EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2387, 17 February 1915, Page 6

EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN

ENEMY DISUNITED

DIVIDED COUNSELS

(Melbourne "Age" Correspondent.)

Cairo, January 9. Refugees from the-Sinai Peninsula, Bayrouth, Syria, and Jerusalem tell of the pitiful position of the Moslem army and people in Asiatic Turkey. If the Turks try to reach. tho Suez Canal, it will bo an invasion of despair, fostered by. arrogant Germans, who sacrifice Turkish troops, and are trying to focuss the attention of Great Britain on the Egyptian Protectorate. The Holy War theory is rejected by the Moslems. Egypt never held. such armies as sho holds now. Stories of the last Turkish rout prove that too much limelight has been cast on the shattered Turkish army, but - rumours most extravagant have been circulated in the city for the last week. •Calm as the city is to outWard appearances, the knowledge that the Turks wore less than 70 miles from the canal ten days ago 'caused a sudden drop in values on the Bourse, and many Egyptian families left Alexandria and Cairo for their summer residences. From official sources it was learned that the advance army, of 6000 Turks, with transport and camels, were in Egyptian territory. Every day 'the advance is delayed imperils this army. Every day its chances of reaching its goal grow less. Frantic preparations to launch this Turkish host points to the situation being critical. . " .

Suffering Syrians. ■ The Syrian population suffers grievously . from the hardships military despotism has brought in its train. All manner of provisions and supplies have been commandeered, and the owners left with' a faint ray of hope that there will be a settlement when the army returns. The Turkish military authorities alienated the Bedouins by an attempt to rob them of 600 camels, and a fight ensued. The best proof of the spirit of the people is reflected in the attitude of Turkish officers, as described by a landing party from a Russian cruiser. An Arabic paper'says"The. landing party met with Turkish troops led by an Arab; who ordered the men •not: to fire, and walked up to a Russian officer, with whom he 6hook hands. In the course of a. friendly conversation the Arab officer made it clear that he had no hostile intentions towards the Russians • provided they abstained from aggression. He declined, however, to give the strength of his command. They parted amicably. No wonder Arab officers are being replaced by Turkish and German officers. In Syria, as far as can be gathered, the Turks are treating the missionaries civilly." Djemal Pasha,

. Tho Commander in Chief or the advancing army is Djemal Pasha, but bis command is purely nominal. The real driving force •is Colonel von Kressenetein and staff of German officers. In Jerusalem and Constantinople German officers have'been established, and they are creating - intense dissatisfaction in the Turkish army, as well as brawls. The following official communiques have been issued January 12—The latest reports tendito show that German and Turkish officers commanding troops collected in South Syria, are determined to carry out an attack:upon Egypt. The concentration of the Turkish forces seems nearly, if not quite, complete, and the stores and provisions seized without payment from the luckless population of Syria are probably sufficient for the expedition. It is true that- the Turkish commanders seem to have grown nervous at tho last moment, and are sending to Constantinople urgent demands for more trained soldiers, which tho Turkish'; Government, threatened in I Europe with defeat in t-lte Caucasus, is not able to dispatch.: Turkey will proL ably need to strike a decisive, blow to recover- her lost prestige, and the impossibility of the venture .for which such elaborate and costly preparations have been made will outweigh cautious counsels. •

Attack Cannot be Deferred. ■ Reinforcements, are said to he on tho Fay south, 'and, perhaps the advance may .be delayed until their arrive, but the British military authorities believe .that'the attack, if .made at all, cannot be deferred. The numbers which the Germans are likely .to. bring against Egypt are large, and should they get within, striking distance they will make a determined effort. Although the Turks may be expected to make a good fight, the Arab and Syrian troops forming so large a proportion of their army have not got their hearts in the business, and are more anxious to expel tho Turks from Syria than instal them, in Egypt. One German-led venture has resulted in the. annihilation of two complete Turkish army- corps, including •divisions that distinguished themselves at Chatalja during the late Balkan "War. Remnants of these picked Anatolian troops are now struggling to escape from the Russians and the snowdrifts of tho Caucasus. The story of this disaster, bruited through Syria, cannot fail to dishearten the recruits, mustered at Hebron, but the German object is not to win victories, but to distract Great Britain from the weakening line of German defence in Belgium. This is the idea on which they embarked on a foredoomed failure in Egypt. The Young Turk party may weaken if it is not used quickly. Probably within a few weeks the Syrian army may be driven forward..

Accounts by Refugees, Accounts given by refugees from Syria present an interesting picture of the state of the Turkish army, which intends to invade ligypt. A doctor of good standing in Palestine says:— "It. is undoubted that, in many cases, soldiers are actually starving. This is due to bad organisation rather than lack of supplies. A. Bey, who is chief of tho supply and transport department, if energetic and honest. Ho is not, at all satisfied with tho organisation of the supply department generally. • He wanted 10,000 horses and 5000 camels, but could only get 5000 horses and 4000 camels. It is impossible to carry on the war successfully with tho material at hand, but he does his best."

Many camels are dying of scab; 50 died in one night on the journey from Ramalah to Jerusalem. All the camels have become weak and thin like skeletons from want of food. All the troops 1 saw were clothed in summer khaki, much torn, with.no boots; some with native shoes, some with sandals. Some had overcoats, but all these were old— probably, those used in the Balkan war.

Another refugees says the German officers sent a report to Berlin saying they would not advise an attatek on Egypt with such troops, and suggesting it bo postponed. General von Koffman was so disgusted that he said to a friend, "We "are. ordered to march, but are marching to certain death."

When war was declared the Turkish authorities collected about 2500 Bedouins at Hebron by vigorous recruiting measures. After three days without food, the Bedouins returned home disgusted, saying that this indeed was not a holy war. There is great misery and dissatisfaction, especially amongst tho Anatolian troops." It is reported that the feeling between the Turkish and German officers is not good. German officers say that if they do not succeed in getting across the Canal they are lost. The Twks will turn on them.

Constant reconnaissances are being made by French and English aviators as to tli'o position aiid progress of the Turks. Seaplanes can be sent from the Gulf of Akaba into the desert, while from points along the Canal it is no great flight towards tlio_ enemy's line. During one of these aerial rcconnaisances disaster befell an' '< English pilot and a military officer. Tliir was reported in a, communique issued at iCaircv