THE ADVANCE ON JERUSALEM.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11447, 29 January 1918, Page 8

THE ADVANCE ON JERUSALEM.

SEKERSL SLLEKBVS DISPATCH. A DiFFIGUIT OPERATION. Received Jan .28, noon. London, Jan. 27. ’ The Gazette publishes General Ailenby’s dispstph. covering operations from 38th June, 1017, to the fall of Jerusalem. It emphasises transport difficulties and water rdiortugc. Routes for transport were extremely limited and practically tho whole avail side transport, including thirty thousand camels, had to ho allotted to one portion of the Eastern forces.

Tho disp itch tells 1 1 o av before the' fall of Gaza tho enemy, who were strongly entrenched, kept guessing as to tlio whereabouts of the main attack, namely Harein and Sheria. Therefore a largo scale of operations against Gaza ‘was prepared. Tho dispatch shows that it was the most rapid consolidation of British guns in the Passes of tho Judea Hills before the Turks could rally that insured tho surrender of Jerusalem.

The New Zealand Mounted Rifles, on November 14tb, bad a smart engagement at Ayatikara, six miles , south of Jaffa. The Turks counterattacked determinedly and got within .fifteen yards of our line, but a bayonet attack drove them back with" heavy loss. Our infantry commenced the advance against Jerusalem on November lath, one portion advancing on the main road towards Kurketeluab, with the Australian Mouul.eds protesting on the right flank. Knrketelr.ab was o’pf ".red out. he 2Gtb. Tho enemy’s attack on the 20 penetrated our outpost lino north-cast of Jalfa, but they were driven out. The dispatch • mentions Grneral Cnauvel, commander of the tuounteds, as being invariably successful in attack and. pursuit, and iiisconneration in other - ahns : v;es always

THE CHANCELLOR’S SPEECH. GERMAN PRESS OPINION. The dimes. Received Jan. 2.5, 3 p.m. Amsterdam, Jan. 27. The Vorwaerts comments that Hertling’s speech has increased the enemy’s'distrust. Wo arc surfeited with such ambiguous masterpieces, which triHo with Germany’s desire for peace. The Leipzeigor Yolks Zeituug siys thatJn August, 1914, Hollweg solemnly" promised to repair the wrong done Belgium. The Government now rejects the promise. Doubtless the Government is not willing to reinstate Belgium’s political iimepeddence, requiring conquests in West as in East under the veil of hypocrisy. Other democratic oragns complain of the absence of a clear declaration concerning Belgium, which wasj, moved the obstacle to belief of the sincerity of Germany’s peace efforts. GONE BACK TO VODKA. United Send e. Petrograd, Jan. 27. The sudden metamorphosis of the temperate orderly-Russian masses to lawless pillaging and murdering mobs is due to the unlimited manufacture of vodka. The revolution swept aside the Czar’s decree, and distilleries have started everywhere,