The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-27

to fire only at the guns and batteries. and
to injure the houses little possible.
We neared the ffty-ton Krupp mounted on
the earthwork near Tchernak at speed OF
eight knots, in the midst of a dense fog and
half gale of wind and snow. having TO
pass within two hundred yards or this for
modable piece against whose shot armor
would have proved of very little use. Had
it opened fire, our orders We're to dismount
the gun and destroy the works round IT,
AS in single line ahead. on
board every ship breathess silence reigned.
broken only by the dull thud. thud. thud OF
the engines. At the guns stood their crews.
one man ready to slip out the compton,
others to run the gun out while the captain
of each gun stood immovable. lanyard IN
hand and outstretched ready for that one
jerk which would have sent enormous
shell flying on its deadly errand. Our
hearts were in our mouths as the flagship
came abrest of the Tchernak gun: the pun
of smoke. the fash the rever r.. ,,hiie
every minute seemed a whole year, BUT
nothing happened and then the tension
was relieved, for we had passed the HrSt
line in peace.
LAS the fleet proceeded after this the
wind increased, the fog grew denser. me
snow and sleet fell more thickly still. while
the current ran dead against the ships. In
these circumstances and in this weather
were the narrows of the Straits-where they
contract to less than three-quarters of a
mile across-traversed safely. After that
came the forts of Zocala and HamaZieh,
which also were passed in the same breath
less silence before. 1t was here We nad
been told that the Turkish torpedoes and
right across the channel But no, again all
was we'll with Nothing occurred to bar
our progress up the straits. no torpedo ex-
ploded under our bottom, no shot or shell
came crashing against sides. When
Cape SesteS was passed the guns were I'M
loaded and the ammunition returned to the
magazines, as henceforth the passage
permanently widened to general width of
two miles across.
Sir Michael Culme-Seymour. the present
commander in-chief of Great Britains Med
iterranean fleet, took part in the passage
commander of the TemeraIre.
AS regards the difficulties to be encoun-
tered by fleet trying to pass the Darda-
nelles nowadays in the face of Turkish
opposition, the Constantinople correspond
dent of the London Daily Graphic says:
1.-THE numerous forts passed between
Kun Kalah and Gallipoli presented a most
formidable appearance, and this was es-
pecially noticeable at Chanak-kalessi,
where every ship that passes up to Con-
stantinople must stop and have it's papers
inspected. The channel is not more than
mile in width at this point and Immediate
ly opposite is Kilid-B ahar, also very strong
ly fortified. Both of these commanding pos
sitions simply bristle with guns off,
every caliber which would have to be
sienced before any hostile ship could hope
to pass them safely. Beyond all this, there
is no room for doubt that the fairWay is
plentifully sown with mines and torpedoeS,
and this arm of defense would in all prob
ability, prove the most DISASTROUS to3yaffy
feet rash enough to attempt a rush
through. va ?