New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-01
Petrograd Dispatch Says
Black Sea Region Is
Being Evacuated.
RUSSIANS RECOUNT
BOOTY AT ERZERUM
Assert German Officers De-
moralizcd Turkish Troops
by Their Flights.

London. Feb. pa Central News
dispatch from Petrogrsd says the
Turks are hastily evacuating Trebizond
and the neighboring towns on the Back
Sea coast Of the Caucasus region.
4 Russian official statement issue
81 Pc,rograd tonight, reiterates the
claim Of prisoners and guns taken at
Erzerum. which ConstantinOple had de-
MED. The announcement says:
The Turkish communication Of the
DIST states that the retreat Of the
Turkish army from Erzerum toward
positions west of the fortress was e.
fected without loss and that the Turks
abandoned in the fortress only fifty old
guns they could not remove. Az the
same time Turkish headquarters den'e ,
statements alleged to have been dis
sc,niuated By the Russians Of the capt
ure in Erzerum Of ! 900 guns and So
600 prisoners. The same Turkish COM
munication declares that Erzerum was
really not a fortress. but merely an
open town with fortihcstions, devoid Of
any iilitary value.
German Aid at Erzerum.
"In view Of these assertions. the
Russian General Staff announces that
the fortress Of Erzerum was the only
fortified point in the interior Of Asia
Minor protecting Western Armenia and
Anatola and commanding all the best
roads of Trans Caucasia and the inter
Tor of Asia Minor. For many years
past great improvements have been
carried out in the works by the Turks
with the assistance Of Germans
"Such was the formidable barrier on
the path of our offensive. with enor-
nous defensive advantages on the
northeast and east.
During the FIVE days assault the
fortress was defended by the Turks
with stubbornness. to which the enor-
nous number Of dead and frozen bodies
gives testimony. The Caucasus army
succeeded in surmounting steep
mountain, protected not only by frost,
but BY wire cntanglements and other
defences. and assaulted the fortress at
ter an artillery preparation. The as
sault on the forts and principal posi-
ton lasted from February II TO Feb
ruary 10, inclusive.
32j Cannon Captured.
After We had taken the forts on
the left flank Of the principal Turkish
hne OF defences. extending forty versts
- miles,, the fate Of the forts in
the centre and on the right flank, and,
after them. OF the second line forts
and the principal defensive position.
was decided February l6 after short
attacks These Notifications. which
were full Of Turkish dead, remained n
our possession.
During tho assault on the fortress
several Turkish regiments were snnhi-
lated or taken prisoner with all thc.c
officers On the line forts alone We
took 1877 artillery pieces Of various
calibrcs in good condition. In the de-
fence works of the central fortress We
took another l26 pieces. The exact
number of Turkish prisoners is 23j o.
dcers and 1878 men.
The Turkish prisoners captured II
Erzerum or i'm the pursuit complain
utterly that their headquarters staff
was concentrated IN the hands OF the
Germans, who during the assault on
the fortress were the first 20 abandon
The fortified positions, causing panic
and disorder among the already shaken
Turkish troops"