Evening star., 1916-01-16
British in Danger in
Mesopotamia Region.

Mesopotamia Region. mia cam
paign takes on added interest. The
British forces. in their campaign. be-
gun in the latter part of 1914. by al
vancing and repeatedly defeating the
Turks, gained Il point within eighteen
miles of Bagdad, their objective TURK
ish forces rallied and in subsequent bat
ties forced the British back to kut-E Ell
Amara, from which point the main
force is now said to be retreating. after
having left 10000 men to cover the ac-
ton and hold this point for future mlli-
tary purposes. The Turks have made
repeated assaults on the forts. but are
said to have been repulsed BRUSH
forces sent to the relief of the garrl-
sons have met the Turks and nave SUI
fered losses of more than 3.ooG, accord
ing to Constantinople. The siege OF
kut-E El-Amara for the campaign at
this point has settled down to that
phase of warfare-is expected to con-
tinue some time, unless British rem
forcementS succeed in reScuins their
endangered fellows. Turks claim that
it only is u question of time until
shortage in food supplies forces the
enemy to surrender.
In the meantime London is anXiously
watching developments in this arena,
for a setback, such as a surrender, un-
doubtedly would result seriously for
general British interests, owing to the
constant fermentation of anti-Christian
feeling among the Moha editns of
the near east. A united and extensive
uprising in this region would have an
important bearing on the future con-
duct of northern India.
Along an eight-mile front. from La
Courtine to THE Hand" of Messages
in the Champagne and in the region
in the vicinity of Weller
kopf. along the western battle front,
the earlier days of the week. The
Germans, who, ever since December.
have striven to reconquer positions
from the French on Hartmanns-W Well
erkopf. launched a well developed and
intensive attack against the enemy.
The artillery preparation and conse-
quent fighting for the strategical posi-
ton at Hirzstein, which commands po-
sitions on Hartmanns-W Weile-kopf, was
intense and the French finally were
forced to retire from their positions,
held but few weeks.
Gen. Won Einen. commander of the
German forces facing the allies in the
Champagne. after
Terrible Losses on the expenditure, of
Western Front. shells hurled
force of $4,000 men at the French Re-
ports of the fighting agree on one
point. The losses were terrible. The
Germans, sweeping forward III four
lines. are declared to have been swept
by terrific French machine gun fire and
as consequence are said to have lost
three fourths of their complete attack
ing force. Berlin reports the capture
of about 100 yards of French trenches
in the attack, but Paris counters with
the reply that the cost was dear from a
German standpoint.
Artillery engagements. have been
marked along a greater portion of the
western line, but the Vosges and
Champagne battles We're the only ones
during the week of any consequence.
Although the Russians are reported
to have captured Sadagora. there has
been a period of comparative calm
over the greater portion of the east
ern front. 1t was believed that the |
terrific onslaught Of the Russian forces
in the past three weeks would be sys-
pursued. but little has been |
by the cars men in |
Bukowina, on the .Bessarabian front or
points along the northern section Of
the line. European military experts i
believe that the lull may be explained |
by Russian endeavors to establish for
titled lines as they proceed, having /
learned several bitter lessons in their |
great retreat" of last year. 1t is ex-
pected that the Russian offensive will
be resumed when adeQuats preparations