MESOPOTAMIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 May 1916, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA.

' ADVANCE TO CONTINUE. HIUTARY unchanged. Times and Sydney Son Services. 'London, May 2. The. news from Kut was received with . the deepest regret, but no news of the garrison having been received for the past *eek partly prepared people. The garrison's condition was critical for weeks past, the men living on horse flesh and the slenderest rations, and enduring the severest privations. The grounding of the relief ship after running, the gauntlet of the Turkish guns sealed their fate. The fall of Kut does . not change the military situation in Me*jk>6taraia. An early advance, toy General Gorringe is expected as soon as the. weathe? .permits. /TKe Times, in a leader, says that General Townahend was not only a brave and Skilful. commander, but the soul of Cheerfulness,, tip to the last. His mestegei Ml bf hope and courage kept up toe spirits of the garrison, and they pretexted a manful front to the foe and held on while the 'ast. scrap of food remained. Despite mistakes, the failure to raise the siege was mainly due to almost instiperable physical difficulties. fall has very limited military importance.' The'Vnemy will douotless expttlt it-to the •'titlfßost. tut their efforts ate 'already discounted. It is provable that the fate of Kut was understood for weeks. A triumphant Turkish march to the sea might disturb India, but elearly the Turks in Mesopotamia are pinned to the position and cannot move , down the river.

• SHIPS TO KUT,

■!' EXCHANGE OF SICK AND WOUNDED.

{Received May 3, 9.30 p.m. London, May 2. Mesopotamia advices state that Khali Pasha', the Turkish commander-in-Chief, hag mitten agreeing to exchange General Townahend'a' sick and wounded men f(Sr an equivalent number of Mahomedan ind Turkish prisoners. Hospital and other ships have been sent to begin the jSvAcuation. THE KlNfc'S SYMPATHY. DEIPEATfiD BY WEATHER, - Received May 3, 9.30 p.m. „ London, May 2. King has wired to the Tigris sympathising with their inability tu relieve General Townshend, despite theft great gallantry and determination Under most trying conditions. "You were defeated by the floods and bad weather, not by the enemy, whom you pressed back. I have watched your «fforts with admiration. You have done ill that Was httinanly possible."

GENERAL VON DER COLTZ. SAID TO HAVE BEEN ASSASSINATED. Bucharest, May 2. From a reliable source in Constantinople it ig stated that an Anatolian officer named Aliabdurah shot General von der Goltz with three bullets on the evening of April 14.

_ AUSTRALIA'S SYMPATHY Sydney, May 3. Sir R. Munro-Ferguson, GovernorGeneral, .has cabled to the Viceroy of India his deepest sympathy at. the los 3 of the gallant force at Kut-el-Amara.