The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1915. AT THE DARDANELLES

New Zealand Tablet, 13 May 1915, Page 33

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1915. AT THE DARDANELLES

— «ferafo HE tragedy of the Lusitania, with its deeply yJijV* painful loss of innocent human life, has A tended to divert public attention fromjflJsH§»3 events which are, from the military point of view, of great interest and moment. The loss ° f the Lusitania regrettable and X 4w * shameful as it is, branding the name of r Germany with an indelible stain, is at the same time absolutely without military significance, and does not affect the military situation one iota. • It leaves not a man less in the firing line, and not a ship less in the phalanx which keeps watch and ward over the Empire and holds the German grand fleet powerless to strike a blow. The events at the Dardanelles, of which the week's news has been full of stirring tidings, are of real importance and it will be some relief to our over-charged feelings to turn for a moment from the gloomy horror of the Atlantic to the scene where our own kith and kin are doing valiant things for King and country. * Have our forces any prospect of ultimate and permanent success in this daring, risky, and romantic enterprise in the classic and historic Hellespont ? None whatever, according to the flamboyant Von der Goltz, the German Commander of the Turkish forces. - With characteristic self-confidence he ridicules the idea that the allied fleet will be able to accomplish anything serious against the chain of Turkish forts. He has been very prodigal in the matter of according interviews to friendly press representatives, and in one of the latest of these, dated March 28, he says: 'We are convinced that the. operations of the allied fleet are doomed to failure. We have not predicted this result before because it is not our custom to dogmatise on matters that have not beeia put to the test. Now that the grand attack has taken place, we can say that if we were confident before of being able to repulse the attack the result obtained surpasses our expectations. It is necessary to note that this attack has been made before reaching our most important line of defence. What will happen when that is reached ? We shall see. But we are without any anxiety, and if the allied fleet returns once, twice, or thrice, so much better for us and so much worse for the fleet. In saying the results already obtained surpass our expectations, I mean we did not expect that the effect of our shells would be so deadly. Falling from a great height, these projectiles have great penetrative and destructive power.' As to the possibility of a successful landing force, Von der Goltz, in his earlier interviews, utterly refused to entertain the notion. ' Where are the Allies going to bring such a force from,' he asked incredulously, 'without seriously weakening themselves elsewhere?' Later on, however, he took a more sober view of this contingency,

and in the_ interview from which we first quoted, he delivers himself thus: 'I do not believe, however, that the next attack will .be entirely a naval one, but that it will be accompanied by a debarkation of troops. This aspect also does not cause any \ anxiety. , We have near at hand an army powerful enough to repel any invasion. The Turks are well supplied with munitions of war, as the enemy will find out when an attempt is made. If we are striving to maintain contact with Europe it only is because the manufacture of armaments is not so" well developed in Turkey as in the Central European countries. Outside her effectives Turkey could put another 500,000 men into the field if provided with proper munitions. You may rest assured that* tranquility reigns in Constantinople. " A few may be timid, but the majority are courageous, and the more the enemy attempts to test that courage the more we shall rejoice.' *• So much for the German view, and for German predictions. Turning to the actual facts, as recorded in the cables, we find that already Von der-"Goltz's anticipations have been rudely falsified. The landing force has not only obtained a footing, but -is now firmly established in what is described as an unassailable position. ' The troops now occupy such a position,' says Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, ' and are so thoroughly entrenched that all the Turks in Thrace and Gallipoli could never turn them out.' The British have captured Sedd-ul-Bahr ; and the enemy positions are being steadily and surely enveloped. ' Correspondents estimate,' says the cable, ' that 3000 prisoners were, taken in addition to the losses. The enemy, strongly entrenched in commanding heights on the western extremity of the peninsula, are surrounded by the allied troops. Several positions were taken at the bayonet point, drawing in an enveloping circle. The Turkish defence is weakening under the warships' artillery, and the ultimate capture of the positions is certain.' The end is still a long way off, but this is surely an important and inspiriting beginning, one which, as Mr. Lloyd George remarks, will stand as one of the finest feats of arms in history. It is gratifying to know that in this gallant work the New Zealanders and Australians have borne a conspicuous and glorious part. All the London papers lavish warm encomiums upon them, which are epitomized in the following glowing tribute from the West ster, Gazette : 'The extraordinary difficulties in the way of landing were overshadowed by,the Australasians' dash and determination. They suffered severely, but it is doubtful whether any other troops in the world would have carried through successfully such entirely individual operations. We may well be proud of the men from a daughter country.' It is no exaggeration to say that ' our boys have won undying laurels, for themselves and for their country, and' we would be wanting alike in justice and in gratitude if we failed to place their achievement proudly upon record.