Evening star., 1917-03-02
Completely Routed by British
Forces, Who Advance
Swiftly Up Tigris.
AZIZIYAH is PASSED
BY OTTOMAN FORCES
1000 Prisoners Taken by Gen.
Maude, While Total Enemy Losses
Are Placed at 10000.

The Turks are still retreating pell-
NELL up the Tigris and already are half
way to Bagdad in their hurried flight
before the victorious British
The British official statement report
ing on the Tigris operations announces
that the retreating Turks passed
through Aziziyah Tuesday evening.
This point is but little more than forty
five miles from Bagdad. 1t is some
ffty-two miles northwest of Kut. and if
the British. as seems probable. are right
on the heels of the Turks. the progress
of their advance guards has been more
than twenty miles since the last def
mite report of their position, received
on Wednesday.
Turks Shattered Completely.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON. March ., 2:30 p.m.-The
Turks are continuing to retreat before
the victorious British on the Tigris
front. Official announcement was made
here today that the retreating Turks
on Tuesday evening passed through
Aziziyah. fifty-two miles north of Kut-
el-Amara- More than 1000 prisoners
have been taken since December.
The remnants of the Turkish forces
have been shattered completely. ac-
cording to information given out in the
house of commons. The Turks, it was
said. would reach Bagdad only as dis
orderly mob. This information was re-
ceived from Gen. Maude, commander of
the British expedition on the Tigris
front, and was announced by Henry W.
Forster, the financial aid to the war
Office
The total Turkish casualties in killed
and wounded was estimated by Gen.
Maude at more than 10000.
Many Guns Captured.
The statement issued by the offieial
press bureau says:
Wednesdays report of .the officer
commanding in Mesopotamia gives the
following:
Pursuit of the retreating enemy still
continues and the Turks in great con-
fusion passed through Aziziyah on the
evening of Tuesday. The clearing of
the battlefield is being systematically
carried out, but as fresh booty is being
brought in from hour to hour it will
be some days before a complete list of
our captures can be compiled
Since February % the approximate
5, 4,oU a
total of over 1000 since the commence
ment of the operations last December:
guns, IS: trench mortars, 10; machine
guns, IL; H. Nj. S. Firef1y, recaptured; !;
Turkish ships, 8: tugs. 2: barges, 10.
and pontoons. 80"
Expected to Restore Prestige.
The rout of the Turks on the Tieris
river north of Kut-el-Amara is expected
hv oh mi ia1,
to restore British prestige in the mid
die east. where it had suffered in the
first two years of the war In his
weekly talk reviewing recent war
operations Maj Gen. Frederick B. Maui
rice. chief director of military oper-
ations at the British war office, ex-
pressed to the Associated Press great
satisfaction regarding the recent Brit
ish successes over the Turks, which he
said would tend to establish the above
results. He said:
1T is -undenia BILE that our prestige
suffered much from the DardanelIes
operations, from the fact that we were
on the defensive for a long in time in
Egyp< and because c. our retreat from
BagGad. This condition now is com
p,eteiy changed. The Turkish forces
have been driven entirely from Egyp-
tian territory and the decisive defeat
with which they me, at Kut completes
our ascendency.
Brilliant Military Operation.
Cen Maude's crossing CT the Shum-
ran bend over 400 yards of flooded river
was q particularly brilliant military
operation. 1t compelled the Turks to
Withdraw rapidly from Sannayyat and
enables us pursue them on the high
side Of the river. There are no marshes.
SO foods will not impede our movements
as they did when we Were advancing
below Kut-el-Arara.
Last week was particularly interest
ing elsewhere. The war loan proved!
Car material resources. while the Ger
mans On lhewesterH front made their
biggest withdrawal since the battle OF
the MarGe.
Bow far they viii retire / canno;
say, out they will no; retire beyond the
point which they are forced to leave
either by the economic necessity OF
saviug tneir losses from a position
which oar superior location prevents
them holding"