January 15. The Italian commander in the Red Sea reports that, being convinced that a number of Turkish gunboats were concealed at the Farsan Islands, iie determined on a driving movement with a view to simultaneously dislodging large bodies of troops at Cohcra and Kunfuda.

'J'no cruisers Calabria and Puglia bombarded Cohcra in order to divert the enemy. The bombardment destroyed the fort and routed a column of troops with camels. Meanwhile the cruiser Piedmont and two destroyers scoured the_ coast of Jeddah southwards, and sighted seven gunboats. They opened lire at GOOD metros, the land batteries supporting the gunboats.

A three hours’ battle ended _ at nightfall, the gunboats retreating. Some were beached, and their demoralised crews landed under cover of the darkness.

The destruction of the battered gunboats was completed in the morning. One of the gunboats was 500 and another 350 tons. Turkish troops abandoned Kunfuda, where the Piedmont remains collecting abandoned war material.