PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1918, Page 6

PALESTINE.

PACE NOT SLACKENING. f SUPPLIES GOIXG FORWARD. , r * London, Sept. 27. ™L Mass «y> writing from Palestine on Thursday, says: The pace of General Allenby's army docs not slacken, although the position of the force has advanced well over :j0 miles. The supply ([Uestion is of paramount importance. The army is going forward everywhere, and the vast character of the victory can only he appreciated by close study of maps. This is not the place nor time to enter into details of the organisation of the supply branch, but the etl'orts of this department arc fully in keeping' with'all the other stall work. Those of us who have seen what is going on at the front can declare that the problem has been tackled with marvellous eflieiency. All across the country we see columns of lorires and light cars carrying rations and fodder, camel trains ami liuge lines of donkey transport, each in the place where its service can be best emplovd. The men's testimony is perhaps' the best. 1 have yet to hear a single grouse at the food. Captured rolling stock is already carrying heavy plies. We are round the west and south of the Sea of Galilee. At Setakh on the south the lurks fought with desperation, but heavy street fighting resulted to our advantage.—Aus.-N.SS. Cable Assoc.

To appreciate the extent of General Allenbv's remarkable operation and (lie intention of his strategy it is necessary to study the general character of the country and the road and railway communications. Skirting the coast there is a plain of varying width, blocked to the north by Mount Carmel. It rises gradually to the mountains which constitute the main part of Samaria, and tlio mountains rise to move than 3000 feet. From the main ridge south of Nablus there is therefore a fairly easy descent t.o the sea. though the country is much broken and in parts is extremely rough. East of the ridge the descent to the Jordan is much more rapid, aud tiie country lias been torn into deep gorges and forbidding valleys. These conditions extend as far north as the famous plain of Esdraelon, which lias always been the main highway from east to west through Palestine, and in ancient times was therefore the principal battle ground. Nablus is the natural centre of the region- From it, roads, of varying quality, radiate in all directions, north to the plain of Esdraelon, north-west towards Haifa and Tanturah, on the coast, west to the coastal plain and the coast road, south-west to Jaffa, south to Jerusalem, south-east to Jericho by way of Akraba, and by the Fara valley to the Jordan and on to Es Salt, north-east to Beiaan aud the Damascus road. Railway communications are of comparatively reeent development. There is the main railway south from Damascus, commenced in IflOl with tlie object of opening direct communication with Arabia. At Herat—which the maps may call ed Deraah or Edrei—a branch leads to Palestine. It touches the southern end of the Sea. of Kalilee, turns south by the valley of the Jordan, which it crosses to Beisan, and then traverses the plain of Esdraelon to Haifa, on the coast. A branch from this line strikes south from Afuleh, which is about due •north of Nablus, runs south to the neigliborliodo of Xablus, turns west to reach the maritime plain of Tul Kevam, and then bctyls once more to the south, ultimately crossing the Jaffa-Jerusalem line. The Turks had established themselves in a line of defensive positions between the sea and the Jordan roughly fifteen miles south of Nablus. JTlio Haifa-Beisan railway crosses the plain of Esdraelon roughly twenty-five miles north of Nablus. From the sea to the Jordan is a little over forty miles, perhaps ten miles of which would' be the width of the maritime plain. General Allenbv broke through the Turkish lines on this ten miles of low ground. His eavalrv rode north with all speed to Tul Keram. at the elbow nf ihe tailway. Thus far he had confined the enemy to the hill and mountain country. The next move was wost daring. After making sure of the (ween Nablus and the men pushed on to the north five miles, reaching the Haifa about mid-way, between the sea Jordan, just to the south of Then they appear to have along the railway, occupying fir:SH Nablus junction jit Afuleh, going on to Beisan, thus enemy's line of retreat to north-east. ,