South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-10-31
RUSSIAN FLEET
IS BLAMED FOR
TURKEYS MOVE
Cars Torpedo Boats Are Said
to Have Attempted to Pre-
vent Turkish Ships From
Entering the Black Sea.

naval aggression that brought turkey
into the war, according TO what pur-
ports to be an official statement from
the sublime porte in Constantinople.
According 20 this report Russian
torpedo boats, guarding the exit from
the BosphOrus into the Black sea, at
tempted TO prevent the Turkish Meet
from leaving the Bosphorus and en-
tering the Black sea and naval en-
sagement followed in which two Rus
sian war vessels were sunk.
This news came from Amsterdam
Friday night in a dispatch when
quotes a statement published in the
Zeitung Am Mattag. an afternoon
paper OF Berlin, containing details or
the engagement tn aper declares
that the statement t ave been OIL
cially issued in Constaptinople.
Turks Take Offensive.
The Turkish ships took the often
sive. opening fire when the Russian
vessels refused to permit their unim-
peded passage. More than 80 Rus
sian sailors were rescued from the
sea when the Russian vessels sank.
These have been made prisoners, ac-
cordIng TO the statement, which adds
that the Turkish feet sustained no
losses.
Expert opirion here is that this en-
gagement annotated the raid OF the
Turkish cruisers Breslau and Hami-
although the bombardment OF Theo-
doria and Novorossysk were reported
to Petrograd and London first. 1t is
assumed that the Turkish fleet. how
ever, was bent on the Black sea raid
when Il was halted by the Russian
cruisers posted at the mouth of the
Bosphorus 10 prevent such an act of
aggression.
While Russia thus far has been
made TO suffer alone from the agrees
sion OF Turkey, IL appears likely, from
ell indications, that IL will be England
and not Russia upon whose shoulders
will rest the responsibility for resist
ing the continued attacks Of the new
allies Of Germany.
Cavalry on the Move.
Friday strong Turkish cavalry divi-
sicns were reported to have arrived
in the neighborhood Of Abadah on
the Red sea. about 200 miles south OF
the Suez canal, threatening the Brit
ish in Egypt.
Shortly after the receipt OF this
dispatch from Cairo via Vienna and
Amsterdam to the Central News in
London. other reports from Athens
told OF the news from Damascus that
Bedouins were massing there under
German officers apparently for a
march on Egypt. Serious anti-Brit-
ish demonstrations are reported TO
the Evening News from Damascus
where the populace was reported al
most unanimously I'm favor of war,
particularly on England.
This hostile activity is proceeding
in spite of the warning delivered to
the porte at COnstantinople by the
British ambassador acting under in
structions from the home government
that any attempt to cross the frontier
Of Egypt would mean war.
This diplomatic activity and the
preparation made along the Suez and
the peninsula OF Sinai for the resist
ance of any invasion by hostile Turk
ish troops OF the territory under the
government OF England in Egypt
showed that the government was not
unprepared for possibly aggression in
this direction.
Ambassadors to Leave.
The ambassadors OF the triple en-
tente powers have made prepara-
tions TO leave the Turkish capital.
The Russian ambassador at Con-
stantinople has already been with
drawn according to an official an
nouncement and all Russian conSuls
in Turkey have been instructed to
get out of the country.
ItaIy's hand Is expected soon to be
forced. France has looked TO Italy
10 dominate the Balkans and in the
present crisis with Turkeys army,
numbering 700, 600 and $4,000 thrown
into the conflict, she cannot do so by
continuing her neutral position.
Representatives of the foreign Of
fees in Bordeaux are reported TO be
on the way TO the italian capital and
a momentous confer renee is expected
20 be held on their arrival
Greece, Roumania and Bulgaria
are engaged and Persia and perhaps
the Asiatic lands TO It's eastward may
also be included.
10 Coz
key and viii welcome the chance 70
again measure swords with her anci-
ent enemy.
Greek Fleet is Needed.
And Greece is needed TO aid Rus
sia on the Black sea for the Russian
fleet has no units as powerful as
either the Breslau or the Goeben, al
though numerically her Black sea
fleet is much stronger. However. the
addition OF the two Grecian battle
ships recently purchased from the
United States would be a valuable ad-
dition 10 the allied naval strength in
these waters.
Indeed in the stimate OF experts
here unless Bulgaria joins the enc
mics OF Turkey, an invasion by land
OF European Turkey is impracticable
and the warfare will be almost en-
tirely naval.
Certain II Is that Turkey has en-
naTkeQ upon the war Win neT naNat
plan 10 the fore. For Friday fresh
activities % her ships IN the Black
sea were reported.
Odessa. one Of the principal Rus
sian ports was entered by two Tlr-
kish torpedo boats during the day
and a Russian gunboat was sunk, ac-
cording TO an Official announcement
from Bordeaux. Damage was also
inflicted upon the French steamship
Portugal.
The torpedo boats then bombarded
the city and a considerable amount
OF American property was destroyed.
Lives OF hundreds of residents. both
native and foreign were endangered.
Hear From Goeben.
The Turkish cruiser Goeben was
heard from near the Takol light
house according TO a dispatch from
Kertsch, a seaport in Crimea, where
the Russian steamship Yalta from
the Caucasus was sunk BY a torpedo
launched By the GOehen.
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