Albuquerque morning journal., 1915-05-18
TURKISH SAILORS
SHOW BRAVERY| IN
FACE OF DANCER R
Diary Of Native Gives Graphic
Account of Sinking of Sui
tan'S Cruiser by Russian
Mine in Black Sea.
ASSOCIATED Pres. Correspondence,


Constantinople, May Pictures
of Turkish sailors In modern naval
action are seldom seen to such ad-
vantage as in a natives account Of
the loss OF the armored cruiser Med
1ihieh, of the Turkish Black Sea fleet
published in the Constantinople pa
pers. The account purports to be a
diary of one of the men of the cruiser,
who saved themselves in small boats
when the vessel was sunk by a Rus
sian mine, near Odessa, early in
April.
We left Constantinople when the
golden rays OF the springtime sun
were reflected in the verdant waters
of the Bosphorus. the account be-
gins. we were on our way to ac-
complish an important duty. We We're
desirous OF threatening the enemy on
their very shores.
What great joy lighted all the
faces when the captain, Nazmi Bay,
had told the officers and marines that
we were off for the fight, which for
weeks we had awaited with feverish
desire.
Ignorant of Mines.
ION April 2, towards dawn, the en-
emy's shores were visible The coast
were very dangerous. The enemy had
sown mines everywhere. We were
ignorant Of the positions of these
mines. but we could rest quiet. for our
torpedo destroyers ahead of us were
sounding the sea and making road
for us. We were advancing and the
rising sun with it's broad golden rays
was lighting the pathway
Suddenly an explosion occurs, a
detonaton which shakes the whole
ship. A column of water rises, then
bursts. Pieces OF iron strike the deck
and plung into the water. What has
happened The ship heels rapidly and
the PROV begins to sink, in the shall
low sea. An enemys mine which, be-
cause of its special manufacture, had
not been seen by our mine-f fishing
boat, had hit our majestic and beau
tiful ship.
Crew Shows Courage.
Here the spirit OF bravery in our
crew appears. No alarm, no disquiet
ude is shown All is done in absolute
calm with the most perfect serenity.
No one seized the life belts. Not a
man thinks of the boats, for the cap
tain has not given the word. The |
crew has come up on deck. for water !
is rapidly filling the ship. Four sail |
ors are at the wheel below. Their |
situation is extremely critical hut they |
stick to their post. They ask through |
the speaking tube IL they may come |
up as their comrades have done. This |
deed is one of heroism which can
not be described.
ut is duty to publish the names of /!
these brave men and to cite them as /
40 f1a a Tho continent nf |
duty. They are: Ashar, the son of /
Abraham Of Cartai; Achmet, the son |
of Mehmet of Adelia: Mehmet, the |
son of Mustafa of Ayaniik, and Is
mail, the son of Yussuf of BrOusa. |
So long as they had not received the |
order of their cauptain they would |
not quit their perilous posts. The |
water has already reached the boil
ers and the engine room. The pumps /
no longer work for lack of steam. |
The mat is too little to fit the hor-
rible leak made by the mine.
Boats Are Lowered.
"At last the captain orders the /
boats into the water and the life
belts distributed. This is done in the |
greatest calm without the last alarm |
or haste. The torpedo destroyers then
rush to rescue the crew of our ship |
which is sinking while the boats are /
being lowered. The vessel leans more /
and more on its side, and as the can
non are partly under water. the cap
tain gives the word to leave. The
order is executed without alarm. The
boats fill with sailors, reach the de- !
stroyers and come back for others.
All the objects and important in
struments Of the ship are lowered into
the boats and saved The captain has
not life-belt A sailor offers him his.
He was the last to leave the ship,
after having made sure that no one
was left on board The prov was
entirely under water. the stern still
out.
"As il was necessary TO prevent the
enemy from refloating the ship, a
destroyer fired n torpedo at her. 1t
was a wise measure. Immediately a I
column of water arose and the ship
disappeared.