Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-21
Advantage Gained in Recent
ghting Is Being Followed
Up and important Develop
monts Are Expected Soon.
LAND AND SEA FORCES
ARE IN COOPERATION
Ottoman Army Retiring Along
Black Sea Front Almost
Sure to Be aught in Trap
by the Russians,

fctroStad, Fcb. ~, G. % y. m. Via
London. 9;2i p. M The Russians
are pressing the advantage gained at
Erzcrum. On the right along the
Black sea coast. by the cooperation
of the sea and land forces they nrc
driving the Turks from enc position
after another to the east of Trebizond
and active operations against that inn
portant seaport are expected soon.
In the last two days the Russians
have occupied Wilde (Widie) 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 sew
eral streams in the path Of retreating
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 oceupa-
tion Of koph, the Russians pushed on
to Mush and Aehlat. the latter on the
north shore of Lake Van. From koph
to Mush. sixty miles over mountain
roads, they fought several battles and
occupied Mush by storm.
The Turks fled southwark toward
Diarbekr the next objective Of the
Russians.
Turks MAY lie Surrounded.
The rapid Russian offensive beyond
Ifr2crun. il. is believed herN ualsss,
II probable that the retreat of the,
Turkish corps operating along the
Black sea coast and of those troops
which were active In the Mush dis
triet before the Russian occupation
viii be entirely cut off and that the
main Turkish armies will he sur
rounded.
This fate has already overtaken the
Thirty fourth division of the Tenth
corps which was ordered from OH
10 t.r2erum before the fall OF the fort
ress AS telephone communication
between this group OF Turkish forces
and the garrison at Erzcrum has been
entirely destroyed by the Russians.
the Thirty-fourt division marched
scronely on 10 Er2erum without sus-
peion that the fortress was then
about to surrender These troops
reached llr2crum from the northwest
at the very moment that the Dcvc-
Bcrna line of forts fell into Russian
hands and the army which they had
come to assist was in fun retreat. The
road over which they had passed was
instantly occupied hy Russian cavalry
and. rs they were completely sur
rounded, there was no alternative but
to surrender with arms, equipment
and artillery
Il is regarded MS almost Inevitable
that the Turkish corps retiring along
the Black sea coast under the de-
struc i've fire of the Russian fleet and
the pressure oi the Russian armies
VIII be caught In the same sort OF
trap as the Turkish troops falling
back from Wilde to Gumsh khaneh
still have greater distance to so
than The Russian troops which are
advancing from Er2erum to cut them
Off
ON the Turkish right flank whore
the Ninth corps Is operating, tho
Turks find themselves in the same
position since all the roads
OF retreat to the north are gradually
falling under Russian control. The
retreat of the Turkish armies every
where is impeded bg deep snow and
the difficult character OF the country
They are without food and lack war
supplies and there seems 10 be little
possibility Of their offering even tenn
porary resistance Of any strength To
the Russian advance,