New-York tribune., 1915-03-07
Magazine of One of Main
Defences Blown Up by
Big Battleships.
TRJO OF BRITISH
VESSELS IN VAN
French Cruisers Shoot from the
Gulf Across PeninSula-l9
English Marines Killed.

uo with their eight l5-inch guns and
even dozen l2-inch guns, yesterday
.,,,,d an attack on the principal forts
the European side Of the nsrrows
!. ,bs pardsuelles. Two of the forts
yer, damaged and third was blown
Up
These forts, which guard the mar
.,v.st part Of the strait from the
r,,onean side, arc believed to be the
strongest along the entire waterway
,rboueh those on the opposite side OF
,bs narrows almost equal them.
One Of these forts. marked on the
Admiralty maps as L, is armed with
,vo 14.ineh guns that could hardly
-,seb the Queen Elizabeth, which fired
,vspty-nine rounds from her 15-inch
vaspons by indirect fire and had the
advantage OF aeroplsnes to direct her
,r,ners. The other two forts are
armed with three 11-inh guns and
sone smaller cannon.
Bomhard Across Peninsula.
To-day three French cruisers in the
Gulf Of Saros hurled their shells across
tbe GaHipoli peninsula against the
forts At Kalid Bahr, which are on the
European side Of the narrows OF the
D,rdanelles, across from the dctences
~ Cbapak. Four vessels stationed at
the entrance Of the Dardanelles acted
as FIRE control stations, and directed
the bombardment so accurately that
the powder magazine OF one Of the
forts was exploded.
Meantime lighter cruisers continue
attacks on the fortifcations along the
coast OF Asia Minor. from Besika,
which is near the entrance to the Dar-
danelles, to smyrna, doubtless with a
view Of preventing achievements be-
ing sent 10 the strait, where already
there are a large number Of Turkish
troops with whom the marines who
we're landed to complete the destruc-
ton Of the forts at the entrance to
the strait have been in contact.
It was in this land fighting that the
attackers suffered casualties, accord
ing to the British report, of nineteen
killed, twenty-five wounded and three
missing. The Turks, however, place
the British casualties at higher fig
IRE
East Indies Fleet Arrives.
To.nights official dispatch from the
Admiralty disclosed that the East In
dies feet, under ViceAdmiral Sil
Richard Peirs. who is flying his flag
on the Furyalus, has joined the allied
feet and that he undertook the bonn
bsrdment Of the Notifications OF
Smyrna, which were seriously dam
aged.
On Wednesday the ships coUinuec
the bombardment Of Fort Dardanos
on the Asiatic side Of the Dardane!les
Destroyers and mine sweepers are pur-
suing the work of clearing the outer
strait Of mines French ships are
keeping up bombardment from the
Gulf Of Saros.
Following js the text Of the report
issued tonight by the Admiralty:
Further reports have now been re-
ceiyed from Nice-Admiral Garden con.
cerning the operations on March 3 anc
subsequent days.
"No action was possible on the thirc
until . p. m, when, although the
weather was Still unfavOrable, the IRE
sstible, Albion, Prince George anc
Triumph resumed the attack on For'
Dardaros and :he concealed guns lr
this neigh borhood. These were less
active than before and were dealt with
by the ships with more certainty.
Aeros Locate Batteries.
"A useful seaplane reconnaissance
located several encampments and two
permanent batteries.
"OG March the weather became
Inc and sweeping and bombardlng
operations within the strait continued
steadily. Meanwhile demolition parties
covered by detachmentS Of the Marine
Brigade Of the Royal Navy Division
were landed al Kun Kaleh and Seddil-
Bshr 10 continue the clearance OF
ground at the entrance 10 the strait
The party at Bahr discovered
and DESTROYED four NOrdenfeldts. Some
snrmiShng ensued on both banks anC
me enemy was found TO be holding
villages in force.
"On this day, also, further down the
coast, the Sapphire silenced a battery
9t field guns north of Dikih, in the
Gulf Of Adramyti, and the defences OF
Sesks were shelled by the Prince
George
Nineteen Men Killed.
The following casualties were sus-
oalned on the 4th: Nineteen killed
missing and 25 wounded.
'On March 3 the attack was begun
ey indirect fire from the Queen Eliza.
Oelh upon the defences at the mar
Io"S. This attack was supported, II
gtsllng with the howitzers, by the
inhexibc and the Prince George. The
H,fe was confined TO Forts Rumilieh
2Selldieh, Hamidieh and Namazieh
10 2, which arc armed as follows:
Sor' J, two 1l-inch, four 94-inch sno
i've 34-inch guns; Fort l., two IA
,eh guns; Fort T, one 1l-inch, one
iV2-lnch, eleven 9A-iuch, three 80
'Nen and three 5.9-inch guns.
The Queen Elizabeth fred twenty
gTi,ne rounds, with satisfactory results
ne magazine in Fort l.. which is al
Important fort, armed with the best
s .u heaviest guns. blew up, Two
o'hsr forts were damaged
The fire Of the InfeXiblc and the