TURKEY’S DILEMMA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3872, 8 March 1915, Page 5

TURKEY’S DILEMMA.

FORCING THE DARDANELLES. BOMBARDMENT STILL KEPT UP STRAITS DRAGGED FOR MINES. r '> TURKISH FLEET LOCATED.

DJNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT-3 ATHENS. March 5. The bombardment of the Dardanelles lias been resumed with extraordinary intensity. "Each shot of the fifteen-inch guns scattered a thousand tons of rocks. The Turks, with their forts and batteries destroyed and entirely demolished, have abandoned their strongholds. '

A communique states that during the operations in the Dardanelles on Thursday, trawlers, despite, a gale, dragged the Straits for mines. The cruiser D entree a seaux demolished the semaphore and lighthouse at Arsoun, and at Eiaureguiberry destroyed an oil depot. _ "I'he Allies bombarded Fort Ivilid Dahr, Aledjidieh, and Nagara. Part of the fire was directed over one of the headlands. Admiral Souchon is aboard the Tur-kish-German cruiser Breslau, which, with the Hamidieh, Medjisieli, and four destroyers are anchored at Nagara.

BITTER GERMANY. SWALLOWING A NASTY PILL. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) (Received March 6, 5.30 p.m.) LONDON March 6. The “Tageblatt” declares that Englandl is hastening to occupy Constantinople in order to prevent Russia getgeiting there. TURKEY APPEALS FOR AID SMALL wMFOKT FROM HER ALLIES. -SULTAN SAID TO HAVE LEFT CONSTANTINOPLE. (Received March 7. 3.10 p.m.) LONDON, March 7. Bucharest reports that Turkey received small comfort from an interchange of telegrams with Berlin and Vienna. Austria, replying to a Turkish request for immediate naval help, ad-monished-Turkey against despairing of final victory and advised the transfer of the capital to somewhere in Asia. It is reported that tlie_ Turks operating in the Sinai Peninsula have been hurriedly recalled to Constantinople, thus entirely freeing Egypt. There is an unconfirmed rumor that the Sultan has left Constantinople. The Turks and Germans, realising that they are powerless to prevent the lleet penetrating the Dardanelles, are hastily disarming some of the forts and transporting the guns to islands in the Sea or Marmora. The civil population is insufficiently fed and isTnurmuring against the Germans. Fifty German officers have passed through Bucharest en route for Berlin. _ Amsterdam reports that a number or German officers have left the front in France for Constantinople, presumably to take command of the troops concentrating on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

H.SVhS. QUEEN ELIZABETH AT WORK. WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL WARSHIP. BOMBARDMENT OF THE NARROWS. OPERATIONS COMMENCED AT SMYRNA. (Received March 7, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 6. The Admiraltv has issued Vice-Ad-miral Carden’s further report on the Dardanelles. .■ He says action was impossible until the afternoon of March 3, mien H.M.S. Irresistible, H.M.S. Albion, H.M.S. Triumph and H.M.S. Prince George resumed the attack on hort Dardanus and concealed guns m the neighborhood. The weather was fine. On March 4 ' mine-sweeping and bombarding within the Straits were continued steadily and demolition parties, covered by marines, landed at Kum Kale and Seddul Bahr and continued the clearance of the ground at the entrance to the Straits. Skirmishes occurred with the enemy holding the villages in force and our casualties on March 4 totalled 19 kit*ed. 25 wounded and three missing. H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, on March 5 commenced an attack py indirect lire upon the defences at the narrows, supported by howitzers from H. M• Inflexible and H.M.S. Prince George. The latter’s fire was confined to torts Rumiheh, Medjidieh Tobia, and Hamadieli. „ , The Queen Elizabeth fired 29 rounds with satisfactory results. , A magazine was blown np at h or “ Medjidieh, which is an important foi with the best and heaviest gnns. • Another two forts were damaged. Though much fired .upon by concealed guns, the ships were not hit. H M.S. Sapphire again fired upon troops at Adramyti, destroying the military station. _ ~ The commander-in-chief of the hast India station, Vice-Admiral has arrived with a squadron of bat 1 ships and cruisers off Smyrna. The methodical bombardment 01 Fort Yenickoli was carried out for two hours and 32 hits were made, doing considerable damage. . There were two heavy explosions, apparently from magazines, .and our fire was not returned. Bombardment at closer ranges has now begun. The reduction of Smyrna s defences is a necessary incident m xne mam operations.

CHANNEL BEING CLEARED.

NO.MINES AS FAR AS CHANAK. (Received March 7, 10.30 p.rn.) ATHENS, March <■ Mine sweeping has been completed as far as Chanak. ■ Hie British have resumed the bombardment of the forts at Smyrna and are vigorously shelling the battenes on the Two Brothers Hill. OCCUPATION EXPECTED. GERMANY MAKING ARRANGEMENTS REQUEST TO UNITED STATES. (Reoeivedl March 7. 10.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 7 Germany has asked ; the United States to manage its diplomatic -affairs in Constantinople in view of the threatened occupation by the Ames. It is reported here that the Turks propose to defend the capital vigorously. 1 • . THE ALLIES AND CONSTANTINOPLE. The statement Horn Sofia that the Russians axe concentrating large forc-

es at Odessa, the great Black Sea port, with the object of transporting them to Midi,a, whence they will attack Constantinople, falls in with the recent suggestion that the AngloFrench attempt .on the Dardanelles would probably signalise considerable Russian activity on the Black Sea side. Midi ais a port in. European Turkey, about 360 miles south of Odessa, and to reach Constantinople from there would be a matter of fighting over the greater part of 60 or 70 nines. There is, of course, an element of risk from a naval point of view in, an attempt to transport an army southwards and land it at Midi a ; but the Russians now seem to have, established their naval superiority' in the Black Sea, and tliVjyi should he able to win through with the enterprise if they actually decide to embark upon it. The forcing of the Dardanelles and the taking of Constantinople naturally represent a consummation greatly to ibe desired. It would drive an effective wedge between Turkey and her allies, and would in all probability lead to the speedy capitulation of the Porte; it] would establish a valuable line of com- j munication between Russia and her western friends; it- would have a deterrent effect upon pro-German Bulgaria; and, lastly, it would allow the export of the 10,000,000 quarters of Russian wheat now lying in Black Sea ports to the hungry markets of Britain and' France. However, the desirableness of a thing does not make it easy- of accomplishment, and Constantinople is not going to be won except at serious cost. But if the Allies are really bent on winning it there is every reason to believe that it will be Avon.

DEFENCE OF HEARTH AND HOME. POLISH PEASANTS TURN OUT. PETROGRAD. March 5. Peasant men and women in Northern Poland, during the German inA'asion, armed with old muzzle-loaders, scythes, and hayforks, voluntarily patrolled the roads and forests. The Grand Duke was delighted to see some of them with Germans whom they had captured. BRITISH AIR RAIDS.

NO UNNECESSARY DAMAGE. LONDON", March 5. In the House of Commons Mr Asquith, interrogated regarding British air raids hi Belgium, replied that the attacks were directed only against points of military significance. Every precaution was taken to ai T oid damage that Avas not necessary to tlio object "in view. Mr Snowden : Have you important information as to recent British air raids in Belgium, where bombs were tliroAvn indiscriminately and five ch*ilians killed.

Mr Asquith : No, our information is not to that effect.

Official: The Rottweil powder factory near Donausehinger was the one referred to in the cables yesterday. It was one of the most, important in Germany. An aviator dropped four j bombs. The first fired the acid in the i reservoir and the other the powder ( works.

BROUGHT HIS MAN HOME. RUSSIAN AVIATOR’S AMAZING FEAT. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.a LONDON. March 5. The Russian aA'iator who captured the survivor of the Astrian patrol party, having no other way of keeping his prisoner, tied him to the tail frame of the aeroplane. He jettisoned a stock of bombs and , started back to the Russian lines, flying over the Austrians, amidst a storm of bullets. The airman noticed that the prisoner had ioosened one band and was trying to cut the ropes with a knife. A blow on the head stunned the man, and the airman delivered his prisoner safely. MAKING THE MOST OF IT. GERMANY AND OUR LABOR TROUBLES. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) (Received March 6. 5.30 p.m.) LONDON. March 6. Switzerland states that Germany is flooding neutral countries \yith reports of serious strikes in Britain, pointing the moral of British degeneracy and contrasting it Avith German unity.

LONDON BUILDERS’ DEMANDS

CUNITED PEESS ASSOCIATION —COPT EIGHT. 1 (Received March 7, 3.10 p.m.) LONDON, March 7. The Builders’ Unions are demanding twopence an hour increase.

DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS

COMING. * A WAR-BOUND BARONESS. (Received March 6, 5.30 p.m.) (Times and Sydney Snn Services.) 'LONDON. March 6. Baroness Von Bulow, mother of the German ex-Chancellor, who is interned in a house in a suburb of London, savs she never foresaw the war when she came to England in April on business. She did'not dream a conflict was about to be sprung upon burn ani t-v. ’ GENERAL ITEMS. GERMANY ON THE VERGE OF • FAMINE. REPORT MADE IN JANUARY. NEW YORK. March 5. The American Vice-Consul at. Berlin in a report dated January 28, declares that Germany was on the very verge of famine. Tenders are about to be invited tor a British loan of fiftv millions for five years, on three per cent exchequer bonds. Hie King gave an audience to and presented Captain Kinnear with a distinguished Service Cross. Vice-Admiral J. R-. .Tellicoe has been promoted to admiral. Lyons, charged with selling unsound meat to troops, was fined £SO. . Mr Mcßride handled the Belgian Minister £20,000. the Lord Mayor of Melbourne’s Fund. Ihe Minister thanked the Victorians for their genU Official: The Maritime Prefect at "Brest lias pronounced the Dacia’s capture to be legal. - f The Dacia's crew are returning to America'.

PRACTICAL .'FRIENDSHIP. NEW ZEALAND WOOL FOR FRANCES. GOVERNMENT DECIDE TO PERMIT LIMITED EXPORTATION. Mr J. Howie, Collector of Customs at Gisborne, received the following telegram from bis head office at Weilington on Saturday : , “Government have decided ,to permit the exportation from New Zealand of 2000 tons of crossbred and 500 tons merino wool to French Government. Please permit any consignments from your port. Understand M. Pierre Mitte, of Sydney, will make the necessary arrangements.”