The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-04-07
CHAINED A Wa1SHIP,
An incident of the War Between
Greece and Turkey.
A YOUNG OFFICERS DARING.

the landlocked Waters of Arta.
IL was during the war betwee
Greece and Turkey in 1897 that tb
Enhabitants of Gala Krini-a large vii
l'Ee' since destroyed by the Turks, OF
he shores of the gulf of Arta-awok,
one morning to find that a Helleni,
|battleship had entered the gulf ant
east anchor off the shore. The sur
prise OF the Inhabitants of Gala Krin
was nothing compared with that of 6
party of five Turkish officers. who
fresh from the crest of a hill towering
Iitbove the village. watched the vessel
Through their telescopes.
These Turkish officers were on an
urgent and important mission - to
block out the Hellenic fleet from the
I"ulf OF Arta. Behind them, at the
bottom of the deep ravine, were a
humber of heavy guns which had been
dragged all the way from Saloniki, a
long and difficult task. and with this
ARTILLERY they had been ordered to for
fifty the strait.
10 reach rhe strait. however. the
Turkish column had to run the gantlet
lof the battleship's heavy guns, which
Imeant sheer destruction. Somehow or
lother 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 a prison.
er II they would allow him. His plead
ing won. and. hurriedly changing his
clothes for those of a shepherd, he de-
scended in that disguise to Gala Krini
Late that night number of figures
stole through the dark alleys Of the
village toward the shore. Close to the
waters edge was an old boathouse,
used as a shed for repairing boats.
This the party silently entered and by
the pickering light of taper search
ed the black interior. At length there
was a gentle rattle and from the gloom
Hassan. stripped to the waist,
dragging a heavy chain. This, with
The help Of his comrades, he began to
pull. and after an hours laborious
work the end of the great chain-once
he cable of Turkish vessel--was
cached.
From the beach the chain was load |
I'd on board large caique, whose |
ides and floor had been covered with
10th to deaden the sound. This task .
three men got In with
1assan and rowed with muffled oars
oward large rock in the middle Of /
he blight. Round this rock the chain
vas laid and securely fastened. One
nan having been landed on the crag
o keep guard over this end. the boat
ct out cautiously for the battleship.
ooming like a phantom in the dis
ance. Not sound did the men make
s link by link the massive chain was
aid out over the stern into the still
Vater till they reached the vessel.
There was an excited CLEAN in Has
ans eyes as. with sign 10 his COM
AIDES, he gradually lowered himself
ito the dark water, guiding himself
passing his fingers over the battle
hips plates. A slight grating of the
hahn against the hull was all that his
nxious companions in the boat heard.
lough now and then reassuring pull
as felt on the line that Hassan held,
lrecting them how to pay out the
1afn. Hours rather than minutes
eemed to have gone by ere the young
Ulcer came to the surface So ex-
austed by his long dive was he that
e had to be almost lifted into the
Dat ,
ut Is round the propeller" he gasp !
|. Il have fixed 1t so that nothing
IN move it. Back you GO
Then link by link the tedious work
as renewed until the boat returned
its starting point, where the other
Id of the chain was secured. The
sky task was done, and the Hellenic
was securely moored to an
movable rock by a double thickness
cable.
The early rays of dawn revealed q l,
sht which astonished the Greek COM t.
ander. A whole regiment of Turks Il
w va SAiN iiIeiiN II NuNsl lne SlTdlI II
Arta. with train after train of artil- h
y. the last of which disappeared be- n
nd the intervening head before the
ip's guns could be brought to bear II
them. The commander gave orders
r the guns to be ruiz out and decks
jared FOR action. while the anchor
is ,'.ighed. his intention being to
event the Turks from terrifying the +,
ait before they had become 100 >,
ong. Full speed ahead" went the -
Ter to the engine room. and. pro-
lied by her mighty screw. the bat 81
ship advanced. only to lurch back b
I'D as if dragged by some unseen 81
ce Work rs D, engines would, p
vessel seemed to be in an enchaut- n.
circle. beyond which it was impds- ~
lie to go. =,
was not until the suns rays had '
letrated the deep blue water along III
e that the secret was revealed and sc
massive chain was discovered pass re
round tho ships propeller and the TO
accent rock. tr
'efore 1t could be removed, how u,;
IL.