South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-20
Conference of AdmiraIS on
Board French BattIeShip
Suffren Results in Agree-
ment to Resume Attack.
BATTLE IN STRAITS
AT CRITICAL STAGE
Three More Big WarShipS Are
Dispatched to Reinforce
Fleet Crippled by Loss of
Ships in Attack Thursday.

LONDON. March 20-Despite the
damage inflicted by the Turkish gums.
the attack upon the Dardanelles forts
Will be continued by the Anglo-Frcnch
fleet with all possible vigor This. ac-
cording 10 "a telegram from Athens,
was the decision reached at a con
ference Of adrIirals on board the
French battleship Sufren ON Friday.
owing 10 gale bombardmcnt ON Fri
day was discontinued.
The Athens dispatch follows:
At a conference of admirals on
board the French battleship Suhren
ON Friday IL was decided to continue
the attack upon the Dardanelles forts
from the sea. The decision was COM
municated 10 the warships and re-
ceived with acclamation Fridays
operations were discontinued owing to
heavy gale
A Tenedos dispatch says that six
nattleships reentered the strait on
Friday. but on account of the bad
weather we're unable to pursue opera
lions. I'm the afternoon British de-
stroyers took a number of bodies from
the hospital ship and conveyed them
ont TO sea where they We're buried
with full military honOrs. While the
burial ceremonies were in progress
the flags of the fleet were lowered to
half mast.
Critical Stage Reached
With three and perhaps four of the
big hattleshipS OF the Anglo-French
fleet sunk, and at least two others out
of commission 10y reason OF damaEe
inflicted by Turkish guns the task of
forcing the Dardenclles has now
swung into its critical and most dam
Gerous phase. Although the strength
Of the Heet was materially impaired
by the sinking of the BOuVet, the Ir-
resistiblC and the Ocean, 1T is expect
cd that the British dreadnaughts
queen ana Implacable. and the
French battleship Henry ", which
were ordered to reinforce the fleet.
viii have reached the scene of opera
tions within the mkt As hours.
IL is believed that the French trans
ports carrying the army of Gen.
D'Amade. which Will cooperate with
the British in land operations have
already reached the scene.
Dispatches from TenedOs state that
repairs are being rushed at fun speed
upon the French battleship Gaulois
and the British dreadnaught Infiex-
ible. whose forward control position
was struck hv a heavy shell.
Destruction of the Turkish forts
guarding the narrOws IS now the stu
pendous task which cOnfrOnts the
fleet. These forts are the strongest
infOrCed with many secret batteries
The task is made even more severe
by the fact that the Turks are con-
stantly releasing mines which drift
through Erenkeu bay. menacing the
French and British warships with de-
structiOn. owing TO the mine field off
1&Cphez Buruu. the war fleet cannot
approach nearer than SIX miles from
Chanak. the southern extremity of the
s
been able 90 feel their way through
the field.
Africa Reported sunk.
A radiogram from Berlin quoted a
C0nstantinOplc dispatch as saying that
the British hattleship Africa had been
sunk 10y a mine or torpedo. There
was no official confirmation OF this re-
port up TO the time this dispatch was
written. In fact it was not even known
that the Africa was in Turkish Wa
tiers
(Thc Africa is a powerful battleship
If 1850 tons. mounting four l2-lnch
guns. four uine-inch guns: 10 six
inch guns, l. 12-pounders and i
three Founders Her commander is
capt Herbert J. o. Miller and her
normal complement is ~ men.)
a rumor was circulated to the ef-
feet that Vice Admiral Sackville Car
den former commander of the inter-
national fleet has been killed. but the
information I'm the official dispatch
seems To dlsproVe this. According TO
the rumor the British vice admiral
was killed when a shell hat the for
ward control position OF the InteNble
which occurred ON Thursday. An oiH
sial admiralty statement says that
Garden was not an command of the
fleet then. having been succeeded by
Rear Admiral John Michael DE RO-
beck ON Mar u 10, because OF illness.
Counting such auxiliary craft as
supply ships. hospital ships, mine
sweeperS. aviation ships and trans
ports. there viii be more than 100
ships in the great armada when the
reinforcing vessels arrive on the
scene.
Report RelnfOrccmcnt~.
It is reported that the French admir-
atty has sent a squadron Co reinforce
the fleet OF Rear Admiral SIR Richard
Pierse. which Is lying OF smyrna
The casualties suffered by the brit
ism and French men OF war during the
past three days are believed 10 num-
her az least 1000 men I'm killed and
wounded
The appearance Of a Russian feet
Off the eastern entrance of the BCs-
uhOruS now cOmpcls the Turks 10
guard Coustantn0ple upon the east as
we'll as the west
IfspatCheS from Tcnodos and
Athens 81 that the artillery duel be-
lween the Turks forts and ships of the
inc grows IN intensity every time it
Is renewed. Mine sweeping opera
lions are being continued in order To-.