Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-26
DIARY ACCOUNT
OF SINKING OF
TURKISH CRUISER

] tASSCciaTsG freSS CORES TGn0eslSef
| Constantlnopie. May =-PictureS OF
! Turkish sailors II modern naval &C
f ton are seldom seen 10 such advan-
,age as in s natives account Of the
I loss Of the armoreti cruiser MeJihs;h,
I Of the Turkish Black Sea fleet pub
Eshed in tine Constantinople papers.
{ TIE account pG-por.s 10 be a diary Of
+ one Of the men Of the cruiser. who
saved themselves in small boats when
the vessel was sunk by q Russian
mine, near Odessa, early in April.
We left Contsanrinople when the
golden rays Of the spring5:rne sun
were reflected in rhe yerdan1 waters
OF the Bosphorus-" the account begins.
We were on Our way 10 accomplish
an important duty. We were DESTROYS
Of threatening the enemy On their
very shores
VIVA, great JOY lighted all the
faces when the Captain. Nazuli Bay.
had 1oid ,1ee officers and marines tha,
We were Of for the fight. which for
weeas We had awaited with feverish
desire.
on April >. towards dawn. the en-
erny-s shores were visible. The coast
81 waters where We were steaIning
were very dangerous TIE enemy had
sova mines everywhere We were
ignorant o. The positions Of these
-n--ss. but We could rest quiet, for our
-cr2e5o desI-oyers ahead Of Us were
sounding The sea and making q road
for Is We were advancing and the
rising sun with the broad golden rays
vas lighting the halfway
=. was SD 4 NJ The first fire Of
o,.r guns was about 10 salute the Rus
sian ships. houses. and hearth OF the
enemy, and prove that the free and
majestic aa= Of the Ot.or1ans floats
On the waves Of The Black Sea
Suddenly an explosion occurs. 2
decoration which shakes the whole
snip, \ column OF water rises. then
bursts Pieces q iron strike the deck
and plunge i.-o the water. What has
happened The ship heels rapidly and
.he Prov begins % sink, in the shall
lGw Sec Al e1eu1y's mine which. he
cause cf its special manufacture. had
no. been seen by our rine-Eshing
boat. had hit our majestic and beauti-
ful ship.
Here the spirit Of bravery IN our
CREW appears No alarm no dispute
Iuie IS shown All IS done in ahso-
Lutte CAIN with the most perfect Sc
Tenity. No one seized the life belts
Not 2 man thinks Il the boats. for
the captain has not given the word.
The crew has come on deck for water
IS rapidly filling the snip. Four sail
ors are al the wheel below. Their
situation Is extremely critical but they
stick u their post They ask through
the speaking tube If they may come
up as their comrades have done. This
deed i one Of 8 heroistn which can
no< be described. II i 2 duty 20 pub
lisA liz names OF these brave men
md 70 cite them as the incarnation of
the sentiment OF duty. They are:
As:.a- the son % Abraham Of Cartal.
-Ach-net the son OF Mehn,e- q -Adal:a-
Nah-ae- the son % Mustafa Of Ayan-
jik, ard Isnail the son OF Yussuf Of
BroEsa- So long as they had Tot re-
ceived the order O. their captain they
would 1o1 Qui- their pe-!lous posts
The water has already reached the
boilers and the engine room. The
pumps no longer work for lack OF
steam The mat IS TOO little 20 1T the
horrible leak made by the mine
al last the Captain orders the
boa-s into the water and the l;fe-belts
distributed. This IS done in the great
es- calm without the least alarm OF
haste. The torpedo destroye-s then
rush 70 rescue the crew OF our ship
which is sinking while the boats are
being lowered The vessel leans more
AMI more on its side, and as the can
non are partly under water. the cap
tain gives tfe word % leave. The order
Is executed without alarm. The boats
i'll with sailors. reach the destroyers
and come hack for others
-Au the objects and important in
s-rume-cs OF the ship are lowered