SMYRNA DESTROYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18198, 18 September 1922, Page 7

SMYRNA DESTROYED

FIBED BY TUBES. NIGHT OF FRANTIC TERROR. PILLAGE AND MASSACRE. GREEK BISHOP TOBTUBED. CONSULATES BURNED. By Telesraph—Prass Association—Copyright. (Received 4.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Sept. 16. Except for the squalid Turkish quarter Smyrna has ceased to exist. Banks and commercial and residential houses along the quays in the foreign quarter have been reduced to ashes. The fire swept an area |of two square miles. Sir Harry Lamb, British Consul-General, has cabled saying I that all the foreign consulates have been burned except the Belgian, Norwegian and Danish, which are three miles from the centre of the city. i The sworn testimony of American residents shows that the Turkish regular soldiers systematically applied torches, apj parcntly as a reprisal for the devastation carried out by the Greeks during their re- , treat, also that the Turks intended that tho fire should conceal the massacres which marked their entry into the city. American witnesses estimate that at least 1000 people were massacred previous to and during the Grc. A largo number also perished in the flames. Tho Athens correspondent of the Times states that trustworthy eye witnesses who have returned from Smyrna, declare that Turkish regular soldiers preserved discipline for two days, after which they were turned louse on the Greek and Armenian business quarters, which they looted thoroughly. Armenians Blamed for Fire. Mr. G. Price, the correspondent of the Daily Mail, reports from Smyrna that the Turks accuse the Armenians of starting tho fire. Scenes of frantic terror among the Greek and Armenian population during the night were mad© worse by the incompetence of the Turkish authorities to deal with such a catastrophe and by the dread they feel of tho Turkish conquerers. Tlio scene was terribly impressive. For miles down the gulf the sea glowed a coppery red, revealing densely packed mobs huddled between advancing fiery death behind and deep water in front. Added to their screaming was the frequent roar and crash of explosions of ammunition and the rattle of rifle cartridges.

Little attention was paid to the fire when it started on Wednesday. Mr. Price was motoring with Kiazim Pasha at the timo when smoke was first noticed. Kiazim said : " We will soon stop it by blowing up the houses," and added: "The Armenians started it. There is a band of them barricaded in a church in the heart of the town. Knowing that they cannot escape they started the fires at nine different places."

Arrivals from Smyrna at Mytilene, off the const of Asia Minor, state that a reign of terror prevails in the city. The Turks are despoiling the remainder of the populace and the sufferers include Europeans. Even large buildings, guarded by French | marines, have been pillaged. Many Greeks threw themselves into the sea in order to escape Turkish fury. Several were rescued by Allied warships. A IJritish admiral who landed marines at Smyrna withdrew them in order to avoid provoking the Turks. Several Tillages were set on fire, and manv of their inhabitants were massacred. Many English families have left the city. Women Burned in Building. Refugees from Smyrna who have arrived in Athens recount even more terrible stories of Turkish ferocity. Immediately after entering tho city the Turkish soldiers mas-acred and robbed citizens, and the quays were littered with corpses. The Gi<xk Metropolitan of Smyrna, Bishop Ciirysostomos, was tortured and murdered and a Gieek journalist was shot dead after being dragged through the streets tied to a niLtor-car. A building containing BCO women and children and old men was burned. Tha British admiral at Smyrna warned the Turkish authorities that if the massacres continued the Turkish quarter would be hnrnbardeil. An American passenger from Smyrna says he saw 900 Armenians forced by Turks to embark on a lighter and then shut down fn>m the shore. The bodies were left in the water. There are 300.000 refugees in the city, and all the Allied warships have been filled. The last troopship will leave Asia Minor in a few days. The damage done in Smyrna is variously estimated at from £14,000,000 to £17,000,000. BRITISHERS MURDERED. REPORTS OF REFUGEES. 14 AMERICANS MISSING. Australian *nd N.Z. Cable Association. (Rood. 4.5 pjn.) LONDON. Bept 16. The Foreign Office states that according to the latest telegrams from Smyrna there is nothing to indicate any Etritisb fatalities there. All the consulates, except Belgian and Spanish, have been destroyed. On the other hand refugees who have arrived at Piraeus, the port of Athens, by an American destroyer containing the American Consul, several Americans, and numerous Armenians, state that Mr. Wilkinson, head of tho British Post Office, and two other Britishers were killed, also, nther foreigners. The Consul will draw ihe attention of the United States to the matter in a detailed report to the Athens iegation. Other Armenians from Smyrna report that Turks, on invading the British Consulate, murdered several Englishmen, betides Mr. Wilkinson.

A message from Athens states that the English victims at Smyrna include a doctor .n\d his wife and two employees of the British Consulate, whom the Turks placed in a standing position after they were dead and put a Union Jack in their handa Fourteen Americans are reported missing. Students of the American Girls' College i:re alleged to have been carried off by Turks.