Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15490, 18 January 1916, Page 6

Progress of the War.

An official statement from Dvlhi conveys the welcome news that MajorGeneral Avlmer, advancing along the Tigris, attacked the Turks last Thursday at Orah, twenty-five miles from Ivut-el-Amara. After a heavy battle, lasting all day, the Turks were forced to retreat "east and north," closely pursued by the British forces. There aro indications that the enemy is in great strength in the vicinity of Kut-el-Amara, and the British success is therefore a noteworthy one. It is stated that tho Germans, realising the serious menace of the British campaign in Mesopotamia, are diverting their attention from tho Suez Canal project and are concentrating their efforts on the Tigris Valley. Tii this connexion, the report that Marshal von der Goltz recently visited Kut-el-Amara is worthy of credencc. What the strength of tho Russian forces in Persia may be there is no means of knowing, but their latest success on tho Hamadan-Kermanshali road brings them -within 150 miles of tho Tigris. Tho Russians report a further success on the Caucasian front, where Turkish prisoners and guns, and much ammunition, were captured. On Thursday, according to an official message from Cairo, a forco of 400 Arabs was dispersed forty miles from Matruh, on tho western front of Egypt. It is satisfactory to note that there were no British casualties. There arc no fresh developments in tho Balkans. A Rome newspaper announces that it has been authorised to state that Montenegro will not conclude a separate peace with Austria. The Russian Headquarters Staff are preserving strict silenco regarding tho operations on the Southern front. Unofficial messages continue to refer to the Russian offensive and the heavy losses of the enemy in Bukowina, but it is some days since an official statement was received from Petro grad. That the offensive is still m progress is evident from an Austrian communique, which says that the most stubborn battle yet fought on the Bessarabian frontier is in progress. The Austrians state that on Saturday their " tenacious enemy" made desperate efforts to advance, but -were everywhere repulsed with heavy losses. Operations on the Western front, as disclosed by official reports, are confined to artillery bombardments in the north, where enemy trenches have been damaged.