The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1916-01-19
what is commonly considered the key

Mesopctalnian expedition, there
were, to quote II part from AIr.
ASCu;th and in part from the lenc-
ing military reviewers Of London,
two ohiectiyeS: one was to main
tain the mastery Of the Persian
CUR. which the British have held
for 500 years, the second to pro-
tsct tie Oil fields at the head Of the
Persian Gulf, just east OF the
kariiIu Civer.
This expedition, begun with not
more than 10000 troops, was at frs;
;uccessful and occupied line gen
rally along the karum from Bazra
0 Ahevaz. There was, however, a
'endeZvous for the Turks at the no.
nconSiderable town Of Amara, about
20 miles up the Tigris from Bazra
This town wss also taken, and there
{ seemed that the British object was
accomplished.
But tho Turks cut in behind this
inc by a concentration at Nasrle
20 miles west of Bazra. They were
displaced from Nasrie and relieved
~ the Shatt-el-Hai to kut-el-Amara
This latter tol.n it was also neces-
Sary to occupy, more so than ever as
t developed as the last and most ad-
:anced position necessary to cover a
direct attack on the head Of the Per
sian Gulf.
The Turks retired from Kut-el-
Amara to Ctesiphon where they were
attacked by Gen. Townshend, who.
apparently ignorant OF the Turkish
strength, had but one-fourth Of their
numbers. The result was a British
,etreat back to Kut-el-Amara, which
vas semi-fortified. Here the British.
,rere gradually surrounded by the
Turks. and, although they improved
he opportunity to strengthen greatly
he defensive works, they were,
nevertheless, by reason Of the greatly
superior numbers against which they
were contending, in serious danger
The British relief force, sent out
lnder Gen. Aylmer, seemed in a fair
way to force it's way up the T!gris
md effect junction with the troops
at Kut-el-Amara. Latest advices.
however, are to the effect that this
-elief expedition has been halted by
The Turks at Sheik Said, some twenty
miles away.
In the meantime, the Turks are
naturally sending reinforcements as
~apidly as possible from the wesf
over the Bagdad rr.I Dad. It is here
that the 100000 men released from
eryice on GaIupoh can, il sufficient
transportation service is available,
deal blow to British prestige in the
e. ,cx cr,ffarnSi
by the withdrawal from the HeUes-
3ont.
Latest adyices from Austria show
hat not only has the height OF Yov-
zen, which dominates Cettinje and
Cattaro, fallen into Austrian hands
but that the Nontenegrin capital it
elf is occupied. The Montenegrins
ave, therefore, asked for an armis-
ice, which can only be . forerunner
II a separate peace. 1t is aRothe.
case of practical abandonment on the
part OF the Allies of q small power
20 the force OF the Teuton military
machine.
Loycen is a height about 1000
feet high overlooking Cettinje and
dominating completely Cattaro. AS
has been stated in the press reports.
the possession Of Cattaro bears the
same relation to the Italian coast that
Calais does to the coast of England.
Its strategic Importance, however,
is military rather than naval. 1t will
give Austria an additional naval base
On the Adriatic, it is true, but good
naval base with an enemy absolutely
controlling toe sea is not g. matter
that carries with it preponderance
Of the argument.
The military Importance lies in the
facility that the position affords for
. flank movement against the at
tempt OF the Allies TO come through
slahania and, in fact, against q
acrthEard move from Saloniki.
When Montenegro is forced in a
separate peace, which step is about
20 take place, Austria, Of course, will
be in a position to dictate such terms
rs may seem to her advisable. One
Of these terms will undoubtedly be
that Austria shall be perfectly free
to use the State for her forces as she
wishes.
A strong Teuton force can thus be
IN q position to operate both against
he only two roads crossing. Albania
into Serbia and also against any
troops using either of the two north
Or south lines thu. may in itself prove
sufficient to neutralize completely
the Italian expedition which has al
ready been dispatched for Serbia and
to upset the entire Saloniki cam
paign.
As they knew the importance OF
F.oycen. it is inconceivab,e why it was
not defended by the Allies. It would
Rave been a simple matter. and one
nan on the heights could nave been
worth three trying to reach them.
The deeper the Allies get into the
var and the greater the war area be-
comes, the less able their leaders
seem to grasp the critical points in
the situation.
There is 10 breadth OF vision, no
broad conception of the war as g
Many Drown When Dykes Break
Many persons have been drowned
by the flood in northern Molland. On
1he Marken Islands the death list has
NlsCsS OsSSSSAlOS SsS sSC III SitS
allied camp. Procrastination, de-
lay, iDefficiency caused Belgium,
then Serbia, and now Montenegro
to be completely crushed.
And with each blow the allied sit
1ation in the Balkan becomes less
and less promising. The redeeming
feature to the Allies. the only thing
hat holds out to them hope Of vic
tory, is superiority, not in brains
organization, or in the individual, but
n numbers and resources. For Aus
tria to occupy Montenegro will take
men, many men. This is the weak
ness OF the whole plan.
The offensive On the Russian front
has during the past week somewhat
iessened in its intensity, but it has
lot died down nor IS it yet apparent
hat it has been stopped. Czernowitz.
-h9ugh still in Austrian hands, is il
serious danger Of falling, due to Rus
sian gains on the heights to the