Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-11-19
BATTLE CLOSE TO
TURKEYS CAPITAL
suLTAN's ARMY MAKING LAST
DESPERATE STAND AGAINST
BULGARIAN FORCES.
TROOPS ARE FORWARDED
Al Day Long, constantinople Crowds
Listen to Booming Of Cannon
MosIem Ships Take Part In
Artillery Duel.

COnstant1nOpl0, NOV. lS.-lQe Sfedt
battle between the Bulgarians and
Turks is on all along the line of the
Tchatalja fortifications. Nazim Pasha,
the Turkish commander in chief, sent
the following dispatch:
"The battle which commenced yes.
terday morning with an attack by Bull
garian infantry lasted until one hour
after sunset. The enemy. who adj
vanced chiefly facing our right wing
and our center was repulsed by our
infantry and artillery fire. Three Bull
gariafl batteries were destroyed"
Heavy Guns Heard.
All through the day the sound of
the heavy guns. booming distantly
was heard in Constantinople. 1t
ceased only with darkness. The mr.
ing along the entire line evidently
was preparatory to an infantry at
tack.
The Turkish batteries replied vigor-
ously. The Turkish ships in the sea
of Marmora shelled the Bulgarian po-
sitions. Undoubtedly the fleet In the
Black sea also took part in the en-
though details from those
points are lacking.
In the afternoon the wind shifted
and 1t seemed for time as though
the battle had ended but again the
booming was heard and the move
ment of troops could be observed not
far from the very gates to the capt.
tol. A detachment of several thou
sand from the Tchatalja lines was
replaced by fresh troops who had
been held in reserve near the city.
The refugees behind the lines be-
gan breaking camp early in the day
and moved back toward CONSTANT
nople. The Greek villagers, who here
to fore had remained admirably indif-
ierent to events, prepared to desert
their homes.
Fate Of Capitol At Stake.
While calm prevailed. there was .
deadly tension in the knowledge that
the fate of the capital. the Turkish
army and those who waited anxiously
In Constantinople, were at stake.
Several members Of the legations
and other foreign residents witnessed
The artillery duel which they describe
as magnificent, and the Smelling from
height to height across Bimyua Chek-
medye lake and over the plains to-
wards the north. The flashes OF the
gums on both sides were visible to OBJ
.ervers over miles Of low country.
streets Guarded Closely.
Within the city every military pre-
caution was taken. Pickets were
posted at various points and patrols
the streets. The ambassa'
doris held a meeting at the foreign
with the commanders of the
Ottoman gendarmeric and advised for
The safety Of the foreigners.
1t decided that detachments for the
protection Of foreign institutions Will
be landed at dawn today. They will
remain concealed in the buildings and
will only cooperate with the local
forces should assistance be
required.
The Austrian ambassador, Marquis
De Pallavicini, notified the porte OF
this determination, but emphasized
the friendly character Of the measures
explaining that they were
In the interests of the safety OF for
Sign subjects and institutions.
The sanitary board at a meeting
yesterday urged that steps be taken
TO prevent the armies now facing each
other at Tchatalja from entering the
capitol owing to the cholera epidemic.
The resolutions to that effect were
by the British delegate.