Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-07
CAPTURE OF CANAL
IS GIGANTIC TASK
Turks Seem to Have Set Out to
Accomplish Impossible
Feat.
DEFENSE ALMOST PERFECT
II Invaders Get Across Desert,
They Will Find Powerful Army
Confronting Them.

Especial Gable to The Times Dispatch ]
CAIRO. February all. or nearly
All. the troops now defending the Siez
Canal belong to tho Indian native army
or to the Imperial Service continEents
which the ruling princes OF India con
tribute to the empires defense.
II is really "a blessing in disguise
that these native regiments are de-
tanned In Egypt IL they had gone di-
rect to Flanders they would have been
tried severely by the cold and wet in
me trenches, and probably the sick lists
would be heavy. II Is "a mistake To
suppose that all Indians are affected
ny the cold. Tho Gurkhas stand varia
lions OF temperature very we'll and
there are sometimes perishing nights
where the Punjabs come from But il
Is well that these native regiments
should be- taken by degrees TO tho
places whcrc the fights arc hot, hut the
hours or waiting are desperately chilly
Tic desert camps OF the Indian
troops arc perfect models Of healthy
"rdcrl'ncss. In one brigade I visited
there was an average of six men per
battalion In hospital. and. mark this
the majority OF cases We're slight In
jurics sustained at football,
'"rn WORK may be responsible for
tho good condition OF the men. All
the higher ranks are. OF course, held by
British officers. Outwardiy the officer
~ stern. an unbcnding disciplinarian
All for work and determined that hi.
VIII shall be obcyed in precisely the
manner lie DEGREES. But all the time
he nurses his men. his sharp word is
really an encouragement, and he sue
reeds in getting out Of the dulles, f.l-
low IN the ranks ten times more than a
martinez could. Never was sympathy
between officer and man more marked
The men feel II.
There have been few ceremonial
drills. They arc good for discipline.
but tho native has long ago learnt
discipline. and the ceremonial parade
can be dispensed with.
DO NOT GROW STALE
WHILE AWAITING TURK
For three days | was with troops
WHO arc defending the Suez Canal be-
fore tho Turks arrived. and IT was
great satisfaction 10 see that some OF
tho best trained soldiers I'm the Indian
army werc not permitted 10 grow stale
IN waiting for tho Turk The outposts
and pickcts were posted far from
camps. The posts were intrenchcd too
bAt II YOU were q mile In 'front.' or them
YOU would search the whole horizon
with your glasses and fail TO find the
pits.
You saw nothing but the sun
hleachcd desert. no rifle in the vast
sea OF cye-aching sand, not n sign that
the spade has been called in TO render
service second only TO the rife. The
trenches were selected with care
They have 10 be In commanding posi-
lions and to conform 10 scheme hut
when they are dug the desert breeze
snooths out the heapcd-up sand. so
that there Is no irreguiarity In the sur
face.
The wind also has the effect OF keep
ing tho trcnchmatcrs busy. for n three
days wind by an almost impcrceptible
lifting of particles will break down the
strongest protecting traverse and
throw away tho mound which should
hide the rhcmen from the enemy So,
unless the trenches are sandbagged,
they are continually being made and
remadc. until the native troops have
become as expert In tho use OF the
spade az the British infantry at the
front. The front" to the Indian
means Europe: Egypt is merely taken
on the way.
The army defending the canal has
brought Its entire equipment from
India. 1t docs not even rely on Egypt
for its wood rations. Everything Is
perfectly organized, and II any portion
81 the canal Is attacked the troops
defending IL can be reinforced with a
rapidity which will astonish the Ger
man leaders OF the Turks There is
a railway which is strategic line
though 1t was not designed for military
u-it Tn
troops can be run to any part of the
canal. Further than this the water
WAY will be open.
THEY ARE LONGING; TO SEE
"YE;LLOw PERIL" IN ACTION
The troops are longing to see
modern instrument of warfare. which
they have humorously described az
''thc Yellow Peril" go into action. Its
purpose should not be referred to here.
nut the native soldiers have great faith
in it. The airmcn interest them too,
and they would like TO hear a battle
ship speak. Perhaps they will.
The country through which an invad-
ing army must travel is quite different
from the public's idea OF many leagues
OF blazing desert. In the north, be-
'wccn Port Said and lei Arish. the
sandy wastes are fiat, but across the
centre and. south OF the Sinai PENN
iia, the desert is not merely undulat-
ing, but mountainous. and is as difficult
TO manocuvrc in as the northwest from |
tier OF India. There Is n succession of |
ridges and hills. with rough, stony |
watcrcOurses between them, for the |
greater part of the $50 miles which |
the Turkish army will have to traverse !
The provision of water Is, naturally !
the biggest problem for Won Sanders or |
Won der Goltz whichever general Is di- |
rcctnE tho Ottoman troops concentrate
ing at Macn. The Turks have brought |
with them to Maen great quantity of |
railway material, and a military line |
westward is being laid across n por-
tion OF the desert How far this rail |
way will go on no one can say, but |
It is extremely doubtful whether the |
Turk, reinforced though he Is by nu-
m rnns Germans who had hnnn ,rork-