THE DARDANELLES

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1915, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES

TURCO-GERMAN REPORTS. SUCCESSES CLAIMED. HOSTILE TURKS. London, Nov, 2J. Constantinople professes to supply the German press with details about Lord Kitchener's visit to Oallipoli. It was said that the British indulged in an incessant artillery attack on the Anafarta position during Lord Kitchener's stay of two days at Suvla Hay. liven the presence of Lord Kitchener was unable to shatter .lie invincible Turkish positions. Amsterdam, Nov. 28. A Turkish coinnmniuue says:—Our artillery near Anafarta and Ari Burnu destroyed some of the enemy machine-guns and some bomb-throwers' positions. It also killed many of the enemy who were sheltering near .the landing-place at Ari Burnu. We occupied on Thursday a great part of the hostile trendies near Ari Burnu. A ibig gun near Anafarta, which was directed upon our position at Krithepeh was successfully brought under lire and the gun crew was killed. Paris, Nov. 38. A communique says: Our artillery at the Dardanelles on Wednesday and Thursday effectively bombarded the heavy Turkish guns. Large numbers of wounded Turks recently arrived in Constantinople. Athens, Nov. 28. Revolutionary proclamations have been distributed in the Turkish army and placarded on the railways, appealing to soldiers in the name of Allah to turn their weapons against the Government, which is loading the country to the brink of the abyss.

ANOTHER DANIEL LORD SYDENHAM VAPORISES, Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received Nov. 29, 5.25 p.m. London, Xnv. 28. Lord Sydenham, in a letter to the Times, commenting on Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, says that the information avail-, able does not indicate that any except naval opinion was sought, yet the fateful February decision was one equally fateful for artilleryman and engineer. There was ample information to save us from a blunder of the first magnitude, but apparently one set of expert opinions was never consulted. Lord Sydenham recalls looking at the old forts at Sedd-el Bahr and Kum Kale, thinking them excellent targets, but the real defences at the Narrows were absolutely impregnable from a naval attack. A conscientious study of the chart would have rendered this fact obvious, and extensive mine-9\veeping operations wore impossible because of the concealed Turkish guns. The attack on March . 18th was a gallant enterprise, but it should never have been attempted. Cabinet needed the assistance of a Council of Imperial defence, which he (Lord Sydenham) had advocated twenty-four years ago. If this were now existing it would have saved the Dardanelles enterprises, and the heavy sacrifices and great anxiety. The idea oi sending a fleet to the Sea of Marmora was excellent, and would have been carried out successfully if based on experience of war.