The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-24
TURKS HOLD
BACK RELIEF IN
FIERCE BATTLE.
British Intrench After an
All Day Fight in a Ter
rifle Storm.
LOSSES ARE HEAVY
UPON BOTH SIDES

Special Cable Despasch 10 The Sex.
LONDON, Jan. 23.-Desperate fighting
near kut-el- Amara, on the Tigris. in a
terrific storm. with apparently very heavy
losses on both sides. Is announced In
an official report received from Sir Percy
Lake, British commander In Mesopo-
tamia, and given out by the press bureau
Of the Wal Office tonight
Gen. Aylmer's relief force last Friday
attacked the Turks who are strongly
i~ntrenched at Eseian, six miles east of
kut-el-Amara, where the main British
army to whose aid the relief force Is
proceeding is bottled up. A violent
battle ensued in which success a~lternated
between the British and the Turks. The
fighting lasted all day. Torrents Of rain
causing floods prevented a renewa Of
the attack, and Gen. Aylmer's force Ii
now intrenched within two-thirds Of a
mile Of the Turkish line. The British
report speahs Of very heavy losses on
both sides"
The OMcisI Report.
The following report was issued By the
official press bureau:
The India Office announces that Sir
Percy Lake. the new commander In
chief of the British forces In Mesopo-
ramia. telegrapls that Gen. Aylmer
STACKED the Turkish position on Fri
day. There WIS fierce f1ghting. with
varying success. The weather was
atrocious. the rain rendering the move-
mcnt OF troops extremely difficult.
Owing to the floods II was impossible
to renew our attack,
On Saturday Gen. Aylinsr ook up a
Spsltl on 200 wards from tho .llenly'S
trenches. The weather continues a
The rain ie incessant and the foods
are increasing.
There are no details as Ia the cas-
ualties. but they are reported to be
very heavy on both sides.
Fridays attack was the fourth
launched by the relief force against the
Turks At Essian since the Ottoman
troops were driven to that position in
the first week OF January. The weather,
especially the never ceasing rain. now
and then intermingled by terrific hurri-
canes. * d ferocious third enemy ham
pering both sides. hut particularly the
attacking relief force. the floods making
II impossible to bring up artillery.
Moreover, the Turks. realizing the
dangerous onsequences that would re-
suit from the main British army being
relieved at kut-el-Amara. appear to
navy tltlI EsNSldU UtSlllbl 80
strongly that the relief force does not
seem large enough to penetrate their
lines.
Russians Pressing On.
The Russians continued to-day Ia
make Roadway toward Erzcruin. the i'm
nortant Armenian city, and are driving
the Turks before them. according to an
official statement issued by the Russian
War ONCE tonight. The roads, the
statement says, are strcwn with frozen
bodies OF Askaris. Numerous prisoners
and great quantities of war material ara
falling into Russian hands.
The st;tement confirms the capture
Yesterday Of ~Sultanabad. the Persian
city situated half way between Hamadan
and Ispahln. the present seat "f the Per-
sian Government. \ Turkish attempt TO
advance Was rcpulsed. The statement
follows:
The retreat of tho Turks in the
egion OF Erzsrum continues, We cap
turcd further pieces of artillery and
other material, We are advancing
along roads s'rewn with frozen bodies
Of Askaris. We captured n large num-
Der of prisoners.
Southwark of tho River C~hariaussn
We annihilated IA detachment Of kurds
and captured 500 head OF cattle.
In Persia. southeastWard Of Hama
dan, an enemy attempt to advance
in the kand.l!in Pass was rcpulsed.
We occupied S~ultanabad. The Ger
man Consul and "A detachment re-
cruited from the Persian population
fed.