Sunday 9 October 2011

LIBYAN WAR SEA BATTLE

On 22 December 1911, the cruiser Puglia Kaiseride captured the steamer, who, disguised as a Turkish hospital ship, was perhaps aimed at a European port to load material for the Arabs. On 16 January, 1912,  the ship stopped at Agordat thirty miles from Cape Teulada above
Charthage the French ocean liner,  was on duty between Marseille and Tunis. There being in an airplane on  the steamer for the Turks in Libya the Chartage was blocked and led to Cagliari.
 Later, having given assurance , the French government officially stated that the airplane was not going to the Turks, the ship was released. 
On 18 January, one of five torpedo boats that accompanied the Agordat and stopped off the island of San Pietro di Sardegna another French steamer, the Manouba was bearing 29 messengers aboard ,these were Turks, who called themselves doctors and nurses.Seeing the commander refused to hand over the Turks,  the Manouba was blocked and led to Cagliari, where two days later, the passengers disembarked, the ship continued on its course.
The French press, after taking note of the facts, yelled blind murder. The French Chamber, Jan. 22, , called for a response to the Italians "striking" from Italy, Admiral Bienaime,  said the  Italians made "a real attack against the freedom and honor of the French flag" and a lack of respect "premeditated" : "The country wants  satisfaction, ."The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Poincare   hoped that "friendly relations of two countries, resting on shared memories, would not be disturbed." [Tunis: Theatre Italien] At Tunis the French put on martial display when the ships arrived. The 4 th regiment of "chausseurs" marched the dockside with with fanfare, a battalion of Zouaves with their brass band received the colonel  DE BUVER  who was among the passengers, and then there was the delegate of the Residence, the generals, the Vice President of the Town Hall, the department heads paraded. The joy and the cheers which greeted the landing of "Chartage were intense: shouts of" Vive la France! Down with Italy! Down Sicily Long live Turkey!.  "The sudden tension in the relations between Italy and France, however, was providential because it paradoxically served to change the attitude of Germany and Austria to Italy, almost cordial relations become normal again. 

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