THE TURKISH CRISIS IN ASIA MINOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2779, 25 May 1916, Page 5

THE TURKISH CRISIS IN ASIA MINOR

TROOPS RUSHED TO THE INTERIOR - AUSTRO-GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS FOR BAGDAD By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright . * ("Times" and Sydney "Sua" Services.) London, May 23. The "Times" correspondent at Bucharest states that the Turks are hurrying all possible reinforcement:, to the interior of Asia Minor, leaving only 150 ; 000 to defend Constantinople, Gallipoli, and the Asia Minor. Coast from Aiviali (east of Mitylene) to Eregli (in the Black Sea). German officers are urging tho danger of leaving the European front practically undefended. Twelve thousand Austrians lmve gone to Bagdad, and four thousand Germans aTe going. The Turks are heavily concentrating north-west of the point where the Bagdad railway lino crosses the Euphrates, fearing that the Allies will attack from Alexandretta. The "Daily Mail" coirespondent at A thens gives the number and disposition of the Turkish forces , 'as follows:—Genet al von Sanders commands from the Dar. danelles to Adalia, with 180,000, including 50,000 at the Dardanelles. General von Tromm'er is in Thrace) with 55,000. In C onstantinople there are 35,000, including many Austrians. Djemal Pasha, in Syria, lias 70,000, while in the Caucasus therq are '100,000, and in Mesopotamia 120,000-' a total of 800,000. These probably include many ineifectives. PROGRESS OF THE RUSSIAN DRIVE .(Rec; May 2-1, 8.30 p.m.) Petrograd, May 23. A Russian official communique states: "Repeated Turkish offensives south of 'l'rebizond have been repulsed. , . "We have dislodged the Turks from their position on the northern slopes of the Taurus. ~ ■ . "We have occupied Serdisht, in the direction of Mosul, on the Persian side of tho frontier." < ON THE RUSSIAN NORTHERN FLANK REVERSE TO THE ENEMY IN THE PRIPET MARSHES. (Rec. May 24, 8.30 p.m.) Petrograd, May 24. A Russian official communique states : In the region of Ivuhockavolia we drove the Gormans back across the Viesielukha, a tributary of the Pripet, and smashed their recently-constructed trenchcs." RUSSIAN AIRMEN RAID THE RAILWAY. Potrograd, May 23. Russian aviators bombed and destroyed several thousand yards of the Pone: vesh-Libau railway near Ponevesh, and demolished soveral ammunition depots.