Nazim Pasha Claims Decisive Repulse of Foe in Battle Lasting All Sunday.

New York Times 100 years ago today, November 18, 1912:
CENTRE UNDER HEAVY FIRE
Booming Wakes Constantinople, and Artillery Duel Is Watched from Heights Near City.
TURKISH WARSHIPS JOIN IN
As Uneasiness Spreads in the City Marines Are Landed to Protect Foreigners.
HUNDREDS DYING OF CHOLERA
Thousand New Cases in Turkish Army Daily — Bulgarians Reported Infected.
SERVIA INSISTS ON PORTS
Premier Pasitch Declares Austria's Proposals Are Impossible — Peace Negotiations Lag.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
Dispatch to The London Daily Mail.
    CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 17, 10:20 P.M.— Reports that a battle was in progress at Tchatalja, as indicated by the heavy cannon fire during the day, were officially confirmed to-night by a telegram from Nazim Pasha, the Commander in Chief.
    He states that infantry fire went on all day. The Bulgarians tried to advance against the Turkish right and were repulsed by the accurate fire of the Turkish artillery, which are said to have destroyed three Bulgarian batteries. Nazim Pasha adds that the condition and morale of the troops are excellent.
    The Sultan sent Nazim a message of congratulation, which was received with cheers by the troops.
    Unofficial reports state that the Turks took twelve guns and 8,000 prisoners and caused great losses to the Bulgarians in to-day's fighting.
    The International Council of Health met to-day and decided that in consequence of the cholera, which is raging among both the Turkish and the Bulgarian troops, neither army ought under any circumstances whatever be allowed to enter Constantinople. This decision will be communicated to the powers.

Report Bulgarian Check Serious.
Dispatch to The London Daily Telegraph.
    CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 17, 10 P.M.— It is announced from an official Ottoman source that the Bulgarians have suffered a serious check at Tchatalja. The Turkish soldiers are said to have made prisoners of eight battalions of Bulgarian troops and they have also taken several guns and much munitions of war. The Foreign Minister, Gabriel Noradunghian Effendi, confirms the news of the Turkish victory without, however, specifying the exact number of prisoners,

Booming Woke The Capital.
    6 P.M.— Constantinople was awakened this morning by the rumbling of guns. The terraces of the houses were soon thronged with people listening. The rumbling was feeble and dull like that of a distant storm, but at intervals the sound became quite distinct.
    In the afternoon, as the distant thunder continued, I drove to Kaithane, from where the noise appeared to be coming, but on arriving at the ridge which dominates the Sweet Waters valley I ordered the carriage to stop, because as the sound became clearer one could understand that the cannonade was taking place at a great distance behind the hills masking Derkos and Tchatalja.
    I listened for a long time to this echo of the supreme struggle, and when I returned about 5 o'clock the rumbling still continued.
    It is not yet known whether the Tchatalja, forts were firing on the advance of the Bulgarians or whether the Turkish cruisers were bombarding the road from Derkos in order to prevent the Bulgarians from turning the lines.

People Calmly Seek Amusement.
    On my return to Pera I was struck by the extraordinary calmness and indifference of the population. As on any other Sunday, a veritable multitude of promenaders moved slowly along the streets, making the circulation of carriages difficult. Women and children came out in hundreds from the cinematographs and the confectioners' shops and the cafes were full. Reassured by the presence of the foreign cruisers, nobody thought of anything except amusement.
    So far as the Government is concerned its principal preoccupation for the moment is insuring the position of the Cabinet by arresting as many of the Unionists as possible; I am assured that already nearly 200 of the principal leaders and members of the rank and file of the party of Union and Progress are in prison. Mahmoud Shefket Pasha himself is under police surveillance.

Warships Land Marines.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 17.— Dispatch to The London Daily News.— The warships to-night are landing a strong detachment of marines with Maxims.
    I have just watched two contingents pass my hotel. They were carrying their full kit.
    Arrangements have been made at the British Embassy to accommodate a landing party 150 strong.
    The official explanation given of this measure is that it is taken to quiet the nervousness caused by the heavy gun fire that has been audible in Constantinople from the direction of Tchatalja.