Italian-Turko War

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 96, 13 October 1911, Page 5

Italian-Turko War

ITALIAXS CAPTI"RE TOBRUK.

TURKS DISORGANISED. by Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Rome. October 11. After firing two rounds with 12-inch guns a company of marines landed at Tobruk and advanced against the fort. The Turks opened fire, but the stormers were quickly under the wall, forced an entrance, and hoisted the flag. The Turks, retiring, continued the fire on the Italians from the neighboring heights. The public services in Tripoli are being resumed. Deserters report that the Turkish troops are without leaders and completely disorganised. The Italians blew up the Sudanese Fort.

At the reception at the Governor's Palace the foreigner consuls offered congratulations. A hundred Arab chiefs attended the ceremonv.

Elaborate precautions have been taken for the despatch of sixty transports, the convoy of which presents a front of five miles.

The press censorship has increased in severity, and several correspondents are being prosecuted for having betrayed State secrets. TURKS MIXING THE DARDAXELLES. THE COXTRABAXD QUESTION. THIRTY ITALIAN WORKMEN MURDERED. Received IS, 9.25 p.m. London, October 12. Advices, apparently from a trustworthy source, state that the Turks are mining the Dardanelles. The Foreign Office advised Italy not to treat coal and foodstuffs as contraband, whatever their destination. The Italian Embassy is informed from Alexandria that thirty Italian workmen engaged on the Herjaz railway were massacred early in October.

, u THE NIGHT ATTACK. MERELY A SMALL SKIRMISH. TURKS GATHERIXG THEIR FORCES. Received 12, 9.2.5 p.m. Tripoli, October 12. The night attack was merely a small skirmish. The Turks crept to the outposts, possibly with the idea of cutting the water supply. They left two dead. The first division of troops has disembarked. The Turka are gathering in the Gharian Hills, where Arabs arc arriving from the Gebel region. THE MALTSSORI EXCITED.

RETURNING TO MONTENEGRO. Received 12. 0.30 p.m. Athens. October 12. The Malissori are excited, and are again migrating to Montenegro. The Porte is despatching troops to Scutari. THE FATE OF TRIPOLI. ITALIAN SOVEREIGNTY. A SMART CONFLICT. Received 12, 12..w a.m. ]>ondon, October 12. The Times' Vienna correspondent declares the world must be prepared for the enunciation of Italian sovereignty in Tripoli, as Turkey will not acquiesce in a prolonged war. with the danger of a Balkan complication, which is inevitable unless the Powers firmly compel Turkey to swallow the pill.

A HAIL OF BILLETS. ITALIANS CHARGE WITH BAYONETS Received 13, 12.35 a.m. Rome, October 12. Details from Tobruk state that a landing a boat encountered a hail of bullets. Soldiers and sailors jumped into the *ea and waded ashore, where they answered the enemy's fire and charged with fixed bayonets. AN ANARCHIST PLOT. STOPPING TRAFFIC IN MUNITIONS. Received 13, 1 a.m. Borne, October 12. Extraordinary precautions are taken to guard the King at Naples, owing to the discovery of an anarchist plot. The Italians, finding that Benghazi is tlie centre of an extensive import trade in guns for the Semissi, Sahara and Wadai tribes, men-ures have been adopted to -top the traffic. Scutari advices state that the Italians there were informed that they would he regarded as Ottoman •subjects, and it they failed to comply with the law they would be tried bv courtmartial.

-AN OFFICIAL DENTAL. Received 13. 1 a.m. Rome. October 12. U is officially denied that Germany planned to >ecnre Tobruk from Turkey as a coaling station, or that she has any intention of securing it from Italy. ON THE BIT/;Ai:iAN FRONTIER. CONCENTRATION OF TROOPS. GERMANY REMONSTRATES. Receive! 13. 1 a.m. Berlin, October 12. Germany has seriously remonstrated with the Port* an.l Bulgaria on the dangers of concentration of troops.

BULGARIA \IOBILISING. PROFOUND DISSATISFACTION. Vienna, October 12. Bulgaria is quietly mobilising her first line reserves, ami is profoundly dissatisfied at the Porte's explanation regarding the reinforcements for Adrianople and Macedonia. WHEAT HELD UP. St. Petersburg. October 11. Upwards of three hundred thousand tons of wheat, intended for Italy, have accumulated in Black Sea ports." TRANSPORTS ESCORTED BY WARSHIPS. Malta. October 11. Nineteen Italian transports have passed here escorted by four battleships and eight destroyers.

TRIPOLI'S GARDEN PROVINCE. WHERE THE ITALIAXS HAVE LANDED. Cyrenaica, where the Italian forces have landed, lies to the east of Tripoli, and is really the promontory of Barea, flanking the Gulf of Sidra. The district bears a striking contrast to the countries on either side of it. Instead of a sandy or rocky waste, with a few rare cases, it consists of a succession of wooded hills and smiling prairies, well watered by rain and perennial springs; the climate is healthy ami cool, even during the summer months, and the moist sea breezes protect the country from the devastating wind of the desert. Therefore, it offers peculiar attractions to an invading army. Cyrenaica is the ancient country of Cyrene, and the capital was in its day the most important Hellenic city in Africa. The decline of the country dates from .the reign of Traijan, when the Jews, large numbers of whom had settled there under the Ptoremys, mastered 220,000 Romans and Cyreneans, and were put down with great difficulty and much slaughter. These Jews were celebrated both as friends and enemies of the Christian faith; they are frequently mentioned in the Scriptures, and it wa's one of them who assisted to carry the Redeemer's cross. The loss of population rendered the country an easy prey to the Libyan batfwrians, and in 010 A.D. Chosroes, "the Persian, overthrew the remnants of the Greek colonies, and left little to be subsequently destroyed 'by the Arab invaders, i

The most important town in the modern province of Barca is Genghazi. This place does not look very prepossessing from the sea; its appearance is that of a collection of mud huts, but its position is good, for it is on the coast, and commands a rich.plain, extending to the foot of the mountains about 14 miles to the south-east. Benghazi's trade consist* mainly of ostrich feathers, cereals. sheep, ivory, and sponges. There is considerable caravan traffic between this town and Wadai, and between Tripoli and Central Sudan, when the routes are free from raiders. Traces of the ancient city of Berenice are still visible at Benghazi, but, unfortunately, the most likely sites for excavations are occupied by Moliammedan cemeteries. It was in the neighborhood of Berenice that the writers of antiquity placed the river Lethe. , Tobmk lies 23<i miles east of Benghazi. The largest vessels can anchor there, and a breakwater at the ca-tern entrance .if the bay would make it an excellent port.

vAmors war items. (Australian Press Service.) London. October 2. It is reported that Turkey's greatest trouble is lack of ready money. The need is acute, and the country is facing a possible big war with a ridiculous sum in the Treasury. The Public Debt Institution has been asked to provide £10,000.000, but has informed the Government that no more money is available. Therefore the nation is'going into action with only about .-£1,000,000 on hand.

Tiie Herman Ambassador in Constantinople reports a violent scene that he had with the Turkish War Minister, Shefket Pasha. The latter accused Germany of hypocrisy, and declared that the Kaiser's Ministers could have prevented the war had they chosen to do so. The impression in diplomatic circles is that the war will be of short duration. Some of the big banks profess to have information that the struggle is alreadv virtually over, but this depends on the assumption that Turkey will submit, after a show »{ (.(.position, to the loss of Tripoli, and will not embark on reprisals against Italian subjects and commerce.

It is *emi-ollicially reported that the Greek Government have been notified that the Turkish military activity on the frontier is not directed against Greece. This announcement has had a reassuring cllVt-t throughout Europe. The Pope is manifesting the greatest interest in the situation. His Holiness has instruct.d the Roman Catholic missionaries in Tripoli to exert their inlluence in favor „f Italy's plans, holding that victory for the Italian arms will mean increased advantages for the sprcai!;ng ..; the faith i„ Tripoli. The Pope itU-) !„,.,„, ,],. lt wi || b( . ~t . tamed l,y Italy without bloodshed.

That the Il::l;an Coveriinicnt are likely to be involved in two wars, the one against the Turks, an! (he other a civil stiugelc almost throughout the kingdom, is indicated by advices from widely-sep-arated point* in Italy. The despatches relating to outbursts of patriotism which the. Government, have been circulating are contra wis,, to the re«l conditions that exist. The anti-militarist sentiment « growing more formidable, and outmay be expected at any time. Sicily is about the only part of Italy in which there is any genuine war enthusiasm.

The lin-siau ollicia! view of the Turk-ish-Ira.] uni war i- represented bv the Novo.- \r.-i;:<a. which slates that as long as l-r.in:■.- ,!„... n..t ProUst against Italy's :i'-Moii it is a matter of indifference 'to who .hriipifs the North African coa-t. 'I he paper adds that llussia will remain pas-dye unless ili>tiirlmii<-es occur in the. Balkans.