Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-11-14
THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER IA. 1918.
THROUGH THE DARDANELLES

According to a London dispatch, the Allied fleet
has arrived at constantinople after having passed
through the Dardanelles on Tuesday Of this week. Had
this happened a little more than, for instance, a month
ago, it would have created a sensation throughout the
world while it now is treated as a news report Of minor
interest.
And yet.tt was in order to force this passage that
the British and French fought so vaiantly, and sac
rificed so heavily. in 1%e15-1s1s, keeping up a constant
bombardment for the purpose Of slencing the Turkish
batteries on both the European and Asiatc shores Of the
ancient Hellespont. When the hopelessness Of the sit
uaton became convincinsly evident, the attempts were
abandoned, and the famous strait still remained the
strongly defended approach to the Turkish capital and
to the Black sea.
The early history of the Dardanelles is. lost in the
mists Of legends and myths, and this narrow belt Of
water separating not only two continents but, as it were.
two worlds, has been the scene of many exploits. oman
tic as we'll as heroic. To merely mention the names of
Hero and Leander, or the bridge of boats built by xerxes,
or the reputed voyages of the Argonauts. recalls just a
few Of the picturesque incidents which have been con-
nected with the Dardaneues.
But whatever interest the strait holds for those who
like to reconstruct ancient history-the strategical i'm
portance of the Dardaneles is really of predominating
interest, for the strait commands the approach from the
Mediterranean to constantinople, the Sea Of Marmora
and the all-important Black sea. "A chain of Turkish
Notifications on the peninsula of Gallipoli as well as in
Asia Minor has defended the approach for many, many
years, and only once has modern history recorded the
successful forced passage Of foreign fleet; this hap
pened in 1907 when a British admiral went through the
strait in spite of the fire from the shores. Later on it
was agreed between Turkey and the western powers
that no foreign vessel was to pass the Dardanelles with
out Turkish permission, but in January, 1915, the
Franco-British fleets decided they would not apply for
permission. They wanted to reach the Black sea, and
although they put up supreme and splendid efforts, and
demolished some of the strongest defensive works, they
were compelled to withdraw without having accom-
p1ished their purpose.
What the incessant Commandment of a year could
not bring about, was precipitated by a series of later
events in other parts of Europe as well as in Turkey,
submitted only two weeks ago. and now the fleets Of
the Allies are free to come and go through the famous
strait.
Just when the armistice was signed, it was reported
that the Allied ships would enter the Black sea for the
purpose Of capturing German vessels stationed there,
Since then, however, the armistice with Germany has
been signed. so the aim of the visit of the Allies now may
merely be to fulfill the stipulations of the German ar
mistice in taking over, as far as possible, all German
ships without any fight. The arrival of the Allied fleet
IN Black sea waters may also have a bearing on the in
ternal situation in Russia,
No matter how obscurely the event of this week
ing importance and is entirely consistent as a continue
tlon OF the EFFORTS made before to secure control of the
Dardanelles, the Sea Of Marmora and the Black sea.