STORMING OF CONSTANTINOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 101, 26 May 1909, Page 2

STORMING OF CONSTANTINOPLE

A (iIUI'UHJ NARRATIVE.

STORY 01' A WAR CORRESPONDENT

Received iti, 0.40 a.m. l'erth, May 25. Maxwell, the war correspondent of the-D-ilv Mail, »v« " U>»l.Uic account of the storming of Constantinople. At o on Hie morning of April 13, W hums were around by the "port ol annon an.l a heavy fusilade m tho I,'c'ction of Yildla Palace. Albanians „1 gendarmerie from Salonika were osted at every cl . «"? e, \ ".he irons guards were stationed at uw mbassics, T«nk. and public budding.. ■ e citv had been completely oceup ed .nder cover of .I*l.l, but heavy firing .bove the heights at l'era proved that he revolution wan at least demanding ributes of blood. Constantinople awoke with a atari nd shuddered and peered from the flat oofs to learn its fate. Men and wo- ■ ncn, half clad, looked down into toe trcets along which moved patrols with ittcs unstung. vr..».ii I made my may, says Mr. Maxwell, dung the l'era road, where the firing nunrted heaviest, and came upon troops ,otlv engaged in attempt* to reduce me of the barracks in which were 2001) ic-pernte men. Tlic story goes that as he Albanian* were approaching the "slacks', over wfflth was, hoisted a white las thev were met by rifle lire, and nnn'y were slain. At this treachery, the 'arl'iamcniary troops fell hack to pre,arc their attacks. Guns were brought o the front, and an artillery duel be■an. The street* were soon humming pith bullets, and many spectators ha 4 ause to regret their curiosity. Tho Tnshkislar barracks, ft threetorcv building, flanked by a cemeteiy, .nd near the Gorman Embassy, became he centre of the fight, and here the mttle raged fiercely for three and * lalf hour*. The effect of the artlllety vas too great for the defenders, and neii began to desert the barracks and ake refuge in the cemetery, where tho ombs served an excellent cover. Guui vera also brought among the graven mil a. renewed cannonade, seemed to ain lend, which began to drop through he windows. The casualties were many. \ft<r four hours, the garrison surrsnlered. At Taxim barracks, where there were 1000 defenders similar tactics were idopted. As the army of occupation idvanecd. the garrison General, with a m bite flag and cries of "Vive Ja Liberte,' greeted them. The soldiers responded with cheers, and pressed forward to be net by a f usiladc which stretched about l score to the ground. Machine gum rattled to the front and began to pump lead into tile windows and doors, ana field guns opened with a shriek of shell and a hall of „hrapcl, and the assault was carried on with reckTess bravery. Spectators poured forth in streams 'O witness the fight. With Turks, Armenians, Greeks, Italians, Germans, French and British, a medley of races and tongues, it looked more 'like a disorderly fair than a serious' affray in which sholTand shell were concerned. Towards ten o'clock the resistance waned. Nothing could exceed the care the soldiers took of wayward spectators. One of the first shot wal Frederick Mooro, correspondent of the New York Sun and London Daily Chronicle. He was talcing a photograph when a bullet pierced his shoulder, The wound was not dangerous. There were moments when the spectators, even boys, took a hand in directng the attack. Officers were disguised is privates in order to prevent' being a ipecial mark for the enemy. By nooa >oth the Tashki&lar and Takhn barraclci md been reduced to sutiniission. The advance of the investing army beran at dawn. Cavalry scouted from loon, and 30,000 infantry followed on heir heels, with their centre at Spariikonf, moving on fiilclidar and Alfbey;oi. On the left wine, In trie direction if the heights behind Tataola, the loops' met with a slight resistance near he Adrianople gate. Thev marched x on fildiz and Pern in perfcel order. As won ns the concentration was eoim lete, the battalions deployed and i;l----anced against the barracks and other oints of defence. Stambonl was speedly occupied. A few shots from the •arracks was followed by the surrener.

The soldiers nt the Sublime Porto came out after a cannon shot had done damage to tho building. Close by were anchored the jmnrdships of foreign Powere. (be shell passed over n British* vessel, nnd one Italian sailor was kilbd by a kIicII. Tlie people began to speeulate as to the fate of Yildiz, where there were four battalions of Albanians, the Crusted guardian*' of the Sultan, but the palace capitulated at noon, and the garrison surrendered unconditionally.