RUSSIA'S TASK.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1916, Page 5

RUSSIA'S TASK.

FIGHTING IN THE CAUCASUS. ADVANCE ON ERZEROUM, London, January 24. The Daily Chronicle's :Petrograd correspondent says there are no railways, lfliu guns, or elaborate entrenchments in Eastern Anatolia, but there is a snap of gallant adventure in fighting in the mountains and valleys of Armenia and Kurdistan. The Turkish Third Army suffered a .picturesque, collapse while gathering its forces at Melashkert to strike a blow at the Russian centre. The Russians, however, concentrated more rapidly and struck bard, sending the Turks in pell-mell flight over the snow-clad mountains. The Russians hotly pursued to the base of Camel's Back Mountain, which ia strongly fortified. It guards the approach to Erzeroum. The Turks on the flanks were also demoralised and panic-stricken. It is expected that the Turks will seek reinforcements from Mesopotamia. Meanwhile the Russians, under the dashing Georgian, General' ftirattoff, are clearing the ground in Persia by seizing the fortified pass of Kencover and entering Sitltanabad, where they stopped communication by the IndoEuropean telegraphs between Persia and Turkey. The German Consul lied with a band of irregulars he had organised.

TURKS' HEADLONG FLIGHT. Petrograd, January 24. Torpedo boats raided south-eastern Anatolia, destroyed 40 sailers, and bombarded Samtoon, Ounie and Patz, destroying the harborages, storehouses and barracks. Our advanced cavalry have reached the defences of Erzeroum. The Turkish flight was headlong, and cnormoiu quantities of material were abandoned. Detachments were scattered and are hiding in the mountains. Civilian volunteers crawled in daylight to the Libauromny railway, cut' the sentries' throats, and broke' up the rails. Disguised in Germans' clothes, they signalled a military train, which was wrecked and hundreds were killed. THE STALKERS. A GLIMPSE OF RUSSIA'S FIGHTERS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received Jan 25, 5.5. p.m. London, Jan. 24. The Times correspondent at Russian southern headquarters compares the Kuban "stalkers" to Anzac's superfighters. They are descendants of the hardy Cossack pioneers, who come to fight the Empire's foes, and are called "stalkers" because of their ability to crawl up. surprise, and defeat superior forces. They are. wonderfully resourceful ut overcoming the barbed wire entanglements. Not a single stalker has surrendered, while they have captured tens of thousands of prisoners.