THE JORDAN.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 December 1917, Page 8

THE JORDAN.

AND THE JERICHO FORDS. ALLENBY'S NEXT MOVE. (By Criticus in Dunedin Star). With the capture of Jerusalem and the withdrawal of the Turkish left wing from its singular position south of that city, the Turks once more acquire what 'is practically a plane front. It rung from the .mouth of the ~Sa.hr Aujn, just to thef north of Jaffa, in a south-easterly direction, passing west and south of Birch and Bethel, by the north of Jerusalem, and probably has its left flank resting on'the head of the Dead Sea and the mouth of the Jordan. It is doubtful if we have vet driven the Turks right back from the Dead >Sea, and this should be General Allenhy's next move. The Turkish retreat has greatly shortened their front, and it is our business to lengthen it again as promptly as possible. The first steps towards doing this will be to drive back the Turks from the head of the Dead Sea and secure the fords of the Jordan east of Jericho. News of the fall of Birch and Bethel may come at any time now, and a combined advance upon Jericho from Bethel and Jerusalem should follow' immediately. Jericho stands\ about five miles west of the Jordan, and rather less than 10 miles from the head of the Dead Sea. The fords across the Jordan near Jericho are historical, as is the town it' self. The town is an important road centre, and the road crossing the Jordan fo the east is of special importance io us. In all probability there will be no necessity for us to march seven times round the city before it surrenders. One blast of our trumpets should suffice to bring down the walls when we get within striking distance. It is, indeed, nothing but a mass of ruins now, with a miserable little village squatting among them • but it. stands in a very fertile region—a region of vast potentialities for agriculture when the Turks are kicked out. JEBASH AND GADDA. Having got Jericho, General Allenhy will be well advised to push a strong column at once across the Jordan. It is true that such a column will be separated by the river from .the British main 'body, and therefore liable to an attack by superior enemy forces, especially As the Turks will have the use. of the Hedjaz Railway, to the east of the Jordan, for the bringing up of reinforcements; 'but the risk is worth taking. Owing to the i'ordability of the Jordan, the column can be readily reinforced if attacked, and our superiority in aircraft and mounted forces' should enable us to obtain ample warning of any threatened offensive by the Turks. Operations east of the Jordan, by the way, wqjjjd afford splendid opportunities for large bodies of cavalry. It was by the use of exceptionally large bodies of cavalry, for which no employment could be found elsewhere, that the enemy was enabled to follow up their successes against the Roumanians in Wallachia with such astonishing rapidity. One of the cavalry divisions now eating their heads off in France to no purpose would be of priceless value to General Allenhy, and, being a cavalry general himself, he could be trusted to use it to effect.

Having crossed the Jordan, our troops should advance at once upon Jerash and Gadda. The latter place stands, on the Hedjaz Railway, nearly 40 miles northeast of Jericho. Its occupation would definitely cut the Turkish communications with the Arabian provinces of Hedjaz and Jemen. Jerash stands nearly 20 miles north-west of Gadda, and a few miles north-west of Jerash is the village of Suf, anciently known as 'Mizpaj The occupation of these places woib-i! lengthen the Turkish front indefinitely and render possible wide turning movements by powerful Voc'.ies of cavalry whenever desira'ble. A road runs northcast /rom Gadda and Bosrah, about 100 niiln inland from the Mediterranean coaot, and thence to Damascus. Thus thf?e will be ample scope for turning movements, and, even if General Allcnby elects to deliver his main blows on the ■■•/est bank of the Jordan, his forces on the east bank will divert large bodies of Turkish troops, and enable him to bewilder the enemy as to the objectives of his various strokes. Moreover, the roads to the east of the Dead Sea will be available for transport purposes, and it may be possible to make some use of the Hedjaz Railway.