LATE NEWS VERGE OF WAR

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 235, 16 September 1922, Page 5

LATE NEWS VERGE OF WAR

Britain, France and Italy SEND REINFORCEMENTS TO NEAR EAST. ALLIED BOSPORUS FLEETS PREVENT TURKS CROSSING STRAITS. i ßy Cable. —Prese Association. —Copyright.] (Received 16, 11.35 a.m.) Paris, Sept. 15. Britain, France and Italy are sending reinforcements to the Near East, and are also instructing the Allied Fleet at Constantinople that no Turkish jtroops are to be allowed to cross from the Asiatic side,—(A. and N.Z.) PAN-ISLAMIC RISING. THREATENS GREAT BRITAIN. IF TURKISH AIM OPPOSED. (Received 16, 11.35 a.m.) Copenhagen, Sept. 15. Houloussi Buad Bey, Turkish diplomatic representative, interviewed by the “Berlingsk© Tilinde,” said the iwntalist movement was only aimed at national restoration of Turkey within the old frontiers. Turkey will naturally have the sympathy of the Mohammedans throughout the world, especially in Afghanistan and India. “A pan-lslamic rising is not designed, though naturally a great danger threatens Britain if she opposes our national aspiration. My conviction is that British Mohammedan subjects will not peacefully witness such a course. A Mohammedan rising would be the result of trampling Turkish rights underfoot.”—(A. and N.Z.) REICN OF TERROR IN SMYRNA. TERRIBLE TURKISH FEROCITY CITIZENS TIOBBED AND MASSACRED. EUROPEAN CONSULATES DOOMED. (Received 16, 11.15 a.m.) Athens, Sept. 15. Arrivals at Mitilini from Smyrna state that a reign of terror prevails in the city, the lurks despoiling the remainder of the populace. Sufferers include Europeans. Even large buildings guarded by French marines have been pillaged. Many Greeks have thrown themselves into the sea in order to escape the Turkish fury. Several were rescued by Allied warships. The British Admiral, who landed marines at Smyrna, withdrew them in order to avoid provoking the Turks. Several villages were set afire and many of the inhabitants were massacred. Many English families have left the city. Refugees from Smyrna, who arrived in Athens, recount even more terrible stories of Turkish ferocity. Immediately after entering the city Kemalist soldiers massacred and robbed the citizens. 'The quays are littered with corpses. A Greek metropolitan Smyrna bishop named Chrysostomos was tortured and murdered, and a Greek journalist was shot dead after being dragged through the streets tied to a motor car. A building containing 800 women, children and old men was burned. The British Admiral at Smyrna warned the Turkish authorities that if the massacres continue the Turkish quarter will be bombarded. An American passenger from Smyrna says he saw 900 Armenians forced by the Turks to embark on a lighter, and then shot down from the shore. The bodies were left in the water. The flames last night were entirely beyond" control and are approaching the British consulate. All the foreign consulates are probably doomed. The American one has been burned. There are 300,000 refugees in the city. All the Allied warships have been filled. An American destroyer containing the American consul, several Americans and numerous Armenian refugees arrived at Piraeus. They state that Mr. Wilkinson, head of the British post office, and two other Britishers were killed ; also other foreigners. The consul wdT draw the attention of the United States to the matter. The last troopship will leave Asia Minor in a few days. Newspapers unanimously declare that after evacuation of Asia Minor tlie Greeks must defend Thrace to the very last.—(A. and N.Z.)