The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-10-04

Tripoli. Sept. 29.-The Italian
squadron. which had been cruising in
the offing. came close in shore this
morning and the destroyer Garibal-
dino steamed into the harbor at noon
flying white flag. Great crowds
gathered and watched her approach.
After reconnoitering the destroyer
launched boat which came to the
beach. An officer landed. He was
preceded by a blue jacket carrying a
white flag.
Turkish soldiers surrounded the
pair. The officer asked for the Tur-
kish commander. When taken to him
he formally announced that the Ital-
ian fleet had been ordered to occupy
the town. He therefore demanded
the instant surrender Of the whole
Turkish garrison. The Turkish COM
mander replied that he was unabl.
to comply with the demand. and en-
phatically refused to surrender.
The incident was witnessed by the
foreign residents. who gathered
around the italian officer ind cheered
him enthusiastically. The boat then
returned to the destroyer. which re-
Joined the fleet.
A great number Of the residents nf
Tripoli spent last night, camped on
the beach. alarmed lest tn. Arabs
should get out Of hand and begin
pillaging. Arabs are constantly ar.
riving from the country. The mosques
are kept open. and throughout the
night were filled with praying Arabs.
State of War Exists.
London. Sept. 29.-Affairs devel-
oped today with extraordinary rapid
ity. A state Of war exists between
Italy and Turkey. and hostilities have
begun.
No sooner had the time limit fixed
In the ultimatum expired than, ignor-
ing Turkeys conciliatory request for
a period Of delay. Italy declared war.
The Turkish representatives in Italy
were handed their passports. The
Turkish commander at Tripoli was
asked to surrender the town but de-
clined. and the Italian forces immedi-
ately occupied Tripoli and Benghazo
Apparently the Turks offered no
resistance, but this Is only an as
sumption. as Immediately on landing
the Italians evidently seized the tele-
graph lines. From the hour of their
landing no message Of any kind has
been received from Tripoli, and die
patches sent to that place remain un /.
answered.
1t should be noted, however. tina.
a Constantinople dispatch announc-
Ing italian occupation Of Tripoli
makes no mention Of resistance, and
a mere protest by the governor would
be In line with the Turkish announced
policy.
The Turkish cabinet. which had for
some time been insecure. resigned
as soon as war was declared. and a
new ministry was formed under Said
Pasha. retaining the former able war
minister, Mahmoud Shefket .Pasha.
Turkey continues her efforts to Sc
cure intervention by the powers. In
the meantime Italy is actively pur-
suing hostilities. italian battleships
are reported to have appeared of
Smyrna and Saloniki.
An Italian cruiser landed troops at
Prevesa after destroying a Turkish
torpedo boat destroyer, and the l.al-
ian fleet has blockaded the whole
Tripolitan coast.
There are unconfrmed reports that
Turkey intends to send an ultimatup.
to Greece to abandon her claim on
Crete and is massing troops on the
Thessaliar frontier.
The greatest activity ensued in all
the european chancellertes on the an
nouncement that war had been de-
clared and notification Of a blockade
II Is expected that the various gov
ernmer's will issue the customer,
neutrality notices and will devote
their diplomatic efforts as far as pos
sib.e to localizing hostilities 10 the
combatant powers and especially to
avoid complications in the Balkans.
Trouble between Italy and Turkey
which eliminated this afternoon in
declaration of war at Rome. dates
back to 1878, when with the making
or the treaty concluding the Russo-
Turkish war the Powers are under
stood to have agreed To permit Italy