FIGHTING IN TRIPOLI

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 109, 16 January 1912, Page 5

FIGHTING IN TRIPOLI

GREAT NAVAL BOMBARDMENT.

TURKISH GUNBOATS DESTROYED. CREWS DEMORALISED. fly Cable —Press Association—Copyrijjlt Receiver 15, 11.30 p.m. 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, he determined on a driving movement with a view to simultaneously dislodging large bodies of troops at Cohera and Kunfuda. The cruisers Calabria and Puglia bombarded Culiiia 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 fire at 6000 metres, 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. A CURIOUS STORY. A curious story in connection with the relations between Italy and Austria has been told in some of the European newspapers. During the early days of the Turco-Halian war, it is stated, an Italian squadron commanded by the Duke of the Abruzzi was cruising in the Adriatic, when a Turkish destroyer was sighted. An Italian vessel {»ave chase, and wits rapidly overhauling the enemy when «he encountered ! : ve Austrian warships, which examined the scene with their searchlights. The Austrian* signalled to the Italian commander to stop, and when he showed his intentiou to continue th<> pursuit they threatened to use force. The discussion that followed allowed the Turkish boat to reach the shelter of a harbor, and presently the •Duke of Abruzzi arrived with the remainder of the squadron. He told the Austrian admiral that he would wait one hour and at the end of that time would proceed on his course regardless of consequences. The difficulty was solved by the withdrawal of the Austrians, after consultation with one of their shore stations by wireless telegraphy, but the next day the Duke of Abruzzi was recalled to Taranto, and since then Italy has shown no signs of naval activity in the Adriatic. The incident is stated to have coincided with significant movements of Austrian troops The foreign correspondents of the London newspapers suggest in more or less definite language that Italy has been prevented by the Powers from attacking European Tuatey.. Early in November a semiofficial statement was made in Rome that the Italian fleet would blockade the Dardanelles and operate against several Turkish ports, possibly making an attempt to reach Constantinople. But Russia and Austria protested at once, on the ground that the peace of the Balkans would be endangered, and it is hinted that Britain. Germany, and France endorsed the objection. Italy has made no attempt to use her navy in the Aegean Sea, and it seems improbable that she would willingly hare neglected to apply pressure to her enemy in the interests of an early peace.