Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-10-06
Warships Destroy Part OF the
Town of Preveza and the
Invasion is Begun
TURKS ASSEMBLING
TO CHECK INVADERS
In Twenty-four Hours Since Dec
aration of Hostiities Many
Men Have Been Kied

Constantinople, Sept. 3O.-Ihe
Italian fleet bombarded Preveza to-
day destroying the government house
and many private buildings. 1t is
said another torpedo boat was sunk,
hut this may be the one lost yester-
day. Troops are reported also to
have landed. Hostilities are expect
ed to start today in several places.
Preveza is Turkish seaport which
has once before been bombarded by
a hostile fleet. During the Greek
Turko war in 1897 the Greeks she'll
ed the town, but failed to compel its
surrender. The population of the
town is about 1000 mostly Greeks
and Albanians. 1t has three an
cient forts, but it's main protection
is a series of wide sand pits which
prevent large warships from enter
ing the harbOr.
The Young Turkish committee
published the following proclama-
tion today:
"Italy has at length unmasked her
hostile designs on Tripoli. There
will be war between the two coun-
tries, and our nation will employ
every means against the enemy. Tri-
poll will .courageously defend itself.
The Ottoman government will expel
all Italians from Turkey, and Italian
schools and business houses will be
closed.
Urges Fairness to Foreigners
"Our committe will employ all its
influence to cause these measures to
be applied in a calm spirit toward
the nation which has trodden under
foot our most sacred rights. We
beg the population to remain tran
quill and to leave to the government
the duty of acting against the 1tal-
ians, thus demonstrating that Otto
mans are more civilized than Itilains
who drove their government to the
present action.
1--WE urge all children of the faith
er-land to be united at this critical
moment"
1t is stated at the ministry of
marine that the crew of the Turkish
craft destroyed by the Italians in
Preveza harbor yesterday, escaped.
War Minister Chelket Pasha, in
direct charge of the defensive opera
tions, is hurrying troops to the
strategic points on the coast to re-
sist Italian landings.
European Diplomacy Strains Every
Nerve to Limit War Field
Vienna, Sept. 30.-With the news
that actual fighting between Italy
and Turkey has followed King Vic
tors declaration of hostilities again
st the Sultan, European diplomacy
has been straining every nerve to
narrowing the field of war.
The censorship on all news mes
sages from both Italian and Turkish
sources renders information of late
developments very meager. Con-
firmation of the Italian capture of
the Tripolitan coast is lacking, and
it is doubted here if one has yet
been effected, the most reliable news
at hand here indicating that the
squadron already there will await
arrival of the main feet of warships
and transports due from southern
Italy and Sicily early next week.
The force under General Caneva,
who will have the general command,
will amount to about 10000 men, or
some 10000 more than the entire
Turkish military forces in Tripoli.
It is known, however, that the
italian blockading squadron off Tri-
poll has seized the Turkish transport
/ Derna, which arrived Thursday with
the new Turkish governor of the pro-
vince, troops, and munitions of war.
The Turks made no resistance, which
would, with their single transport
against the Italian warships, have
been useless.
f, 1t is also confirmed that the Turk
| ish fleet, as reported off Chios, in
| the Aegean Sea, has sunk two barge
| loads of Italian soldiers, who are
presumed to have been trying tC
land on Turkish territory. The Ital
ians' fate is unknown. How many
Turks were drowned as result Ol
the beaching off Preveza of two
transports which Italian gunboat!
were pursuing is also uncertain, bu
it is reported that several hundred
lost their lives. The Turkish com
! mander is said to have run the boat
recklessly upon the rocks to escap'
capture, the soldiers facing deatl
with the utmost courage and uncon
cern.
Italian warships are known to b.
| attempting to establish a blockad,
of Western Turkish ports.
Rome, Sept. 30.-The Italian fiai
'oday flies over Tripoli, an Italian
army had invaded European Turkey
and the Italian Navy have won tn
first battle of the Turko-Italian war.
This is the sum of the first twen
ty-four hours of hostilities betweel
the two powers. Reports from Sa
lonika indicated that another nava
battle is imminent in the Adriati
Sea.
A number of Turkish soldiers los
their lives in the wrecking of Turk
ish torpedo boat by Italian warship