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Show BRITISH EMPIRE PREPARESFOR WAR DANGER OF MOSLEM INVASION IN EUROPE BECOMES LESSENED; LES-SENED; TROOPS READY English Troops Are Entrenching Along Dardannelles to Prevent the Passage of the Kern-allsts Kern-allsts London. Although immediate danger dan-ger of Turkish invasion of Europe has lessened, the whole British empire is preparing for war In the Balkans. It Is estimated that 300,000 British troops will be necessary if a conflict breaks loose. Allied troops, mostly British soldiers and marines, under command of Colonel Chuttlftworth of the British army, have begun to throw up entrenchments along the Dardanelles, Dardan-elles, mounting machine guns and artillery ar-tillery to prevent the passage of the Turks. The British dreadnaught Iron Duke under command of Admiral Brock, has arrived at Constantinople after landing land-ing British reinforcements at Chanak on the Asiatic side of the Dardanelles. Chanak lies at the narrowest point of the waterway where the Turks probably pro-bably would try to cross if they decide de-cide upon an attempt to invade. It is probable that the Kemalist troops will not enter for the present the Allied neutral zones along the straits, but that the Allies must make peace at once, otherwise, said a newspaper news-paper report, "war will follow." A Constantinople dispatch to the Dally Express said that Smyrna had been virtually wiped out. After razing raz-ing the balance of the city the fire spread to the Turkish quarter. Those sections of the Turkish quarter not destroyed by the flames were shattered shat-tered by the shells from the Greek warship Kilkos. The dead are estimated esti-mated at more than 150,000. It is im-poslble, im-poslble, however ,to give exact or official figures. The total casualty list probably never will be known. Plague had added new horrors to the situation at Smyrna which is still filled with starving refugees. Mus-tapha Mus-tapha Kernel Tasha, the Turkish nationalist na-tionalist leader, is reported to be demanding de-manding that the Allies give up Constantinople Con-stantinople and evacuate the neutral zones aong the Turkish straits. Constantinople The entire British Atlantic fleet is being sent to reinforce rein-force the Mediterranean squadron for the protection of Constantinople, and the Straits of Dardanelles. This undoubtedly will create the most formidable armada of warships ever assembled in an area ot like size, embracing the most modern dreadnaughts, battle cruisers, destroyers, destroy-ers, submarines and aircraft carriers. British officials here feel confident that if the Allied land forces are not sufficient to check the attack on the Dardannelles by the Turkish nationalists, national-ists, the combined fleet, together with Fieneh and Italian war vessels, will be more than adequate. |