The Washington times., 1915-06-07
Turkish War Minister Declares
Capture Would Require Su-
preme Sacrifice by Allies.
BOSPH0RUS SIDE AS STRONG
Pasha Believes Constantinople
Is Safe-Discounts Influence
of ltaIy's Participation. y
Bv HENRY WOOD.

riefted in Great Britain.
CoNsTANTINoPLE. June (via
Berlin, The Hague, and London) THE
Dardanelles today are as impregnable
as Gibraltar, more impossible than at
any previous time.
"Sedd- Cl-Bahr. which was destroyed
by the allies fleet. consisted merely of
out-of-date fortresses, which answered
in no way to the exigencies of modern
warfare. and were merely nominal OBJ
stacies to the forcing of the straits. In
the meantime. their places have beon
taken by a complete system of most
modern defenses.
I'VE had ample time to install these;
they have been constructed along the
most advanced lines for resisting, every
possible phase both af land and Of sea
attacks and Of every possible arm of
modern warfare.
Enormous Sacrifices the Price.
THE straits today are defended as
never before. If they can be forced
which l doubt-it will only be at the
cost of a sacrifice that would only be
justified II their passage constitutes
the one supreme end OF the entire war.
Meantime. by the help of God Almighty,
we shall let no one pass them"
The man who addressed me was En-
Yer Pasha, Turkish minister Of war
vice generalissimo of the Ottoman army
and navy. thirty-three years OF age.
the youngest man who has ever at
tained that position. He spoke with
an energy and decision that gave In
dication Of some of the qualities which
elevated him to his exalted post.
Enver Pasha received me at genera,
headquarters at STEAMBOAT. where. con-
stantly surrounded by an immsnse
stan of officers. he works day ano
night.
Bosphorus Side Equally Defended
From the side of the Bosphorus W.
are equally defended" the minister ol
war declared. Entirely aside from
the new system Of defsnses, installed
there since the present attack began
we have at our disposal an ever great.
er and surer means OF defense in oul
submarine fleet. whose efficacy has al
ready been demonstrated In the sink
ing of a Russian flagship.
"A better defense from Black Bel
attacks couldn't be provided than tn,
destroy ali hopes BY Russia" ever o
effectively landing troops on the coas
north OF Constantinople. Trans
ports would be sunk before they coulC
approach our coast, The submarine
are equally. efricacious In rendering
lnlDORafhlA naval artinn nv
russian fleet against the fertilization
OF the Bosphorus.
We feel our position in Constantin
ople can be considered absolutely un
fore. continue IN the future, as In tn
past. the glorious capital OF tha Otto
| man Emptrs."Frg ~ y.
Discounts Italy's Influence.
Remembering 1t was the reputatio
he won for himself while In charge O
the entire Turkish operations in Trip
oil against the Italian occupation
which led to his present position.
asked Enver Fasha what effect Italy
Intervention would havs on the nns
outcome OF the war.
"Italy's participation cannot be cor
| sidered serious element In the pres
ent situation" his excelency declared
THE Italian army never has been vic
torious, even against much smaller foe!
| There is no reason to believe ths
against the vastly superior military OIL
| ganization OF Germany and Austria sh
will experience any radical change c
fortune. Or the actual valor OF tn
Italian arms, l have had ample pei
sonu experience to be able to judge.
with only a handful of Turks
soldiers, who were entirely cut OF
| from all supplies. arms. and ammunl
tion, we were able. with the help @
native Arabs. successfully TO oppos
! the Italian occupation Of Tripoli an
| Cyrenaica for fully q year. The OF
position we were able to maintai
then was a mere bagatelie to .wha
| Italy must face from her presen
enemies"
Position Same As Allies.
"How might Turkeys position 4
the present war be defined?" 7 ask ec
The war minister smiled before re
plying:
"If ] am permitted to borrow a.
expression from our enemies. ou
: position may be defined as being tn
same as theirs. The allies insist tn
present war is for the purpose {
re-eStablishing the countries c
Europe on the basis OF nationality c
the peoples with completely free an
Independent existence for each.
| That IN what we are fighting 70
| too When Turkey last Septembc
abolished the capitulations which ha
been imposed on her for years in tn
Past-princiPally by the very power
who say they are now flghuing
establish independent government fC
each people-we for the first time 1
years We're in complete control of III
administration of our own affall
and our own government
1T is as much for that independent
as for continued existence that "
now arc lighting and shall continu
fighting to the end.
'We want the Turkish empire II
the Turks and by the Turks-witi
out foreign interference. That is OF
idea of Independence"
No Deterioration In Army.
"The Turkish soldier OF today"
asked; "how has he fought again