The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-02-27
war SUMMARY
PROGRESS OF CONDITIONS AS
COMPILED By THE ASSO-
GATED PRESS.

New York, Feb. 27.-Special: AL
most simultaneously with the decla-
ration in the house of IN of
the British foreign secretary that
Great Britain is in entire accord with
Russia's desire for access TO the open
sea m the announcement by the
British admiralty that all the forts at
the entrance TO the Dardanelles have
been reduced.
For several days the allied British
and French feet has been lombard
ing these forts, which constitute the
greatest obstacle to passage of the
straits. Within the straits and in the
sea of Marmora are other fortified
tions, but these are believed to be of
a weaker structure. The official
statement say that the operations
are proceeding and hat after a per-
iod of long range firing the warships
attacked at close range.
The straits are guarded also by
lines of mines believed to number at
least seven. 1t was under these
mines that the British submarine
Bill, in command of Lieut.. Com
mander Holbrook, dived last Decem-
Der and torpedoed the Turkish bat
tleship Messadieh. Recently the
Turks, fearing for the entrance of the
allies fleet into the sea of Marmora.
sent troops and heavy artillery TO all
the islands in that water.
If once they force the straits, the
British and French warships, which
are thought TO number between
thirty and forty. would likely at
tempt a landing, with a subsequent
march on Constantinople.
The Bosphorus, the narrow strait
about eighteen miles in length which
connects the Black sea with the sea
of Marmora, is also strongly forti-
fed, and it is through this strait that
the Black sea fleet of Russia would
have to come in order to reach the
open.
Within the boundaries of the Black
sea a powerful Russian fleet has been
bottled up, together with hundreds of
steamers which might be used for
transport purposes if Russia deemed
that advisable. furthermore. should
the allied fleet be successful in its
present undertaking, Russia would
be enabled to release millions of
bushels of wheat.
Sir Edward Grey's statement in
the house of m is in conson-
ance with the utterance of the Rus
sian premier, NJ. Goremykin, in the
duma on February 8, that 1.-The ra-
diant future of the Russians on the
Black sea is beginning to dawn north
of the walls of Constantinople," and
that of the Russian foreign minister,
M. Sazonoff, who said that 1.-The
events on the Russo-Turkish frontier
would bring Russia to a nearer real
ization of the practical and econom-
ical problems bound up with the
question of Russia's access to the
open sea.
The British cabinet has under dis
cussion the suggestion made by the
United States informally to Great
Britain and Germany that all mines
be removed from the high seas except
those necessary for the protection of
harbors and coast ~defenses, that a
plan be devised for the distribution
of foodstuffs to the civilian popula-
tion of Germany, and the abandon
ment by Germany of its submarine
warfare on merchantmen. The cab
met has taken no action, but 1t is un-
derstood that a reply will be ready in
a few days.
In the meantime merchant ships
are being sunk by mines and tor
pedoes and the American secretary of
the treasury has issued an order
whereby all ports in the British isles
have been made special ports, requir-
ing special rates of val risk insur-
ance from the government bureau.
and the special port zone Of the con-
tinent is made to include Bordeaux.
Berlin reports the capture of Prz-
asnpsz, an important town to the
north of Warsaw. There the Ger
mans took 10000 Russian prisoners.
and 1t is believed that the intention
is to march against the Polish cap
lital from the north.