Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-10-07
TURKSSURRENOER
CITY OF TRIP0LI
II Is Said in Rome Italians
Are Landing Troops.
DOMDARDED TOWN TWO DAYS
Defenders Feebly Returned Fire OF
Warships Until Forts Are SiIeneed.
No Casualties Reported In Fleet.

/
A report has been received in Rome
TO the effect that the city of Tripoii.
which was under bombardment. has
surrendered TO the Italian forces.
An account of the bombardment OF
Tripol says:
AT p. M on Oct. Vice Admiral
Faravelli signalled to the cruisers
Varese. Giuseppe Garibaldi and Fran
cesco Ferrnccio that the bombardment
was about to begin. These. with the
battleship Benedetto Brm. the flag
ship, steamed within two kilometers
Of the town. The Garibaldi. at $3.50 p.
m. fired first. and six we'll placed
shells struck the governors palace.
Immediately the palace end the
Amelia and sultan's forts replied with
fifteen centimetre guns. Their aim was
bad and the shells fell wide OF their
marks.
Then the Varese and francesca
Ferruccio fired at the Notifications.
the lighthouse and elsewhere. These
replied with small guns. The consul
lates flew their national flags and the
| forts the crescent.
After an hour the lighthouse col.
/ lapsed into ruins. The Italian fire be-
came heavier and that of the Turks
more feeble. Many guns were seen to
be dismounted and the palace was Sc.
verely battered The central forts
ceased firing at p. M but the outer
forts continued better directed fire.
"On the morning of Oct. the bonn
bardment was resumed It was heavier
than the day before. but the outer
forts had been reduced to ruins and
we're unable to reply The Turks had
removed their guns to the heights be-
yond the town and reopened fire from
there. They were. however. dispersed
| by shrapnel from the fleet and fled in
all directions.
THE first white flags then began to
appear. The Italians are now prepar-
ing to land 1000 men from the war
ships.
THE fleet was unframed, the Turk.
ish projectiles all falling wide of the
battleships There were no casualties
in the fleet during the bombardment
THE warships confined their fire, so
| far as possible. to the forts OF the pal
ace. and were careful to spare private
buildings The destruction of the
| lighthouse was necessary because 1t
was adjacent TO the fort which kept
up its fire.
Numbers of daring Arabs watched
the spectacle from the mnarets that
surround the town"
Rear Admiral Aubrey. in command
OF the Italian feet. reports that he
spared all the consultes. hospitals.
churches. monasteries and converts.
aiming. only at the Notifications Dis
elimination was made with relative
ease. as the range of the Turkish can
non was 80 short that the ships were
enabled 10 approach the city closely
and so take accurate aim.
The bombardment was protracted
because of the extreme care TO avoid
! useless blocdshed and to respect the
/ homes OF pun-combatants and the
mosques. Moreover. the firing was at
long intervals. as Admiral Aubrey and
Vice Admiral F'arayell expected al
any moment 10 see the white flag run
up. indicating desire to surrender
Admiral Aubrey ordered that the
ships abstain from USING guns of the
largest celihcr. as they were unneces-
sary. From the batticships the officers
could plainly see tire effect OF their
shots and realized tina, in few hours
all the fonts taighi b dismantled and
their batto"'a siloHccd This. however,
would be at the cost Of the lives Of
all OF the defenders, a result which
the feet was trying 10 avoid. Scarcely
any of the population remains in Tri-
poll. the city having been abandoned
Immediately when the bombardment
began.