Arizona republican., 1916-02-21
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1

IT. I hObhAD, NNld LOHuOnJ, rep. 20.-Grand Duke Nicholas, command CT of the Russian forces in the Cau- casus, has left Tiflis for Erzerum.
 The Russians are pressing the ad- vantages gained at Erzerum. On the right along the Black Sea coast, by the cooperation of the sea and land forces. they are driving the Turks from one position after another to the east of Trebizond and active op- erations against that important sea- port are expected soon.
 In the last two days the Russians have occupied Witde (Widje) and pressed forward ten or twelve miles westward. The fleet has destroyed several shore batteries and by keep ing well in advance of the land forces and by destroying bridges over sev- eral streams in the path of retreat ing Turks, has rendered their retreat more difficult The fleet has been working so close to the shore that the warships have been reached by rifle fire from the Turkish troops
 On the left flank after the occupa- tion of Koph, the Russians pushed on to Mush and Achlat, the latter or the north shore of Lake Van. From Koph to Mush. sixty miles over moun- tain roads, they fought several battles and occupied Mush by storm.
 The Turks fled southward toward Diarbekr, the next objective of the Russians. Once in possession of Di- arbel1r it is only a days march to the 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 Turk ish corps operating along the Black sea coast and of those troops which were active in the Mush district be- fore the Russian occupation will be entirely cut off and that the main Turkish armies will be surrendered.
 This fate has already overtaken the Thirtvfourth division of the Tenth corps, which was ordered from Olti to ErZerum before the fall of the fort ress. As telehponic communication hetWeen this group of Turkish forces and the garrison at Erzerum has been tI|llltlN NtSlIONtu ny lIle NURSERIES the Thirty-fourth division marched serenely on to Erzerum without sus- picion that the fortress was then about to surrender. These troops reached ErZerum from the northwest at the very moment that the Deve- Boina line of forts fell into Russian hands and tEe army which they had come to assist was in full retreat. The road over which they had passed was instantly occupied by Russian cavalry and. as they were completely sur rounded. there was no alternative but to surrender with arms, equipment and artillery
 It is regarded as almost inevitable that the Turkish corps retiring along the Black sea coast under the destruc- tive fire of the Russian fleet and the pressure of the Russian armies will he caught in the same sort of a trar as the Turkish troops falling back from Widje to Gumish Khaneh still have a greater distance to go than the Russian troops which are advanc- ing 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 tho roads of retreat to the north arc gradually falling under Russian con- trOl The retreat of the Turkish arm ies everywhere is impeded by deer snow and the difficult character oi the country They are without foot and lack war supplies and there seem. to he little possibility of their of fering ever temporary resistance O any strength to the Russian advance
 The following official communica ton was issued today:
 Enemy aeroplanes flew over sever al places in the Riga region. A boml v8s thrown on Riga.
 The Germans developed a stron: artillery fire in the Kirchholm Ikskul sector. Our artillery had good ef feet before Ikskull in the region wes of Ogerand and west of Probitinshof
 German aeroplanes threw man, bombs m the region north of Kreuz berg. North of Dvinsk two Zeppelin flew over Mischief. Near Dvinsk tn enemy developed a violent artiller fire.
 ''In the region of Lake Sventen ou artillery destroyed two German block houses. On the Dniester near Mix hallcEe, we exploded a sap which de stroyed entanglements, mine galler and several armOred trenches.
 Caucasus front In the course c the pursuit of the Turks we too T. 2500 men. We captured six guns, great number of arms. a transpoi with munitions and a convoy In tn fighting in the Erzerum district W also captured a Turkish flag"