DARDANELLES BOMBARDMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 218, 22 February 1915, Page 5

DARDANELLES BOMBARDMENT.

BY ALLIED FLEETS. BRITISH BATTLESHIPS SHELL LAND FORTS. OPENING THE WAY TO CONSTANTINOPLE. Received 21, 5.30 p.m. London, February 20.

The Admiralty reports that a strong allied battleship squadron bomlmrded the Dardanelles on Friday and Sasnrday, and silenced the European forts.

The Press Bureau states that the bombardment of forts Cape Holies and Kumkale commenced at 8 a.m. on Frl- ( day. A British fleet of battleships and battle-cruisers accompanied the flotillas, aided by a strong French squadron, the whole being under the commanad of 'Vice-Admiral Carden. The deliberate long-range fire produced considerable effect on two of the forts, while two others were frequently hit, hut being constructed of open earthworks, it was difficult to estimate the damage. The forts, being outranged, were unable to reply. A portion of the battleship force aV 3 o'clock in the afternoon was ordered to close in and engage the forts at closer range with their secondary armament. The forts on both sides of the entrance then opened fire, and were engaged at a moderate range by the. Vengeance, Cornwallis, Triumph, SnlTren, Gaulois, am' Bouvet, supported by the Inflexible and Agamemnon at long range.

The forts on the European side iver<i apparently silenced, but one on the Asiatic side was still firing when operations were suspended owing to the failing light. The firing was renewed in the morning after an aerial reconnaissance. Athens, February 20.

Reports state, that twelve battleships and twenty torpedoers nartook in the bombardment of Forts El-FTainidieli ami Kumkale. A shell destroyed the powder magazine, which exploded, many guns being put out of action. Constantinople, February 20. Official: The outer forts were shelled. 400 shots being fired. The bombardment was unsuccessful. One soldier was wounded.

[Thp Venceance and Comwallis are third-class battleships. The former, o* 12,950 tons, was launched in ISOO. Her armament consists of four 12-inch and twelve 0-inch sriins. The latter whs launched in 1001. She is of 14,000 tons ''displacement, and carries the same armament. The Triumph is a battleship of 11.085 tons displacement, was launched in 1004, and carries four 10inch and fourteen 7.5-inch guns. The Agamemnon, a battleship nf 1(1,300 tons, was launched in 1008. Her armament consists of four 12-inch and ten 9-inch guns. The Indexible is a cruiser of 17.250 tons, launched in 190 S. and has a speed of 27 knots. Her armament consists of eight 12-incli and sixteen 4-ineh guns. THE DERFFLINGER DAMAGED.

IN THE DOGGER liANK BATTLE. DANGERS OF MINE-SWEEPING. OIL-TANK STEAMED TORPEDOED. Geneva, February IBAn engineer on the Derfflinger, writing to his parents, said the cruiser was seriously damaged, and water invaded the engine-room, the engineers having to work up to their knees in water. A shell pierced the. hull and killed many. [The Deririinger is th 0 newest Herman battle-cruiser, of 2S,(lftO tons.] London, February in. Tlie Admiralty, in a memorandum states that the'sweeping operations to the end of December were a wonderful record of pluck. The Germans laid extensive mine-lields ofT Scarborough. In one case three mine-sweepers were blown un within ten minutes, but the work was continued. A submarine to.rnedoed and damaged the tank steamer Relridsre. bound from New Orleans to Amsterdam.

~ TWO VESSELS SUNK. OFF Tire BRITISH COAST. Received 22. 12.10 a.m. Louden. February 20. The steamer O.mba.ik was sunk ofl Tlolvhead. three of the crew being kill, d iu the rmrine-ri'Oiii and one drowned. < r'l-nbnnk was copper laden from Hueho S Liverpool, had taken up n pilot and was catherin-r speed wlu i ; il( ! saw a periscope two hundred yarn, nwo.v. She received no warning. 11. r es were reversed, but while turning sl,o was hit bv « torp"do amidships. Tlie Xovwtrian '•««' "'earner LvoerK bound from l,"iih tn Vakitow was min-d am! sunk, tlie crew being saved. GERMANS CONFIDENT.

nivr sr>rtiA"ixßi> v< : ru. \vr>. Tin: war. » Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 21. 5.0 p.m. London, February 20. The Times says the Germans an- confident, that- tin- submarine bloekiide 1 lead directly to the decisive result ot the entire war in Oennany's favor. public confidence i* simply fantastic, is expected that evcrv niercliaiitman bound for Kiij:iSiTiit will be stopped witlnu three w,-k, The newspapers have \vork<'d the p.opV to a strate of tension hitherto unknown. FRENCH STEAMER ATTACKED. BY OKRMAX KUB.MARIXE. ■Received '2l. 5 11.111. I'aris, February 20. Without warning a submarine torthe French steamer Dmori.ii, bound from Havre to Duniiirk. Hi-.' Dinorah r.-aclu-d Di.-pc. OKRMAX "BLUFF". Received '2l. ."> p in. Rome. February 20. The newspapers regard til" statement that tile Germans have built a hundred mine-sowing submarines as "blu!V." rilOOl' OF CKRMAX ATTACK. Received 21, !i p.m. London, February 20. The Admiralty announces thatjiieees of a torpedo have been found in the Belridge.