THE DARDANELLES DEFENCE OF CONSTANTINOPLE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 57, 9 March 1915, Page 7

THE DARDANELLES DEFENCE OF CONSTANTINOPLE

ENTRUSTED TO GERMAN GENERAL (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright,) I (Received March 9, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, Bth March. Keuier's Sofia correspondent says the defence of Constantinople has been •ntrusted to General yon Sanders, while Bedri Bey, the Prefect of Police, has been invested with powers equivalent to those of a viceroy. All the troops at Adrianople and Dimotika have been hurried to Gallipoli. IF THE TURKS ADOPT A DIE-HARD ATTITUDE (Times and Sydney Sun Service.) (Received March 9, 8.30 a.m.) ' LONDON, Bth March. A Cairo advice reports that former residents of Constantinople do not believe "the German story that the Porte intends to retire to Adrianople. They consider that the Turks, if they propose to adopt a die-hard attitude, ■will retire in the direction of Koniya, in Asia Minor, 310 miles east of Bmyms. (Press Association.) BULGARIANS AND RUMANIANS ELATED , (Received March 9, 10 a.m.) LONDON, Bth March. The Daily Mail Sofia correspondent says the Allies' success in the Dai 1 ' lanelles has elated Bulgarians and Rumanians. BOMBARDMENT A MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE . «. • , • * , LONDON, Bth March. The Daily Chronicle correspondent in Athens says that the Turks are using many floating mines in the Dardanelles. Some have floated as far as . TenedoS/ The heavier Turkish guns are skilfully hidden, and it ig necessary to • knock them out individually, calling for the most skilful marksmanship. Already fifty have been destroyed. A spectator on Mount Ilias watched the opening of the bombardment, ■ which was a magnificant spectacle. The fleet was ranged in semi-circles at the entrance, and shells screamed every two minutes. Huge masses of earth and stone-work were thrown up, and the din was terrific. As the Turkish batteries refused to be drawn, one British and one French ship stood in, spitting life and smoke, towards Sedd-el-Bahr. The ships sped under the batteries, drawing their fire. Fountains of water sprang high in the air round the ships, but none Of the shots came within a hundred yards. Immediately the batseriea were disclosed, the fleet opened a terrific fire with the heaviest guns. Each projectile appeared appeared to create a frightful inferno. One section ol the fleet, sheltering at the extremity of Gallipoli Peninlula, fired over the hilly promontory at the Kum Kalp. *fort«. Anothp« scji-

tion, under the coast north-east of Tenedos concentrated a galling fire on the came spot, also demoralising groups of Turkish troops on the mainland. OPERATIONS FROM GULF OF SAROS PARIS, Bth March. Official.— "The Queen Elizabeth, from the Gulf of Suros, bombarded the two large forts on the Asiatic coast neat' Chanak. " Simultaneously the battleships within the Dardanelles bombarded Dardanos, on the Asiatic coast, and Soglian Bahr, on the European coast." CONFIRMATORY REPORT The Prime Minister has received the following message from the High Commissioner : — LONDON. Bth March, 1.20 p.m. Paris reports:— "At the Dardanelles on Saturday, the Queen Elizabeth, in the Gulf of Saros, bombarded, by indirect fire, the two large foils on the Asiatic side defending the ptraits at Chanak " At the same time, warships inside the Dardanelles continued, by direct fire, the bombardment of the forts on the European and Asiatic sides." INNER DEFENCES NOT YET AFFECTED AMSTERDAM, Bth March. The Frankfurter Zeitung publishes an interview with'Enver Pasha. He declares that the subjection of the outer forts of the Dardanelles is expected. The real defences are further in, whore a narrow defile, commanded by mines and artillery, prevents ships manoeuvring. These defences are so far unaffected. CONSTANTINOPLE PANIC-STRICKEN LONDON, Bth March. The Times correspondent in Sofia says that Constantinople is panic-stricken. Thousands of refugees from Gallipoli increase the alarm. It is feared that the appearance of the Allied Fleet will be the signal for a general massacre of Christians. Many have already fled. In the event of an outbreak, it is expected that the instigators of the Holy War will be the first victims of Moslem fanaticism, the German officers being unpopular with the masses. Great efforts arc being made to fortify the environs of the city, under direction of Enver Pasha.