The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1915-03-26
8 WARSHIPS SUNK
SOME OF rAE LARGEST BATTLE.
SHIPS IN FRANco-sRlTlsH
FLEET LOST.
$50 DIE ON FRENCH SHIP
British Admiralty Admits Heaviest
Blow Of Naval War in Sinking Of the
Oreadnausht Irresistible. Ocean and
BouVet by Mines.

London. March 2O.-The greatest
blow suffered by the allies on the seas
since the war began was administered
by the Turks Thursday, when drifting
mines in the narrows OF the Darda-
nelles blew up and sank three of the
largest battleships in the Franco
Turkish fleet while the ships were
bombarding eight Of the Turkish forts.
The ships destroyed are the $4,000
ton British second line battleship IRE
sistble. the l2.5O0-ton British battle
ship Ocean and the 12.205-ton French
battleship Bouyet In addition. the
British dreadnaught cruiser Infexible
and the French battleship Gaulois
were damaged by the gunfire from the
forts.
Nearly every man OF the $50 in the
crew OF the Bouvet was lost with the
ship. but almost the entire crews OF
the Irresistible and the Ocean were
saved
This tremendous loss was admitted
in an official statement given out by
the admiralty. Official dispatches
from Constantinople via Berlin. beside
from Constantinople via Berlin, be-
! sides telling OF the sinking OF the Bou-
vet and saying the Irresistible was
put out OF action" also claim that a
/ British torpedo boat was sunk. but
the English admiralty has not con-
frmed this fact.
Sixteen Ships Shell Forts.
The admiraltys statement is as fol.
lows:
Mine sweeping has been in prog
ress for ten days inside the straits.
/ A general attack by the British and
/ French fleets was opened on the morn
I ing OF the 18th against the fortresses
in the narrows.
AT l0:45 a. m. the superdreadnaugh
Queen Elizabeth and the battleships In
flexible. Agamemnon and Lord Nelson
bombarded forts j.. l.. T.. U. and v.
and the battleships Triumph and
Prince George bombarded batteries F.,
E. and II. A heavy fire was opened
on the ships by the enemy howitzers
and field guns.
Ships Fire at Close Range.
AT 1922 p. m the French squad
ron. consisting OF the battleships SUI.
\ fren. Gaulois, Charlemagne and Bou-
vet. advanced into the Dardanelles
and engaged the forts at closer range.
/ Forts j.. T.. F. and r. replied strong.
". Their fire was silenced by ten
battleships inside the straits. All
| the ships were hit several times dur
ing this part OF the action.
AT 1925 p. m. all the forts ceased
\ firing The battleships Vengeance IT.
resistible. Albion, Ocean. Swiftsure
\ aud Majestic then advanced to relieve
the six old battleships. which were in
side the straits.
LAS the French squadron. which he'd
engaged the forts in most brilliant
fashion. was passing out the Bowel
was blown up by drifting mine and
SAM in SO fathoms OF water north OF
Z the village Of Aren Kios in less than
\ three minutes.
AT 2;36 p. m. the relief battleships
renewed the attack on the forts. which
again opened fire The attack on the
forts was maintained while the opera
tons Of the mine sweepers continued.
AT 400 D. m. the battleship Irresist-
ible quit the Tine. listing heavily. and
/ az $50 =. m. sank. having probably
struck a drifting mine At Cos p m.
the battleship Ocean also was struck
by a mine. Both vessels sank in deep
water and practically the whole OF
their crews were removed to safety
under a hot fire
Two Ships Damaged.
THE French battleship Gaulois was
damaged by gunnre The British bat
tleship Infexible was hit by heavy
shell. damaging her forward control
position. which requires repair.
THE damage to the forts effected
by the prolonged direct fire OF the
very powerful forces employed can
not yet be estimated The losses in
ships was caused by mines drifting
with the current. which was encoun.
tered in areas hitherto swept clear.
"The British casualties in personnel
we're not heavy considering the scale
OF the operation. but practically the
whole OF the crew OF the Bouvet was
lost with the ship. an internal explo-
sion having apparently supervened
the explosion OF the mine.
''The battleships Queen and Implac.
able. which we're dispatched from Eng.
land to replace ships damaged and
casualties suffered in anticipation Of
this operation. are due to arrive i'm
mediately. bringing the British feet
again to its original strength.
1.-THE operations are continuing as
ample naval forces are available.
"On the 10th vice-Admiral Garden.
who had been incapacitated by illness.
was succeeded as chief in command
by Rear Admiral John Michael Dero-
beck. acting with the rank OF vicead
miral"