RECENT IMPORTANT ADVANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3205, 18 August 1915, Page 25

RECENT IMPORTANT ADVANCE.

TURKS’VULNERABLE POINT DISCOVERED. LONDON, August 12. The Daily Telegraph’s Rome corre* spondent states that the recent pro* gress of the Allies on Gallipoli is equal in importance to any of the previous successes. The Allies have discovered that the west coast of the peninsula is the vulnerable point in tne Turkish defences, and this will enable a further rapid advance. The Turks are hastily transporting artillery from Bulair against the new front. TURKS LOSING THEIR MORALE. TRENCHES MORE EASILY CAPTURED. LONDON, August 12. Rsuler’s Cairo correspondent states that the Turks are losing their morale, as proved by the much easier capture ,of trenches. Their army orders reveal manifold threats to stimulate their advance, and their officers are required to pledge themselves to lead unwaveringly. THE LAST STAND. FEVERISH PREPARATIONS AT CONSTANTINOPLE. NEW YORK, August 12. A United Press correspondent who has visited Turkey says the Turks continue their feverish preparations for a last stand in Constantinople. The best German genius has perfected its defences to the west and the north. A Russian landing on the Black Sea would meet with determined resistance. He adds that 100,000 Christians have constructed the defences, as only Mussulmans are employed in the fighting line. Strategic railways are being constructed in many directions to assist in the defence of Gallipoli, and afterwards of Constantinople. TURKISH GUNBOAT TORPEDOED. LONDON, August 12. Official; A British submarine torpedoed the Turkish gunboat Berk-i-Satvet in the Dardanelles. [The Berk-i-Satvct was a torpedo-gunboat built at Kiel in 1906, of 770 tons displacement, and 22 knots speed, carrying two 4in - and several smaller guns, and equipped with three torpedo tubes."] TURKISH BATTLESHIP LOST. WAS IT THE GOEBEN? LONDON, August 12. The Admiralty announces that British submarines sank a Turkish battleship at the entrance to the Sea of Marmora on Sunday, and torpedoed an empty transport in the Dardanelles. The Turks state that the battleship was the Barbarossa. It is surmised in naval circles that the announcement of the Barbarossa being lost is intended to cover the more serious loss of the Gceben or the Breslau. TYPHUS IN CONSTANTINOPLE. FEELING AGAINST GERMANS. LONDON, August 12. Typhus is ravaging Constantinople, where 100 deaths are taking place daily.

Ismail Bey, a near relative of the Sultan, is among the victims. The Mohammedans | have accused the Germans of poisoning | their cisterns. i QUEENSLAND’S WOUNDED WELCOMED. BRISBANE, August 13. The returned wounded and sick received an enthusiastic welcome. TOWN NEAR SMYRNA BOMBARDED. HEAVY CASUALTIES. MITYLENE, August 13. British aeroplanes on Tuesday bombarded Idjadik, near Smyrna, destroying the telephone office and eight houses. A British destroyer accompanying the aircraft bombarded the town. The death roll is estimated at 2000. The Governor of Smyrna, believing a general attack was in progress, sent 8000 troops to protect the coast. GOOD WORK BY SUBMARINE. AN ENEMY COLUMN SHELLED. MITYLENE, August 13. After sinking the Barbarossa, the submarine drew inshore and shelled a column of troops marching towards Gallipoli, causing heavy casualties. TURKS DISPERSED BY RUSSIANS. ELED BEFORE THE BAYONET. PETROGRAD, August 12. A Caucasus communique states ; We dispersed five companies of Turks, supported by four batteries, in a river valley in the Oltz region. The enemy fled in disorder before a bayonet charge. A TURKISH ATTACK. ATHENS, August 13. A violent Turkish attack was made on Ari Burnu. Three aeroplanes directed the Turkish fire. BRESLAU SERIOUSLY DAMAGED. GERMAN SUBMARINE TRICK. COPENHAGEN, August 13. An employee of the Constantinople branch of the Danish Salvage Company relates that the Breslau is lying in the Stenia Dock, covered with canvas, hiding yawning holes received in a fight with the Russian warships. The commander ana 20 men are reported to have been killed. Only one large German submarine and two of the old types are at Constantinople. The former frequently changes its number, to impress the Turks with the enormous submarine strength in the Turkish waters