Asia Minor

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 64, 21 February 1916, Page 5

Asia Minor

— CLACK SEA BOMBARDMENT. WEST OF TREBIZOND. United Pufsh abhoci* t.on. Petrograd, February 19. Our warships'destroyed the coastal bridges west of Trebi/.oml, and destroyed fifteen sailing ships. A COMPLETE DEFEAT. IN PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY. Petrograd, February 19. ] The completeness of the defeat fit Erzeroum is becoming clearer. The fortress and surrounding country arc full of corpses of Turks. Remnants of the army are fleeing in disorder in various directions, and our pursuit is annihilating or taking prisoner the men of the rear columns.

GRAND DUKE’S TRIUMPH

ENTHUSIASM IN RUSSIA.

Petrograd, February 19

The capture of Erzeroum has evoked the greatest, enthusiasm throughout Russia. Th usands of people attended To Deurns in the churches, and the populace acclaimed Grand Duke Nicholas.

The fall of the town is regarded as a triumph of generalship, and it seems almost incredible that the troops captured with the bayonet, in a few hours, tlie Germanised forts which forty years ago wore found impregnable after almost a year’s assault. Despite five excellent roads westwards it is unlikely that the retreaters will make any resistance during their fortnight’s march to the railhead leading to Constantinople. Possibly the hurried, disorderly retreat will enable most of them to escape, but the rout will have an immense moral effect on a vast area. The reinforcing corps is now useless, and it will arrive without artillery, which was shipped via Trehizond. The Russians, vigorously pursuing, broke down the Turkish stand ten miles westward of the fortress, and the Russians are unlikely to he held up anywhere eastward of Sivas. TURKS RALLYING IN THE MOUNTAINS. BIC BATtLE BEGINNING. Budapest, February 19. , The Turks are making a desperate rally west of Erzerourn, where a big battle is beginning. Milan newspapers state that the Russians are hard pressing the remnants of£ fourteen Turkish divisions who are kcatter&d 'hi the'drionhtanis: It’s not my fault. TURKEY BLAMES GERMANY, AND VICE VERSA. Rome, February 19. It is expected that the Turks will hold the Germans responsible for the fall of Erzerourn, in consequence of the German officers at the last War Council refusing to detach troops from the central theatres, despite Enver Pasha’s urgent demand. A Turkish communique naively declares that there is no news of importance from Irak, in the Caucasus. The Cologne Gazette attributes the fall of Erzerourn to Turkey’s failure to build railways and create a fleet. It was impossible to march up reinforcements speedily in the depth ol winter. The Russian offensive comjmeneed weeks previously, with superior forces.

LOSS OF GERMAN PRESTIGE. REINFORCEMENTS TOO LATE. KURDS MASSACRE ARMENIANS. Petrograd, February 19. The German commander at Erzeroum was an experienced engineer officer. He had a powerfully organised fortress, and used all the resources of modern artillery art in strengthening the position. It i s now known that big Turkish reinforcements were hurrying to the aid of Erzeroum, hut were unable to arrive in time. The greater portion of the garrison escaped. The Russians fought without heavy artillery. Before the evacuation of Erzeroum the Kurds mercilessly massacred thousands of Armenians. THE KING’S CONGRATULATIONS. London, February 19. King George sent the following message to the Czar; Heartiest congratulations on the splendid achievement of your gallant troops at. Erzeroum after such hard lighting, which T trust will have far-reaching effects. THE HAUL OF ARTILLERY, 150 EIGHT-INCH KRUPPS. ('Received 5.5 a m.) Petrograd. February ‘2O. The artillery at Erzeroum included ■ j 150 eight-inch Krupps. * T„ view of the greatly increased 1 prices on all cotton goods, housewives . will do well to buy the following mes at the Melbourne, Ltd. :—36-inch stout - calico, (id yard ; 32-inch white flannel--1 otte, extra good quality, 6d yard; Horrockses’ striped pyjama cloths, 36- ’ inches wide, lid yard: Horrockses’ \ “Ideal” fabric, 36-inches wide. Is 2d yard,