MESOPOTAMIA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9256, 25 January 1916, Page 6

MESOPOTAMIA

BRITISH PROGRESS

FIGHTING IN FLOOD-SWEPT COUNTRY.

The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, January 23, 3.50 p.m. Telegrams from Sir Percy Lake dated Saturday state that Colonel Aylmer attacked a Turkish position at Essin on Fridav, fierce fighting continuing during the day with varying success. T!ho weather throughout was atrocious, pouring rain rendering the movement of troops extremely difficult* Owing to floods it was impossible to renew the attack on Saturday, Colonel Aylmer taking up a position 1300 yards from the enemy’s trenches. The weather continues very bad, with incessant rain, and the floods increasing. No details of casualties aro yet received, but they aro reported to be very heavy on both sides. RUSSIANS CO-OPERATING. By Telegraph—Press Association Copyright (Received January 24, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON,* January 24. A communique issued at Potrograd states that the Russian captures of pris, oners and artillery in the Brzeroum region continue during the headlong flight of the Turkish forces. The roads are strewn with the frozen bodies of Turkish soldiers. Other reports from Petrograd indicate that the whole position in the Middle East has greatly improved. Rusiians from Haraadan and Sultanabad are co-operating with the British at Kut-el-Amara. Other Russians from Tabriz have reached Miandorb, south of Lake Ourmia.

Turkey is reported to be disappointed lihat Germany is insisting upon the position in Mesopotamia being cleared up Jofore the Egyptian campaign is undertaken.

TURKEY CONCENTRATES MORE FORCES.

ROME, January 23

The Athens correspondent of tha “Tribuna” states that the Germans are concentrating three thousand motorears at Constantinople, supposed to be for Mesopotamia. They are also amassing enormous quantities of material, floating mines, and submarine parts for Bagdad. •

OFFICIAL NEWS

Tho High Commissioner reports:—

LONDON, January 24th, 6.15 a.m.

Tho Turks at Erzcroum are still retreating, and tho Russians are seizing artillery and stores and persecuting the enemy. Tho Turks were also defeated south of the Riv«r Sharianson, and cattle seized at Melazghert. WHAT GERMANY IS DOING ALLIES WARNED TO TAKE DRASTIC STEPS. By Tal«ffrapU—Preaa Association—Copyrlfhi LONDON. January 23. Mr George Piagnell, a leading promoter of the Empire trade movement, emphasises Germany’s enormous preparations to secure the world’s trade, and strongly condemns the British people for forgetting their patriotism for the sake of immediate gain. Ho urges the Allies to seize interned ships to make good those sunk, and then to agree that no vessel enemy built, owned, or manned, shall enter British or Allied ports for a hundred years. Re also urges that every duty should ho equal for the Allies, and double for the enemy. NEW YORK, January 23. Mr Quttman, a director of the Dresden Bank at Berlin, in an article in the “World,” states that Germany has a large quantity of goods ready for shipment and sale abroad after the war, while the proceeds of securities held in Germany representing many milliards in hostile countries, will contribute to support the German rate of exchange.