The Italian-Turkish War.
By Commodore W.H. Beehler, U. S. Navy (Retired).
(Compiled and translated from the Marine Rundschau, and other sources.)
Italy declared war against Turkey for commercial reasons and to provide a neighboring colony for her surplus population. The Italians believe the prediction of the great African Explorer, Gerhard Rohly, who, twenty years ago, declared that the power that rules Tripoli will dominate the Soudan. The proximity of Tripoli to Italy makes its possession desirable.
The importance of the region was recognized by the ancient Romans. Cyrenaica was very important. The five great commercial ports were known as the Lybian Pentapolis, and existing ruins of great works, aqueducts, dams, and large buildings reveal its ancient prosperity. Sallust states that Leptis alone annually exported forty million bushels of grain and paid a war- tax of twenty-five thousand gallons of olive oil. The Mediterranean climate prevails, and though the great Saharan Desert approaches close to the coast there are large oases and fertile tracts of land that would enable the country to support a population of twelve million inhabitants, whereas it now has but one million.
This coast has a number of naturally fine harbors that have been filled up with sand and ruined by neglect, but which could easily be reclaimed. Such are Tripoli, Lebda, Misrata, Benghasi, Derna, Mersa, Bomba and Tobruk. The trend of the coast brings the Tripolitan ports three hundred miles nearer the trade centers of points around Sahara, and the trade routes converge towards Tripoli.
Ever since the Kingdom of Italy was united Italy has coveted the adjacent coast of North Africa. Forty years ago Bismarck wrote to Mazzini: "The Mediterranean is indisputably Italy's sphere of interest. The control of the Mediterranean should be the constant goal and the controlling principle of Italian statesmen!" England had long possessed Malta and Gibraltar. In 1878 she acquired Cyprus while Austria took Bosnia. At the Berlin Congress Bismarck and Beaconsfield offered Italy Mythelene, Tunis and Tripoli; but Cairoli declined, stating that he wished to leave the Congress with clean hands. Other nations, however, stepped in and took forcible possession. France inaugurated her Algerian imperial policy and acquired Senegal, Tschad, and Tunis. France fortified Biserta on the Tunisian coast and is now proceeding to peaceably acquire Morocco. During the Russo-Turkish war England offered to form a league with Italy, Austria and Greece to maintain the status quo in the Mediterranean, but Italy declined because she did not wish to disturb her friendly relations with other nations. In 1881, when France seized Tunis and broke the status quo, Italy claimed to be too weak to make any serious protest but, at the renewal of the triple alliance in 1866, Italy complained that Germany and Austria did not protect Italy from French encroachments in the Mediterranean. Bismarck then is said to have negotiated a secret treaty with England stipulating that Italy's interests in the Mediterranean should be preserved. In 1889, however, England negotiated the Soudan treaty with France defining boundaries that encroached still further on the borders of the Tripolitan hinterland. In a secret treaty in 1902, England and France recognized Italy's claims to Tripoli. In 1904 France definitely proclaimed Italy's prior right to take possession of Tripoli under certain contingencies. During the Bosnia Bulgarian crisis Italy was supposed to take definite action but Italy hesitated because of England's relations with the Young Turk government, but since England's attitude has cooled somewhat, Italy has finally acted to be no longer reproached for neglecting her opportunities. These diplomatic incidents explain the present neutrality of European powers.
The Turks have had possession of Tripoli since 1835, and the inhabitants regard Turkish rule as a blessing; they have enjoyed greater freedom and have been subjected to much less burdensome taxation than before. The protectorate of Tripoli is an expense rather than a source of revenue for Turkey. The expenses of administration are greater than the revenue from harbor dues and agriculture. The Turks relieved the people of military service at first, but in 1901 universal compulsory military service was re-established and occasioned some opposition, but this has been long since settled as a necessary feature of the government. The alleged Italian claim that the country is misgoverned and that intolerable conditions exist are not well founded.
The Berbers were the original inhabitants of the entire North African Coast as far as Morocco. These were joined by a large emigration of Jews after the Babylonian captivity. The Jews number about 20,00x3 or one fiftieth of the estimated population of one million. These Jews live in the cities and are the leading merchants, a few carry on small industries in the interior. The Arabs invaded, not in great hordes but by single tribes, from time to time, when compelled by famine to leave their former abodes. These tribes captured places from the numerically superior Berbers who were scattered, and gradually they have amalgamated so that it is rare to find either pure Berbers or pure Arabs in the country. The negro population is estimated at 50,000. There are 15,000 Spaniards; 50,000 Turks, Armenians and Albanians; 3000 Maltese, and only 1000 Italians; the rest are Berber-Arabs.
The Turks are chiefly officials or in the army. The Armenians and Maltese compete with the Jews in the trade. The Italians are far behind all other traders. They have a flour mill, an oil mill, one soap factory and an asparagus press, which are supported by the Bank of Rome at a loss. The export trade with Italy is valued at $600,000, while the imports from Italy only amount to $400,000 per annum. England has the bulk of the commerce.
The population is extremely fanatical and bitterly opposed to the Italians. The All-Islam propaganda has aroused the religious fanatics, who are so extremely bigoted that they do not regard the Turks as true Moslems, and some of the opposition to the Turkish rule was because the Turks are not orthodox Mahomedans. The fact might be used to favor the Italians if managed with a delicate diplomacy, but the conciliation of the people is a very difficult task.
The country is agricultural and can only be made profitable by developing its agricultural resources. Tobacco, cotton, silk, olives, wine and dates could be profitably cultivated but such can hardly be expected of the Italians, who have failed to agriculturally develop Italy, and in all countries to which Italians have emigrated they are rarely found to be successful agriculturists. The negro is much better qualified for this development, and even more so are the Berber-Fellachens, who are acclimated and familiar with conditions of the soil.
Tripoli is important because of the possibilities of its hinterland, though much of the important trade that would have its natural outlet through Tripoli has been secured by France through Algiers and by England through Egypt. The boundaries of the English and French spheres of influence in the Soudan and around the hinterland of Tripoli limit its importance to the coast.
Italy has a precarious problem in the conquest of this hinterland. France has operated under most favorable conditions to develop her Algerian policy and in the last ten years after indefatigable labor France has succeeded. How will Italy manage is problematical. Italy has a most formidable foe in the tribe of Fessans who, though numerically inferior and provided with inferior weapons, are thoroughly accustomed to the hot, dry climate, are a warlike race, very mobile, and possess a knowledge of the country that will outweigh the superiority in numbers and equipment of the Italians. Racial sympathy and the fanatical religious zeal will add to make them almost invincible in the defence of their native land. Guerilla warfare will be sure to prolong the war should the Italian armies overcome the organized defence so that the peaceful agricultural development must be long deferred. Finally trade relations with the interior will cause friction in Italian competition with the English and French; and influence relations of the European powers.
England with her chain of naval bases at Gibraltar, Malta, and Suez Canal communications has regarded the Mediterranean in a measure as a Mare Clausum and she cannot favor the establishment of formidable ports on the other flank of this line. The British Mediterranean fleet has of late years been reduced and greater attention been given to the North Sea, whereas now the Mediterranean will require more attention. England and France will increase their Mediterranean naval forces while Italy will lean more than ever upon the Central European powers and the triple alliance, in which Germany is so much interested, will be strengthened.
The Defences of the City of Tripoli.
The defences consisted of five old coast fortifications and some newer earthworks on the land front. On the west side Fort Sultanje and Fort Gargaresch comprised a group of three old earthworks carrying modern Krupp guns. Italian reports state that these included some 2i-cm. howitzers. Fort Sultanje protected the cable landing from Malta. There was a group of old stone forts near the town on the north, there consisted of: (1) The Lighthouse Fort whose walls were mounted with three old 15-011. guns with the lighthouse built on the same wall; (2) The Spanish Fort on the harbor mole, and (3) Fort Rosso, west of the Lighthouse Fort (so-called because of its red walls). Forts 2 and 3 were armed with old small-caliber guns.
Fort Hamidije or Scharaschat is about 6000 yards east of the city on a bluff fifty feet above the sea level, an old earthwork that commands the outer roadstead and the harbor. The four modern guns which were formerly mounted in this fort were taken to Yemen in 1905 and replaced by four old howitzers. Latest reports state that the Italians found one 24-011., one 15-2-cm. and one 9-cm. guns in this fort. Field Marshall von der Goltz states that in 1911 the defences of Tripoli had no guns larger than 15 cm., made in 1870.
A wall 25 feet high, built in the 16th century, encloses the inner city. The land forts encircle the town in a series of earthworks commanding the roads leading into the country.
The Military Conditions at Tripoli.
The lack of heavily armed modern fortifications and the weakness of the garrison, with the easily interrupted line of communication with Turkey, rendered any attempt to defend the city from an oversea attack by the Italians hopeless at Tripoli, and even more so at the other ports.
The defence was still further hampered by lack of food. The Turkish-Tripolitan troops had long been subsisted by commissary stores from Constantinople. The failure of the crops in recent years was such that the Turkish government was also obliged to subsist the poor people. The starving people were supplied with rations from two large tents at the gates of the city.
The Egyptian railroad only extends about 200 miles west of Alexandria with its terminus at Mersah Matruh, which is about 800 miles from the city of Tripoli, so that the Turkish request of England for permission to send Turkish troops to Tripoli through Egypt could not be of much practical value.
It would have been better to have organized Turkish defence against the Italian invasion back from the coast. Field Marshall von der Goltz claims that the real defence of Tripoli is in the interior. The regular forces, though few in number, would be insufficient. The resistance must depend chiefly on the native population, especially with the support of the Shiek Sidi-es-Senoussi, who had been recognized as the ruler of Djarabul, on the borders of Barka. The Shiek of Senoussi at first hesitated to oppose the Italians.
Organization of Italian-Tripolitan Expeditionary Corps.
The partial mobilization of the Italian army for the Tripolitan expedition was with the 7th and 12th Italian army corps, chiefly from the cities of Palermo, Rome, Naples, Florence, Verona, Milan, and Turin. Entire regiments were taken from these cities, and volunteers increased the regimental strength to the war footing of 2600 men. The standing army was reinforced by calling out the category of reserves of 1888. 80,000 reserves were thus added to the army stationed at home.
A company of infantry has about 200 men so that the total force was about 40,000 men. They had 11 flying machines of French types. The Italian infantry had a 6-5-cm. repeating gun of Mannlicher-Carcano type M-91. Each soldier carried 162 cartridges besides which the transports had 24 cartridges per man additional. Each company carries 105 intrenching tools of which 80 are spades. The transports had 144 intrenching tools per battalion additional.
The Italian field artillery had 7.5-cm. Krupp guns M-1906. The troops had a special grayish-green uniform. After September 27th the Italian railroads were crowded with troops assembling for the expedition. A smaller detachment of troops was embarked in the transports at Naples, Syracuse and Augusta on September 26, to be ready for emergency.
Declaration of War and Notice to Neutrals.
At 2.30 p. m., September 28, the Italian Charge d'Affaires in Constantinople presented the Italian Ultimatum to the Turkish government. This declared that in order to terminate the disorders and neglect caused by the Turkish Government in Tripoli, and Cyrenaica, the Italian government demanded that Turkey should, within 24 hours, consent to Italy's military occupation of those provinces. The Turkish government refused and at 3 p. m., September 29, the Italian government declared war between Italy and Turkey.
The Italian government proclaimed its purpose to take prompt measures for the protection of Italians and all foreigners in Tripoli and Cyrenaica.
Neutral powers were notified that the Tripolitan and Cyrenaican coast were blockaded.
Within a few days France, Russia, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Servia, Bulgaria, England and Japan issued neutrality proclamations.
The French declaration of neutrality stated that it comprised the French protectorates including Crete. The English and Russian governments endorsed the French proclamation, and Italy was freed from the protection of the Island of Crete.
The orders of the Turkish government to extinguish the coast lights and remove sea marks on the coast of Crete were annulled by the united action of all consuls in Crete before the neutrality proclamations.
England declared the island of Cyprus neutral, and issued orders for all British subjects not to serve in the armies of the belligerents. In the middle of October Italy recognized the neutrality of the island of Samos.
The Italian Naval Problem.
Before the war began Italy notified her ministers to the Balkan states that Italy's only object was to take possession of Tripoli and Cyrenaica, and she would avoid any attack upon any other Turkish territory. The destruction of Turkey's naval and military forces was only contemplated in as far as they opposed Italy's conquest of Tripoli and Cyrenaica.
The Italian naval task was to secure such a command of the sea that the expedition corps might safely be transported and landed on the African coast and communication with Italy be undisturbed.
This task furnished three fields of operations:
1. The Tripolitan waters, by which the expedition corps would land. The bulk of the navy was employed there.
2. The eastern Mediterranean, especially the Aegean sea where the Turkish fleet had assembled and which must be prevented from interfering with the landing of the Italian forces. For this purpose light scouting vessels were used.
3. The Albanian coast where a number of Turkish torpedo-boats should be held in check. For this some older armored cruisers and several destroyers were used.
Events on the Tripolitan Coast after Declaration of War Until the Arrival of the Expeditionary Corps.
The Italian government declared a blockade of the coast of Tripoli and Cyrenaica extending from the Egyptian to the Tunisian borders. Violations of the blockade would be prosecuted according to International law and Italian treaties with other powers.
The blockade of the coast, 700 nautical miles, was made effective by 7 battleships and a number of destroyers and special ships. Ships of the blockade replenished fuel supply by going to Augusta singly as necessary. At the outbreak of war Italy had stored 14,000 tons of coal at the naval base at Augusta. The naval repair ship Vulcano was stationed at Augusta.
After some discussion the Turkish forces at Tripoli decided to evacuate the city with the exception of 150 coast artillery stationed in the forts. The troops began the evacuation September 27, and quietly proceeded to entrench in the hills south of the city and two days march distant. The Italians were kept informed of all that transpired in the city through the Mayor, Prince Hassuna Karamanli, who had declared his adhesion to Italy.
September 30 the Italians demanded the city should be surrendered on October 2, but this was still further postponed until October 3, at noon. No reply having been received Vice-Admiral Faravelli, in command of the naval forces, opened fire on the forts.
The Benedetto Brin and the training ship division, with two transports and several torpedo-boats arrived and relieved the Roma, Pisa, Napoli and Amalfi that had been blockading Tripoli, and which left to join the flagship to the eastward.
The Bombardment of Tripoli, October 3 and 4, 1911.
In the bombardment the Sicilia, Sardegna, and Re Umberto were assigned to engage Fort Sultanje on the west; the Benedetto Brin, Carlo Alberto, and Emanuele Filberto engaged the three old stone forts on the sea side; and the Garibaldi and Ferrucio engaged Fort Hamidje.
The Varcse, Coatit, and 16 destroyers and four auxiliaries were stationed to the rear and on the flanks to prevent any surprise from seaward.
Fire was opened at 3.15 at range 7000 meters, by the flagship. The forts replied immediately but all their shots fell short. The Italians fired chiefly with the 15 and 2o-cm. guns, and they soon proved effective. The heavy guns were not used, probably to preserve them and avoid too much expenditure of ammunition. The hits were few and the fire very slow, many shells failed to explode and were subsequently picked up several thousand yards beyond in the suburbs.
The old stone forts ceased firing at 5 p. m., but the two outer forts continued firing until sunset, at 6 p. m.
Though the buildings in the city were avoided, fires were started in several, and the governor's palace was hit a number of times. The new lighthouse was completely destroyed. After dark the ships got under way and cruised in the offing with screened lights.
At 6 a. m. the bombardment was resumed with greater vigor, and the other forts were silenced in the following hour. Fort Sultanje made the greatest resistance. Ten dead were found in that fort subsequently.
Occupation of Tripoli by the Naval Landing Force.
While the mob in the city sacked the government buildings, the garrison evacuated the forts taking their light guns to the heights in the southern suburbs, from which they reopened fire but were soon silenced by shrapnel from the ships. The ships ceased firing at 11 a. m. The Garibaldi was the first ship to enter close in and she landed a detachment with two officers in Fort Hamidje that had been evacuated by the Turks. They rendered the breech mechanism of the guns therein useless and returned on board.
At the same time a torpedo-boat searched for the cable of mines laid out in the harbor but could not find it.
All the coast forts were severely damaged and their guns partly dismounted. According to Turkish reports their garrison lost 12 men killed and 23 severely wounded. Seven civilians were killed in the city, but no Europeans. The Italian ships suffered no losses nor any damage from the Turkish fire.
At noon, October 4, the large ships anchored in the offing and smaller ships entered the harbor. October 5, a landing force of 1200 men under command of the captain of the Sicilia occupied Forts Sultanje, Hamidje and the Lighthouse Fort, as well as the consulate and other important places without any opposition. The Italian flag was hoisted on Fort Sultanje at noon and saluted by the fleet. Shortly after this Fort Hamidje's magazine blew up and that store of Turkish ammunition was destroyed. It is not known if this was done by the Italians or by the Turks.
The landing force immediately arranged for the defence of the city and established its government. Rear-Admiral Borea-Ricci was appointed provisional governor, and the former mayor, Hassuna Karamanli, was appointed vice-governor.
They proceeded to substitute a temporary lighthouse for that which they had destroyed. The cable to Malta was repaired and preparations were begun to provide quarters for the expedition corps that was expected to arrive October n.
A native police was established, and by offering payment, some of the natives were induced to surrender the arms with which the Turkish officials had supplied them. Within a few hours 1500 Mauser rifles were deposited with the Italian officers, and by October 12, 3250 rifles had been delivered.
During the next day when the Garibaldi, Varese, and Ferrucio had departed for Augusta to coal, the landing party ashore had several skirmishes with the Turks. October 8 they repulsed an attack at Behare, and October 19 another attack at Bu Meilana Wells, about 1.5 miles southwest of Tripoli. As Fort Sultanje was much exposed the Italians abandoned it and it was blown up. The ships supported the troops during these engagements and bombarded the Turkish forts used as bases beyond the suburbs.
The Turkish garrison assembled at Gharian in the hills, two days march from Tripoli. General Munir Pasha was relieved by Colonel Neschat in command during the middle of October, who gathered all the forces of the province. At first he had a force of about 10,000 regulars and 10,000 territorial irregulars, the latter volunteering for the war.
Tobruk, on the Cyrenaica coast, a fine natural harbor was attacked by the first squadron on October 4. A force of 400 men landed and soon overcame the brave resistance of the garrison of 25 men. The Italians took possession and established an Italian municipal administration. Single ships of the first squadron alternately remained at anchor in that harbor. October 10 the first detachment of the expeditionary army landed at Tobruk. This was the first battalion of the 4Oth Infantry, with some coast artillery and engineers—about 1000 in all. They had sailed from Naples October 6.
Derna was bombarded October 8, and 40 Italian citizens who were confined there were released. The place was bombarded because they had fired upon the Italian boat with flag of truce.
Events on the Albanian Coast.
Before the war six new Turkish torpedo boats were at Prevesa, Gomenitza and Durazzo to prevent smuggling. They had not received orders of'the Turkish Naval Minister to take refuge in Austrian ports when they were attacked by the destroyers of the Duke of Abruzzia's command.
At 3 p. m., September 28, one hour after war had been declared the Italians sighted the two Turkish torpedo-boats, Takat and Anatolia, at sea between Corfu and Prevesa, steering northwestward. The Italians opened fire, to which the Turkish boats replied feebly. The Takat steered north followed by three destroyers, while the Anatalia steered south chased by two destroyers. The Takat was hit 15 times and on fire, she ran on the beach near Nikopolis and was totally destroyed. Her commander and 8 men were killed or drowned. The Anatalia escaped to Prevesa uninjured. The Italian destroyers were not damaged in this action. They fired 100 shots from 7.6 cm. guns.
September 30 the Italian destroyers Artigliere and Corazzierc attacked the Turkish torpedo-boats Alfagot and Hamid-Abad lying at anchor at Prevesa, and sank them. An officer from the Corazziere having landed the night before had definitely ascertained their positions. The Turkish crew, excepting one man, escaped. The destroyers then entered the harbor. The mob on shore fired on the Corazziere as she proceeded to take the steam yacht Tetied out. The Corazziere fired at the mob and both destroyers left with the steam yacht in tow.
The fort at Prevesa is an old stone fort built during the Venetian period, but armed with 20 modern field guns and five 6-inch Krupp guns. This fort did not fire on the Italians, though the latter fired 76 shells during the engagement that lasted 45 minutes. The garrison was surprised.
This gave rise to exaggerated rumors of attack and landing of Italians at Prevesa, which the Italian government denied and repeated the orders to avoid landing on any Turkish territory in Europe. The Duke of Abruzzia was directed to revoke his threat of a bombardment of Prevesa within 24 hours, on October 3, if the gunboat and two torpedo-boats in Prevesa were not delivered to him. At the request of the Austrian government the Italians recalled the Duke of Abruzzia with all the Italian ships from that coast.
October 5 a motor boat of the destroyer Artiglierc, that had been searching an Austrian mail steamer in the harbor of San Giovanni, was fired on by some field guns in an earthwork at that place. The Artiglierc had not yet received the orders to return to Tarento and she opened fire on the earthwork, and in the course of 45 minutes expended all her ammunition. She silenced the fort and injured a number of buildings in the city. The Artigliere was slightly damaged and her commander was wounded. In the meanwhile the Carabiniere arrived and opened fire on the earthworks, and left after firing for a period of 20 minutes. After these events the Italian government again declared that every possible precaution should be taken hereafter to avoid all warlike operations in the Adriatic sea.
October 7 the Duke of Abruzzia's squadron again proceeded to blockade the Turkish torpedo-boats in their ports on the Albanian coast.
Events in the Aegean Sea.
The Italians sent but small naval forces to the Aegean sea, chiefly scouting torpedo vessels. September 30 a panic was created at Smyrna, Salonica and Mythelene by the appearance of passing Italian warships. Probably the Victoria-Emanuclc, Roma and Pisa on a cruise, searching for the Turkish practice squadron.
In Constantinople fears were entertained for the safety of the Turkish practice squadron that had sailed from Beirut at 10 a. m., September 28, for the Dardanelles. This squadron was composed of 2 battleships, 2 cruisers, 9 destroyers and a torpedo-boat mothership. They had no knowledge of war having been declared. The squadron steamed at economical speed to the southwest coast of Cyprus, practicing evolutions en route. Near the island of Kos, at 4 p. m., October i, a Turkish government steamer informed them of the war. The British officers in the squadron then decided to remain on board until their arrival at the Dardanelles. The squadron then proceeded at full speed between Mythelene and the mainland, and safely anchored at Nagara in the Dardanelles that evening.
Vice-Admiral Williams of the British navy and other British officers left the squadron. On October 4 the squadron made a short cruise out of the Dardanelles but returned the next day, and anchored off Constantinople and remained there until October 16, In the meantime the harbors of Salonica, Smyrna, Beirut, and the approaches to the Dardanelles were mined. Single Italian cruisers were seen in the Aegean sea on October 4 and 6. Three Italian destroyers appeared off Mythelene on October 15.
The Transportation of the Italian Expedition Corps.
The Italian Navy Department collected 60 steamers of 1300 to 9200 gross tonnage at Naples, Palermo and Genoa. A naval officer was in command of each transport with 25 sailors of the navy. Those transports that were subventioned as auxiliaries for war were armed. All the details of embarkation, loading, and routes for the single transports or in a fleet were successfully kept a profound secret. The expedition corps was divided into two divisions. The first division was sent to Tripoli and the second to the ports of Cyrenaica.
The van sailed in five transports from Genoa, via Naples, on October 6 for Tobruk with some troops and material of the second division, and arrived October 10.
October 9, transports sailed from different Italian ports. 12 transports with the staff of the expeditionary corps and the first division with nine additional transports sailed from Palermo for Tripoli. Within Italian waters the fleet steamed in single column of vessels, with cruisers and torpedo boats ahead and on the flanks. After leaving the Sicilian coast they formed double column, and in two groups, the one with 19 transports and the second group of 14 transports. Speed was 10 knots. Two battleships and several destroyers were in the van, and likewise two battleships in the rear with more torpedo destroyers.
Destroyers also were disposed to form a chain of outposts along the course between Tripoli and Augusta, the naval base. The first squadron was stationed in the passages from the Aegean sea to the Mediterranean to prevent any interference by the enemy's squadron. The naval commander-in-chief was, at the departure of the convoy, at Augusta.
Good weather was experienced and the first group arrived at Tripoli October 12; the second group arrived October 15. These were preceded by the Varcse convoying two transports and a hospital ship.
The disembarking was accomplished by means of the ships boats with a large number of large fishing smacks from the island of Lampedusa. The landing proceeded at Tripoli without interruption. The troops from the first group were all landed by October 15, and those of the second group by October 18, a total of 20,000 men being landed from the two groups.
Immediately upon landing the army took the positions held by the naval landing parties, and especially the entrenchments at the 14 wells of Bu Meliana, which had been the repeated object of attack by the Turks. The engineers immediately began work on building entrenchments around the city. The army was promptly engaged with the Turks who made night attacks on Bu Meliana on October 15, 16 and 18, both sides suffering losses in killed and wounded.
October 13, 20 transports sailed from Naples with the second division, about 9000 men, and arrived at Benghasi October 18, having experienced bad weather on the passage. This convoy was escorted by four battleships of the first division, three cruisers, one destroyer and the two seagoing torpedo-boat divisions. They landed at Benghasi, after overcoming the weak resistance of the Turks, on October 19. This group was followed by transports that left Naples between October 15 and 20 with the rest of the Second Infantry Division, about 6000 men. With these the transportation of the expedition corps was practically completed.