The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-02-26
STAYS CAPTURED
GREAT TURK ARMY
Reports from Petrograd Say
100000 Men We're Taken
at ErZerum.
LARGER OPERATIONS At ONCE
Fall of Ottoman Fortress Gives Rus
SLAMS Key to Asia Minor, London
Critics Believe

| Petrograd, Feb 1S.-The official
Russian report estimates the Turkish
garrison at Erzerum, capture of which
| by the Russians was announced yes
terday, as 100000 men. 1t is also esti-
mated that more than 1000 guns were
captured.
1t is said there were 467 guns in the
outer forts, 374 in the central forts
| and 200 field guns at Erzerum
With the. capture of Erzerum, the
scene of war operations has shifted
its center mOmentarily to the fields of
warfare in Armenia, Persia and Meso-
potamia, whre the campaigns are ex-
pected to be notably Influenced in
their course by the fall of the Turkish
stronghold.
The official Turkish statement
gives no clue as to the course of events
following the capture of the fortress
and indeed does not record that hap
pening. The only mention of the
operations in this war area is the
declaration that the Russians in the
fighting of the three days preceding
lost 5000 dead and sixty prisoners.
Unofficial advices from Petrograd say
the Turkish army is fleeing westward
of Erzerum through a difficult noun
tain region.
Key to Asia Minor
Military observers in allied capitals.
who regard Erzerum as the key to
Asia Minor, expect the Russian sue
cess to facilitate the capture of Tire
bizond, on the Black sea coast to the
north, giving possession to the Turk
ish gateway from Asia into Europe,
while the Turkish forces throughout
Armenia will be put in jeopardy, it is
argued, that the pressure on the Brit
ish in MesOpOtamia will be relieved
Operations on a large scale by the
Russians will now be possible for the
forces OF Grand Duke Nicholas, it is
declared.
According to the official account the
British MesOpotamian forces have
been heavy sufferers in the recent
fighting. The British losses in the bat
tie at Batiha, west of Korna, aggre-
gated 1900, it is stated
Bad Weather in West.
Fighting on the western front has
lessened in intensity, probably because
of the prevailing bad weather, and
similar conditions prevail in Russia.
Russians Take Erzerum.
Petrograd, Feb 17.-Offcial an
nOuncement is made that the Russians
have captured ErzeTum. Grand Duke
Nicholas has telegraphed the emperor
as follows:
God has granted the brave troops
of the army of the Caucasus such a
great help that Erzerum has been tax
en- after five days of unprecedented as
sault. 1 am inexpressibIy happy to an
nounce this victory to your imperial
majesty"
Victory is important.
London, Feb. 17-Erzerum is Tur-
keys chief city in Armenia Unoff-
ciaI reports early this month said the
German field marshal, Won der Goltz,
with eighty thousand men were be-
sieged in the city with provisions for
only a fortnight.
The capture of EFzerum is consid-
cred of great strategic importance.
From it radiate roads leading in all
directions. Over those to the south
east and south it will be possible for
the Russians to fight their way to-
ward their compatriots operating
against the Persians and Turks in
Northwest and West Persia, or pro-
coed south toward Bagdad, to the re-
lief of the British bottled up at Kut-el- !
Amara on the Tigris southeast of |
Ragdad.
The immediate effect of the Russian |
victory on the situation in Persia and |
Mesopotamia is problematical, how !
ever, for despite the roads the country |
is mountainous and there still is much |
ground to be covered something |
more than two hundred miles-before |
the Lake UTumiah district Of Persia /
is reached and more than six hundred /
miles before a junction with the Brit |
ish at Kut-eI-Amara could be formed. /
A Severe Blow to Turkey.
The fall of Erzerum, however, indi- |
Gates the strength Of the grand dukes
army and is regarded here as a severe
blow to Turkey, as the fortress had /
been regarded as one of the strongest |
in the East.
It is believed here that the Russians
now are on strong war footing, well |
equipped with supplies and ammuni-
ton, and will show furtAer important /
advances in Armenia.