The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-02-25
CzAR'S FLEET
HAMMERS TURKS
Warships in Black Sea Bonn.
bard Right Flank
BAGDAD RAILWAY is GOAL
Capture OF Mush Clears Way to Diar-
bekr Whence Great Iron Road
is One Days March
Distant.

Petrograd.-Th Russians are
pressing the advance gained at Erze-
'um on both hanks. On the right,
along the Black Sea coast, by the CO.
operation OF the sea and land forces,
hey are driving the Turks from one
position after another TO the east OF
Trebizond, and il is expected that ac-
i've operations against that impor-
amt seaport will not be long deferred.
In the last few days the Russians
rave occupied Wilde (Widje) and
pressed forward 10 or II miles west
ward. The fleet has destroyed in
succession several shore batteries
which have been Of assistance TO the
Turk, and, by keeping well in ad-
vance OF the land forces and by de
,troying bridges over several streams
n the path fthe retreating Turks,
1as rendered their retreat more diff
,ult. The fleet has been working so
lose TO the shore that the warships
have been reached by rife fire from
he Turkish troops. On the other hand,
he ships have spread confusion in
he ranks of the Turk by dropping
shells among them.
On the left flank, after the occupa-
ion of Koph. the Russians pushed on
% Mush and Achat, the latter on the
north shore OF Lake Van From Koph
% Mush, go miles over mountain
roads, they fought several battles,
and occupied Mush by storm.
The Turks fed southwark toward
Diarbekr, the next objective of the
Russian army. once In possession of
Oiabekr, IT is only days march to
he Bagdad railway, the last remain
Ing communication into Syria.
The rapid Russian offensive. beyond
Erzerum, it is believed here, makes
It probable that the retreat of the
Turkish corps operating along the
Black sea coast and of those troops
which We're active in the Mush dis
trice before the Russian occupation
will be entirely cut off and that the
main Turkish armies will be sur
rounded This fate has already ov-
ertaken the 34th division of the 10th
corps, which was ordered from Olti to
Erzerum before the fall of the fort
ress
AS telephone communication be-
tween this group of Turkish forces
and the garrison at Erzerum had been
entirely destroyed by the Russians
the 34th division marched serenely
on to Erzerum without suspicion that
the fortress was on the point OF sur
render. These troops reached Erze-
rum from the northwest at the very
moment that the Deve- Boina line Of
forts fell into Russian hands, and the
army which they had come to assist
was i'm full retreat. The road over
which they had passed was instantly
occupied by Russian cavalry, and, as
they were completely surrounded
there was no alternative but TO sur
render with arms, equipment and ar
tillery
II Is regarded as almost inevitable
that the Turkish corps retiring along
the Black sea coast under the de-
structive fire of the Russian feet and
the pressure of the Russian armies
will be caught in the same sort OF
trap, as the Turkish troops falling
back from Wilde to Gumlsh Khaneh
still have a greater distance to 90
than the Russian troops which are
advancing from Erzerum to cut them
off.
On the Turkish right flank. where
the ninth corps is operating, the
Turks find themselves in the same
precarious position, since all the
roads OF retreat TO the north are
gradually falling under Russian con
troll The retreat OF the Turkish ar
mics everywhere, is impeded by deel
snow and the difficult character o
the country. They are without foot
and lack war supplies and ther'
seems to be little possibility OF thei
offering even temporary resistance
OF any strength 10 the Russian ad
vance.