THE WAR IN TROPOLI

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1252, 7 October 1911, Page 5

THE WAR IN TROPOLI

BRITISH ATTITUDE.

TOWN ITSELF TO BE BOMBARDED.

ITALIAN SHIPS SEEKING TURKEY'S

En Bα 9 ■

FIRING OFF DARDANELLES.

By TelefrraDh—Prosa Association— Oooyriishl (Eec. October C, 10.5 p.m.) Rome, October 6. It is semi-officially reported that when the Sultanieh and Hamidieh forts at i Tripoli ceased firing two Italian officers landed and found the forts deserted. The Turks had removed tho breech-blocks of the guns. Three dead Turks were discovered. Tho Italian flag was hoisted on the Sultanieh fort at noon on Thursday. Other Tripoli telegrams state that apparontly tho majority of the Turks fled to the hills at tho end of the first day's bombardment. Tho remainder did not interfere with the landing parties, which numbered five. When tho lighthouse collapsed Admiral Faravelli realised his mistake in destroying it, and ordered a reconnaissance party of fifty men ashore. The party erected a wooden structure to replace the lighthouse, Turkish Destroyers Active. Turkish destroyers are nightly attempting to approach tho fleet, but the Italian torpedo boats and destroyers have always detected and chased them, so far fruitlessly. The so-called English fort to tho left of the harbour at Tripoli resisted the longest It was provided with longer range giins, and the ramparts had been strengthened with sandbags. The Italian shells had little effect, and tho largest Italian guns were required to silence the fort The Preliminary Bombardment. Tho long preliminary bombardment was duo to a desire to save lives and property as far as possible. Many criticise it on tho ground that such pseudo humanitarianism may eventually cause greater losses than immediate action.

The authorities have decided that tshen a 6afo landing is assured, the squadron shall send 2000 men ash'oro with light artillery under tho protection of the longrange guns of the battleships.

It is impossible to land more men, as there must bo sufficient aboard to repel an attack from the sea. Search for Turkish Fleet.' In order to prevent any attempt at a naval attack, Admiral Auby, with four battleships of the Vittorio Emmanuelo 111—12,425 tons, two 12in. guns, 22 knotsclass, and two cruisers, the Pisa—99sG tons, four lOin. guns, 23 knots—and the San Marco, a similar ship, aro searching for tho Turkish Fleet, which the admiral supposes is concealed in the Aegean Sea. The Duke of Abruzzi continues to police Adriatic and lonian waters. •;..:.-■.■ FRESH BOMBARDMENTS. BENGHAZI AND DEBNA UNDEB , FIRE. (Eec. October -7, 0.23 a.m.) Constantinople, October 6. Tho bombardment of the ports of Benghazi and Derna, in Tripoli, has begun. Tho Turks are making a' valiant resistance. Romß, October 5. Admiral Faravelli reports that Tripoli has not yet capitulated. The Turks have abandoned tho sea forts and retired to the town fortifications, which will probably be bombarded tcnlay,

REPORTED THREAT OF INTERVENTION. LATEST BEELIN EUMOUBS. (Rec October 7, 0.5 a.m.) Berlin, October 6., Constantinople press correspondents, on the authority of. a prominent Turkish statesman, say that vrhile Germany recommends Turkey to take the Italian ultimatum as a basis £or peaco terms, Great Britain proposes that Tripoli bocomo a privileged tribntary vilayet under a Turoo-Italian administration, preserving the Sultan's suzerainty. It is alleged that British diplomacy is, sub rosa, urging Turkey to vigorous resistance, and it is stated that if Italy refuses to agree to the arrangement suggested Britain will intervene sharply. BRITAIN BLAMED. AT THE BOTTOM OP THE TEOUBLE. Berlin, October 5. The Anglophobe newspapers accept the "Graphic's" statement that Britain is at the bottom of the Tripoli trouble. The "Berlin Post" declares that England and Franco consented to Italian occupation of Tripoli in order to embarrass Germany with Italy and Turkey. OFF THE DARDANELLES. GUNS HEAED AT SEA. (Eec. October 7, 0.15 a.m.) Constantinople, October 6. Piling has boon heard in tho Gulf of Saros, north c-f tho Dardanelles, and tho searchlights of Italian warships havo been seen from the Island of Mytilene, fifty miles south of the Dardanelles. TUEKISH FLEET AT HOME. Constantinople, October 5. The Turkish Fleet has arrived in the Bosphorus. ENTHUSIASM IN ITALY, GEEAT FAEEWELL TO TEOOPS EXPECTED. (Eec. October G, 11.10 p.m.) Rome, October 6. Popular enthusiasm for tho war is increasing daily, and is expected to reach its apex when tho King bids farewell to tho troop 3 at Naples.

A Corfu telegram states that the Kalian ultimatum to the Turkish commander at Prevesa haa been withdrawn. AEROPLANES FOR TRIPOLI, FLEET OF TEN SENT OUT. (Kec. Oct 6, 11.25 p.m.) Rome, October 6; Eight monoplanes and two biplanes have been dispatched to Tripoli undor Captain Piagza, winner of Bologna-Venice race. Nine officer pilots are accompanying tho machines. THE SUEZ CANAL. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF NEUTRALITY. T , , , Cairo, October 5. Italy has protested to the Governor of tho Suez Canal against the continued presence at Port Said of the Turkish transport Kaiser, as a breach of tho neutrality of the CanaL TURKISH TRANSPORTS CAPTURED, ITALIAN STEAMER CHASED. Rome, October 5. Two Turkish transports near Prcvosa and a steamer (flying tho British flag) with 170 soldiers and eix guns aboard, havo been captured. Tho reported sinking of the Turkish transport Dorna is denied., Fivo Turkish torpedoers chased the Italian 6teamer Molfotta, 693 tons gross, while 6ho was crossing from Durazzo, in Albania, to Bari, in Italy. The steamer extinguished her lights, and, aided by stormy weather, escaped. Tho British steamer Sheffield, 6i7 tons gross, was captured at Preresa, but released after tho Turks on board and some war material had been removed. THE POWERS AND TURKEY. ANGLO-GERMAN CO-OPERATION V ADVOCATED. Amid the present troubles in tho northwest of Africa a littlo plain-speaking about_ the situation in South-eastern Europe is almost forced on one who values truth and fairness (writes Sir William Ramsay, tho well-known authority on Turkish affairs, in thp "Manchester Guardian"). I hare for years advocated the formation of an agreement between Gormany and England in Turkey. I have seen no real difficulty in the way of making such an agreement so fax as those two Powers aro concerned. I believe, and am asaired by excellent authorities, that Germany has long been ready and willing to make an agreement on tenns that are perfectly fair in the situation and amid the real fasts of the case.

French policy is ruled by tho fear of any rapprochement in any quarter between Germany and England, and French policy is ruled by urent financial interests to a dogroo far surpassing anything that exists in England or Germany, although such interests aro powerful enough, and too powerful, there.

At the present time French policy in Turkey is dominated by one great finan oial group, which .after crushing cut u rival French financial group is Dont on eliminating as much as possible foreign competition, and its chief rivals are liritish and American. It is worth noting in tliis connection that tho German railways in Turkey are mainly built with French money. The French group rules French political policy through the terror of an Anglo-Gorman agreement, and thus it con trols the situation, to the constant danger of international peace, Such unscrupulous financial powers prefer to fish in troubled waters; they foresee the future better than the outsi3o world can, and they make their arrangements to suit tho impending storm, from whatever quarter it may come. England is determined in its aolion by me firm resolve to maintain the Entente. Franc* is. determined in its course by the dread of any agreement between England and Germany on any subject whatsoever. Ihe financial grouo pulls ihe strings, relying on tho strength of these two powerful feelings, and in Turkey the whole business is thus manipulated. Meanwhile Germany for a time mndo the mistake of courting too much tho friendship of tho present regime and is likely to suiter when the ehango occurs, though einco January it has becomo apparent to everyone who thinks about the Eusso-Germa'ii agreement that Germany recognises tho ephemeral character of the present regime and is preparing for the future. We have jnadp tho mistake of being ,too patently hostile to the present regime, and whilo this has procured for us somo strong friends in the future, yet I do not believe that these friends will bo strong onough to rule the storm when it breaks. The probability is that Turkey will go to pipces, aad that Germany, Austria, and Russia will pick up many of the fragments. Our concern is to keep the coast of the Persian Gulf safe, and our people would not stand, my further intrusion into Turkey, for they havo br;en sick of Turkey and all things Turkish fiinco tho Bulgarian atrocities. Such is a forecast of the Turkish situation, which 'ivents may (and I hope will) completely falsify. It is the merit and use of political prophecies that they may help to stultify their authors and falsify themselves. lo apply this to Agadir and Morocco. Are wo not running some risk of boing led by hidden financiers who are pulling the strings? Is there anyoue who believes that if French influence woro dominant in Morocco there would bo any fair opening left for the spread of German trade? is there not something to bo said in dofence of the German resolve to have some guarantees of a fair oponing for themselves in tho future? Thoso are questions which ought to bo put, and considered and answored in England. I fiad not a. word about them in any of tho looso talk in which everyone in Parliament indulges.

TRIPOLI TO BE OVEBWHBLMED. Milan, October 5. Sixty transports aro ready to depart with four army cdrps. The authorities intend to subduo Tripoli rapidly, with an overwhelming force. GREEK PRECAUTIONS. RESERVISTS CALLED OUT. (Bee. October 7, 0.15 a.m.) Athens, October G. Eleven classes of tho Greek reserves have been called out for duty on the Turkish frontier o\rinjf to further Turkish cemntraUoik