The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-27
wARsHIPS MOVE ON
INNER FORTTFTCATIONS

London, Feb 2s.--The warships OF
rhe allied feet which reduced the outer
forts at the Aegean entrance to- the
Dardanelles yesterday. took UP the ar
duous and dangerous task of sweeping
the mine area which begins at kophez,
eleven miles in, The work WAS car
ried on by destroyers and other small
craft which were protected by 81 con-
tinuous fire poured into the shore de-
fenses by the battleships of the squa-
dron under Vice. Admiral Garden.
Despite the fact that military and
naval experts assert that the work of
forcing "A iassage to Constantinohie
has scarcely begun. there is a grow
ing feeling that the powerful fleet CT
British and French warships will be
equal to it. 1t Is pointed out in some
quarters that the mine fields and the
Turkish feet are relatively easy TO dis
pose Of and that since no stronger
Notifications exist on the rocky banks
of the strait than the ones reduced yes
terday, il should be possible to level
them. slowly but surely.
Speculation as 10 the future poll
teal and commercial results of the
capture of Constantinople and OF the
formidable passageway thereto, Is
overshadowed just at present by a
consideration of the immediate mill
tary benefits which will result from
such a situation. Once In possession
Of the waterway and of the Turkish
capital the allies could reckon upon
these important developments with
out delay.
Significant Movement.
The entire dissipation OF Ottoman
resistance and offensive against the
Russians in Trans-Caucasia and the
nnn ne 10 haJ 4oSs Nf
Russian troops for service against the
Germans and Austrians. the speedy
discontinuance of Turkish efforts to
invade Egypt, and capture the Sue~
Canal with the result that Great
Britain will be able to employ more
than 100000 troops which she has in
europe in land operations against the
Turks: the checking Of Turkish pres
sure against Russian and British in
f!uence in Persia. the .essening of the
force of the Holy War; the removal
of the Turkish menace over the
Balkan States, and the increase of
allied influence in the Levant. and the
opportunity afforded the allied
squadron to dispose once for all of
the Turkish feet.
One political consideration Is like
wise of present importance. That is
the effect which an allied triumph in
Turkey will have upon peace propa-
gandists In Russia. However much
Russia may be wearied and discour-
aged by past or future German sue
cesses in Poland. the prospect of a
r. 5lization OF her dream of DONNA
! on in Turkey will unquestionably as
sure continuance of her efforts
against her Teutonic adversaries, in
full force. Whether Great Britain
will ever consent to the complete pos
session of Constantinople by Russia
cannot even be prophesied now. since
1t depends almost entirely upon the
development of events to come. and
at present not conjectured.
Russia Needs Guns.
Still one more great benefit will ac-
crue from the capture Of the strait.
With that passageway opened the
entrance of war munitions and sup
plies from Great Britain and France
to Russia will be as easy a matter rs
will be the egress OF Russia's great
supplies of grain from the Black Sea
territories to France and Great Brit
ain. Rich in men. Russia In admit
tedly poor in material with which
they f1ght, and military experts In
Germany have long prophesied that
Russia would be destitute of cannon
and rifles long before her horde Of
soldiers was exhausted. 1865
The release OF Russian grain will