The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-27
STRAIT OF DARDANELLEs.
Something About the strip Of Water
that Forms Turkeys Bulwark.

Army and Navy Journal.
The strait of the Dardanelles. to which
numerous references are now being MADE
in the papers. is. as many know. narrow
and tortuous water way OF no great ienetn
leading in from the north Aegean TO the
inland sea of Marmora. But what many do
not know is that the Turkish fortifications
of the Dardanelles--at least tbose or any
importance-are situated in sinrle locality
in the vicinity of the squatty Little Turk
ish town of Chanak-K alesi Cor the Pot
terry Castle'D, which lies on the Asiatic
shore a few miles in from the mouth or
the strait. One OF these batteries-a loW-
living fertilization constructed of mud. or
rather clay, walls. faced here and there
with stone-is situated at Cnanak-halesi
itself Another is planted about TWO miles
further northeast on the same shore, wnne
Immediately across the strait from Cnanak-
kalesi other battlements have been reared
on somewhat higher ground None OF these
defenses are especially formidable, as
modern Notifications go. although IL must
be admitted that inferior as they are IN
many respect, they do mount some heavy
Krupp guns of modern construction ana
undoubted power. while torpecoes, IL Is
said, have lately been sunk In the cnannei
Every now and then the turkish govern
ment buys a new gun and sets IL up at
the Dardanelles with a sublime confidence
that thereby the integrity of the empire
will be effectually secured.
But the Turks understand little about the
handling of these great guns, although the
Osmanli soldiers are brave wnen w, Wen ,,s o,
of actual hostilities the gunners would soon
be driven from these defenses and many
the skillful fire at long range of fleet lying
just inside the lower strait before the Us
manli garrison could discharge more than
few wild shots with their intricate but poor
ly managed ballstic apparatus. What real
ly adds more to the strength of these door
way defenses of Turkey, so TO speak, tnan
any qualities of the garrison In these forts
is the swiftness of the currents and the
tortuous character of the ship channef or
the Dardane.les. Yet IL is not improbable
III -, Ian N a n
nervy and resolute captain of a modern bat
tie ship could run the gantlet OF the upper
batteries before the bewildered gunners
varying range or succeed in accomplishing
more than a smashing or some OF the
vessels upper works. Out OF a fleet of half
passage of the Dardene,les two would prob
ably be disabled or would helplessly GROUND
in maneuvering, while the balance woulo
steam trfumphantly past Galiipoil, az the
upper end of the Dardenelles. and there
| after have absolutely free course directly 10
the Golden Horn and that part Of the pretty
modest facades of the Yildiz palace.
II is said that in the old days OF three
deckers an American frigate. whose rignt
of entrance had been challenged by the
Turks hove to opposite Chanak las the
orientals Familiarity and almost anection-
ately term the palace), fred a salute ana
raised-for that was before the days OF
| "smokeless powder"-made boldly up the
| Turks could recover from the establishment
| or interpose any forcible remonstrance. An
| other American naval officer tells an anus
| ing story of an experience that befell MIN
when his ship was anchored of Chanak
awaiting the reception OF ''pratique. AFTER
some delay a boat was observed putting
| United States corvette. As the boat came
alongside dirty Turkish officer stood up
| in the stern sheets. and. pointing with MS
thumb in the general direction OF Constan-
| tinople. exclaimed: 'Stamboula gitl' The
officer of the deck did not understand the
whole force of the expression Go 10 Con-
stantinopleD but with the quick Wit or a
| Yankee he instinctively OWNED the signih-
| canoe OF the git an imperative from the
| Turkish verb gitmek) which seemed to pos
| sess a certain resemblance to Yankee slang.
/ and Immediately gave orders TO get the an
| Choir aboard and bear away up the strait
| toward STEAMBOAT as fast as the slow Amer
| ward-bound) vessels stop their engines
| abreast of a Turkish guard ship no bigger
| than North River tug, anchored about
| two miles above Chanak-Kalesia. and there
| the permission in documentary form which
| they had received authorizing the naviga-
| ton of the Turkish waters by them they
| deliver up before steaming on past Chanak
| out among the Greek islands or the Aegean.
| IL a yenturesome or ignorant merchant
steamer on entering the strait presuRSes me; to TO
| fired across her bow, and the cost OF the
| powder thus burned is collected scrupulous-
ON her arrival at STEAMBOAT, as Oriental
logic fails to comprehend why poor Turkey
| should pay for any foreign disregard OF her
| reasonable rules,
| The Dardanelles practically constitute the
front door of the Turkish Empire Cat least
as regards its westward exposure), whereat
| many would-be visitors are now ringing the
| bell But the Turk is not at home to all
callers. and just now is especially shy of
such observers as foreign men-of-war that
| may be hanging around Besica bay-a
| niece of water Just OF the famous plain OF
TROY where DR.. Schliemann made his
| much-discussed discoveries, and which Is
| readily reached by few hours ride from
Chanak-Kalesi along the southern shore
of the Dardanelles and thence up and over
| A fine range of hills that affords a magnif-
cent view Of Samothrace, lmbros and other
historic islets of the blue Aegean.