Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-18
SLAV VICTORS AT ERZERUM
DRIVE ON BLACK SEA PORT

l.DNDON, req. IL.
Russian forces forming the right wing
of the Grand Dukes Caucasus army are
within so miles of the important Turkish
Black Sea port of TrebiZond, according
TO dispatches received here today.
The ancient city of Baiburt. on the road
from Erzerum to Trebizond, has been
captured, 1t was reported. The Slavs are
pushing on toward the Pontine mountains,
barring their march on Treblzond.
AS reports filter in, the extent of the
Russian victory at ErZerum is magnified
The number of guns captured is reported
even greater than that of those taken at
Przemys
The number of prisoners taken by the
Russians is increasing. More than 10000
have already been captured. Much am
munition was also taken. The pursuit of
the fleeing Turks continues.
The capture of Trebizond Is expected
within another fortnight. Advices from
Petrograd today said it was considered
certain that the Grand Duke would send
n force against the city before pressing
his campaign against the Turks to the
westward.
The Russian authorities already have
taken steps to ameliorate the condition of
the Armenians. tribunal will be cstab-
lished In Erzerum as soon &c possible and
Investigations of Turkish atrocities
against the Armenians will be begun at
once. Wholesale executions of Turkish
civil officers responsible for the outrages
are predicted.
The possession of TrebIzond will place
the Russians within 30 miles of Batum
The last named port is connected by rail.
way with Baku and thence with Rostov
and the entire system of railroads in
Southern Russia, TrebiZond can hardly
withstand an advance of Russian army
from the south supplemented by possible
fleet attack from seaward.
y
miles. Between the two places the Turks
have projected railway line, and a por-
tion OF the route, II Is understood, has
been prepared for the laying of rails.
This projected railroad passes through
Siwas and Josgad.
The port of Samsun. on the Asia Minor
coast of the Elack Sea. is $50 miles We t
of Trebizond From Samsun the distance
to the Bosphorus is $50 miles. From
Erzerum to Samsun the distance over
the projected railway, through E.singjan
and Siwas, is 300 miles. The Turkish
military railways development scheme in
cluded through rail connections from Sou
tart, In the Bosphorus. with Erzerum,
by way of Angora. The railroad has been
completed between Scutari and Angora,
the distance being 2l5 miles. From this
II will be seen that the complete railroad
to Erzerum from Scutari involves $50
miles of trackage.
between AnBoTd anu bTLeruIl lne pro-
jected line runs parallel with the coast
line, the average distance inland being
about 70 miles The projected lines out
Z Samsun and Trebizond have been in
tended to strike the main coast line at
right angles. Still a third railway was
projected in 1914 by the Turks to run
south from Heracled. on ,e Black Sea, to
connect with the main Angora railway.
Heracled is 100 miles east of the entrance
of the Bosphorus. Heracled, Samson
and Trebizond are the only Turkish Asia
Minor ports upon which railway work
was commenced by the Turks prior to the
beginning of the war.