THE WAR IN TIE NEAR EAST.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2330, 11 December 1914, Page 5

THE WAR IN TIE NEAR EAST.

BRITISH IN MESOPOTAMIA: SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. THE INEVITABLE RUMOUR. Melbourne, December 9. Senator Pearco (Minister of Defence) has emphatically , denied a rumour that the Australian and New Zealand forces in Egypt had been engaged witlr'the enemy. CRUISER BRESLAU APPEARS IN BLACK SEA. Petrograd, December 8. r An official message 'states; —"The ex-German cruiser Breslau appeared off Sebastopol. Our cruisers and aeroplanes attacked her, and the Breslau disappeared." BRITISH IN MESOPOTAMIA SHARP SUCCESSFUL FIGHTING. (Rec. December 10, 9.45 p.m.) London, December 10. Official.—The HOtli Mahrattas, assisted by an armed steamer, on December 5 drove tho enemy across the Tigris, opposite Kurnah, with heavy losses. .We captured two guns. "Another force from Busra, under General Try, captured Masera, opposite Kurnah, on December 7, cleared the left bank of the Tigris, , and captured three guns. The combined British forces crossed the river on December 8, and occupied Kurnah on December 9. "One British officer was killed and three wounded. Forty o:c tho Indians wore killed and .120 wounded. "Tho British are now in complete control of the Tigris and Euphrates, to | the sea, and of tho richest part of. the fertile delta.