THE GERMAN BAGDAD RAILWAY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 120, 22 May 1916, Page 4

THE GERMAN BAGDAD RAILWAY.

The Turkish debacle near Mosul, on the railway line from Constantinople to Bagdad will cause overwhelming consternation to the Prussian War Lord, a s it will prove the first act of war towards upsetting the great Teutonic plan so ardently strived for, and so deeply cherished by the Kaiser •himself. The Berlin-Bagdad scheme was evolved by General Von Moltke; it was to bring one hundred millions more people under German domination. The concession granted to Germany to build railways through to Bagdad is said to have been acquired frcm the Turkish Sultan by the Kaiser’s own representations. Germany lost no time in pushing on its construction. This railway is to cover some one thousand five hundred miles and it 'is astonishing how rapidly the work lias been forced on. In fact they are believed to be in such a forward state now that little is required to link up the whole Syrian system with Constantinople and Bagdad. When war commenced it was estimated that it Avould require two years to complete tunnels, but what has been done in that connection since Avar began nobody can state definitely. We knoAV that considerably over one thousand miles are already in use and we can readily picture Germany’s feelings. After spending millions of money to construct this raihvay and gettingso near to completion and then to have the possibility of seeing the “promised land” snatched aAvay by Russia, is too great a strain on tlie dignity of the German superman. Can it be thought for one moment that Germany Avould have made such a sacrifice if she had the men and the poAver to prevent it; she has soavii and Russia has reaped. The Avhole scheme of Asiatic domination, not omitting India and China, has toppled over with the Russian capture of an important section of that magic railway, and this is troubling Germany very deeply, because in addition to the loss of the railway it proves to the Avorld that she Avas quite unable to put out a finger to prevent it. For months Enver Pasha has cried to Germany for the help necessary to save the cherished dream cf Persian and Turkish domination but Germany sent not a man; her railway had to be sacrificed just as it Avas on the point of being supremely useful. because business was too brisk on European fronts, and every man and every gun Avas needed to keep French nnd British from taking possession of Bie rnilwaA's to Berlin. It seems as though nothing can uoav prevent Russia and Britain clearing up the Mesopotamian and Caucasion positions, and probably the Syrian, and then turning attention to Constantinople, cleaning up the Avhole Asiatic position.