Toward the end of March, 1915, a French warship approached the bay of Haifa and landed an officer with a letter to the commandant of that town giving notice of his intention to bombard the German Consulate at 3 P.M.

sharp.
This was in retaliation for the propaganda carried on by the consul, Leutweld von Hardegg, and chiefly because of his desecration of the grave of Bonaparte's soldiers.

The consul had time to pack up his archives and valuables, and he left his house before three.

The bombardment began exactly at three.

Fifteen shells were fired with a wonderful precision.