At The Dardanelles

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1915, Page 5

At The Dardanelles

SLOW BUT SURE,

A iriiiors kygagf.mknt. London, ,lul\' 21. Tin! Evening New-.' AUii'iis (correspondent stut.cs that a furious cngagemeiit continues on the (.'allipoli iVninsnlil. 'Diu fighting during the last three days has been obstinate. Tin- Allies are gaining ground -Jowly hut surely. STUCK TO T HEIR POSTS. THE WAY OF TIIK "iIANDY MAN. London, Julv "21.. Rear-Admini] de Goicy state's that during the heaviest engagement at the Dardanelles, , tt French battleship engaged three of Hit Nama/.ieh forts and well-concealed batteries. At the height of the action the fire-control officer was notified of a defect in the apparatus for expelling vitiated air in the iorward turret, containing two guns. This meant that the gun crew might he slowly suffocated, but it was difficult at this decisive, moment to abandon the use of the guns, so the order was given to keep up firing. Gradually the action of the turret was observed to be slowing down. One by one the. gun crew were falling suffocated, poisoned by the gases, till eventually only an officer and a gunner were i.-ft. These loaded, laid and fired, and then the officer fell. The gunner, after the last shot, fainted, leaving the breach open. The control officer was informed that the turret was out of action, so two other turrets imperturbably maintained the fire until half an hour later, when the British division relieved the French and the forts were silenced.

GROWING PEACE MOVEMENT. Received July 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Juh- 21. Mr. l'hilip Snowden, in the House of Commons, asked whether the Premier was aware of the growing peace movement among the Social Democrats of Germany, would he keep an eye on this, and encourage anv movement to bring the war to an early and satisfactory conclusion'; (Cries of "No! No!") Mr. Asquith replied that be had nothing to add to the statements he had previously made.