Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-03-24


prise attacks delivered by forces out
numbering the defenders also failed.
We captured $50 prisoners"
Three Allied Ships Sunk, Two DAM
aged in DardaneIles.
London, March 19.-The admiralty
tonight gave out the following state
ment regarding operations at the
Dardaneiles:
"An account of the operations at
the Dardanelles on the 18th of
March: Mine sweeping having been
in progress during the last ten days
inside the Straits, general attack
was delivered by the British and
French fleets yesterday (Thursday)
morning upon the fortresses at the
Elizabeth, Inhexiblc Agamemnon
and Lord Nelson bombarded Forts
J, l., II, u and V, while the Triumph
and Prince George fired at batteries
f, E and II. A heavy fire was open
ed ON the ships from HowitZers and
field guns.
AT 1922 o'clock the French
squadron, consisting of the Suffren,
Gaulois Charlemagne and Bouvet,
advanced up the Dardanelles and en-
gagged the forts at closer range. Forts
j, L, and E replied strongly. Their
fire was silenced by the ten battle
ships inside the straits, all the ships
being hit several times during this
part Of the action.
by 1.25 p. M. all the forts had
ceased firing. The Vengeance, lire
SiStible, Albion, Ocean, Swiftsure and
Majestic then advanced to relieve the
six old battleships Upside the straits.
AS the French squadron, which had
engaged the forts in a most brilliant
fashion, was passing out, the BOuvet
was blown up by drifting mine. She
sank in 36 fathoms, north Of Eren-
keui village in less than three min
utes.
Two British Bautlcships Sunk by
Drifting Mines.
AT 2.36 p. NJ. the relief battle
ships renewed the attack on the forts,
which again opened fire. The attack
on the forts was maintained while
the operations Of the mine sweepers
continued.
AT 400 p. M. the Irresistible quit
the line, listing heavily, and at $50
o'clock sank, probably having struck
a drifting mine. At 6.05 o'clock the
Ocean, also having struck mine,
sank. Both tho vessels sank in deep
water. virtually the whole OF their
crews having been removed safely un-
der a hot fire.
THE GaulOiS was damaged by gun
fire. The Innexible had her forward
control position hit by a heavy shell
and requires repair
THE bombardment Of the forts and
the mine-sweping operations termi-
mated when darkness fell The dam
age to the forts, effected by the pro-
forces employed, cannot be estimated
yet, and a further report will follow
The losses Of the ships was caused by
mines drifting with the current.
which werC encountered in areas
hitherto swept clear, and this danger
will require special treatment.
Casualties Not Heavy.
The British casualties were not
heavy, considering the scale OF the
operations, but virtually the whole Of
the crew Of the Bouvet were lost
with the ship, an internal explosion
apparently having supervened on the
explosion Of the mine.
The Queen and Implacable, which
have been dispatched from England
to replace the ship losses in anticiDa-
ton OF this operation, are due to ar
rive Immediately, thus bringing the
British fleet up to its original
strength. The operations are con-
tnuing with the naval and military
forces available on the spot
'On the 10th instant Vice Admiral
Garden, who had been incapacitated
by illness, was succeeded in the chief
command by Pear Admiral John Mi
chael de Ro' et with the acting rank
Of vice admiral"
Two More British Steamers.
London, March 19.-Tho British
steamer Bluejacket, with wheat from
Liverpool, has been torpedoed by a
German submarine off Beachy Head.
Whiia chp w1S nrocaa6inp for nnInn