The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1901-10-12


| myself utterly.
Tunis-She, the mother of such heroic
sons, busted with intestine brawls, if
not actuated by unworthy motives,
must needs turn deaf ear to the Pom
tiff's cry of distress. Philip of Spain,
While not actually refusing his assist
ance, procrastinated and quibbled and
strove to turn the Churchs distress and
| the continents peril to his own au-
/ vantage by demanding extraordinary
favors as the price of his cooperation.
While the Christian states were in
this demoralized condition, Europe was
astounded at the news that Cyprus,
unaided and unsuccored, had fallen,
after stubborn sieges of its two cap
| itals Nicosia and Famagusta. The
latter capital did not capitulate until
| six general assaults had been led
against it, which cost the Turks, $4,000
lives. Upon the heels of this dis
aster came the disheartening news that
the Moslem power, elated by its re-
cent successes, deemed itself invincible
and was preparingAto invade Europe.
While the efforts of Plus V had failed
in their immediate object, i. e. the relief
of Cyprus, they were not entirely bar
rem of results. The Holy Father had
at last succeeded in forming league
of few of the Christian states.
Spain, Venice and the Papal states gal
lantly flung themselves into the breach
while the rest of Europe looked ON
with Indifference.
| In the latter part of 1911, five months
after the capture of Cyprus. the Chris
tian armament with Don John of Aus
tria, then but twenty-four years old,
| in supreme command, appeared upon
the Mediterranean in quest of the ships
of Islam. The first rendezvous was at
Messina where they put forth every
effort to strengthen the fleet against
the shock of the impending contest. On
the 18th of September a flying squad
ron sent in advance to reconnoitre the
coast, returned with the news that the
Turks were in the Adriatic with pow
erful fleet. THE centre Christian fleet
thereupon sailed for Corfu and reached
their destination on the 26th of Septem-
Der. A council of war was now called,
and as not unfrequently happens in
such deliberations, there was an utter
lack of harmony. The prestige of the
Turks, enhanced by recent successes,
the comparative weakness of the
Christian force, and above all, the fear
of the terrible consequences of possible
defeat, caused several of the allied
leaders to doubt the wisdom of meet
ing the followers of Mohammed in a
single, decisive battle. But the senti-
ment of the majority prevailed, and
it was decided to push on to meet the
enemy in a conflict that, in all prob
ability, would result in the salvation or
undoing of Europe.
The weather which had been unfavor-
able, delayed the meeting of the hostile
fleets until the 18th of October when
they met at the entrance of the Gulf of
Lepanto- On the very same shores of
Greece where 1900 years before An
thony and Octavius had fought the bat
tie of Actium for the undivided ruler
ship of the Roman world, Cross and
crescent were now to meet in mortal
combat for the possession of Europe.
The entire strength Of the allied forces
was 200 galleys, with galleases and
$4,000 men. The Turkish armament, as
it appeared in the offing, consisted of
300 galleys propelled by Christion slaves
and 200 men.
The opposing fleets Immediately
formed in line of battle Don John of
Austria, the COMMUNICATIVE chief, in his
flagship, the Real, directed the center
which consisted of eixty-three galleys.
He was supported on one side by Col
onna, captain-general of the Papal
forces. and on the other by Veneirio,
the Venetian commander. Andrew Do
ria, whose very name struck terror
into the Moslem heart, commanded the
right wing. The left wing was under
the command of Barbarigo, a Venetian
noble. The reserve of thirty-five gall
leys was commanded by the Marjuis
of Santa Cruz who was under orders to
act where needed.
The center of the Turkish fleet was
under the command of Ali Pasha, the
commander-in-chief. The right wing
was under the direction of Mohammed
Sirocco, the viceroy of Egypt, and the
left under Ulutch Ali, the notorious cor
sair of Algiers.
To the ordinary observer who con-
templates final results from the low
view point of natural causes, it must
have seemed as though the utter ami
hilation of the Christian fleet would |
inevitably follow few maneuvers, a |
general assault, and then-the end. Not
So however, to him who from the COM
handing eminence of faith regards ma
lures laws as subsidiary to a first and |
infinite cause, which is God The en- |
envy possessed vastly superior force. |
Its nghtlng men We're homogeneous, well |
disciplined and encouraged by the pres.
tige of recent victories; they were pos |
Sessed of courage and daring born of |
fanaticism. For them, victory upon !
the waters of Lepanto meant the tri-
umph of the Crescent, the appreciation |
of Allah. Death could but open to them
the gates of a glorious Immortality.
On the other hand, the heterogeneous
force of the league was not only in
ferior in numbers but it lacked the dis
cipline. and cohesion that comes from
previous experience as a fighting unit.
1t was, moreover. weakened by the jeal-
ousies of the different nationalities of
which it was made up, and by a lack
Of confidence arising from the supposed
invincibility of the enemy.
a moment before the storm of battle
burst, how characteristic were the
scenes enacted upon the decks of the
opposing fleets. The followers of the
prophet rent the air with wild shouts
and frenzied shrieks and danced in the
din of clashing cymbals and blaring
-rumpets. From the decks of the Chris
ton fleets rises no battle-cry, no shout
Of defiance. The soldiers of the Cross
Are kneeling upon the decks of their
ships and in silent prayer are imploring
the Mother of God to obtain irons her
Divine Son the victory for truth and
tight.
The opening gun was fired by the Ali
Pasha in command of the Turkish CEN
er and was answered by Don John