on "Naval Operations" because of its direct bearing on
Turkish politics and policies. The captain and officers of the _Goeben_
and the _Breslau_ went ashore at Messina, made their wills and deposited
their valuables with the German consul. The decks of the apparently
doomed vessels were cleared for action, flags run up to the resounding
cheers of the sailors and with the brass bands of the boats playing
"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" they steamed swiftly out of Messina harbor to
what seemed like certain destruction.

A blood-red sun was quickly setting in the perfect Italian sky. The
bands were hushed aboard the German warships, every light was dimmed,
and the sailors were ordered to their posts. In tense whispers they
discussed the coming fight. The ships were already at top speed plowing
through the waters of the Mediterranean as fast as the throbbing engines
could urge them. A sharp lookout was kept for the enemy, but as one
hour, two hours, three hours passed and none was seen it became apparent
that for the time at least they had evaded detection. Rounding the
southern coast of Italy, they turned due east and the course laid for
Constantinople.

Morning came and still, at 28 knots an hour, the German warships were
speeding toward the Turkish capital--and safety. To the rear, too far to
reveal their funnels, the pursuing French and English squadron followed,
thin lazy strips of smoke attested their presence to the men aboard the
_Breslau_ and the _Goeben_.

Suddenly far to the southeast the masts of a single vessel were seen on
the horizon. Then the smokestacks of the British light cruiser
_Gloucester_ poked their tops above the skyline and daringly she opened
fire on the mighty _Goeben_. Tempting, however, as the opportunity was
for the German commander with an overwhelming force at his heels he
dared waste no time nor run the risk of a chance shot disabling his
vessel. He sheered off sharply to the northeast and in a few hours lost
the plucky _Gloucester_ to view.

At the end of this week in August the _Goeben_ and the _Breslau_, their
engines hot from constant steaming at forced speed, but with flags
flying and bands playing, steamed through the narrow channel of the
Dardanelles, through the sea of Marmora, and cast anchor off the
gloriously beautiful city of Constantinople. As quickly as the
formalities would permit the two German warships were transferred to
Turkish sovereignty, and to all intents and purposes,