Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-28
COVER 100 MILES WEEK
IN ADVANCE ON ERz|NCAN
Capture OF City Means Virtual Com
pletion OF Russian Occupation
OF Turkish Armenia.
OPENS Ur FERTILE VALLEY,
Estimated That Turks Had Between
Twenty-Five and Thirty Divisions
Between Black Sea ana Aiush.
Held In Erzcrum District.

PETRoGRAD. July 81 (yia Lon
don).-Sussian troolas covered hun
drcd miles In their advance on Erzin-
gan within week. The capture of
that city means tho virtual com plotiou
of the Russian occupation OF Turkish
Armenia, and gives Russia the bcncft
of the extremely fertile valley and
opens an easy means of communication
through Trcbizond for the western and
southern Caucasian armies.
1t is estimated that tho Turks had
between Twenty-Five and thirty divis-
ions between tho Black Sea and MuSh
Approximately 100000 men Three
months ago the Turks undertook "a
comprehensive campaign intended to
recapturo Erzcrum and incidentally
To draw troops from the Russian liu-
ropcan thcater. General Eudenich. tho
Russian commander in tho Caucasus
succeeded. however, in holding the
Turks in tho Erzcrum district while
delivering an cncctivc blow at them
IN the Mush district. In order to coun
ter this nankinS from the south aud a
similar effort from the north. the Rus
slams were obliged temporarily To
abandon Mamakhatun, nifty miles west
of Erzerum. Tho russians have cap
,urcd Trcbizund and rcoccupied Mamak.
hatun.
The tjaician advance nt tho i,ussians
has caused tic Germans TO withdraw
irouns from, the Balkans, aud Turks
were Gent thcrc to replace them. The
Russians, quick to see tho advantage
mus afforded, started a vigorous offeu-
sivo toward ErzinEan. Only rear
guard battle preceded the capture OF
the town. tho Turkish main forces hay
ing been beaten and forced To retreat
toward Sivas
Colonel Shumsky. military critic ot
the Euurse Gazette. in an article on
the victory Of the Russians at ERIN
gan, says:
This defeat OF the hes, troops OF
the Ottoman empire has quite broken
tho Turkish defense. No further Sc
rious offensive ran he expected. since
only parts ot divisions from the Con-
stantinoplc. Thracian and Esyr'ian
armies can he spared to patch IN these
broken units
Discussing tho energetic preparation
Of the Russians for their continuance
Of The war, General Chouvaiff. Minister
Of War. in an interview With the
RusSky Slova, says
1T is necessary to dispel the Illusion
that tho war can end in tho autumn.
The breaking down Of the onenys
forces has already bcGun--a fact as
we'll known by the Germans "a bH the
entente allics-but GcrmanNs tcch-
nioue is 80 high that in spite OF her
economic Weakening and the lowered
morale OF her troops. Germany stilI
has the power 10 resist and We must
look forward to Il further struggle be-
fore the final victory.
This explains the recent orders call
ing mon ordinarily exempt 10 tho col
ors. Russia already has n largo re-
serve. but it Is our intention that tins
reserve shall no, diminish. u IL Mt
ting also that tho foreign races IN
Russia. who ordinarily wcaild not be
ohl red 10 serve, should he recruited. II
not In tho regular army. at least Tor
work in connection with the conduct
OF the war"