The Washington herald., 1918-11-04

playing and flags flying. the officers
ana crews having had their spirits
hreo oy oratory and drink, the two
vessels started at fun speed toward
me awaiting British feet. The little
uioucester, a scout boat, kept in
touch' wiring constantly the German
movements to the main squadron
soodenly. when on Cape Spartivento,
the Goeben and the Breslau let on
INTO the atmosphere all the discor-
cant vibrations which their wireless
coulo command, jsmming the air with
such hullabaloo that the Gloucester
was unable to send any inteIIisihle
messages. Then the German cruisers
turned south and made for Aegean
Sea- The plucky little Gloucester
Kept close on their heels, and, as
my daughter had related. had even
once ardaciously offered battle. A
few hours behind the British squad
ron pursued, but uselessly, for the
German ships, though far less power
full in battle, were much speedier.
Even then the British admiral pro-
badly thought that he had spoiled
the German plans. The German
ships might get first to the DardAneI-
les, but at that point stood inter
national law across the path. bar
ring the entrance.
Meanwhile wangenheim had &C.
complished his great diplomatic sue
cess. From the Corcovado wireless
station In the Bosporus he was
sending the most agreeable news TO
Admiral Souchon. He was telling
him to hoist the Turkish flag when
he reached the strait, for Admiral
Souchon's cruisers had suddenly be-
rOrna ~ of sf, TN1rLF.k ,.,v,e
therefore, the usual international
prohibitions did not apply. These
cruisers were no longer the Goeben
and the Breslsu, for. like an Oriental
magician, Wangenheim had suddenly
changed them into the Sultan Selim
and the MedilH. The fact was that
the German ambassador had cieverly
taken advantage of the existing
situation to manufacture a sale"
As ! have already told, Turkey had
two DreadnaUghts under construction
in England when the war broke out.
These ships were not exclusively
governmental enterprises; their pur-
chase represented what, on the sur
face, appeared TO be a popular enthu-
siasm OF the Turkish people They
were to be the agencies through
which Turkey was TO attack Greece
N-"AN wan hoAh NNF A-AdlluS Oh lnf
Aegean, and the Turkish people had
raised the money to build them by
so-called popular subscription.
Agents had gone from house 10
house, painfully collecting small sums
Of money; there had been entertain
ments and fairs, and, in their eager
ness for the cause. Turkish women
had sold their hair for the benent
of the common fund. These two
vessels thus represented a spectacular
outburst OF patriotism that was un-
usual in Turkey. so unusual. indeed.
that many detected signs that the
government had stimulated IT. At
the very moment when the war
began. Turkey had made her last
payment TO the English shipyards
and the Turkish crews had arrived
Z in England prepared TO take the
/ finished vessels home. Then. a few
days before the time set to deliver
them, the British government stepped
/ in and commsndeered these Dread
4 naughts for the British navy.
Had Moral Right Too.
There is not the slightest question
that England had not only a legal.
. but a moral right to do this: there
/ is also no question that her action
| was proper one. and that. had she
been dealing with almost any other
nation. such a proceeding would not
, have aroused any sentiment. But
= the Turkish people cared nothing for
distinctions OF this sort; all they saw
was that they had two ships in Eng
/ land. which they had greatly strained
their resources to purchase, and that
England had now stepped in and
4 taken them Even With
pressure they would have resented
/ the act, but external pressure was
eXerted in plenty. The transaction
gave wangenhesrn the greatest op-
/ portunity OF his life. Violent attacks
upon England. all emanating from
1 the German embassy. began to ill
! the Turkish press. Wangenheim was
consantly discoursing to the Turkish
leaders on English perfdy and he
now suggested that Germany,
! Turkeys friend, was prepared to
make compensation for England's
unlawful" seizure He suggested
that Turkey go through the form OF
/ purchasing" the Goeben and the
! Breslau. which were then wandering
around the Mediterranean. perhaps
| IN anticipation Of this very contin-
gency, and incorporate them in the
/ Turkish navy in place OF the appro-
priated ships in England. The very
day that these vessels passed through
the Dardanelles. the Ikdan. a Turk
. ish newspaper. published in Constan-
tinople, had a triumphant account OF
this sale" with big headlines calling
It a great success for the imperial
government"
Ito be cOntinuedD