The farmer and mechanic., 1915-09-14
GUARDS ENTRACE TO
THE DAROANElLES
Decision As To Who viii Get
This important Stronghold
viii Be Principal Feature of
Peace Negotiations With
ConQuerors of Turks On
Termination Of Struggle
tRy the Associated Press.

Cry the Associated Prees)
Constantinople. Sept. IA contest
for the possession of Rabbit Imbros
Toncdos and Lennos Islands is bound
to be one of the principal features of
the peace negotiations marking the
end Of the European war, according
to a neutral diplomat here. The in
formant would not have his name
mentioned. but he is a man who is
considered here as thoroughly con-
vcrsant with affairs in Russia.
"One has but to look at the map to
realize that the power installed upon
the islands of Imbros, LemnoS. Tene-
dos and the group known as the Rab-
bit Islands, will be the master Of the
Dardanelles and the approaches to
them" said he That power at
present, is Great Britain 1t is not for
me TO say what the Russian govern
mcnt thinks of seeing Great Britain
in possession of such splendid sites
for the establishment Of another
Gibraltar. | know, however that the
Russian government has already seri-
ously considered that possibility, and
on two occasions sounded the British
government what its intentions We're.
What the reply was. I do not know"
Occupied BY Greece.
Up To last October the islands, with
the exception of the Rabbit group,
had been Professionally occupied by
Greece by virtue of the treaty of Lon
don. They are OF great strategic i'm
portance owing to their location and
proximity to the entrance of the Oar
| danelles. In addition to controlling
| the approaches to the strait the is
| lands also command the adjacent
/ Levant and European coastlines.
The largest of the Rabbit Islands
| s. only nine and one-half English
miles from the Dardanelles entrance
h and about five miles from Yenikoi or
the Anatolian coast. 1t consists of {
single. low hill. which is said to be ex
cellently suited as the site cf a large
number of coast batteries. On th'
! southern coast of the island a harbOl
and base for small war craft sucl
as submarines. torpedo boats and de
stroyers could he easily established
With the great range Of mOderi
guns. entry into. and exit from th'
Dardanelles could be controlled with
out difficulty from this position. I
range of nine and a half miles en-
sures effective fire. The forts at Kun
kaleh and Seddul-Bahr could b.
bombarded by batteries on Rabbit Is
land
No less important in such a schem
IS the island of 1mbrOS. It's easter
shore is situated about twelve and
thirteen miles from the main channe
Of the DardanelleS entrance. The bay
Of the island are suited for naval sta
tionS. while batteries on the shore c
Cape Cefalo could efficiently supper
the batteries on Rabbit Island In a
operation against ships wishing
enter or leave the strait. What tn
would mean is best understood whe
il is borne in mind that on March i
the Queen Eliza beths" main batter
of 16-inch guns bombarded the fort
of Tschanak Kaleh from a distance
about $4,000 yards, or little nor
than ten English miles. Since shiI
in the entrance would not have tf
excellent cover enjoyed by the Turks
batteries. a totally different resu
would have to be looked for. TT
batteries on Imbros and Rabbit L
lands would fire from a StatiOnal
base and would take their target III
der a cross fire.
Could Close Straits.
With the island of Lemnos also
possession of the power holding RAJ
bit and ImbroS Islands. the Dardal
elles could be closed tighter tha
ever. according to military and nav
men here. This island is forty-ol
miles from the entrance to the stra
and by virtue of location and prop
distance admirably suited as a nav
base against the Dardanelles. Viii
such "A base could be established
imbros Island. that point is too clio
To the Dardanelles, and not central
enough located. to serve well for tn
purpose. The British have alrea'
realized this, and, while keeping
large number of vessels i'm the Cefa