Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-09
TURKISH COMMANDER TALKS
Field Marshal Liman Won Sanders
Pashs Describes Dardanelles
Defense.
SAYS ALLIES PLANS FAILED

SAYS ALLIES PLANS FAILED
tCorrespo nd, nee Of the Associated Press }
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS. CALI
poll, June H-"There are no secrets
around here. You can go anywhere you
please" said Field Marshal Liman Won
Sanders Pasha to the Associated Press
correspondent, when the latter presented
his credentials and asked for permission
TO visit the front.
Il may add that the military situation
Is most favorable for US" he continued.
I'VE intend driving the British out Of
Ari Bournou before Tong But we are in
no hurry because VIC can achieve that
without mailing the sacrifices which
might still be necessary to get rid Of the
enemy"
Tho supreme commander Of the Turk
ish forces on the Gallipoli peninsula IL a
man somewhat advanced in years, but re-
markably well preserved. He is about
Elk feet tall, and well proportioned In
body; there IL a soft quality in the lines
Of his face and the expression OF his eyes.
Liman Pasha came to Turkey in the
summer Of 1919 to assist, as head Of the
German military mission, I'm the reorgani-
zatlon Of the Ottoman army. He has
been an indefatigable worker in that ca
paoity. and the splendid conduct OF the
sultan's troops in this war may be said
TO be largely due to the reforms insti-
tuted on his advice.
In his conversation with the Associated
Press correspondent. Liman Pasha out
lined briefly the course which military
events on the peninsula had taken since
the landing in the last week Of April.
Allies Losing Ground.
I'm forty-nlno days dhe interview oc-
. CURED on June I'D the allies have done
little beside losing ground steadily" said
the commander.
Their offensive collapsed ms soon as
we were able 10 counteract their tao
tics. Il must be borne In mind that this
happened despite n superiority in artil-
lery that left our own arm of that char
acter no chance whatever. For days and
days the allied ships bombarded and
searched every part OF the peninsula
with an ertillery fire ms severe and inces-
SAINT as, ON the whole. II was unproduc-
tive OF results favorable TO the British
! and french troops. l will say that the
moral effect of heavy bomoardment IL
: not as lasting in tho case Of Turkish
troops. as the allies may have expected
/ our brave Ottoman soldiers are not easily
frightened by noise. owing 10 their splen-
( did nerves-and this Is a war OF nerves
' war In which strong nerves mean vic
1 tory"
, Later In the day the correspondent was
. given letter by Liman Pasha In which
all commanders at the front were re-
queated to Permit an inspection OF their
sectora by the holder. On the following
day, June Il. the positions at Art Bournou
were visited
Indirect Fire Fails.
y But In the Aegean Sea two British cruis-
. ers were maneuvering when the ride e
: Arr Bournou began. Since $3.50 a. M, they
had kept up a rather severe bombardmen'
of certain parts OF the peninsula. Pass
a ing through the section under fire II was
: obvious that indirect fire, without OBJ
servers. Is a waste OF ammunition. The
4. fire of the cruisers was purely chance
: work No aeroplane or captive balloon
was up and the heavy shells exploded In
!, the open and on the wheatfields. Ninety
were counted and the result achieved is
represented by zero.
The bombardment ceased about a. m
4 A little later the Ari Bournou position
was reached, and the Journey covered
2 ground formerly occupied by the British
D troops, which at Ari Bournou, are ex'
9 cluslvely contingents from Australia and
!, New Zealand.
The center OF the British position Is
Arr Bournou, or Cape Arr. Here Ions
outer trench has been dug. Behind this
, outer trench the British have established
second line Of defense. consisting OF
two short sectors. Back OF the souther'
: most OF these sectors lies another trench
, serving, evidently. as a support to an
{ artillery redoubt located on the summit
, Of Cape Arr itself
Center of British Position.
This may be called the center OF the
, British position, though the left flank OF
: the British consists OF a single short
: trench on a hill about 400 yards north
of the extreme point OF the northern sec
tor.
, The British right flank, or southern
series of entertainments, Is located on the
southeast OF the Korkou-Deresi creek and
follows the course Of an advanced trench
: and two supporting sectors.
; With Art Bournou as pivot, the British
' position Is crescent-shaped. about ESQ
, yards long from north to south. and 1.lo
, yards wide in line drawn across Ar
Bournou. The site Ia rather bare. There
Is a small spring on It. and most Of tho
water needed by the British troops hai