The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-04
BITLIS CAPTURED
BYRUSSIAN ARMY
Grand Dukes Forces Take
City no Miles South of
ErZerum.
HELP NEARER TO BRITISH
Ssscoi csbie DessescA 70 Tvs stE.

Sssciai csbIe DesposcA 20 TVS stE.
LONDON, March 3.-The Russians took
by storm last night the fortified city OF
Bitls. in the Armenian Taurus. Bitlis
lies 10 miles south Of Erserum, the
great Armenian fortress captured by
them on February i5. The army OF
Grand Duke Nicholas has thus covered
within a little more than two weeks
more than one-fourth Of the distance
frum.Erscrum to Basdad. which In about
500 miles.
The Russians captured at B!tiis six
Turkish guns and many prisoners. among
them seventeen oficcrs. one q r~egtfnental
commander. The Turkish defending
army, the bulk Of which may. as At
Erzerum, have escaped. seems to be In
full night southward. The Russian War
Ofice reported the capture Of Bills as
follows tonight:
In the Caucasus we continue the
struggle. Conditions are exceptionally
dificult. owing to the impossible roads.
We last nIght took Bitlis by storm,
capturing six guns. The Turkish pris-
oners taken. by us include seventeen
officers, ono of whom Is "A regimental
commander.
New Victory Tor Grand Dske.
The fall Of Bitlis represents the second
i,nportant victory Of the Grand Duke
Nicholas's Caucasus army since the mid
die OF February. In that short period
the Russians have carried the pursuit
Of the main Ttrkich army Into the heart
Of Armenia and TO the approaches OF the
Black Sea coast, and, In the south. into
the Kurdistan. The taking OF Bstlts,
however. must be credited chiefly To tine
Russian left wing. which after a years
unsuccessful attempts finally succeeded
in dislOdgin1 the Turks from the Lake
Van region. Undoubtedly this Russian
flank wac reinforced BY part OF the arm!
| which took Erserum.
In capturing Bitlis. military critics
here point out. the Russians achieved
brilliant feat. the military and mora
! effects OF which are bound to MAKE
themselves seriously felt In the Turkish
camp. To reach the city the Crane
! Dukes army had TO overcome part ~
! the difficult Taurus mountains. WHICH. "
the prevailing weather conditions seenh"'
insurfhountable.
The Grand Duke IL now expected &
strike for the Bagdad railway by max
Ing directly for piabektr. $50 mile
southwest Of Bitlss. That city ono
reached only developments not at pres
ent figured with could prevent a das'
along IN. railroad TO Mosul. 3lo mile
southeast OF piabekir a. the crow files
/, will be remembered. however. that
was from Mosul that a large Turkish
relief force was reported 20 be on IN
way TO Erzerum.
N~uaces Tuskish PLAN.
This relief. dispatches said. halted o
, turned upon receipt of the news tina
Erzerum had fallen. .Aiso Aleppo. III
headquarters for the Turco-Gerna
prepa rations TO invade Egypt. IL onl
200 miles southwest Of Nisibis. wh"r
the Baedad railway and the railway I
the north converge.
The Turco.,ierman Stan is therefor
10 be counted upon to do everything pos
.lhlc to check the Russian advance sout
and a huge battle may ne looked n
when hastily despatched Turkish f"rrei
probably already on the way. meet TN
Russians somewhere between Diabekl
and Bitlis. Meanwhile the Russians. az
cording To PetroCrad. are making stead
Roadway in the north toward the B,ac
Sea cast and int the interior 81 Al
menia. pursuing the Turks. whose fore.
are. however. still intact,
May stand At Sivas.
No serious obstruction Is hindering q,
advance Of the Russian Caucasian arm
In Armenia save the severe weather an
the vuggedness Of the country. Tn
Turkish army has not vigorously or
posed the advance of any OF the thre
main divisions of the Russian army an
II Ia generally believed that the nex
real battle will be for the possession q
the city Of Sivas, which In about 20
miles to the west Of the captured fortres
OF Erzerum. II is said that this cit
has been chosen as the rallying point "a
the somewhat d~isorgauized Turks
forces In Armenia. The fo~rtihcatior
are being rapidly strengthened and re
endorsements from all over Turkey Az
pouring into the city to make a fir,
stand against the main Russian &C
vance.
IN their retreat thu Turks have hee
, compelled TO discard heavy guns All
, equipment. although they hay manage
, to save the bulk OF their arms.
In Persia no engagements have bee
= reported Of late. but II IT, believed tina
, the Russians are movins forward srol
Ksrmanshah as rapidly ~ the NATURE
: condition Of the country will permit
I the direction OF the Tigris, in the lol
Of efec,ing a Junction with the Rri'is
? forces at kut-el-Amara.