The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-30
ITALY DECLARES
WAR ON TURKS
IN TR|P0L|
Capital City Occupied by Troops
OF invading Nation.
TURKISH DESTROYER SUNK
constantlnople Government VIII Make
No Resistance But viii Depend
Upon Intervention

Startling events in the Turco-
Italian dispute occurred yesterday
with extraordinary rapidity and a
state of war now exists between the
two nations and hostilities have be-
gun. No sooner had the time limit
fixed in the ultimatum expired than,
ignoring Turkeys conciliatory request
for aperiod of delay, Italy declared
war yesterday afternoon at 2:30. The
Turkish representatives in Italy were
handed their passports The Turkish
commander at Trpoii was asked to
surrender the town, bur refused and
tie italian forcer Immediately occu.
pied Tripoli and Benghazi.
Apparently, the Turks offered no
resistance but this is only an assump-
ton for Immediately on landing the
Italians evidently seized the telegraph
lines. From the hour of their landing
no message Of any kind has been re-
ceiyed from Tripoli and dispatches
sent to that place remain unanswered.
1t should be noted, however, that a
complete dispatch, announcing Italian
occupation of Tripoli, makes no men.
ton of resistance and mere protest
by the governor would be in line with
Turkeys announced policy The Tur-
kish cabinet which had been for some
time insecure, resigned as soon as
war was declared and new ministry
was formed under Said Pasha The
former able war minister. Mahmoud
Shefket Pasha, however, is retained
in the new cabinet Klanul Pasha is
the foreign minister.
Turkey continues her efforts to
obtain Intervention by the powers. In
the meantime Italy Is aggressive Ital-
ian battleships are reported to have
appeared off Smyrna and Saloniki. An
Italian cruiser landed troops at Pre-
vesa, after destroying a Turkish tor
pedo boat destroyer, and the Italian
fleet has blocaded the whole Tripoll-
tan coast There are unconfrmed re-
ports that Turkey intends to send an
ultimatum to Greece to abandon her
claims on Crete and is massing troops
on the Thessalian frontier. The
greatest activity ensued in all the
European chancellories on receipt of
the announcement that war had been
declared and notification of block
ade. IL Is expected the various gov
ernments will issue the customary neu
trallty notices ana will devote their
diplomatic efforts as fas as possible to
localizing hostilities to the combatant
powers and especially to avoiding com
plications In the Balkans.
A dispatch from Constantinople says
that the Turkish government has de-
cided upon no armed resistance to the
occupation of Tripoli, and taking no
measures against Italian residents In
Turkey. The government hoops by
adopting this attitude that Italy will
not treat the Tripolitans as a conquer
ed people.
A dispatch from Salonikl, European
Turkey, says that an Italian cruiser
has destroyed a Turkish destroyer in
the harbor of Prevesa, In Epirus and
landed troops. The Turkish authori-
ties are sending battalion OF troops
to Prevesa.
A dispatch from Tripoli says that
the Italian squadron, which had been
cruising in the ofling came close in
shore yesterday morning and the des-
troyer Garibaldino steamed into the
harbor at noon, flying a white flag.
Great crowds gathered and watched
her approach. After accommodating
the destroyer launched boat which
landed an officer, preceded by blue
jacket carrying a white flag. Turkish
soldiers surrounded the pair. The
officer asked for the Turkish comman-
der When taken to him he formally
announced that the Italian feet had
been ordered to occupy the town. He
therefore demanded the instant sur.
render OF the whole Turkish garrison.
The Turkish commander replied that
he was unable to comply with the de-
mand and emphatically refused to sur
render.
The incident was witnessed by the
foreign residents who gathered around
tue AAulldi Ollltti anu NnNNAtt Nun th-
Enthusiastically. The boat then return.
ed to the destroyer, which rejolned the
feet. A great number Of the residents
OF Tripoli spent Thursday night camp.
ed on the beach. alarmed lest the Ar
abs should get out Of hand and begin
pillaglng. Arabs are constantly arriv-
Ing from the country. The mosques
are kept open, and throughout the
night were filed with praying Arabs.
Tho trouble between Turkey and II
ally dates back to 1873, when with the
making OF the treaty concluding tho
Russo.Turklsh war the powers are
understood to have agreed to permit
Italy pacific penetration Of Tripoli.
Turkey claims that this right has been
respected ever since. Italy has col
onized Tripoli until her interests In
that African province are very great
She has asserted. however. that her
subjects have been mistreated by the
Ottoman authority and constantly dis
eliminated against. Frequent disputes
have risen, but the prolonged negotia
tons have never resulted satisfactor