Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1916-10-05
BRITISH PILE UP
SHELLS AT BAsRA
End German Dream Of Proposed
Terminus Of BerIin-Bagdad
Railway Line.
CAPTURED SHIPS IN TIGRIs
Simple Possession OF the River Tloris
Is Sufficient to Control the Popu.
lation for Many Miles
Inland.

Ubaf0s
General Headquarters Mesopotamian
Expeditlonary Force, Basra.-The cnl-
mination of Germany's immediate east
ern aspirations was the creation OF
Basra as the Persian gulf terminus OF
the Berlin-Bagdad railway system
writes Louis Edgar Browne In the
Chicago News. The Germans In their
widest dreams could hardly have I'M
agined Basra as Il Is today. II is the
headquarters and main base for Brit.
ish operations In Mesopotamia. The
term base" has come TO mean a place
where thousands Of troops are en-.
camped In gllstening white tents, care
fully arranged In rows and blocks with
military precision; mountains OF food
stores for the men and fodder for the
animals; hospitals and headquarters
and dispatch riders dashlng about as
though the angel OF death were after
them.
Basra Is oil that and more. Never
was there more unique campaign
than this one, where there is every
contrast between east and west.
The Tigris is all important In the
campaign. II is fickleness personlfied.
II foods, subsidies and spreads cholera
with absolute impartiallty. Hardly two
engagements out OF all the furious en-
counters that nave marked the steady
progress Of British troops up the river
have occurred more than eight miles
from Its banks. The British objective
has been to take possession OF the riv.
er. The Turks have tried only to hold
II. Simple possession Of the river Is
sufficient to control the population for
many miles inland.
British Ships Everywhere.
One stands on the army commanders
pier ana realizes that Britain does
control the seas. As far as one can
see, either up or down the river. there
are ocean-going ships Juggling at an
Choir chains drawn taunt as bow strings
by the swift current. The ships are
anchored one behind the other In
long column. They hail from many
corners OF the earth and among their
cargoes one may find everything from
a big howitzer shell to n skeln OF EN-.
broidery for some Arab harem. The
ships are nearly all British. They fly
one OF the varied designs OF the Brit.
ish flag. II may be the white ensign
Of the royal navy or the red ensign Of
the mercantile feet or the blue ensign
with midas rising sun or the Austrnl.
Ian flag with its four stars depicting
the southern cross.
Every day a few ships draw into
aud with half exposed pro-
pellers thrash their way toward the
sea. They have before them a terrible
tossing about by the Arabian sea mon.
soon. hut even at that they must be
thankful 20 the depths Of their souls.
Basra i all that Is vile. The very air
one brcatheS Is rank poison. The ten
pernture runs up 10 IFS degrees on
the river. II will 60 higher. The shore
Is a smelling swamp where dangerous
mosquitoes breed by billions. Heat
aroalexy hangs over every mans head |
Ike n sword suspended by a thread |
Cholera comes IN the night.
Tried to Block Channel.
A funael top, a tumble Of topmasts
and Few shreds Of loose cordnge snap |
ping In tie breeze bear mute evidence
Of the way tie Turks attempted TO
block tie river. British monitors were
close upon the retreatlng Tur.
kish army, hurting high explosive
shells Into It's rear guard. The Tur.
kish admiral hurrledly threw three
slips across the river ard scuttled
them. The middle ship was fine
German liner containing cargo. Tie
British contemplate salvaglng her. The
others were smaller shlps-One light
hip aLl the other small steamer.
The plan was admirable, but Il was
engineered with Characteristic Turkish
aud the small steamer on
he right swung clear Of the channel
md fouled the liner before she sank.
Tie Turks are bit superstltlous about
he Tigris and they declare the river
oiled their plans because II did not
Wish TO bore through the river bank
o form n new channel. which II would
ave done had the admiral been sue.
'cSsful.
Anchored In the stream is n great
lack ship with n golden star and the
ctters up. $. s." painted on her fun.
let. The letters translate prize steam.
hip" have seen so many prize
In the East that itseems us
hough British captures Of Gcrmany's
mercantile marine must compensate
argely for her LOSSES through Ger.
nany's submarine campaign. The
rizcs still retain their German names,
'robably for the purpose Of ldenti-
cation, although they ny the red
nslgn and are operated by government
rews.