THE DARDANELLES

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 July 1915, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES

WORK OF THE GOLONIALS.

OPPOSED TO STRONG TURKISH .FORCE.. . ♦ ~ .

THE! .ADVANCE ON CONSTANTI-

NOPLE,

[TIMEB AND SYDNEY SUN SERVICE'S:]

LONDON, July 2. Compton McKenzie cables from the Dardanelles that the Australians and New Zealanders have made a lodgment on one of the strongest advanced works of the Kilidbahr Plateau. They threaten communications with the fortress and are drawing against themselves a large part of the garrison. This is composed of the flower of the Turkish army.

Though their casualties must already * amount to 70,000, the Turks are fighting gallantly and in desperation. They realise that when the Bastian of Achjbaba falls, the occupation of Kilidbahr Plateau becomes a mere question of time. When Kilidbahr falls the doom of Constantinople is at hand. In view of the difficulties confronting our men the gain of a score of yards at Gallipoli fairly represents for purposes of comparison a gain of 500 yards in the western theatre.

Describing Turkish casualties, he says: "One trench, 200 yards long and 10 feet deep, is brimming over with "dead. French officers who fought in the west say that as a fighting unit one Turk is worth two Germans."

AN OPTIMISTIC PROPHECY.

ALLIES WILL SOON CONTROL.

COPENHAGEN, July 2.

An officer of the mercantile marine recently at Constantinople states that the Turks were at first under the impression that the Allies had failed at tne Dardanelles, but now it is manifest that they are. slowly but surely gaining ground. His impression was ;hat the Turks could not hold out much longer, and foreigners assisting in the defence would ba\e a terrible time if Constantinople capitulated. The Turkish population at Callipoli was on the friendliest terms with the Allies because (bey paid in gold, whereas the Cermans paid in paper. The Allies are on the point of becoming masters of the Sea of Marmora.