Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-24
TURKS THROWN
INTO PANIC WHEN
BRITISH ARRIVE
Interesting Letter From WO-
man Missionary Describes
Scene in Small Port on Ar
rival of Warship.


London, Feb. s.--The panic Of the
Turkish garrison and population of a
! small port near Beirut over the ar
rival OF a British. cruiser and its ac-
complaining aeroplane Is described In
a letter from young woman mis-
siOnary.
"A two-funnelied cruiser came IN
sight from the south at O'Clock this
morning. she writes. AT once there
was great excitement Everybody
who had roof went up on Il and
crowds lined the seashore. Panic
stricken Moslem women. CARRYING
bundles and babies, ran for the or
ange groves. Carts belonging to an
orangeman tore up the street loaded
with dishevelled, distracted soldiers
while the officers galIoped alongside
War IN this corner OF the world
IL Ike opera bouffe. Sections of Be
douln cavalry In swirling groups Of
thirty or forty. praneed BY, yelling vo-
ciferously. Then the high command
er, his great self half stepping out
Of his vehicle. dashed past in his car
riage, recently captured from an
English lady resident in the city. All
were making for the trenches to the
south among the sand hills.
snip Casts Anchor.
Meanwhile, however. the cruiser
had passed the southern end of the
city and was opposite the northern
suburbs. That was most troublesome,
for the commander. the Bedouins. and
the soldiers all had to rush back down
the streets and Brighten her away
from the north end of the town.
Their tactics were evidently effective,
FOR the cruiser turned slowly and
came hack again To the south. or
course they all followed her there.
The boat stopped and anchored oppo-
site the northern end of the town
Then came new development. A
neat, small thing, like a brown bird,
dropped over the side of the cruiser
into the sea, skinned the water. and
gracefully rose up into the air. The
soldiers hid under cactus hedges and
fired their rifles at IL, the Bedouins
galloped about, shouting and firing:
the commander himself fired at il, but
IL paid no attention. II lowered over
the town a few moments and then dis
appeared toward the interior.
The town waited and watched the
motionless warship. An hour and a
half passed and the seaplane re-
turned II seemed to circle affec-
tonately around a group OF English
buildings to which the commander
transferred his household at the be-
ginning Of the war. That was a try
ing coincidence, so Immediately more
orange carts were brought and the
commanders baggage, every scrap of
IL, including some things captured
from the former English occupants.
was taken off inland to a place of
safety.
"On flew the threatening brown
bird, circling the German colony. The
German consul gave orders, and the
colony was evacuated at once But
the aeroplane scared harmIessly back
again, southwards towards its nest.
on which everybody thought il was
going TO drop.
More Shouting Ordered.
ut dropped. A shout of ioy went
up from the soldiers in ambush UNI I
der the cactus trees. for it had 4
dropped into the sea, instead. Now it I
would sink. lost forever The shout /,
ing, the shooting, the imprecations, /
were taking effect, and the command /
err ordered more of il, to complete the I
destruction Of the brown bird
But the aeroplane was darling (
like an arrow straight through the /
water, leaving a shiny white track 1
behind It. 1t came alongside its nest. (
a crane stretched out its long arm and |
gently drew ii up, and in few mo-
ments 1t disappeared.
Now, what next2' wondered the 4
onlookers. Why, nothing, replied 1
the cruiser. Her tunnels began to |
smoke furiogsly, she turned her back /
on us all, and very slowly moved off |