The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-03-17
saw Ships Shoot
WITNESS DESCRIBES FIRE At TIE
TURKISH FORTS
SHOTS Went over Hills

SHOTS WENT over RIllSI
Allied Fleet, Through Use Of Indirect
Fire, Demolished Forts on Darda-
neiles Bank With Little Danger to
Themselves-Aeroplanes Directed
Fire.
The bombardment of the Darda-
nelles forts, according to the latest
news from Athens, Greece, proceeds
with success and cautious thorough
ness. It is now anticipated that be-
fore another two weeks are over the
allied feet will be in the Sea OF Mar
mora, and Constantinople will quick
ly fall to the victorious Allies.
Two features Of the operation
make extreme caution necessary for
the attacking battleships. In the first
place, the number Of mines laid in
the straits has been found to be enor-
nous. They must all be picked up,
and the work takes considerable
time, seeing that it must be- done
thoroughly.
The Turks have evidently learned
a lesson from the Germans, for they
also are using foatigg mines, which
they cast upon the swift current to be
j foated down toward the sea. These
swirl around the capes at the mouth
of the straits and, going out to sea,
constitute a danger to the lombard
ing ships. Some Of these mines have
been picked up as far away as the
Island OF Tenedos.
In the second place the larger bat
teries against whom the allied fleet
is contendlng are very skilfully hid
den, and though the brilliantly han
died guns of the fleet have done tre-
mendous damage to the works, it is
necessary to knock out each gun in
dividually. This requires time and
great precision Of craftsmanship. The
latest adyices are to the effect that
something like fifty guns have been
actually hit aid destroyed.
have had an interesting talk with
a gentleman who has just arrived
from Tenedos, where, from the height
of Mount Ilios, he witnessed the bonn
bardment. He tells me:
1.-THE sight was most magnificent.
At first the feet was ranged IN a
semi-circle some miles out to sea
from the entrance to the straits. II
afforded an inspiring spectacle as the
ships came along and took up posi-
ton, and the picture became most
awe-inspiring when the guns began
to boom.
"The bombardment at first was
slow, shells from the various ships
screaming through the air at the rate
of about one every two minutes
Their practice was excellent, and
with strong glasses I could see huge
masses Of earth and stonework
throw high up into the air. The din
even at the distance, was terrific, and
when the largest ship. with the big
gest guns in tn, world, Joined In the
martial chorus, the air was rent with
ear-splitting noise.
1.-THE Turkish batteries, however
were not to be drawn; and, seeing
!. this, the British admiral sent one
British ship ant one French close in
shore toward the Sedd-el-Bahr forts
"It was a pretty sight to see' the
two battleships swing rapidly away
toward the northern cape, splitting
fire and smoke as they rode. They
obscured the pure atmosphere with
clouds of smoke from their tunnels
and guns; yet through it all I could
see they were getting home with the
shots they fired.
"As they went in they sped right
under the guns of the shore batteries
which could no longer resist the
temptation to see what they could do
Puffs OF white smoke dotted the land
scape on the far shore, and dull
booms echoed ove- the placid water
Around the ships fountains Of waite?
sprang up into the air. The enemy
had been drawn, but his rlarksman-
ship was obviously very bad. think
I am right in saying that not single
shot directed against the ships came
within hundred yards Of either.
"Out came the two ships again, in
effectively pursued by shells from the
Turkish. batteries. AS they retired
they still continued to make excellent
practice. and their parting shots were
quite as good as their first. The posi-
tion and number Of the enemy's bat
teries had been discovered as the re-
suit Of this brilliant little niece o.
work, and soon the Turkish guns
were under hail Of the most deadly
shells warfare has ever known. From
a distance which must have been ter
miles at least. monstrous, Droiectiles
dealing destruction and death. were
poured In upon the forts guardine
the entrance. and each one anneared
to create . frightful inferno where it
landed.
"The people Of the little island
gathered on ali the high points to
see the awe-inspiring sDect: Gle, and
the wonder Of 1t struck them with
utter amaZemeEt.
My friend was able to witness q
subsequent stage Of the bombardmen'
from a Learcr point still. What he
saw while on an island Of the Rabbit
Group was still more interesting.
When the early part Of the bonn
bardment had successfully dealt with
the entrance Notifications several
ships were able to enter the Straits
and on the broad sheet Of water in
side to carry on the work Of Destroy
ing the batteries still farther up the
arm Of the sea.
Before that was done. however. tie
forts at Kun Kele had to be dealt
with. and that was done in en- extra
ordinary manner. One section of the
fleet. protected by the extreme point
of the Gallipoli Peninsula, fred over
the hilly promontory at the forts.