The Daily News. TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1917. THE FALL OF BAGDAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1917. THE FALL OF BAGDAD.

A few days ago there was considerable speculation as to the possibility of the Turks being able to defend Bagdad, and it was pointed out that, according to German reports, the Bagdad railway was completed to Terablus on the Euphrates, from which place troops could be taken by river barges to a point twenty miles fror.i Bagdad, with which the point is connected by a light railway. It was also stated (that the Turks were, apparently, endeavoring to get the divisions in Persia Back across-the oldest road in the world in time to save Bagdad, but the dash of the British forces under Lieutenant-General Maude, combined with the 'vigoions Russian offensive in Persia, put an end to all hopes that Turkey might have entertained, especially as the Germans are callous as to Turkey's serious plight in Syria, Mesopotamia, Persia, and the Caucasus. Bagdad has fallen, and the success of the Turks at Kut has been amply avenged, ! thanks to the vigorous offensive carried out by Lieutenant-General Maude. It must be remembered that unless the be carried out within a given time, the expedition might again have failed, for the season in Mesppotamia is far advanced, the river is rising, and the melting snows on the Taurus range will soon bring floods that would render an advance impossible. General Maude timed his operations to a nicety, and won through before the floods came. Delay would probably have meant disaster. for it would liavc given the Turks

time to concentrate ill force and possibly cut off British supplies. We may therefore be thankful that the danger is past, that our fears are set at rest, and that the objective is reached, the next dramatic step being the juuctioiving of General Maude with the Russians. A recent cable described the Turkish army as shattered, and no longer existing as a fighting force. Some idea of the completeness of the rout may bo gathered from tho fact that enemy booty is strewn over eighty inileri of country, and that it is impossible to make an av; curate estimate of the captures, which include thirty-eight guns salvaged from the river. General Maude has carried out a brilliant and triumphant march on Bagdad. The recapture of Knt and Ctesiphon has been followed by the fall of the ancient city of the Caliphs—atone time the richest and most splendid city in the world, and one of the most important centres of Islam. This Achievement may be said to lniTe been reached toy the correlation of three different forces—the Egyptian, the Mesopotamiaii, and the Russian expedition in Persia. These have been separated by hundreds of miles of difficult country, but have all contributed to the defeat of the enemy. There car. ' " no question that the fall i Bag* l ,1 be a blow to the Turk: dy sc. ,n importance to tho loss of 'lislaiiiinople. The Russian advance i Persia j was evidently timed tt (if a with General Maude's offensive. and engaged considerable forces o) th aemy, as did the operations of acs under General Murray in Eojji ind it remains to be seen whether fijl Turkey will break with Germany at- fpt the fate at Britain's handfl w?, ; '■ •' Teutons will assuredly deal out 'oman Empire if they

1 have th'. ; Germany is using »I Turkish fov.-i and has 15.,

iused 'to allow tliem to .assist in the Mesopotamian campaign. It must also be remembered that Germany is very much concerned as to the Palestine campaign, for she lias established at Beersheba a considerable railway depot with much plant for extensions. From Beersheba to Aleppo is 400 miles, with railway communication the whole way, and three branch lines to the coast, where supply ships could keep in touch with a British army. Moreover, Aleppo is the junction of the lines to Bagdad anil Palestine. It will be seen by this morning's cables that tile main Russian force is now only ISC miles from Bagdad, and that their northernmost column is only fit miles from the .Mosul-Bagdad road, wherein- the Turkish main supplies ■from the north are received. It is also that General Murray is pus!ii*i;, r on to the borders of Palestine,., while the Grand Duke Nicholas is advancing in Armenia. With the Turkish army crushed in Mesopotamia there can be no doubt that tl\e dJys of Turkish rule —or mis-rule--in Kurope and Asia are rapidly drawing to a close. The tion qf Bagdad is both a moral and actual blow at Turkey. Its position on the great caravan routes and its reht tion to the Tigris and Euphrates lend to it an enormous strategical value, covering the whole river system, while taken in connection with the Russian advance in Persia and the Caucasus, as well as the British advance in Palestine, the result should be far-reaching, even to the Balkans theatre, and presaging the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Dramatic deveibpments may be looked for in the near future.