Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-26
ALL FORTS DESTROYED.

Entrance 0pensd BY Ships Of Alice
0ther Forts Block Way.
LONDON, Feb. 26.-All the forts at the
sntraice sof the Dafdanslles have been
reduced by the allied fleet. This an
nouncement was made officially Thurs
day night.
The announcement Of the secret
Of the admiralty follows:
The weather moderattng, .om-
bardment Of the Dardanep was re-
newed at o'clock this mSrning (Feb.
25). After a period of long range firing
the squadron OF battleships attacked at
trance to the straits were successfully
reduced and the operations are con-
tinuing."
The Dardanelles, known as the gate
way to Constantinople, Is a narrow
strip Of water dividing European from
Asiatic Turkey, and leading from, the
Aegean Sea to the Sea Of Marmora It
is about thirty three miles in length
and averages about :wo miles in width.
At the entrance to the straits are,
on the European side, forts Burnu
and Sedd-el -bahr, which face fort
Kumkale on the Asiatic side. Sedd- ell
bahr is quadrangular enclosure
with solid walls and low towers at the
angles. Standing on the side Of the
hill which slopes to Cape Greco, its
lower wall reaches to the waters edge.
In acreage Sedd- -el- oahr is the largest
fortress on the, ,Dardanelles. Behind
the castle on the height is the Shehim
Kaless fort.
Across the strait from Sedd-el-bahr
to Kumkale is about two miles. Kum-
kale is an old stone castle which on
the fiat land of the Asia.ic side lies
almost at the water line. Of late years
this fortress had been permitted to go
into decay, but with the outbreak Of
the present war 1t underwent some
strengthening.
Danger From Mines.
The mouths Of the Dardanelles are
I said to be heavily mined. UP the water
way toward Constantinop1e many small
forts dot the shores ut intervals and
there are big fortffications at the en-
trance to the Sea of Marmora and also
about ten miles from the entrance to
the strait, at the beginning Of the mar
rows. Here are forts Namaziet on the
European side and Chanak fortress op-
posite it, both with modern fortifica.
lions armed with Krupp suns.
Under the treaty of 1s41, which was
confirmed by the Paris treaty Of 1856,
no foreign warships were permitted to
enter the Dardanelles except by the
consent Of Turkey. Merchantmen ar
riving at the narrows between sunrise
and sunset were permitted to pass thru
In ordinary times without formalities,
but after sunset and before sunrise
nos,vessels were allowed to pass.
Were an attempt made to pass, then
blue blaze from the forts and three
blank shots would be fired. Should
these warnings prove futile 1t was
mandatory upon the forts that solid
shot should be fired at vessel disre-
yarding the regulations.
Nay Spell Allies Victory.
Reduction Of the Dardanelles may
mark turning point in the European
eonfict.
Destruction Of these forts almost
precludes the possibility of failure on
the part of the allies in replenishing
their food supplies from the. Russian
surplus.
The Dardancl!es has figured as q
strategic point inTall Of Europe's great
wars. It ID, q strgit connecting the Sea
Of Naxmora and the Aegean, and is
considered to be the key to the Turkish
capital. It cuts Europe from Asia on
4 course from southwest to north
east. The Dardanelles is forty FIVE
srlile0 long and from three to four miles
tide 1ts narrowest part 10 hardly
~ yAr1s acrpss. The passage 10 tor