A REAL ROUT.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1916, Page 5

A REAL ROUT.

FURTHER DETAILS, v Received Feb. 20, 5.5 p.m. Petrograd, Tcb. IS. The completeness of the defeat at Erzoriim is becoming clearer. The fortress and surrounding country are full of corpses of Turks. Remnants of the army are fleeing in disorder in various directimis, and our pursuit is annihilating or taking prisoner the men of the rear columns.

GRAND DUKE'S TRIUMPH. ENTHUSIASM IX RUSSU. Received Feb. 20, 0.0 p.m. Petrograd, Feb. 10. The capture of Krzerum has evoked the greatest enthusiasm throughout Russia. Thousands of people attended Te Deums in the churches, and the populace acclaimed Grand Duke Nicholas. The fall of the town is regarded as a triumph oT generalship, and il seems almost incredible that the troops captured with the bayonet, ill a few hours, the Germanised forts which forty years ago were found impregnable after almost a year's assault. Despite five excellent roads westwards it is unlikely that the retrcaters 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 Trebizond. The Russians, vigorously pursuing, broke down the Turkish stand ton miles westward of the fortress, and the Russians are unlikely to he held up anywhere eastward of Sivas.

AT BAY IN THE MOUNTAINS. TURKS RALLY [XC. Received Feb. -20. 5.5 p.m. Budapest, Fell. 10. The Turks are making a desperate rally west of .Erzerum, where a big buttle, is beginning. 'Milan newspapers state that the Russians are hard pressing the remnants of fourteen Tuiki-h divisions who are scattered in the mountains. WHOSE THE FAULT? TURKEY P.LAMES GERMANY. AND VICE VERSA. Received Feb. lfl, 5.5 p.im, 1 Rome, Feb. 10. It is expected that the Turks will hold the Cermans responsible for the fall of Erzerum, in consequence of the German oflicers 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 Erzerum to Turkey's failure to build railways and create a fleet. It was impossible to march up reinforcements speedily in the depth of winter. The Russian offensive commenced wetlcs previously, with superior forces.

EFFECT OX GERMANY Paris, Feb. 1. Advices from Schaffhausen state that the fall of Erzerum has made.an enormous impression in Germany, coupled with uneasiness as to its effect in Constau*,inonle.