Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-23
Long Drawn Out and Costly Eff
forts to Force a Passage to
Constantinople Have Finally
Come to an End.
RELIEF FELT IN ENGLAND
British and French Troops Will
Continue to Occupy Tip of the
Peninsula of Gallipoli Where
They Are Protected by War
ships against Turks.

London Dec. 2o--The announcement
IF the British withdrawal from Gallipoli
over Swallowed all other war news to-
night For the British public the abrupt
war office statement marks the end OF
one Of the great chapters of the wars his
tory.
The shock Of the news was hardly bro
ken bv the fact that ru,nors had been cur
rent in the street for some days, and the
withdrawal Of the forces had been mat
ter Of widespread pro and con discussion
ever since Lord Ribhesdales famous
speech in Parlia mont in which he declared
that withdrawal had been recommended
Ivy a high military authority.
The feeling Of the man in the street was
generally one Of relief mixed with regret.
A popular half-penny paper sums up the
British public's attitude as follows:
Thus the long dra wn-out and costly et-
forts of the French and British forces
to reduce the Dardaneles forts and break
their way through to Constan-
tinople have come to an end, for although
II is believed the tip Of Gallipoli peninsula
will continue to he held by the allies. n"
offensive movement Of any Importance
can now be made against the Turkish de-
fences, and the opinion is generally held
that the Dardanellcs campaign has oeen
virtually concluded.
Thus ends the enterprise on winch
the highest hopes were built and which,
IL it had succeeded. would probably have
turned the tide OF the war Our troops
from first to last were within few miles
of victory
The policy underlying the Dardanelles
expedition may yet be carried to sue
cessfu issue in some other quarter OF
the Near East but the prospect OF fore
ing a way to Constantinople through
the famous straits is apparently relin-
uuished.
British troops continue to occupy the
tip Of tho peninsula at Seddul Bahr
commanding the entrance to tho straits
where many British have declared new
Gibraltar will one day arise The posi-
ton here is protected by a double linz
of ships and 1t Is assumed that this
will he held.
A fair degree of quiet has continued
on the war fronts during the past p
hours. and none of the oft-repeated
threats of big offensive in France
in north Russia Galicia or the Balkans
has vet actually materialized.
Persistent reports OF a Greco-Bulgar
ian encounter resulting from Bulgarian
surprise attack, have been cleared ur
by tho Greek statement that the on
counter took place in Albanian territory
No one was killed and few We're wound
ed. Order was restored promptly ant
an amicable inquiry IS proceeding.
1t is announced from Paris that M
enemy detachment has yet crossed tn
Greek frontier. Meanwhile. work OF
the defensive lines around Saloniki l
being actively pushed and the Greek vii
lagos in the neighborhood Of the line
are being evacuated by the population
Greek military circles declare they ar
convinced that the forces opposing tn
allies will not attempt to cross the from
tier, the Bulgarians because they realiz
the danger Of provoking Greece. tn
Germans because they are grateful 70
Greek neutrality and because they real
ize the tremendous cost which the enter
prise would entail