Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-03-03
Three AngIo-French Ships Said
to Have Been Damaged Dur
ina Bombardment of Great
Turk Defense Works.
RUSSIAN ARMY MAY STRIKE
Big Expedition Organizing at
Odessa For Attack on Cap
itaI-Hope to Open Black
Sea Passages.
aaAN -,,nai -aH- ar .a.a1
MAY TURN TIDE OF WAR
Far Reaching Consequences Ex-
peCted In Event of CapituIa-
ton of Ancient City Long
Coveted BY Car.

Coveted BY Car.
London. Feb. 27.-Three warships OF
the Anglo-French fleet. which bonn
barded the Dardanelles are said by the
Turkish authorities i'm a statement is
sued at Co~nstantinople to have been
damaged. The statement does not re-
flute specifically the British claim that
all of the outer forts of the Dardanelles
were reduced, but conveys "a contrary
idea. asserting that the fleet withdrew
after a b~ombardment of seven and one
half hours.
According to the British official
statement, the operations are. contin-
uing. For several days the allied
French and British fleets have been
hammering away internationally at
forts guarding the ancient capital of
Turkey. The forts which are said to
nave been reduced constitute the most
formidable obstacle to the passage of
the straits. Within the straits and In
the Sea of Marmora are other forts,
but these are said to he OF minor inn
pOrtance.
Nav Attack Capital.
TX the warships succeed in forcing
the straits. it is expected that a land
ing with a subsequent march on Con
%stantipole will be attempted. Dis
patches of Monday stated that the
Russians are organizing an expedition
of 10000 men at Odessa With the pur-
pose of striking at C~onstantipole at
the first propitious moment.
Within the boundaries of the Black
sea- q powerful Russian feet has been
bottled up together With hundreds of
steamers which might be used for
transport purposes if Russia deemed
that advisable. Furthermore. should
the allied fleet be. successful in its
present undertaking. Russia would be
enabled to release millions of bushels
of wheat.
The British Claim.
The announcement of the secretary
of the admiralty follows:
The weather 1moderating. the bonn
bafdment of the outer forts of the
Dardaneiles was renewed at = o'clock
this morning. February IS. After Ii
period OF long range fire the squadron
OF battleships attacked at close range
All the forts at the entrance to the
straits we're successfully reduced and
the operations arc continuing"
The straits are guarded also by ines
of mines believed to numbe at least
seven. 1t was under these mines that
that the British submarine Bill, in
command of Lieutenant Commander
Holbrook. dived last December and
torpedoed the Turkish battleship Mes
sadieh. Recently the Turks. fearing
the entrance of the allies fleet into tho
Sea of Marmora. sent troops and heavy
artillery to all the islands in tina.
water.
Must Take B%osphorus.
The Bosphorus. the marrow strait
about Is miles i'm length which connects
the Black sea with the sea CT Mar
mora, is also strongly fortified. and it is
through this strait that the Black sea
fleet of Russia would have to come ir
order to reach the oIen.
The operations against the Darda
nelles are OF particular interest at this
time. because of the announcement yes
terday of Sir Edward Grey. the Rritisl
foreign secretary. that Great Britain is
entirely in sympathy with Russia's am
billions to reach the open sea.
Change Course of War.
The capture of the Dardanelles an(
the fall of Constantinople might change
the entire course of the war. 1t would
give Russia an outlet for her enormou.
food supplies. releasing vast %ulantitie.
of grain for her allies of western Eu
rope and permit Russia to import mucl
needed war material. Turkey would a
last be driven from Europe and n pro
%visional government set up in her an
cient capital. 1t would also open tn.
way for negotiations between the en-
tente allies and the Balkan states.
Turkey always has relied on tn,
strength of the D~ardanelles fortified
tions for protection from attack by sea
While the efforts to force the Oar
danelles have been going on for owe,
60 days. the immediate operation which
according to the British official an
nollnce1ncnt. has now resulted success
fully. began about Il week ago Aero
planes are said To have rendered ma
terial assistance.
The D~ardanelles we're forced in $50
by an English admiral. who mad hi
I WaV through the Sea of Mar1nOr3 IL
Constantinopie. but encountered mucl
more difficulty in getting back through
the narrow way than he had in goin:
in.