The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-02-18
SLAvS CAPTURE
ARMENIAN CITY
Russians Take Erzerum After
Attacks Declared to BE
unprecedented"
TRENCH FIGHTING
IN WESTERN ZONE
British and French Striving
With Germans for Possess
ion of Ground in Bel.
gium and Cham
pagne.

Erzerum, Turkeys chief for
tress in Armenia, is in the
hands of the Russians. Heavy
assaults by the Russians against
the long line of detached forts
protecting the city lasting over a
period of five days and described
by Grand Duke Nicholas. the
Russian commander in chief, as
unprecedented" have resulted
IN the capture of the fortress.
Unofficial reports early in the
present month said the German
field marshal, Won Der Goltz,
with 10000 men was besieged in
the city with provisions for only
fortnight.
The capture of Erzerum IS
considered Of great strategic inn
portance. From it radiate lead.
ing in all directions. Over those
to the southeast and south Il
will be possible for the Russians
now to fight their way towards
the compatriot operating against
the Persians and Turks in north
west and west Persia or proceed
south towards Bagdad. to the re-
lief of the British bottled up in
Kut-eEAmara. on the Tigris,
southeast of Bagdad.
The immediate effect of the
Russian victory on the situation
in Persia and Mesopotamia is
problematical. however, for de-
spite the roads the country is
mountainous and there still is
much ground to be covered.
something more than 200 miles
before the Lake Urumiah dis
trict of Persia is reached and
more than 600 niles before a
junction with tie British at Kut
el- Amara could be formed.
On the Western battle line
Prllin rea"rr% that the Butts \
and French have cndeaVOre.l to
r""apture trench positions tax ii
from them south of Ypres and
IN Champagne near Tahure. but
that the attacks failed. Paris
asserts on the contrary that near
Tahure the French have re-
taken portions of their former
trenches.
The British and Germans still
are at deadly grip for possession
of the trenches captured from
the British southeast of Ypres,
artillery and hand grenades
being employed in the fighting.
London reports that the attack
in which the British lost 600
yards of front line trench the
Germans attacked over a front
of 1000 yards. but were every
where repulsed with considerable
losses except at the point the
trench was captured.
On the Russian front a driv-
ing snow storm along the entire
line has almost stopped opera
tions.
The usual bombardments, in
terspersed with infantry at
tacks, continue on the Austro-
Italian line.
In Albania the Austrians and
BulgarianS are said to have
formed a junction and are battl-
ing for the capture of the i'm
portant seaport of Durazzo. de
Tended by Essad Pasha's forces
of Albanians, Servians and Mon
tenegrins.
StrumiZa's Bulgaria, has been
raided by 13 French aeroplanes
which dropped 158 bombs and
returned to their base unscratch-
ed. Several fires were started by
the bombs.
The ministers of the entente
powers have informed the Bel
gian government that hostilities
against the Teutons and their
allies will not be permitted to
end without Belgium having re-
established it's political and econ
omic independence. They added
that the Belgian government
also would be called upon to take
part in the peace negotiations.
The question of submarine
warfare still remains an open
one by reason of the announced
intention of Germany and Au-