The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-21

sula about nve miles deep. This repre-
sents the results OF an operation begun
nearly n year ago TO force .,e Darda-
nelles = attack Constantinoplc.
49, Cove is about sixteen miles
from the tip of the peninsula. sulva Is
five miles further north.
Time and again insurgcnt members
in the House OF have urged
that the Government abandon the Gal
lipoli Peninsula and with as good grace
as possible admit defeat. There has
never been any official intimatior, how
ever, that such a course would be pur.
sued.
The news OF the evacuation leaves
room for speculation respecting the des-
tination Of the army. 1t may already
he at Salonlc or II may be o. its way
to Egypt. There have been many re-
cent reports OF the concentration Of "A
large Turkish ARM north Of the Suez
Canal.
High praise was given the British
troops which participated In the first
landing at the Dardanelles. particularly
the Anzac Corps tAustralian and New
Zealand army corps) and the Twenty
ninth British Division. by Vice-Admiral
John NJ. de Robcck. who commanded the
landing operations. In his report, which
was dated July 1. 1918.
The land ing operations began on
April % and were concluded successfully,
although with heavy losses. on the fol-
lowing day. The Turks had taken full
advantage OF the interval allowed them
between the bombardments Of the allied
fleet and the arrival OF the army. to
fortify the beaches with trenches and
wire entsnglements almost down TO the
waters edge.
Of The landing OF tho Ansac troops.
1890 sl-l. $500 A.. -
position they have just evacuated. Vice
Admiral de Robeck said 'in this, their
first battle. they set a standard as high
Us that of any army In history-nothing
could stop such men"
But the campaign has been "A failure.
II has cost the British navy Ave battle
ships and the French one. The British
army UP TO December ! had lost over
100000 men In killed. wounded and
prisoners. The French figures of casual
ties have not been published. The
maximum OF territory occupied by the
invaders of G%allipoli. which IL about half
NJ long and mass about half the area Of
Long Island. Is ffty square miles. leaving
about l.l50 square miles In the possess
sion OF the Turks.
The best that could be said for the
campaign was uttered by Premier As
ouith on November . in a speech In the
House of Commons. In reviewing the
situation at Gall!poll from its beginning.
ne said that after full Investigation and
consultation with experts, notwithstand
ing doubts by Lord Fisher, the Govern
ment mad felt justified In sanctioning the
naval attack on the Dardanelles. II had
been approved by the French Admiralty
and the Russian Cabinet before a shot
was fired. After the naval losses 1t was
thought that with military aid II might
e,tNgaad lilo nhdals ct kaya nnyar falt
greater disappointment than at the
failure of that undertaking.. as success
would have meant 80 much"
On April % the first troops were put
ashore ut Sedd-el-Bahr. the tip OF the
peninsula. BY dint of very hard Tight
ing a footing was secured and q line
II Entertainments thrown across the pc
Hirsula from the strait side to the
.Egean. But the Turks had been prepar-
ing for such an operation for two months
They were thoroughly intrenched and
well supplied with ammunition.
Then began one of the most stubborn
and bitter bits Of warfare In history.
The Australians and New Zealanders
aided by French and Indian troops, at
tackled again and again. losing enor-
nous numbers OF their men. The situa-
;iou remained at a practical standstill
until August.
In that month more troops arrived
and a new landing was effected at Suvla
Ray. From here a drive was made a,
the flank Of the Turks, But that drive
like. the first one. from the south. ran
against an impenstrahle wall Of In,
trenchments. All the fighting was uphill
for the Allies and down hill for the
. Turks. More thousands of lives wers
thrown away in a vain attempt &c
make progress.