Evening star., 1915-03-29
DARDANELLES DEFENSES
ENJOY A BRIEF RESPITE
Temporary Suspension of General
Engagement Attributed to I'm.
favora BILE Weather.
CONSTANTINoPLE IS WARNED
Proclamation Advises Public That
British and French Warships
Are Expected on Friend
ly" Visit.

a.m.-Russia is again knocking
today at the back door of Con-
stantinople by bombarding the
Turkish forts on the Bosporus,
but with what success is not vet
definitely known.
As to the front door of the
Turkish capital, the Dardanelles,
the only news is the monotonous
reiteration of the report that the
mine sweepers of the allies arc
continuing their work, and that
weather conditions still prevent a
resumption of the bombardment
| by the fleet.
Turks Report Weather Good.
| Constantinople. however. declines to
accept the weather as an excuse for the
lull in the attack, and claims that since
! March 1s weather conditions have been
so good that Turkish aeroplanes have
| been flying over the warships of the
i allies in and about the Dardanelles.
| Unofficial reports from neutral ports
| in the vicinity of the scene of opera
| tions Indicate an early resumption of
activity; they set forth that long
distance shelling of the inner defenses
has been commenced by the battle
ships
| "Aeroplanes. both British and Ger
man." says the Daily News Tenedos
correspondent, made reconnoissances
Sunday over the Dardanelles. The big
| gun bomba rdment of the forts of Cha
| max and Kilid Bahr continued from 10
o'clock in the morning until in tho
| afternoon both indirectly over the
Gallipoli peninsula and from station
a mile outside the entrance to the
straits. At times the fire was as fast
as two shells minute"
Expect Friendly" Visit.
LONDON. March ga proclamation
posted in Constantinople.' says the
Daily Chronicles Kustendenje (Ru-
mania) correspondent informs the
populace that "a visit of British and
French warshps is expected shortly. 1t
explains that the question at issue Is
simply tnat OF opening tfe latudnelleS
to the free passage of foreign war
ships, which the sultan hitherto has re
fused to permit. and has no national
political Significance.
calm and is assured that the allied
fleet will depart after three or f"uc-
week stay. being content with sim
pie naval demonstration. The phras-
ing of the proclamation almost makes
it appear that the visit of the fleet is
something in the nature of friendly
call which the Turkish government is
anticipating with delight"
Attack on Bosporus.
PETRoGRAD. via London. March 20.
An official statement issued by tho
general staff says:
THE Black Sea fleet on Sunday bonn
barded the outside forts and batteries
on the Bcsporus both sides of the
stra is.
from ships and hydro-aeroplanes our
shells fell with exactitude. Russian
aviators flying above the Bosporus bat
teries carried out reconnaissance and
dropped bombs with success. A heavy
artillery fire was directed at the avia-
tors without success.
The enemy'S torpedo boats which
tried to come out were driven back
into the STRAIT by the fire of our guns.
"A large hostile ship which was try
ing to get into the Bosporus from sea
ward was bombarded by us. She final.
ly keeled over and blew up"
The Bosporus, called also the Strait
of Constantinople. is a narrow passage
which connects theh Black sea with
the Sea of Marmora. Constantiuople
stands on its west side at its outlet
and partly on the Sea of Marmosa. The
strait is eighteen miles long.
French Ships Repairing.
PARIS March 29-The French bat
tleships Suffren and Gaulois, which
were badly damaged by the ire from
Turkish batteries in the bombardment
of the Dardanelles forts by the allied
fleet March IS, have left for Toulon. q.
French naval base, to be repaired i'm
the dry dock there. according to a spe-
cial dispatch from Athens.
No attack was made in the straits
Sunday, the dispatch says but a Fran
co British fleet and the Russian cruiser
Askold bombafded the Bulair line Of
forts from the Gulf of Saros.
Must Leave Saloniki.
BERLIN. March 90, by wireless to
Sayville, n. Y.-The Overseas News
Agency today gave out the following:
Information has been received from
constantinople to the effect that the
Greek government has ordered that
the damaged French and British war
ships which put in at Saloniki must
leave port within twenty-four hours
,Tha sh;ns will be tOWed tn Malta