THE IMPERISHABLE STORY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19011, 6 November 1923, Page 8

THE IMPERISHABLE STORY.

WAY TO VICTORY. BALTIC OR DARDANELLES? THE SECOND VOLUME OF WINSTON CHURCHILL’S MEMOIRS. Copyright Rights of Production Acquired by the Otago Daily Times. 11. Even raoro remarkable was the aspect of the southern flank. Here Serbia, by heroic exertions, had twice repelled the Austrian invaders. Here a weak, divided, and ill-organised Turkey had lately declared war upon the Allies. Three of the warlike States of the Balkan Peninsula — namely. Greece, Serbia, and Roumania — were divided from the fourth, Bulgaria, by the hatreds of their recent war; but all four were the natural enemies toth ot Turkey and of Austria and the traditional friends of Britain. Between them these four Powers disposed of organised armies which amounted to nearly 1,200,000 men (Serbia 250,000, Greece 200.000. Bulgaria 300,000, Roumania 350,000) : and their total military man power was, of course, greater still. They had freed themselves from the Turks after centuries of oppression. They could expand only at the expense of Austria and Turkey. Serbia was already fighting for her life against Austria; Roumania coveted Transylvania from Austria : Bulgaria looked hungrily to Adrianople, to the En OS- Mid ia line, and indeed to Constantinople itself; while Greece saw great numbers of her citizens still held down under the Turkish yoke and several of the fairest provinces and islands of the Turkish Em pire mainly inhabited by men of Greek blood. If these four States could he induced to lay aside their intestine quarrels and enter the war together under British guidance against Turkey and Austria, the speedy downfall of the Turk was certain. Turkey would be cut off completely from her allies and forced into a senarafe peace during 1915. The whole of the forces of the Bankan confederation could then have been directed against the underside of Austria in the following year. But it was also certain that the rally of the Balkans and the attack upon Turkey could not leave Italy indifferent. Italy was known to bo profoundly friendlv to the Allied cause, and particularly to Great Britain. She was the hereditary enemy of Austria. She had immense interests in the Balkan Peninsula, in the Turkish Empire, and in the Turkish islands. It seemed highly probable that any decisive or successful action taken by Great Britain In this quarter of the world must draw Italy, with her army of two and a-half minions, directly into the ambit of the Great War as a first-class ally on our jide. There were, in fact, at this juncture two great plans of using sea-power U> relievo the murderous deadlock in the west. Both aimed at breaking into and dominating the land-locked waters which guarded the Teutonic flanks. Both would give direct contact with Russia and would rescue our Eastern ally from her deadly isolation. Both would affect in a decisive manner a group of neutral States. Both in proportion, ns they succeeded, would open up enormous new drains on the resources of the Teutonic Emnires. Should we look to Holland. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, n- to Greece. Bulgaria, and Roumania? Should we strike through the Belts at the Baltic, or through tb» Dardanelles at Consfantinonle and the Black Sea? GRAND DUKE’S APPEAL. On January 2, 1915, I received' the following letter from Lord Kitchener; You have no doubt seen Buchanan’s telegram about the Russians and Turks; if not Fitzgerald is taking it over. Do you think any naval action would be possible to prevent (the) Turks sending more men into the Caucasus and thus denuding Constantinople ? . With this Note Colonel Fitzgerald brought the telegram from which the following extract is relevant: Early this week the position of Russians In the Caucasus gave cause for grave at.xiety, Turks having commented enveloping movement seriously threatening Rusisan forces. Commander-in-Chief of the Army in the Caucasus pressed most urgently for reinforcements, many Caucasian troops being now employed against Germans, but Grand Duke has told him ho must manage to keep on as he is. Grand Duke, however, asked if it would be possible for Lord Kitchener to arrange for a demonstration of some kind against Turks elsewhere, either naval or military, and to spread reports which would cause Turks who he says are very liable to go off at a tangent, to withdraw some cf the forces now acting against Russians in the Caucasus, and thus ease the position of Russians. Grand Duke added that, even if Lord Kitchener was unable to help, he should stick to his present plans. Later in the day Lord Kitchener came over himself to see rn© at the Admiralty, and we had a full discussion on the Russian telegram, and whether the Navy could do anything to help. All the possible alternatives in the Turkish theatre were mentioned. We both had in mind our discussions of November cn the possibilities of a descent from Egypt upon Gallipoli. We both saw clearly the far-reaching consequences of a successful attack upon Constantinople. If there was any prospect of a serious attempt to force the Straits of the Dardanelles at a later stage, it would be in the highest degree improvident to stir them up for the sake of mere demonstration. 1 put this point forward, and suggested alternative diversions to help the Russians. Lord Kitchener did not disosnt from the argument, but he returned steadily and decidedly to the statement that he had no troops to spare, and could not face a large new expansion of our military commitments. I have no record of this conversation, but my recollection of it is confirmed by the second letter-which I received from Lord Kitchener cn this same day (January 2). Lord Kitchener to Mr Churchill. January 2, 1915. I do not see that wo can do anything that will very seriously Help the Russians in the Caucasus. The only place that a demonstration might have some effect in stopping reinforcements going east would be the Dardanelles. Particularly if, as the Grand Duke says, reports could be spread at the same time that Constantinople was threatened. We shall not be ready for anything big for some months. On the same day Lord Kitchener, as the result, no doubt, of the conversation which he had had with me, sent through the Foreign Office the following telegram to Petrograd: Please assure the Grand Duke that steps will he taken to make a demonstration against the Turks. It is. however. feared that any action we can devise and carry out will be unlikely to seriously affect numbers of the enemy in the Caucasus, or cause their withdrawal. This telegram committed us to a demonstration against the Turks of some kind or another, but it did not commit us in respect of its direction, character, or scope. It was the least that could have been said in answer to a request of a hard-pressed ally. ■ FISHER’S BLUNT LETTER. The next morning (January 3) Lord Fisher, entered the field. He had been considering all those matters, had read the Russian telegram, and had full knowledge of my conversation with Lord Kitchener. The letter which he now sent me is of grea*- importance. It reveals Lord Fisher’s position fully and clearly. The turbulence of its style in no way affects the shrewdness and profundity of its vision. Ido 'not think that Lord Fisher ever took any taction or expressed any opinions which were irreconcilable with the general principles of these first thoughts. He was always in favour of a great scheme against the Turks and to rally the Balkans. no always believed that Bulgaria was the key to the situation in this quarter. He was always prepared to risk the old battleships os part of a large naval, militar- ami diplomatic combination. In ail this we ■Were, as his letter shows, in entire agreement. That these large schemes were not carried into effect was no- his tault noi 4,n * ne ' January 8, 1915. Dear ’Winston, — I’ve been, informed by Hankey that War Council assembles next Thursday,

and I suppose it will be like a game of ninepins! Every one will have a plan and one niucpin in falling will knocK over its neighbour! I consider the attack on Turkey holds the field! —but only if it’s immediate! However, it, won’t bo done! Our Aulic Council will adjourn till the following Thursday fortnight! (N.B. When did we meet last! and what came of it V). We shall decide on a futile bombardment of the Dardanelles which wears out the irreplaceable guns of the indefatigable, which probably will require replacement. What good resulted from the last bombardment ? Did it move a single Turk from the Caucasus? And so the war goes on! You want one man! This is the Turkey’s-plan 1. Appoint Sir W. Robertson, the present Quartermaster-general, to command the Expeditionary Force. 2. Immediately replace all Indians and 75,000 seasoned troops from Sir John French’s command with Territorials, etc., from England (as you yourself suggested) and embark this Turkish expeditionary force ostensibly for protection of Egypt! with all possible despatch at Marseilles! and land them at Bosika Bay direct with previous feints before they arrive with troops now' in Egypt against Haifa and Alexandretta, the latter to be a real occupation because of its inestimable value as regards the oil fields of the Garden of Eden, with which by rail it is in direct communication, and we shove out the Germans now established at Alexandretta with an immense Turkish concession—the last act of that enemy of England, Marc-hall von Bieberstein. _ ~, 3. The Greeks to go for Gallipoli at the same time as wo go for Besika. and the Bulgarians for Constantinople, and the Russians, the Serbians, and Roumanians for Austria (all this you said vourself!). , _ , „ 4. Stnrdee forces the Dardanelles at the same time wUb Majestic class and C ampus class ! God bless him ! But. as the great Nanoleon said, '‘Celerity” without it—“ Failure” ! In the history of the world—a Junta has never won! You want one man! Yours F. INDIGESTION SERIOUS. NEGLECTED now, DISASTER LATER “Oh! lust a slight touch of indigestion. I’ll bo all right soon. Nothing to worry about.’ ... _ . That’s how it begins. The little twitches of pain, the bringing-up of wind, the fullness after meals—the early signs of indigestion—are treated lightly and generally ignored. It is a great mistake. Indigestion is a serious complaint It quickly goes from bad to worse, and before you realise it your case is chronic. In the end, you suffer agony from the pain, become thin, run-clown, emaciated, nervous. Many hqve to lie up for weeks, and not a few have to undergo serious operations. The wise person runs no risks, but nips indigestion in the bud with Anti-Acido. Anti-Acido costs only 2s 6cl a tin, but it will save you pounds and pounds in doctors’ bills, and losses through absence from business’ or work Invest 2s 6d in Anti-Acido to-day r or future health and happiness. All chemists and stores. Wholesale distributors: Neill and Co. (Ltd.). Dunedin. —Advt. Chemically pure water is dangerous to drink, according to the declaration of n number of French navy surgeons who have been making careful investigations. After so much has been said during the last decade about the danger of Impure water, such a declaration sounds almost preposterous; yet these French navy surgeons give logical reasons why there is danger in drinking chemically pure water. To make water chemically pure it has to be distilled, and the continued use of distilled -water as a beverage reduces the strength of the physical organism (says the Pall Mall Gazette) because, while it is free from all germs, it contains nothing but oxygen and hydrogen. The mineral sails an left behind during the process of distillation, and the mineral salts are really indispensable.