The Washington times., 1915-11-28
British Near Triumph
Iii Mesopotamia Drive
Within Ten Miles of Bagdad, English Expeditonary
Force Is Completing Its Conquet-Turks Ad-
nit Their Defeat.

LONDON. Nov. cs-with!n ten miles /
OF historic Bagdad. the British expedi-
tionary force Is completing Its conquest
Of Mcsopotamia.
Admission Of a Turkish withdrawal Is
contained In today's official communi- ]
ction from the Constantlnople war Of
flee. 1t saws:
I'm the Irak front. on November y
20. north OF Kovono. and on the Tisris.
west of Eontulamada. the enemy. under
the protection OF ten war vessels, at
tackled oud advanced positions with new
re-enforcements. Our advanced troops
inflicted on the enemy very considerable
losses in dead. and withdrew to their
main positions.
"The enemy attempted a further ad-
vance. but failed. Our troops made a
counter attack and captured one ma
chine gun. two ammunition cars, and
some prisoners. At the same place we
captured fourth enemy aeorplane."
Advance Renewed.
Capture Of Stesiphon by the British
was followed by a temporary withdraw
al on account Of water supply. but to-
days DISPATCHES announce the renewal
of the advance under Gen. sir John Ec-
cles Nixon.
The capture OF Basdad appears to be
but matter of a few days at most.
The war office has been reticent as to
the progress Of the Mosopotamia cam
paign. and only within a few days have
any Of the facts been made public.
Upon the declaration of war with
Turkey early In November. the British
India office Immediately dispatched a
considerable forme from the Persian
Gulf up the Shar el Arab river. formed
by the confluence OF the Tigris and
Euohrates.
Another land force was disembsrked
at kowcit and marched across the
desert to attack Bossorah from the
west. The British gunboats. preceded
ny mine sweeDers. crept up the Shar ell
Arab and demolished the Turkish forts.
Bassorah surrendered after brisk
skirmish.
Then ebgan a slow and difficult march
along the valleys OF the Tigris and OF
the Euohrates.
Only Brief Statement.
Not until June was any official an
nouncement made. and that a brief
statement that the British had advanced
thirty-three miles beyond Kurna. On
June 4 Amara. on the Tigris. fell with
1000 prisoners into British hands.
Another six Weeks of stubborn fight
ing. land forces cooperating with the
armored gunboats of light draft. gave
Naslriyeh. on the Euphrates. to the
British. the Turks still further retreat.
ing on July Is.
Four days later the Turks suffered a
telling blow in the loss OF 1000 men and
large amount OF war material. The
yielded another twentv-fve miles to the
advance over difficult plains paruy in
undated. and With the RAILROAD from
Bagdad in Turkish hands.
The expedition was now In touch with
the Turkish line of defenses astride
both the Tigris and Euphrates. On July
% the British had captured Sukesh-
Sheyukh. on the Euphrates. and from
then'until September % the advance had
been sl0~. But on September q Kut-el-
a big force of Turks defeated and driven
back from their trenches.
Desperate Battle.
This was the most desperate battle Of
the campaign. The Turks clung to their
trenches with greatest tenacity. and
when the trenches were carried they
were found to be filled with dead.
Nothing further was announced until
the capture Of Ctesiphon In the follow
ing dispatch:
"A telegram from Gen. Sir John
Eccles Nixon. commander Of the British
forces In Mesopotamia, under date OF
the 18th. reports that General Town
sends troops were in possession OF the
battlefield. while the Turks were report
ed to be retiring on Dialah, ten miles
above Ctesiphon and the same distance
| from Bagdad. General Townshend was
engaged In clearing the field of wound
ed and prisoners.
"At first 1t was stated that 500 pris.
oners had been taken, 1t now appears
that no less than 1900 have been march
| ed back to Lajj.
| Our wounded are reported to num-
| ber a hout nm pf Vhop, 1 SO0 mara loo a.
ing that day by steamer for Basra The
number of killed has not yet been re.
| ported.
| General Nixon praises the excellent
| handling Of the troops by General
Townshend and the splendid spirit