THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN ADVANCE IN TURKEY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 May 1916, Page 3

THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN ADVANCE IN TURKEY.

(By James B. Maedouald). I.—WHY THE BRITISH ARE INVOLVED. It is perhaps not generally realised how important the future of Mesopotamia is to the British, or why they originally sent an '■ expedition there which has since developed into a more ambitious campaign. Ever since the Napoleonic period British influence and interests have been supreme from Bagdad to the Persian Gulf, and this was the one quarter of the globe wheVe tli-ey successfully held off the Gorman trader with his political baching. It will 'be recalled that early in Queen Victoria's reign Gr«at Britain j engaged in a war with Persia, ami J landed troops at Bushire in assertion of their rights. Ever since they have policed the Persian Gulf, put down piracy, slave and gun-running, and lighted the places dangerous to navigation. These interests having been entrusted to the Government of India, rews affecting them seldom finds its way into, Western papers. Previous to the war a line of British steamers plied regularly up the River Tigris to Bagdad, the centre of the caravan trade with Persia. The foreign trade of this town alone i» 1912 amounted to £3,800,000, and it was nearly all in the hands of merchants in Great Britain or India. Germany exported £IOO,OOO worth of goods there annually. Basra, farther down the river, exports annuallv about 75,000 tons of dates, valued at £580.000. It also does a large export trade in wheat. A large irrigation scheme was parkly completed before the war, near the ancient city of Babylon, under the direction of the famous Anglo-lndinn engineer Sir William Willcoeks. When finished it was to cost £21,M0,000, and was expected to reclaim some 2,800,000 acres of land of great productibility. It will, therefore, be seen that Britain had some considerable stake in the country. In addition to this, the British Government, shortly , before the war, invested £*,000.000 in " acquiring control of the Anglo-Persian oilfields," which is the principal source of supply for oil fuel for their Navy. Bv this "means they avoided the risk of great American corporations cornering the supply of oil fuel and holding up their Navy. John Bull upon occasion shows some gleamings of shrewdness. This deal is on a par with their purchase of sufficient shares to control the Suez Canal. The Anglo-Persian oilfields are situated across the border in Persia., and the oil is led in pipes down the Karam River valley, a tributary of the combined Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The native tribes in, the neighbourhood were subsidised to protect the pipe-line, or, rather, to leave it alone.

During recent years lias fallen into decay. Politically flic is more sick than "the sick man of the East." The people have a religion of their own and worship the sun, although quite a number of Moslems have settled in their midst. Being cognisant of German designs to create a great Eastern .empire in Mesopotamia and Persia, which would threaten India, Egypt Russian .East, Britain and Russia came together and formed a kind of Monroe doctrine of their own. They said) in effect, Northern Persia shall he Russia's sphere of influence, and Southern Persia shall be Britain's sphere of influence. They both recognised that a great military Power, like Germany, permanently ' established at Bagdad, with aggressive tendencies, would imperil their Eastern dominions, and both were prepared to make it a casus belli —Britain, further, a few years ago informed Germany that the area from Bagdad to the head of the Gulf was her "Garden of Eden," and any attempt to carry German railways south of Bagdad 'would bring on war. The Emperor William apparently did not mind this opposition by Britain and Russia to ihis Oriental ambition, provided he could find a passage through the Balkans. At the time Britain and Russia came to an agreement regarding Persia they were not on so good a footing with each other as they are to-day. In order thrft neither should get an advantage over the other, it was decided that the Persian gendarmes—albout (WOO in number—should be officered by neutrals, and, unfortunately, as it turned out for the Allies, they mutually chose Swedes. On the outbreak of war neither Britain nor Russia desired that Persia should be brought into it. The German Ambassador in Persia, however, had other views, and suborned Swedish officers in command of the Persian gendarmes. Partly by this means, and partly toy Turkish agents, a rebellion was brought about within the Russian sphere. Religion had nothing to do with the trouble in 'Persia. Turkish forces entered Persian Kurdistan and announced that they ware on their way to conquer India and the Russian East, wlhile their compatriots would over-run Egypt. These were the fairy-tales with which the Germans had originally enticed the Turks into the war. The Turks.were willing to believe them, and apparently did believe them. The responsible Germans had no such illusions, but hoped to attain their ends by causing internal disturbances within India ami Egypt. These German canards, put about in war time, have been adopted by some writers in America as the foundation from which to write contemporary history. It may interest them to know that India possesses the strongest natural frontiers in the world.

LI—STRATEGIC GEOGRAPHY OF TURKEY. Strategy nowadays is 'very largely a matter of geography. Modern armies arc circumscribed in their movements by the available means of transportation, whether these be by railroad, river or roadway, and this means geography applied in giving direction to troop movements. Before entering into a review of the combined Anglo-Russian campaign a preliminary survey of the strategical geography of the war area will make the position more clear. In ancient times the only practical way 'by road and ferry from Europe or Ask or Africa was by way of the Balkan valleys and across the Bosphorus or Dardanelles. Hence arose the importance of the ferry-house—Constantinople. That city in those days was the centre of the known world and tihe clearinghouse for the merchandise of Asia, Africa and Europe. From Scutari, on the opposite shore, the overland route meandered across Asia Minor to Aleppo in Syria. Here the sign-post ,to India pointed down the Euphrates Valley, by : jvay of Bagdad, while fchat to Egypt and

Arabia followed {lie Levant or eastern shore of the Mediterranean. Between each fork lay the Syrian desert. A glance at the map shows the reason why in those days this was the only practical route, as to-day it is' the easiest. The wall of the Ural Mountains, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasian Mountains, and the Black Sea shut out direct communication from Europe to Asia, or vice versa, except by tlte Constantinople ferry or a sea voyage. In Asia Minor progress was further barred by the watershed of the Euphrates and Tigris, rivers to the south, and the Caucasian Mountains to the cast. A practical way was found at the lower elevations of the Taurus and A urn mi? Mountains—two parallel spurs which strike the sea at the Gulf of Alexandria. This narrow neck of the bottle, as it were, is of enormous military importance alike to the Turks and 1o the British. Through it must pass any army of invasion by land from Europe or Asia Minor to Egypt or India; and, conversely, through it must pass any invading army from Mesopotamia into Asia Minor. If the British should conquer Mesopotamia and should intend to hold it—as they undoubtedly would—they will have no strategical frontiers until they secure the watershed of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and the Taurus passage. Tf they secure the latter, Syria, Palestine, and Arabia will fall to them like apples off a tree. It would then be no longer necessary to defend the Suez Canal. The natural frontier of Egypt is the Taurus mountain range. Asia Minor is the real' Turkey; the other portions of the empire—Mesopotamia, .Syria, Palestine, Arabia, and Turkey ia Europe—are only Appendages. Th|eastern door'info Asia' Minor is Erze.rouni, and the southern door is the Taurus passage. Turkey can only part with these at the cost of her life. Russia has already captured Erzeroum, and the British possess the Island of Cyprus, which commands the head of. the Gauf of Alexandretta—2o miles from the Taurus passage. That is, broadly, the situation. Near the crossing of the Taurus and Amanus mountains lies the ' city of Aleppo, the starting-point for the overland caravan routes to Bagdad and India, and also to Damascus, Mecca, and Egypt. Just as surely as pioneer travellers always chose the easiest route, so the railways of to-day follow in their footsteps. The physical features of nature constrained both modern as well as ancient armies to travel tlit same way. Hence a railway map of the Balkans and of Asiatic Turkey is u first consideration in appreciating the strategical bearings of the AngloBvvi.'.u campaign in Turkey-in-Asia, of the alleged rival Germanic-Turkish schemes for the invasion of Egypt, Persia, 'and India. Of no less importance i.« a knowledge of the available sea routes and inland rivers. The ability of Bulgaria and Turkey to carry on the war depends on aid from Germany in men, munitions, and money. These allies are the weakest members of the Central Group, and may be the first to give in if cireumstances are adverse to their adventure. The!)' sole communication with the Central Powers i« by the Balkan railway from the Danube to Constantinople ty way of Sofia. If this line is severed, then th"-e nations are out of the game. The Allies have all the winter been organising the defences of Salonika as a pied-a-terre for such an attack. Should Roumnnia join the Allies in the spring, then a further attack may be expected from the north, in which Russian troops wculd join. Turkey is now too pre-oc-cupied with her own troubles to be able to assist Bulgaria. In .'sia Minor the only railway of importance is the trunk line from Scutari, on the Bosphorus, to the Taurus Tunnel, in course of completion nesr Adana. One branch runs west to Smyrna, and another east to Angora. Beyond the Taurus Tunnel is another in course of completion through the Amanus Mountains. Every person and everything destined for the Bagdad front or for the invasion of Egypt lias to be transported over these mountains. So nlso have rails for the completion of the Aleppe-to-Bagdad railway. These tunnels are expected to be finished this year—when it will be 100 late. From Aleppo the Syrian railway runs south through Damascus to Medina and Mecca in Arabia. Branches reach the Levant seaports cf Tripoli, Beirut, and Haifa. Another railway was started from Aleppo to Bagdad shortly before the war, ami construction liegun at both ends. We have no reliable information as to how far it has progressed, but the presumption is that there is n large gap between Rus-el-ain and Mosul and between the Utter place and Samara., Tt is at once apparent how important the city of Aleppo is as the junction for the' three main railways of Asiatic Turkey. Napoleon sonsidercd that it was the key to India, because it commanded the" caravan routes. To-day it would be more correct to say tint Aleppo is the key to the outer ap : proaches to India and Egypt, the inner defences of which are impregnable. The British maintain a large army in Egypt not so much because it is required there as because it is a most convenient central camp within striking distance of all the battle-fronts in the East. This permits of throwing a lr.rge army secretly and unexpectedly where it can be most effective. Similar camps are available at Malta and Cyprus. Any attack on Egypt on a formidable scale would be a veritable trop for the invaders. It will be recalled that when Britain held up the Russian advance on Constantinople, iit 1,178, she entered into a treaty with Turkey guaranteeing the latter in the possession of Asia Minor (only) against all enemies. The consideration was the? lease of the Island of Cyprus, which dominates the Taurus passage. In ether words, Britain holds the sork with which she can close the Syrian tube and put the closure on any illusion of India or Egypt from this side. This treaty was abrogated some IS months ago, when Turkey declared war on the British Empire." Britain, in comequence, annexed Egypt and Cyprus.

III—THE BRITISH AXD RUSSIAN CAMPAIGNS. At the outbreak of the war the Indian Government, apparently off their own bat, despatched a small force to the Persian oilfields to seize and hold the pipe-lines, which 'had been tampered with ami the supply cut off for a time. It became necessary to hold in force three triangular points—Basra, Mubam-merc-h and Awaz. A strong Turkish force, with 'headquarters at Amara, was equi-distant about 100 miles from 'both Basra and Awaz. and could cloft to strike the divided British forces/either by coming down the to Basra or by going overland to Awaz. Reinforcements were sent from India and Amara occupied. The oilfields seemed secure. . Then the unexpected happened. A Turkish army came down the Shat-el-Hai—an ancient canal or waterway connecting the Tigris River at Kut-el-AuiMft with the Euphrates at

Xasireyeh (or Xasri)—about 100 miles to the west of Basra—and threatened the latter place. (Shat-el-Hail means the river which flows by the village of Hai. Kut-el-Amara, means the fort of Amara and is not to be confused with the town of Amara lower down the Tigris River). This led to the British driving the Turks out of Nasiryeh and also advancing up Hie Tigris River from Amara to occupy Kut-el-Amara, where a battle was fought. The Turks were strongly entrenched and expected to hold up the Anglo-Indian troops .here, but a turning movement made them retire on Bagdad—about 100 miles to the north-west. It was known that large Turkish reinforcements were on the way to Bagdad, and an attempt was made to anticipate them. General Townshend advanced on Bagdad with less than a division of mixed Anglo-Indian troops—some 10,000 to 20,000 strong. At Ctesiphon he found a Turkish army of four divisions, with' two others in reserve, awaiting him. After - a two-days' indecisive battle, Townshend, recognising 'he had insufficient forces, retired on his forward base at Kut-el-Amara. The Arabs in the neighborhood awaited the issue of the battle, reaiA' to take sides, for the time toeing, witlf the winner. It says much for the stamina of this composite division that, although opposed throughout by five or six times their numbers of Turks and Turkish irregulars, the latter were. unable to overwhelm them. To the Western mind, unacquainted with the mentalitv and moral weakness of the Moslem ' under certain'circumstances, this may appear a most foolhardy adventure. ' To the Anglo-Indian the most obvious thing to a tight coriwr is to go for the enemy no matter what their numbers. It is the secret of their success there. Most Moslems tight well when posted behind strong natural defences. In open country, such as Mesopotamia, they do not s'how to so much advantage. Another trait is tliat when their line of retreat is threatened they are more timorous than European troops. This weakness will have important bearings on the future campaign in the Tigris Valley, because the communications of the Turks are threatened by the Russians far in their rear and in more than one. place. Townshend's camp at Kut-cl-A.mara was well supplied with stores and munitions at the time. When 'his retreat wa.s cut off at the bend of the Tigris River he could still have retired safely by following the Shat-el-Hai to Nasiriyeh. There was no thought, kpwever, of retreat. Kut-el-Amara is geographically of great strategical importance, and the British garrison there has served the useful purpose of detaining large forces of the enemy where it was desired they should remain while important Allied developments were taking place on their flank and rear. Most of these Turkish, reinforcements were withdrawn from Armenia when the depth of winter appeared to make it impossible for the Russians to break through the lofty hills of Caucasia. "~ The rumor, so diligently put about, that the Grand Duke Nicholas had 'been retired in disgrace, after so ably extricating the Russian armies in Poland, and that lie had been sent to Caucasia, sewed its purpose. The Turks were deceived by it. and sent part of ' their forces from Armenia to oppose the Anglo-Indian advance on Bagdad and arrived in time to turn the scale after the battle of Ctesiphon. When the Grand Duke fell on the unwary Turks tlfleir defeat was complete. Flying from Erzeroum. one army made for Trobizond, another, for the Lake Van district, and the rest went due west towards 'Sivas. The Grand Duke's right wing, centre and left are following in the same directions. He has two flying wings further south —one in the Lake Uruimia district and the other advancing along the main caravan route from I\erman-hah . to Bagdad. All ogress to Mesopotamia is stopped by the Allies' echelon formation, except by Aleppo. Potrograd advices at the time of writing (March 0) state that the Grand Duke's, main army is making for the Gulf of Alexamlrctta with intent to cut t'he Turkish Empire in 'two. This is not only possible, but highly probable, and the echelon formation of the Allies, together with the configuration of the country, lends itself to such an operation. The British army in Egypt and the British Fleet could in such an eventuality en-operate to advantage. As a preliminary the Russians have cleared their right wing by capturing Trebizond, and are utilising it as a sea base. Asia Minor is a high talhleland. in Shape like the sole of a boot turned upside down, with the highlands of Armenia representing the heel. The Turks, having lost their only base and headquarters at Erzcroivm, have now to rush troops, guns and store from Constantinople to the railhead at Angora and endeavor to rally their defeated forces to t'he east of Sivas. In the meantime, the Russians will have overrun some 250 miles of Turkish territory before they are held up even temporarily. The Turkish army in Syria will be rus'lied to Diarbekr to rally their defeated right wing and endeavor to bold the Armenian Taurus Mountains against the Grand Duke's left wing. If the Russians brealr- through here, then all is lost to the Turks in the south. They, however, have a most difficult task before them, because the hills hero reach their highest. In the extreme south the British have ample forces now to carry out, their part of the contract. We know that, some SO.OOO veteran Indian troops have arrived from France. sv> well as other large reinforcements from India. It is unlikely that these will all proceed up the River, because sufficient troops are already there who are. restricted to a narrow front, owing to the salt marshes between the bend of the river and the Persian mountains. Two other routes are available, the Shst-cl-Hai, from Nasiriyeh from the south, and the Euphrates River, to attack Bagdad from the south-west, while the Russian flying wing at Kermanshah threatens it from the north-east. The Turkish report of 'heavy fighting at Xasiriyeh would indicate that one or both of these routes were being taken. Should the main army of the' Grand Duke, as reported, converge on the Gulf of Alexandretta, with intent to destroy the Turkish southern army, tben the latter would be in a very dangerous position, because their nothern army being, as yet, without a. base or organisation, is not in a position to take the offensive to assist them. The Russian reverses in Poland last summer and now the British Withdrawal from Gallipoli 'have somewhat injured their prestige in the East, and it has become a matter of first importance that both Britain and Russia should not only reinstate their prestige in striking fashion, but that'tßey should end once and for all time German intrigue &ncb Trrl-sh weakness in the East. £«ssej

considerations were contributing factors in bringing about a join war council and an Allied Grand Staff. The latter immediately took bold of the military situation in Asiatic Turkey, and the isolated operations of Britain and Russia in these parts have now changed into a great Anglo-Rus'sian campaign stretching from the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers at Kuma to the Black Sea.