The state herald., 1915-08-27
ITALY DECLARES
WAR ON TURKEY
GERMAN FLEET LEAVES GULF OF
RIGA AFTER SEVERE DEFEAT
IN FIERCE NAVAL BATTLE.
.RUSS|ANSSIN 11SH|PS
BATTLEsHiP MoLTkE WITH 1,1o7
MEN, AND 10 OTHER BOATS
LOST BY THE KAISER
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

London, Aug. 24.--Italy has declared
war on Turkey.
| Marquis di Garroni, Italian ambas-
sador to Turkey. Saturday handed to
the Porte note declaring Italy con-
sidered herself in n state OF war with
Turkey and demanded his passports,
according to an official telegram from
Constantinople received at Amster-
dam and transmitted to the Central
News. The reasons given in the note
for Italy's declaration of war were
the support given by Turkey to the re-
volt in Libya and the prevention of
the departure of Italian residents
from Syria. The declaration of hos
tilities by Italy has been expected for
several days, the immediate cause be.
ing Turkeys recent refusal to permit
thousands of Italian subjects to leave
Turkish territory. Protests were sent
from Rome and the matter was the
subject of diplomatic negotiations the
past week. Italy. 1t is reported. has
been holding a large squadron in read.
mess to sail for Turkish points. Sew
eral army corps also have been in
readiness for several days to move to
secret destination.
The immediate effect Of the action
will be in the Dardanelles, tc which
large force OF Italian soldiers prob
ably will be dispatched at once to aid
the French and British in their at
tempt to capture Gallipoli peninsula
and force the opening OF the straits.
The Italian government. says Stef-
FAM dispatch from Rome, has sent to
all its representatives abroad circu.
lar dispatch setting forth the Ques'
tions at issue between Italy and Tur-
key. The dispatch closes with these
words:
"In view OF these obvious infrac.
tions OF categorical promises made by
the Ottoman government and follow
ing upon our ultimatum Of Aug. 3. pro
yoked by evasions OF the Ottoman
government. particularly with regard
to the free departure OF Italian sub
jects from Asia Minor, the Italian gov
ernment has sent instructions to, ~
ambassador at Constantinople to de-
clare war on Turkey"
A dispatch to the Central News from
Petrograd says:
THE President of the Duma has an.
nounced that the Germans lost the
battleship Moltke. three cruisers and
seven torpedo boats in the Riga bat.
tie"
The announcement OF the President
of the Duma as sent by the cores
pondent follows:
In the Riga battle the Germans lost
one superdreadnaught, the Moltke,
three cruisers and seven torpedo
boats. The German fleet has with.
drawn from Riga bay. The Germans
tried to make descent near Pernpvin
(Pernigel on the east shore OF the
Gulf OF Riga some thirty.five miles
north OF Riga. Four barges crammed
with soldiers took part In the descent.
I lutA NtIt ftpuiH'h ny iht huhhiah
troops without the cooperation of ar
tillery. the Germans being extermi'
mated and the barges captured"
The correspondent adds that British
submarines aided the Russian fleet.
An official communication issued In
petrograd says:
The German fleet has left the gulf,
Our destroyers in the Black sea have
sunk over 100 Turkish boats. The
German hattle-cruiser Moltke. which
was OF the dreadnouRht style. was
vessel OF $4,000 tons and carried In
ordinary times oomplemon, OF l.i07
men II was sister ship OF the fam
Gus Gocben which became part OF
the Turkish navy after the commence
mcnt OF the war and was re.christcned
EulIuN GatirN {"