The Dardanelles

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 243, 23 March 1915, Page 5

The Dardanelles

OPERATIONS DELAYED BY WEATHER.

FLEET'S SUPERIORITY ESTAB-

LISHED.

TRIBI'TK 'J'O THE FRENCH

SQUADRON

Received March 22, 11.30 p.m. London, .March 22. The Admiralty announce* tlmt unfavorable weather interrupted operations in the Dardanelles.

Tlie amount of damage to the forts as a result of Thursday's bombardment is not ascertainable. Owing to the losses caused bv drifting mines the attack was not pressed to a conclusion, but the power of the fleet to dominate the fortresses byi superior fire seems to be established.

Various other dangers and difficulties were encountered, hut nothing happened to justify the belief that the cost of th ( > undertaking will exceed what was always expected and was provided for. The British casualties in personnel were 61 killed, wounded and missing. Acting Vice-Admiral de Robeek telegraphed to th 0 Admiralty testifying to the splendid behaviour of the French squadron, which, undaunted by the heavy loss sustained in the sinking of the battleship Bouvet, was led into close action by Rear-Admiral Quepratte with the greatest gallantry.

THE INFERNO DESCRIBED.

TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION IN' THE NARROWS.

PEN-PICTURE BY AN EYE-WITNESS.

Received March 22, 5.40 n.m.

(Times and Sydney Sun Services.)

London, March 21. ! The Daily Mail correspondent, giving his impressions of the bombardment of the Dardanelles, as seen from a high hill at a distance of fifteen miles, says: " Up the narrow neck between Chanak and Ivilid Balir the largest vessels of the Allied fleet passed up and down for over four hours, 'hurling .with sheets of orange flame from their heaw guns a constant succession of shells on the fort. The Turkish batteries, with decreasing frequency, flashed back their replies, many shots falling harmlessly into the sea. The ships turned and passed along this stretch of two miles, incessantly bombarding th c two sides of t'le narrows alternately. It is easy to imagine what an inferno was in progress below us, with its blindingjlashes and discharges, deafening explosions, screams of great shells nearly a ton weight, which could be seen actually hurtling througli the air, thc rattle of the enemy's shots falling in the water causing torrential splashes, and hits thudding on the armored sides of the ships—all terrible manifestations of man's power of scientific destruction. "The action slackened at 3.45, tTie five ships steaming homewards, one showing white froth on the port side, where the were working. At 4.30 the forts ceased fire and the day's action, was over."

THE AMETHYST'S DASH

TO CUT THE CABLE.

Malta, March 20.

The object of the Ayneihyst's dash was to cut the Kilid Bahr to Chanak cable. She succeeded, but was detected, and when she began the return journey she was obliged to run the gauntlet of several forts.

LOSS OF THE BOUVET.

Lndon, March 21

An eyewitness at Tenedos says a thick cloud of smoke blotted out tlip Bouvct. Then, as it thinned, the prev bow pointed skyward was seen and the stern sub merged. Before the smoke passed she sank as two British ships rushed up to the rescue.

ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR FORTIFICATIONS.

One—and by no mean the least interesting—of the results of the present "War of the Nations" seems likely to be the disappearance from practical politics of the vexed question of the passage of the Dardanelles, perhaps the most historically important of the "narrow waters" of ancient and modern times. From the fifth and four centuries before the Christian era, when Xerxes and Alexander both bridged the Hellespont (as ilie Ancients called the Straits), up till the present year of grace—some 41 centuries afterwards—the Dardanelles may be said to have contributed some very stirring chapters to the history of Europe, says Chambers' Journal.

Some of the old forts have been practically reconstructed, and the latest type of Krupp guns have been placed in position at the most effective positions in the Straits. The heights of Cape Helles .have been re-armed, and powerful steel protected fortifications have been constructed at Clianak and Kilid ISahr, so as to command the narrowest part of the passages. An arrangement of torpedotubes has been set up at the water's edge, while all down the Asiatic coast of the Sea of Marmora, from Oinali to J.apski, strong earthworks on "the terrace' system and containing heavy guns are now in evidence. Not only are the Straits thickly mined, but they are patrolled day and night by steam trawlers. Powerful searchlights have also been placed at the entrances and at various commanding positions on both coasts, whilst the approaches to the Dardanelles by land have been protected by earthworks anil trenches supported bv detached forts, most noticeably so in ilie direction of the Gulf of S'aros. But it is quite characteristic that the Turks—being, iw always. Turks, and not perhaiis having then had their German mentors at their elbow—should have left an old type of 12in. gun at the forts guarding trie cutl iiiu-r: lii-neo their destruction, with the 10-s of 00 Germans and Turkish officers and soldier-, at the hands of the liritish men-of-war!

Hut tile control of tile Straits by an unfriendly I'ower lists K- afToet-'il British interests in tin; past, and will ? r ,. T '. "lore in the future. J his is due to the and increasin" supply of wheat which is derived from hu-sian and Kounianian sources, the present value of wliieii exceeds C22,00i) - n "° P or "iiniini. It is not in the interesfri of either liusslj. therefore, anv more than of Creat Britain, or. for that matter, the |ieople of Turkey—who also export «heal —as distinct from th->ir pro-l.erniiin <:.ivermnent. that the cnnlol of (1,,. Dardanelles shoiihl he in the Hands of a strong and unfriendly Power.