s, were subject to bombardment every fine day.
High winds and fog hampered the operations to a considerable extent,
but the purpose of the Allies under Vice-Admiral Carden was adamant and
would not be denied. They were determined to hammer their way through to
the Turkish capital. The greatest battle of all history between warships
and shore forts was the result. Soon after the bombardment began it
became known that the allied fleets were led by the great new British
superdreadnaught Queen Elizabeth, launched after the war began and
armed with 15-inch guns of immense range which proved most effective in
reducing the forts at the mouth of the straits.

[Illustration: FROM THE DARDANELLES TO THE BLACK SEA

This Map Shows the Route of the Allied Fleets on the Way to
Constantinople, The Principal Fortified Places Are Clearly Indicated.]
THREE WARSHIPS SUNK

On March 18 three of the allied warships were sunk inside the
Dardanelles and two crippled by the Turks during a bombardment in which
ten vessels of the combined fleet participated. The official report of
the battle was as follows:

"Mine-sweeping having been in progress during the last ten days inside
the straits, a general attack was delivered by the British and French
fleets on Thursday morning upon the fortresses at the Narrows. At
10:45 A.M. the Queen Elizabeth, Inflexible, Agamemnon, and Lord Nelson
bombarded forts J, L, T, U and V, while the Triumph and Prince George
fired at batteries F, E and H. A heavy fire was opened on the ships from
howitzers and field guns.

"At 12:22 o'clock the French squadron, consisting of the Suffren,
Gaulois, Charlemagne and Bouvet, advanced up the Dardanelles and engaged
the forts at closer range. Forts I, U, F and E replied strongly. Their
fire was silenced by the ten battleships inside the straits, all the
ships being hit several times during this part of the action.

"By 1:25 P.M. all the forts had ceased firing. The Vengeance,
Irresistible, Albion, Ocean, Swiftsure and Majestic then advanced to
relieve the six old battleships inside the straits. As the French
squadron, which had engaged the forts in a most brilliant fashion, was
passing out, the Bouvet was blown up by a drifting mine. She sank in
fathoms north of Arenkeuf village in less than three minutes.

"At 2:23 P.M. the relief battleships renewed the attack on the forts,
which again opened fire. The attack on the forts was maintained while
the operations of the mine