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Show DARDANELLES HE SAYS ARE SAFE Constantinople, April 7, via The Hague and London, April 7, 10:30 p m. "I am convinced that the Dardanelles Darda-nelles cannot be forced The brave conduct of the Turkish troop6 in the recent operations against the straits permits me to conclude that although (he allies bend every effort and use j every means at their disposal they will be unable to achieve their purpose." pur-pose." Thus spoke Mehmed V, the sultan of Turkey, and caliph of the Moslem world, today, in the course of an au dience which he had granted the Associated As-sociated Press correspondent?. The ultan throughout the audience show ed and expressed the greatest confi dence in Turkey's ability to with stand the onslaught of the allied forces, for-ces, and followed with the keenest Interest a description of the operations opera-tions by the allies on March IS against the Dardanelles forts. The various phases of the bombard ment were discussed by his majesty in a manner demonstrating that h was well informed on the affair, but he was greatly interested in the human hu-man aspect of this tremendous action ac-tion What was the effect of the enemy's fire? What impression was made upon the mind by the Turkish troops, and what was the fate of the population of ihe towns near the forts bombarded'!' All these were things in which the sultan showed deep con cern. Sultan Cordial. Mehmed V was in ;i most cordial frame of mind Many of the Incidents Inci-dents related by the correspondents brought 10 the sultan s face broad -miles of satisfaction, appreciation and amusement How the correspondents correspond-ents had been obliged to make a hasty rf treat when Kale Sultanie was reach ' d by the allies' shells appeared to be of special Interest to his majesty When one of the correspondent.! told the sultan that he had been rendered ren-dered nervous in Chanak Kalessi by the explosion of large shells which impelled him to stoop at every detonation, deto-nation, and how an old interpreter who also was retreating, touched him on the arm each time saying, "York Irismet " the sultan was much amused nnd touched the newspaper man on the shoulder in a fatherly fashion and proceeded to explain that the use of ihe word "kismet" was improper under un-der such circumstances. |
