"THE PORTALS OF HELL."

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 3, 4 May 1915, Page 2

"THE PORTALS OF HELL."

GRAPHIC STORY OF THE BOM- ; BARDMENT. (London Express Correspondent). Rome, March 37. A French eye-witness, who was an eye-witness of the operations of the Allied fleets in the Dardanelles, .contributed to the Corriere della Sera a graphic account of the bombardment. I When he left the Dardanelles on March .10, the Allies' fleets, he says. Iwere engaging the fortresses of Dardamis and Chanaki, the firing was intense, and the Turkish batteries replied fiercely. It was on the morning of February '25, at 7 a.m. that the Allies began to fire at the outside torts of Kum (Kaleh and Sedd-el-Bahr. There were jfourteen British ships and six French; 'some from the Meditteranean fleet, 'but more belonging to the Atlantic | squadron, whk'h had already destroyed the German squadron off the Falklands.

I The battleships Agamemnon and Gaulois began the bombardment by firing at a range of about nine miles. The fire was well regulated, and all the shells fell on the torts, which defended 'themselves well, sending fairlyaccurate shots.

At 10 a.m. the super-Dreadnought. Queen Elizabeth, with her wonderful new projectiles, began action. Helped by the preceding shots of the other warships, she was aide to gauge her aim accurately, anad even her first shells struck the target. As every shell hurst a whole mountain of earth sprang into the air, and was visible even at a great distance. All the batteries were thus destroyed in turn. At -1 p.m. not one could reply, but the Allies' ships continued to approach in order to complete the work of destruction.

When night descended the spectacle became terrifying. The entrance to the Dardanelles was marked by two great flaming furnaces. Where a little time ago there were forts, only huge, soaring flames were visible. The two banks of the Dardanelles seemed to be the portals 'of hell. By the light of these fires the minedestroyers at once began their work of dredging between the straits, but though they expected to find a real jfield of mines, there were, in fact, only ia Few. In one of the narrows, where |a chain of barriers was anticipated, there were only two mines. The bombardment of the forts on the Asiatic, coast, before the narrows of Obanak, was relatively easy, because they are well in view and possess few batteries, but from Dardanus to Chanak the line of forts is much extended and the batteries well hidden. Nevertheless, the task is progressing satisfactorily, though slowly. All the batteries which were engaged, up to a point within ten miles of Chanak, were of an old type, but their shooting was very good, and some shells hit the Agamemnon and the Gaulois, which were always in advance. The French officer adds that there had been no serious damage done tu any of the Allied warships, and there were only a small number of casualties among the crews.

The men rejoiced at what seemed extraordinary good luck. As they put it, "The Turkish shells don't bite," and they were keen to go on up to Constantinople, in spite of the fire of the forts ahead. The officer was reluctant to predict when Constantinople would be reached, but be said:— "From what I have heard, the admirals calculate on fighting the forts for at least another month. The greater part of this time will be spent about. the narrows of Chanak.

"Once past those forts, the others will fall as did the forts at the entrance to the Dardanelles. "The fortifications of the islands in the Sea of Marmora are useless, because the sbips can keep a distance from them, and the mines cannot be dangerous, because the great depth of water prevents their being anchored, and the floating mines will all he carried in one direction by the strong current, so that they will be avoidable." As to the possibility of land attack taking place on Turkish soil, the French officer says that such an action is not necessary in the circumjstances. It would be enough to prevent the Turks refortifying the Dardanelles, for the Allies to leave two modern cruisers on the spot. | In conclusion, the officer says:—"lT ithey could for one. moment see the 'good humor and satisfaction which beams from the faces of the two admirals who are directing operations, ,the most pessimistic would Be convinced of the filial triumph of our undertaking."