Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-08-10
CHAINED A WARSHIP,
An Incident OF The War Between
Greece and Turkey.
A YOUNG OFFICERS DARING.

The Turk'o Pluck and Strategy Re
suited In Making Powerful Greek
Weasel a Helpless Prisoner Within
tho LandloelSed Waters Of Aria.
Il was during the war between
Greece AMI Turkey in 1897 that the
f inhabitants OF Gala Krini-a large VII
f age. since destroyed 10y the Turks. on
+ the shores Of the gulf Of Arta-awoke
one morning 20 find that a Hellenic
hattieShip had entered the gulf and
+ cast anchor or the shore. The sur
T prise of the Inhabitants Of Gala Krini
+ was nothing compared with that Of
party Of five Turkish officers. who.
fresh from tho crest Of q Hill towering
above the village. watched the vessel
F through their telescopes
These Turkish officers were on an
urgent and important mission - to
block out the Hellenic feet from the
F sulf Of Arta- Behind thesz AT the
bottom Of the deep ravine. were
number OF heavy guns which had been
dragged all the way from SalonilSi. a
long and difficult task. aud with this
artillery they had been ordered to for
tify the strait
To reach the strait however. the
Turkish column had 10 run the gantlet
of the battleshlp'S heavy guns. which
meant sheer destruction. Somehow or
other they must escape the man-of-
war or prevent her Interference with
their work. but to DO this seemed i'm
possible
In the midst OF their discussion a
young officer who had been listening
said he could hold the vessel n prison
er II they would allow him. His plead
ing won. aud. hurriediy changing his
clothes for those OF n shepherd. he de-
seconded in TINT disguise 20 Gala KrinL
Late that night number OF figures
stole through the dark alleys Of the
village toward the shore Close 90 the
waters cdro was an OLD boathOuse.
used rs q shed Tor repairing boats
This the party silently entered and by
the pickering light of n taper search
Cd the black interior. At length there
was a gentle rattle and from the gloom
emerged HasSan. stripped 10 the waist,
dragging 4 heavy chain This. with
the help Of his comrades. be began TO
pull. and after an hours laborious
work the end Of the great chain-once
the cable Of a Turkish vessel-was
reached.
From the beach the chain was load
ed- on board large caiQue. whose
sides and floor had been covered with
cloth TO dcadcn the sound This task
accomplished. three men got IN with
Hassan and rowcd with mufled oars
toward 4 large rock In the middle OF
the blight. Round this rock the chain
was laid and securely fastened. one
man having been landed on the crag
10 keep guard over this end. the boat
set out cautiously Tor the battleship.
looming like q phantom In the dis
lance. Not a sound did the men make
as link 10y link the massive chain was
paid out over the stern into the still
water TN they reached the vessel
There was an excited CLEAN IN Has
sans eyes Is. with sign TO his com
T rades. he gradually lowered himself
into the dark water. guiding himself
by passing his fingers over the battle
ships plates. 4 slight grating Of the
/ chain against the hull WIS ali that his
anxious companions IN the boat heard,
though now and then "a reassurlng pull
was felt on the line that Hassan held.
directing them how 10 pay out the
chain. Hours rather than minutes
seemed 10 have gone 10y ere the young
officer came 10 the surface So ex-
hausted by bis long dive was he that
be had TO he almost lifted into the
boat.
1T is round the proneller." he gasp
ed. Il have fixed il so that nothing
can move its Back You go"
Then link by link the tedious work
\ was renewed until the boat returned
to its starting point. where the other
end Of the chain was secured. The
risky task was done. and the Hellenic
battleship was securely mCcred 10 an
immovable rock by double thickness
Of cable
The early rays of dawn revealed a
sight which astonished the Greek com
mander. \ whole regiment Of Turks
were on the march toward the strait
of Aria, with train after train Of artil-
lery, the last Of which disappeared be-
gD44H thG 4litCl tliln- ucsiu DelOEC the
ships guns could be brought TO bear
on them. The commander gave orders
for the guns to be run out and decks
cleared for action. while the anchor
was weighed. his intention being to
prevent the Turks from terrifying the
strait before they haze become too
strong Gull speed aheadr' went the
order 10 the engine room. and pro-
PEELED by her mighty screw. the bat.
tleship advanced. only to lurch back
ward as if dragged by some unseen
force. Work as the engines would,
( the vessel seemed TO be in an enchant-
ed circle. beyond which II was impos-
slble to 50.
IL was not until the suns rays had
penetrated the deep blue water along
side that the secret was revealed and
the massive chain was discovered pass
Ing round the ships propeller and the
adjacent rock.
Before it could be removed, how
ever the strait had been sufficiently
fortified by the Turks and a power.
full Greek warship lay a helpless pris-
oner within the landloclsed waters or
1 Arta.
The heart Of man is naqde "a racu.i-