Turkey at War.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 137, 3 November 1914, Page 5

Turkey at War.

COMPREHENSIVE WAR PLANS. ON SEA AND LAND. RUSSIAN PORTS BOMBARDED. TRANSPORTS SUNK. PETROLEUM TANKS SHELLED. Rome, November 1. The Goebea is now ilagship of the German Admiral Gosehcn, who is com-mander-in-chief of the Turkish ileet. The crevr is exclusively German. The Breslau, and the remainder of the Turkish warships, are manned by mixed Turco-Teu-tonic forces.

An Arab, General Zakki Pasha, eommands the troops in Palestine. The army «orps at Gogsua and Ereeroum are aimed at the Russians. Two no hundred thousand are defending the Caucasian frontier. The thirteenth armj corps, at Bagdad, under Giamio Pa&b' is intended to make an incursion f a, Persia towards India. Rom The Russian Ambassador at 7 \ scribes the latest incidents, in ' «ome de|an indication that Gcrrnajsr Turkey as her last card,, but. the- TTv / is playing not lead to the wi.tlwJ' .rkish trick will soldier- on the AuKlir' rawal of a single j-Gennan frontier, Reuter states November 1. tht> Ottoi»>" that certain sections of against lit"- -*n army are resentful troops, r J Germans, and that Turkish iiiws.. jcently shot four German offirs.» ;tt ll - Ambassadors ot the Allied Powers ' Constantinople have received their passports. to The Allies' Note, presented to Turkey 3t on Friday, threatens to break oil' diplomatic relations if their demands are not satisfied. A reply lias not been received.

Washington, November 1. [ The Allies' representatives are preparing to leave Constantinople. The Porte informed the French Ambassador that tlm warship raids had occurred without the Porte's knowledge. Petrograd, November 1.

The newspapers report that the Turkish fleet set fire to fifty oil reservoirs at Novorossick and five at Odessa. The fleet also sank fourteen transports, and destroyed several grain warehouses and the wireless station at Novorossiek.

The gunboat Burpaz, at Odessa, repelled two iurkish torpedoers which were harrying merchantmen. The French steamer (Portugal was attacked in the darkness, and struck four times above the waterline. The Turkish torpodoers jiifinwuvring in the harbor discharged all their guns, des'troying till! wooden superstructure of the Rubanetz.. Two Russian merchantmen and a steam launch were, shelled. An attempt to torpedo the Kubanetz failed. The steamer Yalta floated on the surface for three hours with lltr stern upwards. Pilot boats saved the passengers and crew, 'lhe majority of the Kazeb's complement were saved on rafts.

The Novoe Vremya. referring to the situation in the Balkans, says that Hie moment has now eoine for deeds, not words. Bulgaria must choose between Turkey and Russia, After the war only the participators in the gigantic ( will be invited to the banquet, and nobody can snatch a mouthful unless he has made the necessary sacrifices.

Amsterdam, November 1. A German message reports that a great pro-Turkish demonstration was held in Berlin. Yussuf Bey, the Porte's special Ambassador, in a speech at the Potsdam Erplatz, said that now "was the great hour for settling accounts with the oppressors of Islam. Germany < was fighting against tlie world to the. envy of Turkey, who chose to take rides with its glorious army. The lkmidieh's bombardment of Novorosaisk lasted three hours. She flew j the Russian ilag as she approached. She fired :?(!!) shells, mostly agitinst the petroleum tanks, merchantmen and the grain elevators. The Turks fired a hundred shells at Teodosin. Rns'ian interests in Turkey iiave been entrusted to Italy. *

J TU ECO - G ERAI AN DUPLICITY, j RUSSIAN OFFICMLS HOODWINKED. FLEET TAKEN BY SURPRISE. GERMAN CUNNEKS ON TURKISH I SHIPS. j Received 2, 9 p.m. Petrograd, Nov. "2 (Morning). Passports have been handed to the Turkish Embassay. It is now apparent that while the. Ambassador has been profuse in his, pacific assurances, wires between here and Constantinople were blocked t.> enable the Tureo-Gcrman licet to inllict the utmost damage before Russia could realise that a blow had been struck. Torpedoers, when they approached Odessa, were painted to resemble: Russian vessels, and flew the Russian flag. A Russian pinnace advanced to meet them, and the occupants heard a Russian word of command aboard the torpedoers, dispelling their doubts. No sooner were they alongside than a grenade was thrown into the pinnace, killing a sailor. An eve-witness reported that the torpedoers and gunners were Germans.

"UNDER THE SPELL OF GERMAN GOLD." FURTHER TURKISH NAVAL EXPLOITS.

AMBASSADORS LEAVE TURKISH CAPITAL. Received 2, 9 pjn. Petrograd, November 1Newspapers charge Turkey with lowing Germany's example in at* f 0 j. [defenceless people under the ' Peking German gold, Krupp guns, r spell 0 f sadorial eloquence. , n d ambasBerlin reports that Si' British Ambassador tr ,• Louis 'Mallet, departed from Const- , the Porte, Urns' the Turkish fleet r antinople, also that acrvoirsatNow .et fire to fifty oil resank .fourteen ossisk and five at Odessa

:veral grur transports, and destroyed ss. static a warehouses and the wiretTRKF ill at NoTorossisk, Th' .1 i> r j Allies' Ambassadors at Constantiplc have received Ambassador'p papsjiorts.

BULGARIA'S ATTITUDE,

MAINLY PRO-RUSSIAN. Received 2, 6.20 p.m. • London, November 1. A prominent Bulgarian diplomat points out that certain sections of Bulgaria are pro-German, but overwhelming public opinion will prevent Bulgaria from identifying herself with the enemies of Russia, her liberator, or Britain. Bulgaria would immediately forsake her desired neutrality in the event of the Turks crossing the frontier. 1

NEUTRALITY TO BE MMNTAINEfI.

RELATIONS WITH SERVIA STRAINED. BULGARIAN BANDS ON SERVIAN SOIL. . Received 1, 10.30 p.m. London, November 1. Bulgarian official circles reiterate Bulintention to- preserve neutrality. Servia states that the stories respecting the oppression of Bulgarians in Macedonia are entirely false, and have been issued. with the object of excusing the inroads of Bulgarian bands on Servian territory. The Servian Legation adds that, in consequence of this, confidence in Bulgaria is being estranged daily.

THE OUTLOOK IN GREECE. DISQUIETING VIEWS OF THE PRESS. deceived 2, 10.30 p.m. Athens, November 1. Turkey's naval action has produced a sensation. The (Press is making disquieting forecasts of the chances of peace in the Near East, but considers complications arc inevitable,

LOYALTY, IN INDIA. 'MOHAMMEDANS SUPPURT THE ' BRITISH. j Received 2, 10 p.m, ] Calcutta, November 1. ] The Viceroy has published a com- 1 muniquc, announcing throughout India, a iiilfricniliy attitude, and deplor- j ing the endeavor of the Chavinistic element to drive Turkey into the war for the , benefit of Germany and Austria, Tur-' key's secular enemy. The reception of j the communique in the outlying dis- ' tricts will not be known for some days, i but responsible 'Alohantmedan leaders - are already holding meetings in sup- j pert of Britain, and prayers are being ! i offered in the mosques for British sue- 1 cogs, 1 1

ENEMIES DEPORTED FROM ECYiPT. Received 2, 10 p.m. Cairo, November 1. Five hundred Austriana and Germans have left Alexandria, to be interned at Malta.

MYSTERIOUS FIRE dT VALOXA. Ke«cived 2, 10 p.m. Home, November 1. A mysterious big lire occurred in the bazaar at Valone, near the magazine, where quantities of ammunition began to explode. Two hundred Italian marines landed and extinguished the outbreak.

BEDOUIN INVASION THREATENING SUEZ CANAL. FEARED BRITISH SUBJECTS RETAINED BY TURKS. Received 2, 11 p.m. Athens, November 2. After bombarding Novorossisk the llomodied landed bluejackets. The latter wore surrounded and made, prisoners. The ißedouin invasion of the Egyptian doscrt, east of the Suez Canal, is confirmed. A diplomatist at Constantinople reports that the Grand Vizier sent an aide-de-camp to the. Russian Embassy, to enquire as to the accuracy of the rumours of the Turkish naval raids. Constantinople, November 2. Official: The Ambassadors of ti\e Entente requested their passports on Friday. The police stopped all British subjects leaving Turkey. It is feared'they have been retained as prisoners.

TURKEY'S PRICE. GERMANY BIDS TEN MILLIONS. ' Received 3, 12.40 a.m. Copenhagen, November 2., It is reported that Germany gives

Turkey tell niillio" ■ ■ 1 1 •> liminary war cor' .is sterling a« ft pre* many is abou' .tribution, also that Ger--250 101111011? .(, to issue a war logl Of ■ , sterling. •'

TURKEY'S ACTION. POSITION EXPLAINED. ' EFFECT OP GERMAN INFLUENCE LOYiAI/TY OF MOHAJiMJEDANg.

Wellington Last Night. The Government received the following Foreign Ofllee announcement, dated London, November 1, 3.45 pan.:— Official: At the beginning of the war the British Government gave definite aaaurances that if Turkey remained neutral, her independence and integrity would be respected during the war, and in the terms of peace. In this France and .Russia concurred, and the British Government have since then endeavoured with the greatest patience and forbearance to preserve friendly relations, in spite of increasing breaches of neutrality on the part of the Turkish Government at Constantinople, and in the case of German vessels in the Strait*. On October 29 the British Gorernmeit learnt with the utmost regret that Turkish ships of war had, without any declaration of war, and without waning or provocation of any sort, mad* wanton attacks upon open, undefended towns on the Black Sea, of a friendly country, thus committing an unprecedented violation of the most ord&ary rules of international law, comity,' anil usage.

Ever since the Coeben and Breelail took refuge in Constantinople the attitude of the Turkish Government to- . wards Britain has caused srupri.se and i uneasiness. Promises mad« by fkp Turkish Government to send away German officers and crews of the Goeben and Breslau had never been fulfilled. It was well known that the Turkish Minister of War was decidedly pro-German, but it was confidently hoped that the saner counsels pf hip colleagues, who ha£ experience of the friendship which Great Britain had always shown towards the Turkish Government, would prevail, and , prevent that Government from ehterinjf opom a very risky policy by taking part in the conflict on the side of Germany. Since the war began German officers in large numbers have invaded Constantinople, and usurped the authority of the Government, and have been abl« to coerce the Sultan's Ministers into taking up a policy of aggression. Britain, France, aud Russia watched these proceedings patiently, protesting against the many acts which have constantly been committed contrary to I neutrality, and warning the Sultan'* Government' against the danger they were placing the future of the Ottoman Empire in being vigorously assisted by the Ambassadors of Germany and Austria. The German military elements at Constantinople had been persistently doing their utmost to force Turkey into ' war, both bv their activities in the service of the Turks and by their lavish bribes.

The Minister of War, with his German advisers, latterly prepared an armed force for an attack upon Egypt. The : Mosul and Damascus Army Corps have, since mobilisation, been in Constantinople, sending troops south, preparatory to the invasion of Europe and the Suee Canal from Akaba and Gaza. A large body of Bedouin Arabs has been called out, and armed to assist this venture. Some of these have crossed the Sinai frontier, transport has been collected, and roads prepared to the frontiet of Egypt. Mines iiavu been despatched, to be laid in the Gulf of Akaba, The notorious Slieik Agiz Shawlsh has published and disseminated through I Syria, and probably India, inflammatory f , | documents, urging Dig Mvlwmmodans td | light againsc Britain. Pruffer is busily occupied in Syria, trying to incite the people to take part in the con- 1 fliet. This aggressive action was certain to I>C the result of ii" activity pf th« numerous German officers employed lA the Turkish nfmy, acting untier orders of the Gorman Government, who have thus succeeded iii forcing the hands of the advisers of the Sultau.

! German intrigue cannot influence the 1 loyalty to Britain of 70 millions of the ' Mohammedans in India, nnd the feeling of the Mohammedan inhabitants in Egypt. They must look with detestation on the misguided action under , foreign influence at Constantinople, j which will inevitably lead to the disintegration of the Tn-'vish Empire, and which bliows much iorgetfulness of many occasions on which Great Britain has shown friendship to Turkey. They must feel bitterly the degeneration of their co-religionists, wlio can thus be dominated against their will by German influence. The Turkish Government summarily, on KriiTay, shut oir a!l telegraphic communication with the British Embassy at Constantinople. This is, no doubt, a prelude to further acts of aggression. On their part the British Government must take what aetion is required to protect British interests and British territory in Egypt from any attack made or threatened.