STORY OF THE GREAT BOMBARDMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1915, Page 5

STORY OF THE GREAT BOMBARDMENT.

DEADLY RAIN OF SHELLS HURLED ON FORTS. BATTERIM REPLY WITH DECREASING FRCQUEXCY. LONDON, March 22. The "Daily Mail's" correspondent, giving his impressions of the bombardment of the Dardanelles, as seen from a. high hill, fifteen miles up the Strait says that the largest vessels of the allied fleet passed up and down between Cbanak and Kilid Bahr for over four hours, hurling, with sheets of orange flame from the heavy guns, a constant succession of shells on. the forts. The Turkish batteries, with decreasing frequency, flashed back replies; Many of their shots fell harmlessly into the sea. • The ships turned back and forth over a stretch of two miles incessantly, bombarding the two sides of the Narrows alternately. "It was easy '~tp imagine what an inferno was in progress," says the correspondent. "The blinding flashes of. the discharges, the deafening explosions and screams of the great shells of nearly a ton weight, which could be seen actually hurtling through the air, the rattle of the enemy's shots, some falling into the water and causing torrential splashes, and some thudding on the armoured sides of the ehipe—all were terrible manifestations of man's power of scientific destruction." - The action slackened at 3.45 five ships steaming homeward, and one showing a white froth on the port side, where the pumps were working. At 4.30 p.m. the forts ceased fire for the day.

SHIPS ACCOMPLISH FEAT DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE

XOBSES DO JTOT AFFECT ULTIMATE SUCCESS.

(Received S.lOajn.)

-"'' " ■ LONDOX, March 22. The "Daily Chronicle*' in referring to the naval losses in the Dardanelles, says they will in no respect affect the ultimate eucceee of the operations. "We can well bear them happily," save the "Chronicle." "The operations are well in hand." The "Daily Xews" naval expert says:—"These vessels would not have been sent to the Mediterranean if they could not well be spared from the Xorth Sea. They were Ung the oldest we have there, and the fact that at least one of the very neWest of our ships is at the Dardanelles shows that tha naval position in the Home waters is not giving Lord Fisher any cause for anxiety. It is necessary to remember above all that in the past it has been regarded as impossible for ships to attack modern forts successfully It is obviou. In any cwathat ta. Anglo-French hare now to get through the