The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-20
Turks and Germans Re- ported to Be Equipping
 Forces at Aleppo
GERMANS DESIRE TO
 BRING WAR TO ISSUE
Allies Prefer to Postpone Decisive Conflict in Europe-African Inva- sion Attributed to Desire to
 Strike England in Weak Spot

London, December 1s.-Duriug the re- taxation in all the offensive campaigns, except the Italian pressure on the Aus trians. which has followed the expul- sion of the servian army from it's own country European interest is focused upon the probabilities of some new. but as yet undeveloped upheaval
 It appears to be taken for granted on all sides that the policy of the ceu- tral powers will be to attempt to gain a decision somewhere, while their op- ponents will prefer to devote the win ter to preparations for warfare in the spring
 There is much discussion in Great Britain of a reported Turkish German attempt upon the Suez canal. Messages received from neutral countries pro- fessing 10 having German sources or information describe the German field marshal Won Der Gotz as equipping at A1eppo an army for an invasion of Egypt. The same correspondents assert that the Germans are collecting exten- sive drives of camels and donkeys for their transport
 ENGLISH CALCULATIONS A majority of the English writers who know Egypt declare that such project would be hopeless
 The Observer today considers a,Ger- man attempt to invade England as a desperate gamble, one of the foremost possibilities and that the extensive movements of troops in Belgium may mean preparations for embarking at zeebrugge and in the Scheldt river
 officers returning from the western front express the belief that fighting there on a big scale Is impossible be- cause the country is muddier and all together in wrose condition than last year.
 The activity of the Gallipoii penin- sula and small Italian gains are the only important military operations re. ported today.
 Germany has lost the small cruiser < l3vain0n and atore 60 igaf hs the Bal i tic sea through b subnE rine atlaCk It is presumed that the submarine was one of the English undersea squadron which recently has shown enterprise in those waters.
 The Turks claim to have sunk a British monitor in the Tigris river near Kut-el- Amara.
 QUIET IN GREECE The Greek situation remains unchanged. The Greek government is reported to have protested formally against the entente allies fortfying outside Salonil This protest may be of the same character as the one lodged against the first landing of troops, which was then described as merely technical one to keep the record clear
 Henry Ford's peace party arrived in Christiania this morning and was well comed informally by professors and cler- gymen and the American minister. Not withstanding the fact that the party has no official status, Norwegian hospitality and the warm friendship of the Norweg- ians toward Americans assures the peace party an interesting sojourn during their three-days stay in that country. Field Marshal French issued an elo- qUent farewell to the British army in France prior to his turning over the command of the British forces to Gen. Sir Douglas Haig. lin it he asserted the conviction that q glorious ending to their efforts was not far distant.
 The Earl of Derby, director of recruit
 ing, today told London audience that he has found the heart of the country was right. He predicted victory for the entente allies at an earlier date than many persons expected
 The recruits moblized under the Earl of Derby's plan have already begun drill-
 ing in several cities, so that they may have some military schooling when they are formally called to arms