Evening star., 1916-07-09
Allies Determined to Continue,
the Germans to Check,
Present Offensive.
FIGHTING is EXPECTED
ALONG THE WHOLE LINE
Berlin Shows Anxiety Over Success
full Advance of Enemy-Whole
Defensive Scheme Endangered.

Nicholas operating in the Caucasus re-
gions of t h e
Russians Checked in near cas-. ana
toward the
Near East Regions. general direc-
ton of Bagdad still hold a vast section
which they conquered early in the year.
the progress Of the Russian forces west
ward in the general direction OF Balour''
Erzingan, Kharput and Diarbkr appar-
emily has been halted by the Turks Ere
auent official reports from Constantinople
report repulses for various branches OF
the Russian armies, which were divided
early in the campaign for the purpose OF
keeping the main Turkish forces detached
Although at one time a small detach-
ment of Russians operating toward the
southwest effected a junction with the
British in Mesopotamia. the much
looked for and much desired union OF the
main bodies of Russian and Enghsh
forces has not been effected and. in so
far as the Turks are concerned. this Is
considered a moral victory. The Russian
forces which were at first believed in
striking distance Of Bagdad have been,
on the face of Turkish official advices,
forced back a distance OF more than
eighty miles-in fact, the Turks claim
to have regained the important strateg-
ical city of Kermanshah in their latest
offensive effort, which resulted in bat
tie lasting two days before the Russians
retired.
West Of Erzerum, where the main Rus
sian forces have been operating with the
intention Of pushing on to Sivas. the
Slavs have met serious obstacles-in fact,
the Grand Duke Nicholas forces in this
section also have been forced to fall back
materially Along the Tchoruk river.
which has been the scene Of much severe
fighting, the Russians are said to have re-
tired toward Trebizond. although the Of
fetal advices from Petrograd would In
dicate that the Russians also have gained
some successes in the engagements in
eral lines Of Turkish trenches have been
taken.
On the whole, 1t is not in the least
surprising that the Russian effort should
be checked at
Turks Are Using All this juncture,
in view of the
Available Forces. tact that Con-
stantinople has dispatched practically all
Of her available troops to this region
The larger part of her armies which were
assembled at Alexandretta and HONS for
the drive on the Suez canal were imme-
diately dispatched to Sivas and thence
eastward when the Russian offensive be-
came a real menace. Troops are reported
to have been removed from the Balkans.
while it is declared Austrian and German
soldiers lent their assistance in check
ing the Russian tide.
1t is a fact that the Turks now out
number the Russian armies operating
in the Caucasus and Mesopotamfan
regions practically to l. and this.
coupled with the fact that the Turks
occupy territory susceptible to strong
defensive works, makes the Russian
task extremely difficult.
a veil enshrouds the activities of the
British forces operating along the
Tigris, as well as the activities of the
various Arab tribes. who, under the
leadership OF the Grand Sheriff Of
Mecca and his three sons, revolted
against Turkish rule little more
than four weeks ago
Great interest was centered in the
latter situation Immediately upon the
announcement of the Mohammedan re-
bellion against Moslem misrule, and
the keenest speculation is being in
dulged in by both Paris and London as
to the probable outcome of the Arabian
effort.