South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-27
INNER FORTS UNDER
GREAT BOMBARDMENT
Reports From Athens Say
F0rtitiCatiOnS Are Being Re-
duCed to HeIpieSSneSS by 80
Ships of Allied Fleet.


and Amsterdam. Feb. 27.-An un-
successful attempt was made to as
sassinate Talat Bey. minister of the
Interior last night in StambouL Three
shots we're fired by the assassin.
one OF the bullets narrowly missed
Talat Bey and Djavid Bey, the min
lister of finance. but the other two
were fired wildly as the assassin was
seized by a policeman. The man who
tried TO kill Talat Bey was tried by
court martial this morning, found
guilty and executed.
As a result OF the attempted aSsasS-
ination the authorities have ordered
all cafes and wineshOps TO close an
hour after sunset.
Djavid Bey is going TO Berlin on an
important mission in connection with
the war.
LONDON, Feb. 27.-Serious dam
age has been inflicted upon inner
Turkish forts guarding the Dardan-
elIes by the international fleet OF
French and British warships, accord
ing TO adviceS received today from
Athens and Tenedos.
Thirty big men-of-war are hurting
a tornado of shells against the Turk
ish works a7t &C terrific is the can
nonading thas Sne thunder OF the
guns can be heard at the Island OF
TenedOs. 50 miles south OF the west
ern entrance OF the waterway.
In his official reports to the British
admiralty. Vice Admiral SackVille II.
Garden reports that the allied fleoe
has made steady progress in its at
tacks upon the forts and that the
work OF reducing them is proceeding
in "A satisfactory manner.
The fact that a French cruiser has
been able to enter the strait and
sweep up some of the mines shows
that the forts guarding the western
entrance have been rendered prac-
ticaly helpless. The chief forts
we're Kun Kale. Helles Burnu. Yen
Sehr and Sedd- -El-Bahr. They were
equipped with heavy Krupp guns but
many Of their cannon were outranged
by the armaments on the fleet.
Two Lighthouses Struck.
Two of the lighthouses north OF
Kun kale were struck by shells and
set ON fire.
Even II It is true that the forts on
both the European and Asiatic sides
OF the Dardanelles entrance were ST.
fenced and the fleet is able 70 enter
the waterway, il is still a distance OF
45 miles from the sea Of Marmora
10 Constantinople. The entire water
way is lined with forts and thick with
floating and submerged mines Before
the ships can approach Constanu-
nople IT would be necessary TO sweep
the straits free OF mines
Both sides Of the Dardanelles are
defended by new fortificatiOns which
were built at the direction OF German
army engineers There is a contin-
nous line of these works at the mar
rOwest point OF the waterway where
the Dardanelles is only a mile wide.
The international fleet is equipped
with aeroplanes which have done
valuable work in reconnOitering and
range finding. The Turks have few
IT any high angles guns with which
TO attack these sky craft
A number OF German marines are
lighting with the Turks They are
expert Eunners and have been put in
charge OF the big Krupps in the
coast forts
1t is impossible to give any estimate
Of the Turkish losses. but they must
have been heavy. owing TO the accur-
acy of the fleets fire. Some OF the
ships were struck by Turkish shells
hut so Tar rs known not ship has
been lost.