The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-09-09
NEW GIBRALTAR
ON DARDANELLES
There Is Sure To Be Contest for Posses
sion OF Important Islands Now
Held BY Great Britain.

, ! iiNiu ny piS1t biAN"Ah'
Constantinople, Sept. GA contest TO
the possession Of Rabbit, lmbros, Tene
! dos and Lemnos islands is bound to b.
: one of the principal features of the peace
, negotiations marking the end of the Eu
ropean war, according TO neutral diplo
I, mat here. The informant would not have
his name mentioned, but he is a mar
: who is considered here as thoroughly con
versant with affairs in Russia.
Zone has but to look at the map to
realize that the power installed upon the
islands OF Imbros, Lemnos, Tenedos and
the group known as the Rabbit islands
: will be the master of the Dardanelles
and the approaches to them" said he.
That power, at present, is Great Brit
ain. 1t is not for me to say what the
Russian government thinks OF seeing
Great Britain in possession of such SPLEEN
did sites for the establishment OF an
Iother Gibraltar. | know, however, that
the Russian government has already Sc
riously considered that possibility, and
on two occasions sounded the British
government what its intentions were.
What the reply was, / do not know"
Up to last October the islands, with
the exception Of the Rabbit group, had
been Professionally occupied by Greece by
virtue OF the treaty of London They
are OF great strategic Importance owing
to their location and proximity to the
entrance of the Dardanelles. In addi-
ton to controlling the approaches to the
strait the islands also command the adj
jacent Leyant and European coastlines.
| The largest OF the Rabbit islands is
only nine and one-half English miles
from the Dardanelles entrance, and about
! five miles from Yenikoi on the Anatolian
coast. 1t consists OF a single, low hill,
which is said to be excellently suited as
the site of large number of coast bat
teries. On the southern coast of the is
land harbor and base for small war
craft, such as submarines, torpedo boats
and destroyers, could be easily estab-
lished. With the great range OF mod
ern guns, entry into and ex.s from the
Dardaneles could be controlled without |
difficulty from this position. A range C.
nine and a half miles ensures effective |
fire. The forts at Kun Kaleh and Sed- |
dul Bahr could be bombarded by bat |
teries on Rabbit island.
No less important in such scheme is |
the island of Imbros. Its eastern shore |
is situated about 1874 miles from Seddui |
Bahr and Is miles from the main chan
mel OF the Dardanelles entrance. The
bays OF the island are suited for naval
stations, while batteries on the shore
south OF Cape Cefalo could efficiently
support the batteries on Rabbit island /
in an operation against ships wishing TO
enter or leave the strait. What this
would mean is best understood when it is
borne in mind that on March Is the
Queen Elizabeth's main battery of H.
inch guns bombarded the forts of Tsha
max from a distance OF about $4,000
yards, or little more than 10 English
miles. Since ships in the entrance would
not have the excellent cover enjoyed by
the Turkish batteries, totally differ
emit result would have to be looked for
The batteries on Imbros and Rabbit is
lands would fire from a stationary base
and would take their target under a cross
fire.
With the island Of Lemnos also in pos :
session OF the power holding Rabbit and
Imbros islands, the Dardaneles could be +,
closed tighter than ever, according 10
military and naval men here. This is.
and is Al miles from the entrance TO
he strait, and by virtue of location and
proper distance admirably suited as a !
naval base against the Dardanelles. I
While such base could be established
m Imbros island that point is too close
% the Dardanelles, and not centrally "
nough located TO serve well for that
purpose. The British have already real
red this, and, while keeping a large
lumber OF vessels in the Cefalo bay,
mbros island, maintain their naval base I
gainst the Dardanelles at Lemnos. z
The passage between lmbros and Lem.
los islands Is but IL miles wide, and
an easily be closed by batteries on the
pposing shores The waters between {.
.emnos and the island Of Tenedos could
e commanded BY coast batteries and the h
'arships maintained at the Lemnos base. 4
n this manner egress from and ingress
0 the Dardanelles would be rendered
iost difficult, il not impossible. when
yer IL pleased the power hold these :
lands 20 make them 30.
That ne possession OF the islands Of =.
nbros, Lemnos and Tenedos could he -
Iade a strong military and political fac
N, was realized By the convention OF
ondon. which ended the Balkan war
reeoe was permitted 90 Professionally
,cupy these islands. firstly. because
reeoe had neither the interest nor the Ia
cans 20 fortify them against the Oar n
inelles; secondly. because the majority al
their inhabitants were Greeks. iri,
The islands were occupied BY Great "A
ritsin last October and December. the Ia
ocess Of gradual assimilation extending
acticaily 20 this date, however. for u :
as only recently the British govern -
ent announced the temporary occupa 2
N Of the island Of Lesbos o. Metylene :
eek military and civil authority has .
come a mere term IN the islands. Z
What amounts 20 q virtual blockade Of 3
? Bulgarian port Of Dedearatsch ~ the
itish feet. has also drawn attention % !
= OCCUPANCY By the British Of She .
gean islands Dedearatsch o. only 6 z
les from imbros island. a fact whieh 3
. caused the BulFarisu press 81 Vies 2
udifious in the northeast rearhes n \
? .Erean sea vita considerable anRisfg =
resentment. Since the crsfk port ~ 2