IN MESOPOTAMIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3347, 8 May 1918, Page 16

IN MESOPOTAMIA.

The British force is now within 120 miles of Mosul." They have captured 1200 Turks and many pins. Official messages from Mesopotamia report : Our forces have advanced north of Bagdad along the road leading to Mosul, via Kifri and Kirkuk. We captured Kifri on the 27th inst., taking 40 prisoners. The Turks retreated rapidly towards Kirkuk, but our cavalry overtook and charged one column, killing over 100 and capturing 538 prisoners and much war material. Our cavalry forced a passage over the Asqu at a noint south-west of Tuz Khurmatli on the 28th inst., and simultaneously our main forces reached that river. The cavalry early in the morning of the 29th got astride the enemy's communications towards Tauq, whereupo% the infantry advanced and captured Tuz Khurmatli, capturing 300 prisoners and six guns. We continue our pursuit * northwards. We reached the Tauq River on Tuesday. 30th ult., and captured 12 more machine guns. Our prisoners now total 1800. PROMISE OF A GREAT HARVEST. Mr Candler, writing from Mesopotamia. immediately after the capture of Bagdad, states: We have begun to tap the resources of the Euphrates, and carried out an irrigation scheme during the summer. Fourteen thousand Arabs assisted in digging out nearly 100 canals which had fallen into disuse. We thereby brought 300,000 acres into cultivation, and there is promise of the possibility of the greatest harvest sine© the days of Nebuchadnezzar. Arab cultivators welcome the new regime, which is making the land rich and profitable.