South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-02


OF the Dardanelles. re-awakens inter-
est in the question as 10 the impreg1a-
bility of the defences of CONSTANT
nopie. the capital of the Turkish en-
piTe. The average man i'm reading of
the attacks Of tie French and British
war ships on ConstantinOpIe is more
or less hay as 90 the relation of the
Turkish capital and the Dardaneres,
frequently mentioned in conjunction
in press dispatches
The distance from ConstantinopIe
10 the Dardanelles. where the princi-
pal defences OF the Turkish capital
lie is more than 200 miles.
The Dardanenes is a narrow chan
Lei in the Turkish dominion which
connects the inland sea of Marmora
with the AEGEAN or Mediterranean sea,
and separates Europe from Asia. 1t
is about 40 miles in length, and from
one 10 four miles i'm width. it's current
very rapid. The European side is
steep and rugged. the Asiatic side ris-
ing gradually affording exceptional
opportunity for defensive fortifca-
tons. Both sides are covered with a
chain Of forts reaching the entire
length of the passage: TO the Sea Of
MarmOra, at the other end of which.
IL miles distant. lies Constantinople.
In 1870 the Turkish defences were
almost in ruins Warned by the con-
,iition of the castles when a Russian
squadron appeared before the Con-
stanunople outer Notifications, the
Turks repaired them, but they were
again allowed to become almost use
less. until 1907. In that year a Brit
ish squadron of war ships passed the
Dardanelles and. for the first time.
Constantinople saw hostile fleet The
defenses were then rebuilt and in
1854. during the Crimean war. the
castles and other defenses of the
capital were placed in a state of good
repair
In 1867 coast batteries of the best
known kind were erected on both
sides of the passage. and. just before
the outbreak of the present European
war they were supplied with ord
nance OF the most recent and effective
type. the Krupp pattern from Ger
many
BY treaty signed in 1871 between
the five great powers of Europe and
the porte. and confirmed in 1856. no
foreign ship of war had the right to
pass the Dardanelles without the con-
sent of the sultan. BY the Berlin
treaty of 1878. the duty of preventing
any foreign ship of war from forcing
a passage was imposed upon the sui
tau and even ne cannot give such per-
mission.
il has been a mooted question, for
many years, if the passage OF the
Dardanelles. with its modern equip
ment, could be forced. The battIeship
generally has an advantage over land
Qualifications. where the range OF the
guns of both are equal. by reason of
the fact that it is moving target,
while the fort is fixed one
At the Dardanelles the enemy's
fleet, once past the forts at the outer
edge OF the passage, would thereafter.
be in point blank range of the other
bility would be lost I'm the opinion
OF experts. while extremely difficult
and hazardous, the passage can be
accomplished 10y the allied fleets The
personal element enters here. The
French and English gunners are far
superior 10 the Turks. even when the
latter are commanded 10y German Off
= s..ff a To s n M
once through the Dardanelles, there
would remain nothing to oppose the
allied fleet until Constantinople itself
was reached The Turkish capital
city is also strongly fortified; in fact.
though no city i'm the world has been
subjected 20 such numerous and cele-
brated sieges. il has only fallen twice.
the last time in 1893, when 1t was cap
tured by the Turks under Mohammed
II.
However. 1t is probable that the
huge batteries of the British navy.
couIc. with ample free-way in the Sea
of Marmora, reduce the forts of the
city IN time
The real difficulty is in the Darda-
8eiles.
Py taking "a snap OF Europe and
Asia the reader can see at a glance
why Russia welcomes the advent OF
the Turk into the war Al present
Russia has not one single port which
is ice free the entire year A victory
for the triple entente would mean the
Punishment of Turkey from Europe,
an open harbor and complete control
OF the Black sea. for Russia and an
open door for Russia S enormous pro-
ducuons
That is what the Dardanelles bars
the road TO.