THE FLEET IN THE DARDANELLES.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 30, 15 April 1878, Page 2

THE FLEET IN THE DARDANELLES.

Tho ironclads, undor Admiral Hornby, that ontorcd tho Dardnnollos on January %i, wore nijjht in number. Tho Illusfrnfod London JScws publi.slicß a spirited letter from bno of tho oflicors of tho squadron, who snys: "No attack wns oxpoctcfi from tho forffl Soddul I3ahr or Onstlo of Europe, and Kum Knloh, tlm Castlo of Acia at tho cntrunco, us in nny caso tho (iirlit for. tho pa^n«o must really bnvo Inkpn plnoo a^ Obiinak, thonarrowost part of Ibe strait. Tho RUns were now loa.lod nnd run not quite out, but only level with tho ship's bHp, nnd with tb.» tnmpions in them, Thosfl «bijw possossin^ G- itlinn nuns iioisted' tboin into tho tops, so na to brinn them to bear on tho embrnsureu of tho forts. The men woro cbcorful nnd tho moment very mnny holieved th»t fluhtinur must ensuo witli ( ( ho torrihld fo^V's ,ht (Jbanuk. At length Chnnnk was nppronqhi'd. an-.l nt thq lust momont a signal hoisted from tho Salnmis (tho Adm^ral'd despatch, boni^ wbieh lod the way, told us thnt (he pussngo would not bo disputed. P,uri»R tho jiurnoy tho lnru'o ironohd« had, all of them their slonm anchors rondy so Ijbnt they Miiftbt be anchored \vm nnd stern of tho 'forts to assault thotty if require*!. Thero is nn, old oasljlo nnd a strong earth fort on tho, opp<i^to t^ido of tho narrows to'Oh'Vnnlf, fln/l! tlie P v trc\nm is known to lmvo torpod,ops' 'njjil djdwn, so that tbo moslj sanßuino oould not haro cxpeotcd a blpodloss yictory, had, it boon necossary to foroo tbo D/ird/inell©^. Tlio (loot had rortjninly n most imposing nspoot, nnd tboro, was much that was striking; to bo scon from tbo fl^oot itself, Tlioro wns a Btron« fcolint? in tho ftoet nt tbo time of tbo.odvniico thnt i\bopassaßO,of tho Dnrd* nnolles opnld'cortninly bavo boon forced. But nl Chnnal: tboro ar<i two low forts, stated, to tnpunt <l/) r ton Erupp i^una ; nnd thoro is nn upper fort, with n plunizinp; f], -e, so that it wov\ld bayo tnlton sonio . timo destroy thorn. 1 '