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[Page 36]
Peninsula Press
No. 84 – Monday, October 18th, 1915 – Official News
The following notes on the climate of the Dardanelles are taken from the "Westminster Gazette" and are based upon the results of observations made by a close observer of nature during a period of over thirty years: "From October 10 to 14 there is a period of uncertainty; sometimes a south-westerly wind, which veers round to the north-west, and a good rainstorm. The first distinct drop in temperature now takes place (about the 10th to the 14th), one feels autumn in the air, the nights continue fairly warm, and this period continues fine and generally calm up to about the 20th – sometimes the 18th or 19th – when a well-defined and most absolutely regular period is entered upon. This spell being with three or four days of very heavy northernly or north-westernly winds, sometimes a gale, generally accompanied by rain for several days, and it is this period – from October 20 to October 25 – which is intensely interesting to naturalists owing to the passage of all kinds of birds, the sweeping past of the last of the quails, the arrival of the first woodcock, the clockwork precision of the passage of stockdoves (pigeons); in fact it is the moment of the big migration, when the air night and day is full of birds on the move. Towards the end of October, and in the way of a counter coup or re-action to the northerly gales, there is generally experienced a fierce three or four days of southerly winds, sometimes gales. It is to be noted that these gales or changes in the weather are usually of three or seven days' duration, the first day generally being the strongest, and for some of these regular winds the natives have special names. November generally, almost always, comes in fine with a lovely first ten days or so. It, however, becomes rather sharp at night, and there is to be expected a very marked period now of cold weather – a cold snap in fact."
"This snap is generally in the second or third week of the month, and only lasts a few days, the weather going back to fine, warm, and calm until about the end of the month. Barring such cold snap, the month is marked by fine weather and the absence of wind, and many people consider it the most glorious month of the year, the sunsets being especially fine."
"In the last days of November or the first days of December another period is entered upon. There is generally a heavy south wind lasting from three to seven days, which is succeeded by a lovely spell of fine weather, generally perfectly calm and warm, which brings one well through December. Onward from such time in December, say a little before Christmas or just after, the weather varies greatly. The marked periods are past – the weather may be anything, sometimes calm and mild, varied by rain, with strong north winds, but no seriously bad weather; in one word, no real winter weather need be looked for until, as the natives put it, the old New Year – otherwise the New Year, old style, which is January 14, our style – comes in.
After January 14, or a few days later, the weather is almost invariably bad; there is always a snow blizzard or two, generally between January 20 and 25. These are real bad blizzards, which sometimes last from three to seven days; and after, anything in the way of weather may happen for the next six weeks or two months. The snow has been known to lie six weeks. Strong southerly gales succeed, as a rule, the northerly gales, but one thing is to be noted, that the south and west winds no longer bring rain; it is the north and north-east which bring snow and rain.
"To those who have relations or friends at the Dardanelles (and I quote from a letter from a friend), let them send good strong warm stockings for the men besides the usual waistcoats and mufflers; and as for creature comforts, sweets, chocolate, and tobacco, especially cigarettes. It is the Turks who will suffer from the cold; they cannot stand it long, and being fed generally mainly on bread, they have no stamina to meet cold weather. Most of their troops come from warm climes.
Wireless Messages
London, Oct. 13
Sir Edward Grey speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon said that if Turkey had remained neutral the Allies would have seen that Turkey and Turkish territory did not suffer at the close of the war. The Allies were ready to do all in their power to obtain concessions for Bulgaria but an essential preliminary was that Bulgaria should take the side of the Allies. It was too much to ask them to believe that Bulgaria was influenced to enter into war without promise of considerable territory. Our relations with Roumania are of friendly character: and she was favourable to the policy of promoting agreement between her neighbours in the Balkans and had shown her readiness to pursue the same policy as they pursued. Servians were meeting the new crisis with some splendid courage, but the entry of Bulgaria made a difference in the situation. It was obvious that the interests of Greece and Servia were one: they stood and fell together. It was only through Greek territory that assistance could be given by the Allies to Servia and they deserved to have that help. The co-operation of Russian troops was promised.
Athens, Oct. 14.
The Greek Government has formally informed Serbia "that the Bulgarian attack arises out of an extension of area of European war and is not a Balkan war, consequently Greece declines to abide by the Treaty concluded with Serbia."
R.E. Printing Section, G.H.Q., M.E.F.