TURKEY AT WAR

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144669, 1 May 1915, Page 3

TURKEY AT WAR

THE DARDANELLES, THE landing of troops. AFTER BOMBARDMENT OF forts; LONDON. April 30. The Daily Chronicle’s Mitylcne correspondent says the most powerful fleet over engaged in warlike preparatiomi'commenced to hammer the Hellespont defences down on Sunday. There was mo cessation at night. The darkness)'was lighted up by the flashing searchlights and the thunder of the guns’ was heard at Mitylene. Thb correspondent reached Rabbit Tskirid on Monday and witnessed tho bombardment. Tremendous columns of smoke at mid-day poured out of Kum Kale. Then the village of Yenikeui was,ablaze. The tall columns of smoke showhd tho effectiveness of the fire upon the Narrows, whore small ships were directing; the fire of tiro battleships upouj Kilicl Bnhr and Chanak forts. The largest battleships lay on the European'side of tho entrance. There were often twenty discharges to the minute. To the left of the entrance was a line of transports. Tbb bombardment was more intense in tike afternoon. Now fires broke out at sojoeral points on tho Asiatic shore. One,.shell took a huge mass of masonry from the cliftsido at Kum Kale. It was eviddnt all resistance was ended, for the battleships lifted their fire higher up the strait to Sedi! Bahr fort, which was fittevly knocked to pieces. Thien two French warships took up tho 'game. By four o’clock the firing was at its maximum, particularly from the in Erenkeui Bay. The Turkish guns did not reply seriously until the mid-afternoon.

Tbp Allies’ artillery landed at Cape Hellos, but was driven back by a battery near Sedil Bahr. As tho battery was retiring tho battleships found tho ranges Tho Turks bravely stood to their £uns, and fired three shots at the warships, _ which replied with seven shots: When the smoke cleared off there was no sign of life near the battery.

Tim Turks were much more active with their artillery under cover of niglrt. There was another Turkish battery stationed on the road leading from Kuna Kale to Eronkeui. The ships found the range. The Turks limbered up and retreated to Erenkcui, followed by shells, leaving dead men and fragments of guns on tho roadway.

The Queen Elizabeth, standing well oil shore, assisted in silencing tho batteries of Eski-Hissarlok.

Tije Allies on Monday evening were in complete possession of the extreme tdngiio of tho Gallipoli Peninsula and the Hat shores of Suvili Bay.

TUXEDOS, April 30. One lauding was effected by a comic ruse. Covered by the victorious fire of live battleships, a thousand donkeys with dummy baggage and mounted airguns landed nt a certain spot.

The Gormans immodintelv diverted a strong foroe, .Meanwhile, tlio real landing was eflVcted at a distance up the coast. ! Tho donkeys were annihilated, but a strong force of British was established across the .narrowest part of the peninsula, and cut off tho Turkish garrisons between Kilid Bahr and Cape Relics.

FRENCH LANDING. ON THE ASIATIC COAST. TENEDOS, April 30. On Thursday tho demonstration made by landing on the Plain of Troy enabled the French to capture 8000 Tkirks, including their German officers. Not a few of tho Turks were suffering from reveller wounds from tho Gorman officers driving them to tho attack, or desperately endeavouring to prevent their retreat.Aviators rendered valuable assistance .in locating tho Turkish positions and destroying tho Seamaudor bridge near Ezine and a large depot at Aroo Ezine. MORE ARMENIAN SCAPEGOATS. HUES iND SYDNEY SUN SERVICES. (Received May X, S a.m.) LONDON, April 30. An Armenian conspiracy has been discovered in Constantinople. Four hundred, including tho Vicar Patriaclinic, have been arrested. DEATH OF SULTAN'S NEPHEW. (Received May 1, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 30. Banter’s correspondent at Amsterdam states that Salah-cd-din’s death at Constantinople is announced.' Deceased was a nephew of tho Sultan. MOVEMENT OF TURKISH TROOPS. (Received May 1, 12.30 p.m.) SOFIA, April 30. The Allies’ successful debarkation in the Dardanelles has precipitated a movement of troops from Adrianople and Demotika towards Muratli. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT. WELLINGTON, April 30. The Premier has received tire following from the High Commissioner, dated London, April 30, 9 a.m,;— Army officers killed 23, wounded 57, missing 6; men killed 68, wounded 65, prisoners 19 Dardanelles: Naval officers killed 4, wounded 1; men killed. 1, wounded 7. Tho arrivals and sailings of mer.chantraon of all nationalities at United Kingdom ports for the week ended April 2S were 1111 ; sunk one; British trawlers sunk, four.

PREPARING THE WAT., FOR OUR MEN TO ADVANCE. (Received May 1, 11.35 a.m.) ATHENS. Anvil 30. The allied fleets remained inside the Dardanelles last night and ve-opened a terrible bombardment at daybreak. THE LACK OF NEWS, COMPLAINTS ON ALL SIDES. LONDON, April 30. The Times, in a leader regarding tho Government’s congratulations to tho Commonwealth, says that the Australians’ gallantry was very grateful news to the British people. Nothing has moved the Mother Country more than the devotion of her daughters, and the nations can see in it tho best auguries for those lofty and traditional—of the race. • Britishers want to know why the news which was available in Melbourne and Wellington was not announced in London. The newspapers complain that they nr© not allowed to know the details of the Australians and New Zealanders’ gallantry in the fighting at the Dardanelles, which have been published m Australasia. MELBOURNE, April 30. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Fisher, replying to pressing demands for further information of the doings of the Australians in Turkey, said he had asked the Imperial authorities to supply information.-nt the earliest date, which would bo made public as soon as it arrived, but the Government must stand by the British Army authorities and observe a 111 t heir wishes, and refrain from saying what they wished unsaid. In the Senate. Senator O’Keefe urged that they should make an immediate protest to the British authorities against the present system of censoring nows about the Australians in the Dardanelles. The incongruities of the censorship were causing great anxiety. Mr. Pearce (Minister for Defence) replied that no exception was possible to tho strict censoring of tho news till the troops had reached their objective. The Government, however, objected to tho nows appearing in British and European papers and being censored out of Australian papers. The matter would be brought under tho notice of tho Imperial authorities. [Britain complains that news has been given to Australasia which has not been published in Britain, while Australia is angry because British and European papers have news denied to Australia. As a matter of /act no news has been published anywhere.]