RUSHING THE DARDANELLES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 136, 26 October 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

RUSHING THE DARDANELLES

HOW AX AMERICAN FRIfiAIE DID IT. If the Creeks should decide upon an attempt to rush the Dardanelles, it may cheer them to remember that the thing has ibeen done before, by Captain Bainbridge, of the United States Navy: a dashing naval exploit which is not so well known us it deserves to be. The year was A.D. 1800. In the early autumn Captain Bainbridge, of the frigate George Washington, cast anchor in the port of Algiers. ft so happened that the Dey of. Algiers desired to send an embassy to the Sultan, and he therefore called upon Captain Bainbridge to convey his representatives to Constantinople. Fearing that a refusal would be avenged upon his unoffending fellow citizens, Captain Bainbridge consented, and, on October 10, 1900, he set sail for his destination.

For the passage of the Dardanelles, however, passports were requisite, and Captain Bainbridge had none. To prevent any vessel slipping by without passports, two forts guarded the narrowest part of the passage. Their guns were always loaded, and always pointed. For the sinking of the George Washington a single discharge would suffice. Captain Bainbridge knew that the obtaining of a passport would involve a long delay—the more so as his Hag was entirely unknown to the Ottoman anth- I orities. He was an impatient man, determined at all hazards to fulfil his I promise; so he decided upon a strata- j gem.

■SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY. He sailed as far as the forts. When he had arrived opposite he stopped, and pretended to anchor, at the same time firing a. salute to the forts in due and proper form. The forts, in accordance with the rules of politeness, returned the salute, with the result that the George Washington disappeared from view behind a thick veil of smoke. When the cloud of smoke was at last dissipated, it was discovered that the George Washington was no longer there. Captain Bainbridge had slipped by unobserved, and was out of range, and was heading , for Constantinople. He got there on Xovember !). and was invited to explain his presence. The explanation was not easy, as the Sultan of Turkey had never heard of the United States. He took Captain Bainbridge's word for it, however, that they were a part of "the new world discovered : by Christopher Columbus"; while the Stars and .Stripes suggested to his mind some subtle affinity between the American and Moslem religions. Consequently he made the captain welcome, though he announced his attention of hanging the Governor of the forts whom he had fooled, it was only at the urgent intercession of Captain Bainbridge that the Governor was pardoned. So that all ended happily. The (leorge Washington remained rather more than six weeks at Constantinople, finally (piitting the liosphorus on the last day of December. Captain Bainbridge stopped, on his way through the Dardanelles, to. receive the hospitality and thanks of the (lovernor on whom he had played his cunning trick: and. on .lanuary 21. 1801. lie was once more at Algiers, where the Dey overwhelmed him with compliments on his (lashing exploit.