THE GERMANS' HOLD ON TURKEY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2913, 8 November 1916, Page 6

THE GERMANS' HOLD ON TURKEY

ACTIVITY IN ASIA

AVOIIK OF THE ENGINEER

Tliero is a small wooden barrack at Isiauio entirely separated from tlio Turkish quarters. Here the Germans had installed water distilling apparatus, ana near by tliero wero largo spaces marked out where all sorts ol ammunition and supplies wero being brought by tho motor-trucks over the break in tho Bagdad Hallway, which occurs at this point (says "Neutral" in "Tlio Times"). Ono huge heap of stores was labelled "Hations" in large letters. There'wero other heaps of rubber tyres and ammunition, and a very largo supply of petrol caino in as we were leaving. German military motors carry men and stores over tho break i'rom railroad to railhead, and tho journej; is ono of the most thrilling to imagine. In tlie motor-truck there are no seats, and only our baggage to rest upon. Tlio road crosses the Amanus and climbs in long spirals, and after five houre enters German headquarters at Mamoura, I alongside the railway station. Here aro all tho signs of rapidly-increasing German activity, and a carefullyfenced enclosure of moro than an acre, in which are the headquarters of the German Military Mission. Tho commander occupios a good two-story house of 10 or 12 rooms, and there are other houses for tho men. Water is laid on, and there is every sign of permanent occupation. Beyond the railway station the Germans are erecting a model hospital on tho slope in a compound of from six to eight acres. There were some time ago 400 or 500 iron bedsteads, cots, and stretchers, condensing machines, and medical supplies for camp and hospital. A little distance beyond, lying alongside the railway was a large collection of aeroplane ivmgs and

othor stores. There was also big quantities of petrol. Observers saw six or eight aeroplanes being brought over the Cilician Gates. Tho whole impression gained was one of immense preparation. The Taurus Tunnel. The break in tho Bagdad Railway over tho Taurus Mountains is 46 miles, and at present is covered by motor service. The route followed by this service has been famous since the days of tho PlioeI aiicians, and has been mentioned iu every great campaign since. From 115,000 to 20,000 Turkish poasants are I at present employed in completely rebuilding this road. They are widen-

ing it at all points, straightening all curves, lowering and equalising grades, making it ready for the heaviest possible motor traffic, all with tho appearance of the greatest hasten It ends in a beautiful Alpino valley at a place called Bozanti, on tho main line, from whence starts tho train for Haidar Pasha. This route can be covered in two and a half days, or about 60 liours, without changing or cars.

It is along this section of the Bagdad railway that tho greatest signs of warlike preparation appear. The tunnel at Bozanti is at least three miles long, and, according to the most recent news from the Swiss engineers in charge, it will require at least two years more to complete. One observer saw a sketch by tho engineer and notes whicli fully bore out this opinion. It is true that the Taurus is actually pierced by a tunnel which has a small, narrow track running through it, but tho oponing is only tho vault of the tunnel proper. It is as though you draw a line across half \yay up an inverted U; tho top' part is tho tunnel as it is now, audi the square below is tho part yet to be excavated. There is a small narrowgauge track, and this is being used to hurry ammunition through. This naturally interferes with tho excavation, and, besides, it is a slow business. The engineers state that by the time the Taurus tunnel completed all tho other

smaller tunnels of the approaches on" tho north and south will have been completed! also. The long Bozanti tunnel is holding up tho great work. .

A Cerman Camp. | On the top of the Taurus Mountains, looking south towards the .Mediterranean, in a superb position from a scenic and strategical point of view, is a large Gorman camp. This camp is a model in its way, and there are certainly over 6000 soldiers' already stationed there, perhaps as many as 10,000. Itislaid out in streets, has fences, buildings, tents, and hospitals, and all the paraphernalia of a permanent camp. It has a post officio, wireless and ordinary telegraphy, and a complete system of

local telephones.. Several miles below, and in strange contrast, is the Turkish military camp of the old-fashioned kind, whore there have iSjcn cases of cholera, and! where there is now a quarantine station. Lying aiout there were several of the old galvanised pontoons, apparently some of those which arrived too late for tJhe first attack on tho Canal. There is said to be little appearance in this camp of that plenitude of stores and ammunition that is noticeable in the small German town abftve. ; At Bozanti, the end of the Bagdad Railway, was the greatest sight of alt in the way of munitions and war supplies. Tho whole narrow valley for a mile all round the railhead station was being rebuilt, graded, and bridged, according to a comprehensive plan which showed every sign of permanency. Tho work was being carried out on a very large scale, and stores disposed of in an orderly way alongside the sidings and switches, which are fully provided. Tliero were also aeroplanes and huge piles of ammunition and provisions, i There seems no doubt that those in charge were pushing matters forward ' (hiring the dry months before the winter rains made the half-completed road impassablo. During the two full days of daylight from Bozanti to Haidar Pasha our tram passed at least 40' military trains carrying Turkish soldiers going east. By a rough calculation based on the number of the trains, consisting of more than 20 cars each, they must have contained about 40 Turkish regiments. All the men looked like hardened troops. On other trains there were small guns, but no appearanbe of ammunition. These remarks only apply to the trains which passed in tho daytime, no attempt having been made to estimate any trains which we passed in tho night. These foroes travelled to Aleppo, and from that point could have been sent either to the Caucasian front along the Bagdad Railway to Ras-el-Ain, south of Diarbckr, or, if deflected at Aleppo southwards, they might have reached the war zone by the Canal for the recent attack. All down the Bagdad Railway, as well as in Serbia ana Bulgaria, there are reported thousands of .freight cars with tho Belgian marks still upon them.