EVACUATION OF ANZAC.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1916, Page 4

EVACUATION OF ANZAC.

In the annals of British naval and military history the evacuation of Suvla and Anzac will certainly take pride of place. It stands out boldly from all the events of the war as being the most difficul'; and dangerous operation, the execution of which was free from the slightest flaw, and yet it was the greatest thing of tlie kind ever attempted "by the British Army and Navy. No one can read the thrilling accounts of this masterly movement without feeling the utmost pride and confidence in tliose who are in command of the British forces. Every detail, even to the wind and weather, had been most carefully calculated. There was but a single element of chance that could only be met by precautions, and that Avaa whether the Turks would detect the movement of our troops. Had they done so, the final chapter of the Anzac campaign would have been one of terrible bloodshed and loss of life. We cannot bo too grateful for having heen spared from such a sanguinary leave-taking. Anzac and Suvla had already taken all too large a toll on the lives of our heroic troops, so that the success of the evacuation, practically without loss, should certainly evoke ou: warmest praise as well as claim our most sincere thankfulness. There is scarcely a single important movement by the Imperial forces that has not been made the subject of hostile criticism, but the withdrawal from Anzac absolutely defies adverse comment. The Turks were completely hoodwinked, and the machinery controlling the retiring movement was as perfect as could possibly be devised. It is by no means difficult to imagine the intensity of tension that prevailed, but that the operations were dominated by master minds and carried out with clockwork precision is fully evident. Apparently every riak of interference had been adequately provided against, while the officers and men

gave a further proof' of their courage, coolness, and resource by entering upon and accomplishing the object in view in the true British spirit, touches of grim humor not being absent, as evidenced by the messages left for "Johnnie Turk" and the placing of a grnnmphone on Walker's Ridge set ready to play the "Turkish Patrol." Once the retirement was decided upon, it has been aH intense relief to know that it was carried out «o successfully—far more so than the most sanguine dared to anticipate. Anzac and Suvla contain many sad memorials to the heroism of the New Zealanders and Australians, but it was there these brave xnen shed undying lustre on II Xt flucHfor Here Idd I as liat lent I on Kin■the Ived lisle, livho [coninlly I the [with iy In Sen?ypt. MB'

Ec! after the founder, who wai called Senussi, a iter venerated saint.. The order is . reformed branch of tho Mohammedan-faith. Senussi gained a number of adherents, tile most notable of whom was Mohammed Shevif, a prince of Wadai, wh 0 in 183S became Sultan of liia native State, the most powerful Mohammedan kingdom in Central Soudan. But the opposition to liini was strong, and in 1855 he removed to Jarabub, a email oasis some thirty miles northwest of Siwa, where the present fighting is reported to have taken plave. On the death of the founder of the order, el Mahdi, under whom the Zawlas of the order extended from Fez to Damascus, to Constantinople and to India, took charge. The order grew in many directions, especially in Eastern Sahara and in Central Soudan, and from the western borders of Egypt south to Darfur, Wadai and Borum, east to Bilma and Murzuk, and north to the coast lands of Tripoli, Senussi el Mahdi became the mo?t powerful sheik, acquiring the authority of a territorial sovereign. Though named by his father, el Mabdi, he did not claim to be the Mahdi, and when Mahommed Ahmad, the Dongalese, rose against the Egyptians in the Eastern Soudan and proclaimed himself the MRhdi, Senussi el Mahdi refused to have any association with him and ignored the Mahdi's appeal to attack Egypt or join him in the Soudan, warning his people against the new creed. The growing fame of the sheik Senussi el Mahdi drew upon him the unwelcome attentions of the Turks, and this and other circumstances led him to frequently change his headquarters, and after defeat by the Fren.h at Bir Allali in 1902, Senussi el Mahi died, and was succeeded by his nephew, Ah-med-el-Sherif. The Senussi sheiks have not been aggressive, but might be turned into a powerful fighting organisation. The order, however, is without cohesion, except in the matter of religion, and anything in the nature of a general rising is highly improbable. The present trouble is doubtless of purely local origin and significance. In this connection, it is well to recall the fact that Agha lihan, the head of the Ismail! Mahommedans, who embrace the Senussi, is a professed strong friend of Britain. He was educated in England and had many British honors conferred upon him. He not only exhorted his people to place their personal services and resources unreservedly at the disposal of the Imperial Government, but himself volunteered to accompany the Indian Expeditionary Force as a private in and infantry regiment.