which began on February 17, proceeded without any serious check for a month.  Mine sweepers were in daily use, to clear the channel of submerged and floating mines, and the forts at the Narrows, several miles inside the entrance of the straits, 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-sweepers continued.

“At 4:09 P.M. the Irresistible quitted the line, listing heavily, and at 5:50 o’clock sank, having probably struck a drifting mine.  At 6:  o’clock the Ocean, also having struck a mine, sank.  Both vessels sank in deep water, practically the whole of their crews having been removed safely under a hot fire.  The loss of the ships was caused by mines drifting with the current, which were encountered in areas hitherto swept clear.