Richmond times-dispatch. [volume], February 28, 1915, Image 1

About Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
THE SUBURBAN HOME
Vou nrr looking for may br nil
vfrtlHi-il to-duy In (br ?'loniilHfil
coluiiiiiM. Itcnil the tidn.
THE TIMES-DISl'atch
(55th year
VOI.IIMB <15
M'MIIKK r.?
TO KEEP INFORMED
On ninttrm of Importance In
city, Ntntc auil nation. you need
but rrml
THE TIMES-DISPATCH
RICHMOND, VA., sunday, february 28, 1915.?FIFTYFOUR pages
K*t"kk ? fair
price five cents
BOOK LIST ADOPTED
FOR STATE SCHOOLS
State Board of Education Com
pletes Work in Lengthy
Secret Session.
AWARDS TO MANY PUBLISHERS
Book Agent Berry Faints When
Lirt Is Made Public?Arith
metic Held Up.
With cvry member present, except
? Jover'nor llcnrv C. Stuart, the State
Hoard of Education yesKnlay aftfi
noon adopted practically the entire lint
of textbooks that will In- used in tlm
pitlilli.' schools of the Stut'' for foul
yearn, cominencln? with to-morrow.
March 1. Superintendent li. C. Stomas
presl<le<l a I what was prohahly one of
the most animated ami memorable
meetings of Its III ml ev< r liohl in the
< 'ommon wealth of Virginia.
The new list shows eoinparatl ve|y
f*-\\ rhaiik'fs from the "preferred list"
tentatively agreed upon by the board
litst sprinjf.
While tin- deadlock on the proposal
of the |{. !?* Johnson Publishing Com
pany to concede a reduction of 10 per
cent on its offer of last sprint;, pro
vided the entire Johnson list should he
adopted, which new proposition would
mean a sa? rilio of J70,00(? in profits,
was nev^r broken, many of the John
son books were given place in the ac
cepted list. Including the basal readers.
AfUTII.METIC, SIMCIJ.Klt AND ONE
ItK A I) Kit 11 I.I.I) IN AII I" V A NCI*
The adoption of a fifth reader was
left in abeyance: likewise action on
arithmetics and spellers The adoption
of a history of Virginia was also
passed by for future action. In which
one or more of the members of the
present board may take no part, for the
term of Dr. J. I?. Jartnen, of Karmville.
expires to-day. and In the coming
spring the terms of Harris Hart, super
intendent of schools, Roanoke, and
Prank T. West, superintendent of
schools. Louisa County, will expire.
I ?r. Jartnen will be succeeded bv J. It.
Kggb-ston. president of the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute at Itlacksburg,
who was elected last year by the Oen
?thI Assembly.
The list of maps and charts was
adopted. Action on Dr. J. A. C. Chand
ler's history of the I'nlted States. "Our
IJepubllc," was tleferred. hut It is prob
able that the hoard will later accept
this history, arranging with I >r. Chand
ler for the use of plates from which
the book will be printed by the Depart
ment of Education.
nr.i.i' ski iiecv as to what
WENT ON IN MKETIM.
T)io procceill'ics I??? 1 nbehind ?.? ]
doors. the story of 1111 h intorostlnp
conclave <?f tlx- minds directing the
oil ijt-a t ional affairs of the Stale will
never !.<? t>>l?! in circumstantial detail.
Cut outward signs of the Inward grace
that tuoved the meeting made it mani
fest to th>- most casual observer that
the word "Interesting" serves but as a
lame, feeble, halting ami beggarly do
scriplive adject 1 ve.
"Well, you may say that the closing
session was a veritable love feast."
Secretarv Kvan It. < 'h' Sterma n vouch
safed at the finish of what had hap
ipened. The secretary stroked his
smooth-shaven, classically-turned rhin
with his tapering white lingers. gazed
pensively out Into the vast empyrean
<>f space, and, smiling beatiflcally, he
pursued:
"Yes. really a love feast. The utmost
harmony prevailed. No, they didn't
on the 1'.. K. Johnson proposal,
but four of the Johnson readers were
accepted, as you may note front the list,
and the best of good humor prevailed.
Knch side coaxed and jollied the other
in the pleasantest way imaginable, each
showing a spirit of compromise, and
everything went nicely."
hook aokxt iwixts
\\ 111:x 1,1ST IS A \.\Ol V("l'.I)
"How about the swarm of agents of
publishers cavorting about tin* corridor
and anterooms; the rip-roaring excite
ment amonK them when they learned
what books had been adopted, and
what about B. I>. Merry, agent, who
swooned or fainted or threw a (it while
the exuberance was at its height?" he
was asked.
The secretary acknowledged that
there was some quite natural excite
ment among the agents representing
the many manufacturers of the mental
ammunition with which the young idea
is to do Its shooting in Virginia in the
next four years. Hut he was very in
sistent upon the point that the wind-up
of the executive session was nothing
short of a metaphorical love feast, lie
explained the collapse of Mr. Berry,
who hnd been looking after the in
terests of his firm with almost sublime
diligence, punctuality and precision,
saying that it was quite true. Mr.
Merry had suffered a fainting spell.
Hut It was nothing, simply nothing.
.XOT XKC'I'JSSAIIY TO I'Al.l.
OX (iOV I 'll XOIt 'I'O VOi'l".
Secretary Cliesterman did all tho
talking to the newspaper reporters for
the bonrd members. My way of illus
trating the gratifying harmony of the
board at the final session to determine
the award of book contracts, amount
ing to many hundreds of thousands of
dollars?just how many hundred thous
ands of dollars, Mr. Chestermaii could
not say off-hand, there being <|iiite a
number of changes in the textbooks??
the secretary said that i) had not been
necessary tc> call upon I he Governor
io vote on a single matter of business.
This meant that no question had been
contested by two members of tho hoard,
and that the selection of books was in
every Instance where an addition was
made to the list during the day prac
tically unanimous.
I.OVIOItXOIt IS STII.I.
COXKIXIOO TO MAXSIOX
Governor Stuart, who has shown a
deep interest in the matter of the. hook
(Continued on Klith Page.)
"The YerllioHl \Yny lu Baltimore"
York Klvor-Chesiipouke liny. 5:10 P. M.
Only S-'.oO. unU superior sorvlce. 90V ICu.st
Main {jtroot.
WAR BUDGET ADOPTED
(?rrmiiii l-> t limittn Include lO.r.Oil,- |
IIIIO for K.ilrnonllmir)' llxpcinlltiircs. j
KICItLI.V, Kebruary "7 (via I.,ondon). j
?The Kederal Council inlupti'il to-day I
the preliminary budget estimates, in- j
cluilln^ $2,510,500.0"i? for extraordinary ,|
expenditures. This amount Is for carry- |
itiK on tin* war The estimate of or- I
illnary expenditures is 1X30,750.00". J
Almost all the amount to lie devoted to
war will lie raised by loans No re
demption of war loans Is provided for.
as methods for such redemption can
only be ilr eitled upon after the war.
The treasury bonds credit is tix???I at
1.000,000,000 marks < il!50,"iH?,000).
Funds to provide for those killed in
the war amounted at the be^innlne of
Kebruary to 41,li3S.'J00 marks. The
armament levy is estimated at 0?;o.
000,000 marks, of which, it is expected,
two installments 'if 3-0.000,000 marks
will hi- paid.
No separate colonial estimates, will
lie presented, as the war h:is inter
rupted all communication with the
colonies.
The increase in revenue In the ordin
ary budget is estimated at 25,906, t5o
marks, and the Increased expenditure
a', I M'.HiiS.OijO marks.
BIG FIRE IN PEORIA
>c\rrnl llulldiiiK* llfhlrnjeil, < iiiihIiik
I.ohm of ft-IUO.OOO.
i Special to Tin Times-Dispatch. 1
I'Kf'ltlA, I I.I*.. Kebruary 27. Fire
j late to-day. startitiK in tiie old V. M.
?A. I iu I Id i n k . on Jefferson Street, |,e.
twoen Main and Hamilton Streets,
,-pread tu ad join! iik buildings, causing
a loss estimated at Jleo.ooo.
The old Y. M (*. A. is an office build
. ;ni; of seven stories. 'i'his building,
tiie- adjoining Hamlin building and a
dozen two and three-story buildings
facing on Main Street were partially
destroyed. One-half the block is in
ashes.
one hundred and fifty persons having
ollice.s in the fire-swept buildings lost
everything The ruins hold securities
? if the I'roctor Fndowment, valued at
over i 1,500,000. It is not known
whether the securities are intact.
SAVES $5,060 BY USING CANAL
l-'lmt Shipload of Cotton (?new From
(?nhriitiin to \ iiknliiimn.
WASH IN'ITON", February 27.?The
first shipload of cotton from the South,
i .itnoimt'iiK to 3,1170 tons, went through
the Panama ''anal on October 23 last
fin the steamship Penrith Castle. It
was bound from fialveston fur Voko
liam.'t. The same steamship made the
return trip through the canal in Febru
ary with a cargu from Seattle f.ir
.Liverpool made up principally of
wheat.
It was estimated that on her cotton
carjro the vessel sa\ eil J5,060 by usiru;
1 the canal, instead of going around
(South America.
DISTILLING PLANTS FAIL
T?i> or Otilrnl I'otirrrn* iti Krntlli'k}'
Fllr Petition* In llnnkrtipfcy.
I,ni'ISVIlJ,lv KY. Kehruarv 27.?The
Mattingly Monro Distilling Company
ami the F. Walker I'istillinu Com
pany, two of the oldest distilling con
cerns in Kentucky, to-day fl 1<-?1 volttn
tary petitions in bankruptcy in t It
1.'nit?*d States court.
The Mattingly Moore Company
lists its liabilities at $2S!J,!?39, ami as
sets at $204,394. The" F. Walker
! Company schedules liabilities ot
2.r?2, assets ?!'1.7"a The plants are
. located at Bardstown, near here.
PROMINENT GUESTS ATTEND
Anniuil It it ii <i ??<-1 of Southern Society of
\\ iiHliliiKton Take* I'lncc.
WASIIIXGTOX, February 27.?"The
annual banquet of the Southern So
ciety of Washington took place to
niKht. with members of the Cabinet,
! Supremo Court justices, Conprcssmen
and others prominent in the social life
of the capital amonp the quests. The
speakers Included Attorney-General
j <iregory, Secretary Hryan, Assistant
Secretary Hreckcnriilgo. Chief Counsel
l Folk, of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. and Representatives lioflin, of
! Alabama, ami Small, of North Carolina.
GENERAL DU PONT RETIRES
Sells Holdings i?* 1'invdcr Company He
cfilixc of III Health.
WIl.M INGTON, I> 101... February 27.?
' It was learned here to-night that (ieti
' eral Coleman du Font, president of the
! Tlu Font Powder Company, has sold his
j holdings in the company to a syndicate,
I headed by I'ierre S. du Font, acting
president of the concern for several
years. The price paid is said to have
been about $20,000,000.
1 General du Pont retires from the
j company because of ill health. It is
I understood that no outside interests
i are Included in the syndicate.
MAKE "DRY" LAW TIGHTER
Went Virginia Amendment* Kxpectfil
to DecreiiMe t 'oils u nipt I on of Mquor.
WMKK!,IX(I, W. VA., February 27.?
Amendments to the A'ost prohibition
law, which became operative to-day,
are expected to further decrease tiie.
consumption of intoxicating liquors in
West Virginia.
Under tlio.."^?w ?as it now stands, no
liqlfrn* shipments larger than half a
gallon can be brought into the Statu
unless tlie quantity and quality are
marked in large black letters on the
package.
FRIEND OF DICKENS DEAD
George Williams AylllTc, Well-Known
Theatrical Critic, Passes A troy.
[Correspondence of Associated Press.]
LONDON, February lti.?George Wil
liam Ayliffe, well-known theatrical
cjltlc. Is <lend at his home on Ihe
Thames, aged ninety years.
As a boy. Ayliffe was a great fav
orite of King William IV. In the lato
sixties lie Joined the staff of a theatri
cal paper, and. through this connection,
became a close friend of Charles
Dicker, x.
STOP ALL SHIPPING !
TO ENEMY NATIONS
Great Britain, France and Their
Allies Advise Neutral Coun
tries of Action.
EXACT DATE NOT ANNOUNCED
Washington Gets No Word Con
cerning Attitude on Its Re
cent Proposals.
I.ONI'ON February 27 I' .M ).
Great ISritain, France :< n <! 11??? I?" :?11 i ?-?
liii v advised ri'Mjtsal rontilrii'S that
they hold themselves at lihertj to >= top
:i 11 shipping to ;ind from Germany ami
tin- countries of her allies.
Public aiinounciiiient of this action !
will Iji' made early next week. The
text of the ilwliiriilioii will set forth
that this decision Is necessary because
of 'i'Tinan submarine attacks. Imt that !
< Irca t rtritain and France will reaped
the lives of crews and passengers In
any fiteps they may take.
The declaration Is not a repl\ to the
American representations looking to a
cessation '>f German suhmariiie activity ;
and the admission of food to Germany
for civilians. The declaration will not
affect cargoes shipped before she date
of this advice to neutrals The exact
date carried b\ the ?leclaratlon has not |
heen a riiiounced, hut it is probahly Feb- ?
ruary 'J'; or
No special articles of commerce will j
be mentioned in the IJritish-French
declaiation. Gotton and foodstuffs. for
example, will not be specilled, but the |
terms will be general. The situation
created will be entirely Justified, ac- .
cordinu to the Knfflisli view, because
of Germany's unprecedented action in I
attempting a submarine blockade, re- j
trariiless of daiic- r to the crews and j
passengers of ships.
SII.11*1*1 \<? IN HA I.TK'
not Mit ii \ffi-:ctki? i
Shipping in the Baltic will not be !
?affected, except as G reat l-trilain and 1
her allies prevent supplies from enter
ing Norway, Xwedeti and I ?? ntnark for
re-exportation to Germany. Holland. :
by making its prohibited export list
conform with the British contraband i
list, and by the creation of the Nether- i
lands interseas trust, to which virtual- j
iy all rarsocs entermir Holland are!
consigned, with the jrovernment miar- I
a tit ee that they will not be exported to
? ierttiatiy. has put its shipping it> a|
position which will be slightly affected j
by the declaration.
It is believed here that the Scandi- i
naxian countries, doubtless, will take
similar action to Insure continuation of
supplies front America and elsewhere j
for home use. While Denmark, Sweden
and Norway have repeatedly modified
the lists of prohibited exports, their j
regulations for tl.e prevention of re^j
exportation apparently have been tin- |
satisfactory to Great Britain. or the ail- |
ministration of the regulations has
been unsatisfactory., as cargoes have
not moved to the Scandinavlan coun- j
tries with the same freedom as to Hoi- j
land.
\o \\ oiti) <ox< i:ii\im;
v.ON I'HOI'OS \ i.s
WASI ? IN'< iTi )N, February L' 7.?No I
word came from Great Britain or ?Ger
many to-da.v I'om'crniiiK their attitude '
on the American Rov?,rniii<>nt'H pro- ]
posab for Iho removal of mines, the j
abandonment of submarine warfare on
merchant ships, and tin* .shipment of 1
foodstuffs to the civilian population of'
belliucrents.
Hoth sides were understood to be still !
considering the Washington adminis
tration's suggest ions. Ueplies were
not experted for two or three days, i
From th?* press reports of Kngland's
plans for reprisals, derided on before
the American proposals arrived, of
ficials did not draw much encourage
ment for the success of their plan, i
They are hopeful, however, that if an i
acceptance of all tlie proposals is not
possible now, there at least will be an
acquiescence by all the belligerents in
tlie suggestion that mines be removed
from the high sens, except those di
rectly guarding coast defenses and har
bors.
fOMMi MCATIONS OK
IXF?H.MA 1, <11 A It ACYKIt
Inquiry as to the form of the Wash- j
ington government's latest diplomatic j
correspondence with the belligerents '
over the war zone problems brought j
the information from reliable sources !
to-day that the communications sent j
identically to Great Britain and Ger
many were of an Informal character,
with a suggestion of three articles I
which might be the basis for a "modus
vivendi," technically known among
diplomatic papers as an exchange of
notes, and regarded as a temporary I
agreement.
The suggested articles which might I
become the "modus vivendi" cover a
plan the details of which are not
worked out in the notes, for the super
vision by agencies certified to by the
I'nited States government of the distri
bution of imported foodstuffs to thn
civilian population of belligerents. The
other two articles deal with the re
moval of lloating mines, and the aban
donment of submarine attacks on titer*
chant vessels. Tlie text is compara
tively brief.
Ml ('(IX Flit M ATI OX
OF I.O.XDOX It KPOKT
WASHINGTON, February 27.?There
was no confirmation here to-night of
tlie report from Hoiulon that neutral
governments had been notified by Great
Britain and heralded that a general
blockade of German ports would be de
clared next week. The press dispatch
to that effect aroused wide interest In
otlicial and diplomatic circles as to the
probable course the United States gov
ernment would pursue.
Authorities oil international law
agree that a belligerent has the right
(Continued on Fifth Page.)
ASIIKVll.l.K. "l.ANl> OF THE SKY."
find other Western North Carolina resort*
particularly Inviting in early spring. Varied
I outdoor nporta. Kxtremoiy low fares. Kx
i eollent service. Southern Hallway. Apply
!>J7 Jiaat Main Strcot.
ALLIED FLEET IS FIGHTING
WAY TO CONSTANTINOPLE
Thirty-two sea-fighters. composing the allied fleet. in the Dardanelles, i
shelled and destroyed the I'lirkisli defenses at the entrance to the Sea of
Marmora. The allied Meet is under the command ol" Vice-Admiral 1 "arden,
and if now proceeding past the Dardanelles and shelling the land fortifica
tions on both sides of the strait. The licet is on its way to Constantinople,
and it is predicted that the ancient Mohammedan capital will soon he under
the fire of the Knglish and French ships. The picture shows the Agamem
non. which took an active part in the bombardment. The Agamemnon, one
of the strongest units of the fleet, is a Dreadnought of 1(1,501) tons, and was
completed in HUH.
DACIA SEIZED B? FRENCH
CRUISER; TAKEN TO BREST
I
Arrest of American Steamer Is ()(1i- '
eially Announced From
Paris.
HAD OX COTTON FOR It It KM ION'
i
Aetion Not Fnexpected, as Oreat
Ilritain Had Questioned Validity of .
Transfer From (ierinan to Ameri
can Kepistry.?
;
TARTS, February 2S (via London, !::<<?
A. M.).?A French cruiser lias arrested
the American steamer Dacia in the
channel, and taken her to Brest. This
announcement is officially made. (
The steamship Dacia left Galveston
for Rotterdam on January "1 with 11.- !
000 hales of cotton to he transshipped !
to Bremen. It was fully expected at I
that time she would bo seized, because !
Great Britain questioned the validity j
of her transfer from Cerman to Ameri
can registry. The Daeia touched at
Norfolk on February 11, then proceeded.
She formerly was a I lamhurg-Ameri
can freight steamship, which had been
used before the war In trade between !
Bremen and Gulf ports. At the out- j
break of hostilities she was tied up at
Port Arthur. On December 2(! she was '
purchased by an American, and on !
January t American registry was oh- t
tained. It was then announced that
she was to be used to move cotton,
and' loading was begun with a cargo to
be taken to Rotterdam, thence shipped
to Bremen, where it was already sold. )
Representations were made imme
diately by the British embassy at
Washington, questioning the validity of
the transfer, and it generally was un
derstood that if the ship sailed she
would be seized by British or French
warships and taken before a prize
court.
NO l'ltOTHST I'XTIL
1MM7.K COt It T ACTS
WASHINGTOX, February Ii7.?White j
no official word had rcuclic<l the State j
Department to-night on the seizure of
the American steamer Dacia. it is |
known that no protest by the American j
government is probable until a French I
prize court passes on the ship's status, j
(Continued on Second Page-)
PUN FOR EXTRA SESSION
III URDU IS HONED
Senate* May lie Called Together
About October 1 to tiet Start
on Program.
sriMM,Y mixs ix iiotii" iioushs
Favorable Committee Action on All
of Wilson's Xoniinat ions for I fed
eral Trade Commission Fxcept
litiblcc.
WASH INC.TON*. February 27.? Plans
for an extra session for the Senate
to ratify treaties an<l confirm nomina
tions immediately after March 4 have
been abandoned. The foremost of the
possibilities being considered to-day
was an extra session, beginning prob
ably on October 1, two months earlier
than the Sixty-fourth Congress ordln
i arily would assemble.
! l.eaders to-day were agreed that by
assembling about October 1 an early
| start could be made on the remainder
of the administration program, which
includes the Philippine bill, the conser
vation bills, the regulation of issue of
railroad securities, and the ratification
of the pending treaties with Nicaragua
ami I'olomhia. The situation on the
ship bill still is indefinite.
Favorable action was taken to-day
by the Senate Interstate Commerce
Commission on all of President Wil
son's nominations to the Federal Trade
Commission, except tleorgo ltublee.
That removed one remote possibility of
an extra session of the Senate In
March, and the determined announce
ments of Republicans that they would
light the Colombian treaty all summer,
if necessary, probably was another de
ciding factor. Many of the President's
political friends have advised against
an immediate extra session.
IIOTII IIOI'SKS WOltli
OX SI l'Pl.V MICASIHRS
Moth houses to-day worked on ap
propriation bills and conference re
ports. There is every prospect that
all will be completed by March I. with
the exception of the livers and harbors
bill.
Senator MeCuntber's rural credits
(.Colli inucd on Fifth Page.)
I'.W'A.MA MX POSITIONS VOW OI'KN.
Sun Priinclfu-o-Siiii IHcyn.
Th<* Chesapeake and Ohio Hallway offer*
verv low rules'. Many variable mutes l-\>r
tail Infoi'iiiatli'ii viiti Jiio. l> Pott*. ii. I' a.
Itlchiuoru'., Va.
Impression Anionic Military Men That
(iernian Offensive in North Has
Kxhnustcri Itself.
ITIDK IX FAVOR OF IUSSIANS
Much More Fighting, However, Must
He Waned Hefore Final Derision Is
Reached?Little Activity of Im
port Jinre in West.
I.ONDON, February -7 I*. M.).
|?With Russian successes in the region
of Przasnysz, North Poland, and Kolo
moa, Fast Galicin: the successful prog
ress of the* operations of tlx* allied
Hoot in the Dardanelles, and tlx* deri
sion of the allied governments to stop
all shipping to and from fiermany,
Austria and Turkey, the war, it is be
lieved here, is about to enter upon a
new phase.
While the success reported by Petro
grad covers only a small portion of
the Io.ir front in North Poland, and the
<!?rnians have been able to record a
' eountersuccess near Kolno, the general
impression among military men in Lon
don Is that, not only has the German
offensive in the north exhausted itself,
but the tide is turning in favor of the
Russians, who. with railways at their
1 back, have been able to bring tip more
reinforcements than the Invading army,
whose communications, after Herman
territory is loft, must cross a country
of marshes and overflowing rivers.
HATTI.K IS KIOMMKI)
l\ CKXTMAI, I'D 1.AND
Much more fighting, however, must
1 be waged before a tinal decision is
reached. Meanwhile, the battle has
J been resumed In Central Poland, where
| the Russians have made a slight ad
vance, and the engag< ments In the Car
pathians, Knstern Galicia and Ruko
! wlna continue with unabated fury.
Kroui what can be gathered from of
i ficial reports, the Russians, despite the
i onslaughts made upon them from all
sides by Austrlans and (icrtnans, have
I been able to maintain their strength at
i all points, and to throw in new troops
I whore they were necessary. As a re
, suit, the Austro-German plan of com
pelling them to weaken their centre by
' attacking the two extreme wings, has
! failed, and, while the Russians have
' been forced from Hast Prussia and
[ Itukowiua, they have been able to make
a stand, and, when reinforced, deliver
i counterattacks, which apparently are
1 making some headway.
The only activity of any importance
i In the west is in the Champagne dis
trict. where the French continue their
! offensive.
French airmen have been dropping
bombs on Metz.
IIOTIt VS A It IIY POXTIM KS
TO .MAKI-: SI.OW Pilot; III0SS
General latls Rotlia's army continues
to make slow progress In German
Southwest Africa, but this hardly is as
| interesting as the news that at the
opening of the Parliament of the Union
of South Africa the guest of honor for
the new British Governor was composed
j entirely of burghers In khaki, a duty
which heretofore has devolved upon
lirltish soldiers.
In a letter to Parliament. General
Rotba, who is at the front.' said he
anticipated the speedy conclusion of
t the operations, and appealed for len
iency for the rebels, especially the rank
and Hie. who, ho said, "in most cases
i acted under compulsion, or were the.
| victims of wrong loaders."
BEGINS ATTACKS
ON INNER FORTS
OF DARDANELLES
These Have Stood Between
Turkey and Invasion
by Sea.
SHIPS NOW APPROACHING
NARROWEST PART OF STRAIT
No Doubt That Commanders
Have Instructions to Con
tinue to Capital.
A GEM KM N ON HIT; THREE HEAP
t
Squadron Taking Part In Hombard
ment Greatest Ever in
Action.
I
i .
First Line of Mines
Swept Away by Fleet
TUB grent nllled fleet of (Irittnh
nml Krfni'h wnralilpa linn de
atrnyed the fort* at the entrance to
the DnrilnneileM. The llrat line of
mlnea KimrdlnK the Ntrnlt have heen
nwept awny, hnttlenlilpn hnve pro
eceiled up the nurrow nt retell of
wnter, nml mm nre engnged In
^lomhnrdlng the Inner fortltlentlonn.
The former Gcrtnnn atenmer
Dacln, now under the American flnn,
laden with cotton for Germany, hnn
heen tnUen liy a French cruiser In
the Kngllah t'hannel nnd diverted
to a French port.
{ Neutral countrlea hnve heen nd
vlned by Great llrltaln nnd her al
lien thnt they hold themaelvea nt
liberty to atop nil ahlpplng to and
from Germany nnd to nml from the
countrlea nllled with Germany. Thin
action will lie publicly nnnonnced
next week, nnd it la explained that
It Im due to the German aubmarlne
uttnckn.
Huanla, according to official an
nouncement from l'etrogrnd, hna re
captured the Important towu of
I'rznanyaz, north of Wnraaw, which
a few dnya ago It waw thought Ger
many would use aa u hnne for opera
tion* against the Polish capital.
The otllclal Hui.slnii statement
apenka of Important operntiona in
thla territory, where. It la averred,
the ItUMNlan offensive hna been vig
orously pursued, with the German
retrent "spreading over a constantly
widening front."
In the wcat the Krrnch hnve made
progresn In the neighborhood of
Mcsull-leM-llurlun, In the C'ham
pngiie district, where about n third
of n mile of German trenches kave
fallen Into their hntid*.
LONDON, February 27 (10:17 P. M.).?
After having completed the destruction
of forts at the entrance of the Dar
danelles, the allied fleet of British ami
French warships, the greatest which
has ever been In action, la now at
tacking the Inner forts, which hereto
fore have stood between Turkey and
Invasion by the sen.
Apparently, the outer forts cnuld not
withstand a great bombardment, and
when they had been leveled and de
scrted by their defenders, men wero
landed from the ships to complete tho
work of demolition, while mine
sweepers cleared a passage for shipvt
In the strait.
More serious work is now ahead,
for the all-Important fortifications are
at Killd-Bahr and Chanak, which guard
the narrowest part of the strait, which
the licet Is approaching. There Is no
doubt, however, that the allied com
manders have instructions to make
tlieir way to Constantinople, in 3plte of
all obstacles, and have been supplied
with this best means for carrying out
these orders.
1'0>IPM3TK 1,1ST OK SICXl'S
NOT NOW AVAILABLE
A complete list of the ships engaged
is not available, but reports from
Athens , and other points say that
twenty large vessels are taking part,
and the report issued to-night by the
Kritlsh admiralty up to Friday night
mentions no less than ten of these.
Previous reports mentioned others that
were not engaged on Thursday or Fri
day. the period covered by the ad
miralty statement.
At the head of the fleet is the Queen
; KUzabeth, one of Kngland's latest
super-Dreadnoughts, which has been
commissioned since the war began, and
which mounts eight Jlfteen-lnch guns.
The Queen KlUubeth took part in the
bombardment, so that for the first time
these monster weapons had been used,
and, according to the admiralty report,
they did their work "with great ac
curacy."
Other ships which assisted In sllenc*
j ing the outer forts were the British
! t?ttttlcship Agamemnon, which
struck by a Turkish shell, and had
three men killed and five wounded;
the British battleships Irresistible,
\ Vengeance, Cornwallls, Albion and
i Majestic, each of which carries four
twelve-inch guns, and the Triumph,
[ which baa four ten-inch guns, and the