The Washington times., 1915-08-26
BALKANS DOUBTFUL
OF 0TTOMANS' FALL
By HENRY WOOD.

SOFIA, Bulgaria (hy maiD, July 3d.
Governmental. diplomatic and military
circles generally throughout the Balkans
have become pessimistic to an extreme
degree regarding the success Of the al
lies campaign against the Dardanelles.
The almost unanimous verdict is that the
action was both ill-advised and ill-plan-
ned.
In the first place, 1t Is declared the
allies unquestionably underestimated the
strength Of the Turks. They are de-
clared evidently to have taken into con-
sideration only the weakness shown dur
ing the two Balkan wars, and to have
overlooked entirely the regeneration and
reorganization which has taken place
in Turkey since the Young Turks secured
In the second place, the lack Of quick.
vigorous, effective action In the execu-
ton Of the plan of attack Is roundly
L on the day the allies bonn
the hrst time. the fleet had been sent
through the straits regardless Of cost.
It II the general impression here the
Dardanelles would have been forced.
Allies Plans Defeated.
Now the forcing of the straits by
the fleet Is regarded as an absolute
impossibility. the Turks having had
ample time to prepare defenses of
the most modern and adequate kind.
Similar criticism Is also leveled
against the land action on the penin-
sula Of Gallipoli. Not only did the
allies underestimate greatly the
strength Of the Turks. but they allow
ed ample time for the latter to make
UP all Of the weaknesses and defects
in their defense that would have been
open to a land attack made simultane-
ously with the first bombardment OF
the straits last February instead of
two months later.
While 1t Is not believed here that
the final capture Of Constantinople by
land Is utterly impossible, 1t Is never
theless the general opinion that the
attack has been reduced to a basis
of trench warfare and can only sue
ceed after a long campaign in which
every foot Of ground will be nercely
contested.
No secret is made in Yhe Balkans OF
the fact that the original plan Of
landing Of a Russian army on tho
Black Sea coast north Of Constanti-
nople and the capture Of that city
from the Chatalja line in the rear
But here again the lack Of quick. en-
ergetic action on the part OF the
allies defeated this plan.
Russian Army Held Ready.
With the arrival OF German sub
marines off Constantinople the Turkish
fleet is now almost equal to the naval
strength which Russia has at her dis
position In the Black Sea.
II IL known that for several months
Russia has been holding an army va
riously estimated from 100000 to 400 600
at Odessa for this descent on the Black
Sea coast north Of Constantinople. By
losing. however. the little naval SUI
premacy she at first had in the Black
Sea this has now been rendered utterly
impossible. While by a sudden move It
might be possible still to effect the land
iinE Of the troops. the general opinion
here is that the Russian fleet never
could keep open the line Of communica-
tions. especially against the submarines, 5,
necessary to insure the continuance of
the operations. Only a preponderating
naval supremacy such as the allies have
In the Mediterranean could do that
In general. England, and especially
Churchill. are blamed here both for the
underestimation of the Turkish strength
and for the lack of effective action.