The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-26
England favorable to Russian
Ownership of Gem Of the
Bosphorus
Capture Means
Lower Wheat rice
Germans Are Battcring Way
Through Russian Poland.
Capturing Town of Przasnysz
With 10000 Prisoners

London. Feb. a5.-Thc admit
rally announced officially tonight
that all the Turkish forts at the
entrance of the DnrtianeIics have
been reduced by the combined
Anglo French feet OF thirt.-two
ships, which have been bomsGird-
ing the positions Internationally
for more tiiun two months.
The feat is regarded in official
circles here rs one of the most
important accomplishments OF
the allied power since the begin
n,ng of the war, and predictions
are freely heard now that the
tall of Constantinopie will come
before long. Naval experts. how
ever, point cut that thi. il mere
iv the first step in Il stupcDdous
task. and that enormous efforts
will BIC required to force IA pas
sage of the rest OF the straits,
which are lined with strong forts
and modern defensive works for q
distance OF forty miles on both
sides. Furthermore, the Turkish
fleet, which under such conditions
il not To he dcSpised. is supposed
10 he stationed In Niagara roads,
ri the nirrowest part of the wa
terway. and extensive Issine fields
have been planted at strategic
points.
The allied feet is under cornmand
Of Nice-Aduiral Garden. and is tha
strongest aggregation of warsllips on
the allied side with the exception at
the British home fleet. Ii comprises
of all classes. including SUBJ
marines and destroyera. and has a
strong detachment of aeroplanes and
ssapianes, conveyed by the aeroplana
ship AriS Royal, The strongest units
under the British flag are the battles
ship Agamemnon. CORVALLIS Neu-
geance and Triumph. Under the
French flag are the battleshlps Sur
fren. Gaulois and Bouvat. Together
these vessels can throw a weight OF
metal that even the strong Turkish
defsnses could not long resist unaided.
Three Forts Destroyed.
The forts hich have been destroy-
ed are three in mum Der, two at Sed-
dul Bahr, ON the north of the Fsu-
ropaan side III the entrance, and one
at Kun kaieh, on the south. or TURK
ish SIDE. they have been regarded
as among the strongest Notifications
in the world. and they have been
vastly Improved since the beginning
of German influence in Turkey, Ger
man engineers having installed the
latest krupp ordnance and the most
modern of defensive works. The forts
themselves are mostly constructed of
earth and occupy commanding po-
sitiou at the mouth Of the straits on
thu Aegean sea.
Eleven miles in from the entrances
is the next obstacle which the fleet
will encounter. the lines of mines be-
ginning at Kephe% and extending for
a considerable distance to Niagara
roads. just inside OF the narrowest
part Of the straits which are only
t-5 miles wide there. 1t was at
this point that Lieutenant Hoibrook,
in the British submarine Bill braved
the chains OF explosives and torpedoed
the Turkish hattleship Messudiyeh on
December Ia. bringing his craft back
to the open sea unframed.
Many More Strong Forts.
At KepheZ there are also two
strong forts and further in, at the
Marmora sea and of the straits ara
the most formidable defenses OF all
the Notifications at Ghanak Kaiehsi.
or Sultanic Kalehsi. and at Kilfd
Bahr Between these two points
there are numerous other strong
-. c.NovI