THE TURKISH FORCES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 40, 22 May 1916, Page 4

THE TURKISH FORCES.

There is 'some doubt as to the strength of the Turkish forces in Asia Minor. Not long ago Colonel Repington made an estimate and stated that according to the information at his disposal-! and admittedly the best of that was bad—the Turks may have raised a million men during the war, and of these some 300,000 must be deducted for casualties leaving probably not more than 700,000 remaining. At the time of our evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula there were probably 350.000 men - of the Ist, 2nd and sth Turkish Armies between Adrianople, Constantinople, the Dardanelles and Smyrna. There were 130,000 on the Caucasus front, 50,000 in Mesopotamia, 60,000 in Syria, including the Arabian Corps, and the remainder scattered in garrisons and along the coast lines. In view of the situation in the Balkans, and the continuing need to defend the capital against another attack from oversea, it is possible that not more than 100.000 men were set free by our evacuation of Gallipoli for service in Armenia. We do not yet know what reinforcements have been sent. The Turks do not shift their armies readily, and their poor communications do not allow the shuttle and loom play so dear to German strategists.