CONSTANTINOPLE PANICSTRICKEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3873, 9 March 1915, Page 5

CONSTANTINOPLE PANICSTRICKEN.

MASSACRE OF CHRISTIANS FEARED. THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FLEEING. ALLIES CREEPING UP THE DARDANELLES. SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS AGAIN REPORTED. (Received March 8, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 8. “The Times’ ” correspondent at Sofia says, that Constantinople is pa-nic-stricken and thousands of refugees in Gallipoli arc increasing the alarm. It is feared that the appearance of the Allied Fleet Avill be the signal for a general massacre of Christians and many have already fled. In the event of an outbreak, it is expected that the instigators of the Holy War Avill be the first victims of Moslem fanactism, the German officers being unpopular Avith the masses. Great efforts are being made to fortify the environs of the city under the direction of Enver Pasha. SMYRNA GUNS SILENCED.

H.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH IN

ACTION

FIRST SHOTS SILENCE FORT

LONDON, March 7. Renter's Athens correspondent states that Rear-Admiral Peirse silenced the guns on the Smyrna heights, and is now bombarding the forts at the entrance to the Gulf. The cruiser Euralus is Vice-Admir-al Peirse’,s flagship. Renter’s Athens correspondent states that H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth on March sth, operated in the Gulf of Stos. The first shots silenced the battery on the heights. The armaments of Fort L include 14-inch guns. There is increasing alarm in the foreign colony at Constantinople. German officers are sending away their families. Many Avomen, including Von Sanders’ Avife,” have arrived here.

THE FLEET AT WORK.

A MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE

SPECTATOR’S GRAPHIC STORY

(Received March 8, 9 p.m.) LONDON, March S. The “Daily Chronicle’s” correspondent at Athens states 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 is necessary to knock them out individually, thus calling for the most skilled markmanship. Already fifty guns have been destroyed. A spectator on Mount Uias, Avho watched the opening of the bombardment, says it was ’a magnificent spectacle.

The Fleet Avas ranged in semi-cir-cles round the entrance to the Straits and shells screamed every tivo minutes. , Huge masses of earth and stoneAvork were throAvn up and the din Avas terrific. As the Turkish batteries refused to draAV, one British and one French ship stood in, spitting fire and smoke toAvards Sedd-el-Bahr. These tAvo ships sped under the batteries, draAving their fire. .Fountains of Avater sprang high in the air round the ships, but none of the shots went Avithin 100 yards. Immediately the batteries tvere disclosed. the Fleet opened a terrific fire Avitlt their heaviest guns, and each projectile appeared to creat a frightful inferno.

One section of the fleet, sheltering under the extremity of the Gallipoli Peninsula, fired over the hilly promontory at the. Ivum Kale forts.

Another section, sheltering under the coast north-east of Tenedos, concentrated a galling fire on the same spot,' also demoralising _ groups' of Turkish troops on the mainland. Official: H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, from Saros, bombarded two large forts on the Asiatic coast near Chanak, ancl simultaneously battleships Avithin the Dardanelles bombarded FortDardanus on the Asiatic Coast and Fort Soghanber on the European coast.

THE REAL DEFENCES. NOT YET REACHED. A TURKISH STATEMENT. (Received March 9, 12.25 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, March 8. The “Frankfurter Zeitung” publishes an interview with Enver Pasha, who declares that the subjection of the outer forts of the Dardanelles was expected. • The real defences are further in, where there is a narrow defile commanded- by mines and artillery which prevents ships manoeuvring. These defences are so far unaffected. GENERAL ITEMS. GERMANY’S FOOD SHORTAGE. LONDON. March 7. Copenhagen advices state that in Berlin the individual allowance- of flour is already reduced from 2000 to 1100 grammes weekly. It was stated at the Bible Society’s birthday meeting that three hundred thousand copies of the German version of the Bible had been distributed m Germany since the commencement of the war.

The War Office announces, in connection with typhoid in the British Army, that of '359 patients not inoculated there were -48 deaths, and of 111 fully inoculated there was only one death.

New' York reports that a Customs officials inspected the Vaterland and George Washington, which are preparing to sail. (Received March 8, 6 p.m.) Berne reports that special trains are conveying to France fifty thousand French subjects —women, children and old men —whose homes were burned or destroyed by Germans in the occupied districts in France.

THE SAMOAN GARRISON. •HEALTH REPORT., tPEESS ASSOCIATION T'ELKOBA'u:-3 WELLINGTON. March 8. The following report on the health of troops in Samoa has been received: - Wellington Regiment: C. Mcßombie septic ankle; F. Rogers, colitis; H. Munro. hernia; A. Stewart, cardiac ;R. Rhodes, pneumonia; R.. Mason, synovitis knee; W. Dixon, ear abscess; B. Woodward, septic ankle; G. Zorn, conjuiictivities. Auckland Regiment: Private J. Thomas, dengue fever. Railway Engineers: Lance-Corporal B. Smith, hernia; Sapper W. Parker, dengue fever ; L, Moody. colitis. Field Engineers: Sapper R. Rose, electric burns. , .. Army Service Corps: Lance-Corporal Poynton, dengue fever. All are doing well.