Greeks Fight Turks On Sea.

New York Times 100 years ago today, January 19, 1913:
Thirty Warships Engage in Contest, Ending in Turkish Defeat.
    ATHENS, Jan. 18.— Another sea fight between the Greek and the Turkish fleets occurred to-day about 30 miles south of the entrance to the Dardanelles. The Greek war vessels attacked the Turkish squadron and forced the Ottoman warships to return to the Dardanelles Straits in disorder. The Turkish flagship is said to have suffered considerably. The engagement lasted three hours. Only one Greek was wounded, while the Greek warships were not damaged, according to a long despatch sent by Admiral Countouriotis to the Government. The Admiral telegraphs:
    "All last night the Turkish cruiser Hamidieh, accompanied by a destroyer, carried out a reconnaissance between Tenedos and Mavro Islands. In the morning the Turkish fleet left the Straits, steaming toward Imbros, then turned toward the southeast of Lemnos and arrived within twenty miles of the northwest of Tenedos.
    "The Greek fleet immediately steamed to meet the enemy's, which consisted of the battleships Kheyr-ed-Din-Barbarossa, Torgut Reis, Messudieh and Assar-i-Tewfik, the cruiser Hamidieh and 13 destroyers and torpedo boats. The Greek fleet consisted of the battleships Averoff, Hydra, Spetsai and Psara and eight gunboats and destroyers.
    "The following order was sent by wireless by the Admiral to the fleet: 'I remind you of the order of Dec. 3. The future of Greece depends on the events of to-day. Fight like lions.' "
    Admiral Countouriotis's dispatch to the Government ended at this point, but the Governor of Tenedos sends the following:
    "The naval fight began at 11:25 o'clock in the morning. Both sides fought desperately. The Turks at 12:50 began slowly to retreat. At 1:10 the Turkish battleships were fleeing in disorder toward the straits, firing at long intervals against the Averorf, which was pursuing at a distance of 5,000 meters, and rapidly overhauling the enemy.
    "The Hamidieh headed the flight. One of the Turkish battleships ceased firing, and was apparently disabled by the deadly fire of the Averoff. The fight ended at 2:30 P. M., when the enemy re-entered the Dardanelles.
    "The Barbarossa and Torgut Reis throughout the flight were enveloped in smoke, but they continued to fire slowly. When they entered the Straits they had a list to starboard. The Greek fleet ceased the pursuit when it came within range of the guns of the forts, and remained cruising off the entrance."
    A later dispatch from Admiral Countouriotis says:
    "Have beaten the enemy's fleet, which was steaming toward Lemnos, and pursued it almost into the Straits, where it took refuge in disorder. The engagement lasted three hours. We had only one man slightly wounded. The damage to the Averoff is insignificant, and the fighting power of the fleet has not been affected."