The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-12-29

aegean sea ana Iead tne combined
fleets up the Dardanelles to the Turk
fsh capital, where. after securing the
safety of Mr.. Arbuthnot, the British
ambassador, he was to dictate terms to
the sultan.
1t Is harder to sail up the Darda-
nelles than to sail out because there is
a powerful current that flows con
stantly from the Black sea to the
Aegean. There were no great steam
cruisers then, and Sir John had to wait
several days for favorable conditions.
Meantime one Of the largest of the
ships, the Ajax, carrying seventy-four
guns, unaccountably blew up, and some
250 Englishmen were killed
On February morning in 1907,
however, seven battleships sailed into
the mouth Of the ancient Hellespont
and bore their way up the strait. They
encountered only a light and ineffect-
ual fire from the forts. There was no
effective preparation for defensive ac-
ton on either the European or Asiatic
side from the mouth of the Darda-
nelles to the city Of Constantine
Had Sir John given the sultan a
twentyfour hour ultimatum and
trained his guns on the citadel he need
not have fired shot He would have
accomplished the purpose for which he
had come and could have sailed out
with his ships unharmed and himself
covered with glory. But he was seized
with timidity and began unaccountably
to negotiate and temporize.
General Sebastian, the clever agent
of Napoleon at the sultan's court, en-
couraged Duckworth's irresolution and
led him on from day to day with spe-
cious promises.
Meanwhile men, women and chill
dren, Christians and Mohammedans,
were working day and night to erect
suitable defenses along the famous
waterway, until in no long time the
whole shore, as well as the forts of the
Dardanelles, was bristing with guns
Duckworth's opportunity had passed.
He had made the fatal mistake Of Civ
ing the Turks time to find their leader.
For two weeks the parleylngs went
on, while the fleets officers through
their glasses could see the constant ar
rival of cannon, ammunition and
troops. At last Sir John awoke to the
fact that he was ia a trap and had
barely time to get out Fortunately the
wind was IN his favor and the seven
battleships began their ignominious re-
treat
What contrast between the coming
in and the going out!
For sixty miles they ran the CANT
let of a continual and heavy fire. II
was incessant and CALLING in the sea OF
Marmora, and In the Dardanelles 1t
was terrific. There stone balls. weigh
ing 700 and 500 pounds, snapped the
rigging. broke down the masts and
crushed In the decks The roll OF the
artillery was deafeniug and the smoke
hung over everything In dark, impene-
trable folds.
The humiliated admiral could do
nothing but run, and as the current
was with him he finally reached the
Aegean sea, although with a badly bat
tered feet
1t has always seemed curious to the
reader Of history that Duckworth es-
capped the fate of Admiral Byng, who
was court martialed ana shot fifty
years before for Just such another
lamentable error Of Judgment The
only explanation appears to be chat
this was time of such multiplied
fears and panies that even SO serious
a matter as this was soon forgotten IN
the more absorbing and importunata
problem of national defense against
the designs of Napoleon. Youths Com
panion.