Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-27
TURKISH FORTS
PROVE STRONG
British Public Is Warned
to Expect Resistance
at the Dardanelles
FORCING PASSAGE
NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE
Big Land Force Needed for
Successful Assault on
Strait Defenses
London, April 20.-The admiralty
and the war office declared this
afternoon that general attack on
the DardanelIes had begun. An
army, II was said, has been dtsenn-
barked successfully.

london, April 26-Too great expec
tations were raised by the prelimin'
ary operations Of the allied fleet In
the Dardanelles, according to a repre-
sentative of British newspapers, who
is ohlcially accredited to the expedi
ton.
"The British navy is convinced
the correspondent says, that the
narrows could be forced II occasion
justified the loss Of ships that would
result but unless there were q power
full army ready to occupy the CALI
poll peninsula the moment the flee'
passed into the Sea Of Marmora the
Turks and Germans Immediately
would close the straits behind 1t SO the
warships would find it difficult to
fight their way out again.
"Nothing amazed the British and
French gunners more than the resist
ing power of the old forts around the
Dardanelles. For example, those al
Seddul Bahr and Kun Kale were sub
1ected to q devastating bombardment
in February, yet when landing parties
examined them they found the materi
al damage done was comparatively
small. Although they were mere
shamb1es. many guns were still IN
tact, and one 9-inch piece actually was
found loaded.
"similar conditions existed in the
forts nearer the narrows. After the
terrific bombardment of March IL
their gunners were forced to seek shell
ter and the fortihcations were silenc'
ed but the feet does not claim 70
have put many guns out OF commits
sion. After the disasters to the battle.
ships Ocean and Irresistible some OF
these guns were renamed, concen'
trating heavy fire on these vessels
while the work of removing the crews
to destroyers was In progress.
The correspondent considers the
Turks such poor gunners that the a.
lies would have been at Constants
NOBLE II there had been only Turkish
troops to deal with. He says, however
that praise must be given German OF
f,cers for the skilful use OF the oe'
lenses to meet the ships fire. For THIS
reason he believes 1t is essential To
have a very large expeditionary 1orce
supplied with heavy artillery, Dotn
field and howitzers, If the expedition
is to be a success. ),
"The first great moral oostacie.
the British observer states, lies 81 N
the constantly renewed mine fields.
then the concerted batteries OF heavy
howitzers and the direct fire guns
nlaced in position since the flrst at.
tack tack on the outer forts. Then the thers r,
are the movable light ;ndn oafhe1'us fba most stun un
eDpected quarters. The severity OF
the fire from these batteries frequent
~ W. checks and makes exceedingly diff
ficult the work Of mine sweeping. ~
"The more the task of forcing the
.+-.,ta ,s examined the more tremen'
dsan,'s dous proportions ,r does It assume M .
Moreover, we do not know tne
strength Of the enemy's land lvSsees forces
and the lesson Of. Flanders brougnt
home clearly what is the inevitable
cost OF assaulting entrenched posi-
tions."