Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1914. TURKEY AND THE WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 2 November 1914, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1914. TURKEY AND THE WAR.

THE comments of "The Times"' regarding the advent of Turkey into the war will bo read with satisfaction. -All preparations, it says, have been made in Egypt and along the banks of the Suez Canal, and the Sina: Peninsula for possible developments. Of course, it is because the Sultan is still the spiritual head of Mohammedanism that causes most uneasiness so far as Egypt is concerned. Happily, little trouble is expected from India, whose loyalty has been proved, and the interest of the Indian people will naturally be with their fellows on the field of battle. But the position is not so satisfactory, eo far as Egypt is concerned. But Ave have the assurance of "The Times" that the authorities are ready to meet all emergencies. It was 'not for a moment to be supposed that Lord Kitchener would have any surprises sprung upon him concerning Egypt. Some little time ago wo gave in these columns the views of certain of the young Egyptianparty. Whilst expressing their extreme gratefulness for all Britain had done for their country, they pointed, definitely and unhesitatingly to their religion, which was their first consideration. The authorities will have guarded against all possible risings in the Egyptian army. In regard to a Turkish attack on Egypt, it is clear that the llejaz railway will play an important part. The difficulties of communication, with his Arabian provinces, and of relieving or reinforcing the garrisons there, induced tho Sultan Abdul Hamid in 1900 to undertake tho construction of a railway directly connecting the Hejaz cities with Damascus without the necessity of leaving Turkish territory at any point, as hitherto required by the Suez Canal. In 1906 the line was completed to El Akhdar, i>J miles from Damascus and 350 miles from Medina, in time to be used by the Pilgrim caravan of that year, and the section to Medina was opened in 1908. But it is the military value of the line that is interesting today. This value was shown in 1907 ■when it conveyed 28 battalions from Damascus to Ma'an, from which station tho troops marched to Okaba for embarkation en route to Hodeda. As stated in a brief note on Saturday, the military significance of the line was fully discussed in the English reviews at the lime. The opinion expressed was that ''Britain, .in the event of an attack on Egypt, should strike a blow al Damascus and sever railway communication, at that point. So far as other considerations are concerned, it is clear that German influence, rather than the old'standing antagonism with Greece, brought Turkey into the war. She will have to pay dearly for her folly. If Turkey, calling to her aid; Bulgaria, makes war on Greece and Servia and Montenegro, Russia will easily make the decisive move and the seizure of Constantinople should speedily follow. "Since Turkey has resolved on her own destruction," says "The Times/' "we do not regret her appearance in the ranks of combatants, /which means that when the mighty struggle is over, Europe will be rid of two factors which for over 50 years have been +• chief menace to the peace of the jgorld.'*