The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1917. THE ATTACK ON TURKEY.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 41, 12 November 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1917. THE ATTACK ON TURKEY.

—:— But for tho fact that prospccts in. the Turkish campaigns must be measured with an eye to conditions in Europe, it would he possible to regard lafco events in Palestine and Mesopotamia as definitely leading up to tho subjugation of an Empire which has been described as' the worst instrument o£ despotism on earth. In both the theatres named splendidly effective blows have boon struck in recent days by the British invading armies, and if account had to do taken only of the forces Turkey is .likely to be able to bring against them the prospccts before these armies of building rapidly upon the important successes they have already won would bo extremely bright. What has been accomplished. in Mesopotamia by the forces under Sir Stanley Maude, and in Palestine by the iarmy of invasion commanded by General Allenby, promises in any case to be 'of permanent value, but it is possible _ that developments in Uusaiaand in Italy—though in the latter theatre tho outlook is tending to improve—may enable Germany to send badly-needed assistance to her Ottoman ally. Until it is seen what the enemy intends to do in this direction a certain limit must be placed upon expectations of effective action against Turkey, and tho reservation is tho more important since tho season which permits a full tide of activity in the Asiatic theatres is one in which operations are necessarily slowed to some extent in the principal European war areas. Nevertheless it is far from being a foregone conclusion that Germany will find herself in a position to send liberal reinforcements to Turkey. The time of grace before she will stand in desperate need of every available man and gun on tho Western front is short, and displeasing as she must find tho spectacle of successive,, Turkish defeats, it is not by any means certain that sho will attempt to find a remedy by rushing divisions to Asia which may be urgently neoded in Europe beforo many months have/ passed. Though they tell heavily against the Entente, late developments in Russia and Italy have not indefinitely opened the Teutonic outlook jn\ the war, and in seeking to profit by altered conditions Germany is perhaps more likely to concentrate undmdcdly, upon the European campaigns than to detach forces sufficient to save the Ottoman Empire fronl disaster. Tho immediate _ (jutlook in tho Turkish theatres is in any case most promising. To-day's reports show that the British forces in Palestine are making rapid headway towards Jerusalem, with tho Turks in full retreat • before them. On land the Turkish resistance has been broken for tho time being by an effective combination of direct attacks and turning movements, and in the coastal zone British and French naval squadrons are usefully cooperating with the army on land- by shelling the enemy's communications and in other ways. The present goal of tho Turkish retreat is named'

as Hebron, 15 miles yMh of Jemsalem, but the will nuiko no long stand at Eebron, if, as appears from the reports, the British arc already in vjosition on tho coast almost duo of_ Jerusalem. It is a mi'jtcr for pride that a Kow Zcalaftd mounted brigade is taking part; in this historic campaign, which holds out very much bettor prospects from every point of view than the heroic but ill-fated adventure of Gallipoli'. Naval co-opora-tion is likely to be an oxtremoly important factor as tho operations in Palestino dovclop. Gaza, now well behind tho British front, was in old days tho key to the const road, and it is still a valuable strategic point,, but a modern inyader is bound to give attention to the problem of cutting the excellent railway communications by which Syria is in touch with tho rest of Turkoy. In tho present campaign their command of tjiq sea may enable the Allies to strike at the enemy's communications a long way behind the lino on which the armies are in contact. Nothing is likely to bo heard heforehand of a movo of this nature, '"but it may bo noted meantime that a forco landed in the Gulf of Alexandretta, in the north-eastern corner of tho Mediterranean, would bo in position to strike at the main Turkish communications not only with. Palestine, but with Mesopotamia. CoDSiderably north-west of the point ai which it branches, east along the ■route to Bagdad and south into Syria, the railway from Constantinople run's within a dozen miles of the coast of tho Gulf of Alexandi'ctta. Looking only at the campaign in Syria, points of strategic importance in this connection aro Haifa (on the Bay of Acre, 70 miles north of Jerusalem)'and Beirut, 80 miles further north. Each placo is tho terminus of a branch lino to the coast from tho main north and south railway, and therefore tho possible objective of a naval attack covering a landing and a movement against the Turkish communications. Tho recent achievements of Sin Stanley Maude's army in_ Mesopotamia are only less striking than the rapid headway now being made in tho invasion of Palestine. The collapso of Russian efficiency, and tho, consequent relief afforded to tho enemy in Armenia and in the region of tlie Persian border, raised fears that tho British army in Mesopotamia .might find itself ' exposed and imperilled. To date, theso fears have not been justified. In Mesopotamia tho British army_ of invasion is arrayed on three river lines which radiate like tho ribs of a fan from the pivot of Bagdad. On all three lines of advance tho invaders have defeated and taken toll of tho enemy since tho arrival of autumn mado activo_ operations possible. The recent victory which resulted in the occupation of Tekrit, 100 miles north of Bagdad, followed upon earlier successful actions against tho Turks on tho Euphrates, well to. the westward of tho main line of advance, and on tho Diala, towards the Persian border. As an indication of Turkish _ weakening and of tho strengthening of tho British invading armies, tho state of affairs in Palestino and Mesopotamia is impressive. Some months ago at least half of the Turkish divisions availablo in Asia (nine out of a total strength of about 45 divisions were in Europe) were in line or in reserve against tho Russians. Much as this distribution has been disturbed, the Turks are now apparently incapable of making effective head against British attacks in what have become their two principal theatres. It is now to bo seen whether Germany is able or willing to render.her ally effectual aid. Presumably, however, the British commanders at the head of affairs in Palestine and Mesopotamia aro taking full account of tho possibility that the enemy may be reinforced, and aro prepared in caso of need to turn from successful attack to effective defence. The cam« paigns against Turkey may or may not bo pressed in tho near futuro to a point of decisive success, but, developed with duo caution as well as enterprise, they are bound at least to serve from this timo forward the purposq of a most important 'diversion.