OCR Text |
Show PROVES BIG JOB TO FORCE DARDANELLES Presence of German Submarines Sub-marines in Mediterranean Complicates Things. Special Cable to The Tribune. LONDON, Sept. 4. Matters are progressing pro-gressing slowly in the Dardanelles and It is likely to prove a very tough job. Such was the conclusion of two transport officers, offi-cers, who arrived in London this week from the Mediterranean. One of them said : The recent incursion into Mediterranean Mediter-ranean waters of German submarines has undoubtedly complicated matters. As a result, the fleets have been forced to quit the Gulf of Saros and ta ke up their quarters oft Lemnos, where they are protected by the steel nettings. Already the German submarines have been caught In the nets at the Dardanelles. One was the vessel which had torpedoed the Majestic and the Triumph. Both the submarine and crew were taken to Malta, her German commander saying that had It not been for the lack of torpedoes he would have sunk the whole of the allied fleet, as not a soul had suspected the presence of submarines there. Which was true. The loss of life when the Manltou was struck was due entirely to the capsizing of a boat. The men simply stampeded over the side and jumped Into the water. So great was the panic that, although machine guns and ammunition were In position on deck, it never occurred to anyone to use them against the enemy boat. Anothor unexpected element contributed con-tributed to add to the scare. This was due to the discovery of a number num-ber of German stowaways on board just as the troops were about to be disembarked. They had boarded the vessel at Alexa ndrla and as soon as they were discovered they disappeared mysteriously. Transports do not go by night any longer to Sedul-Bahr. but transship the troops at Lemnos on board small, swift boats, which run them across to the peninsula. |