New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-12
Turks Apparently Are in
Flight from Important
Strategic City
Moslems Facing Loss
OF Persian Territory
Cautors of Old Capital, De-
spite Exposure, Advance
in Moonlight

,riek Stanley Maude, in command OF
ne Entente forces in Mesopotamia,
,slegraphed to-day the welcome news
= tho occupation early this morning
- the city of Bagdad, the chief Turk
:, city in Mesopotamia and formerly
,bs capital Of the Empire of the
Cslphs.
No details Of the capture have yet
bssr received. General Maude's story
of the operations carrying events only
m 70 Saturday morning, when the
british. after efecting q surprise cross
ING OF the Diala and bridging the
Tig-;s. had driven the Turks back to
within three miles of Bagdad.
Il Is evident. however, that the Turks
have been unable to offer any serious
resistance since the fall of Kut-el-
Amara.
They we're said 10 be hastily sum-
roninc reinforcements from other
theatres of the war where Turks were
engaged. but the distances to be COW
cred were so great that additional
torces we're unable to arrive in time to
save the ancient city, which. after
Mecca. occupies first place in the Ma
hometan imagination.
Blow TO German Hopes
The fall Of Bagdad, besides ending
German hopes of Near Eastern do
ninion. based on a Berlin-B Bagdad rail-
way. will reverberate throughout the
Nsbometan empires, and, it is believed,
VII more than rehabilitate British
p,s,tige in the Far East, damaged by
IA. earlier loss of Kut-el-Amara.
Perhaps no more welcome news could
come at a time when the British public
for the first time, owing to the subma-
rine war. is beginning to feel the ef-
iseis Of the war in greatly reduced
food supply, besides being thrown into
fit Of depression by the revelations
Of the Dardanelles report.
Apparently the actual occupation was
effected without resistance and with
enly slight losses, though there was
sharp fighting for two days outside the
city. Even if the Turks succeeded in
ex;ricating all their forces, the loss Of
Bagdad is a grave blow to them. Bag
dad has been the base for all Turkish
operations IN Persia.
Up TO within a few days the Turks
occupied about 10000 square miles of
Persian territory, but with the Rus
SLAMS pressing them closely from Kir-
manshah, as well as from the direction
Of Erzerum. indications point to
speedy junction Of the British and Rus
sian forces. which would s7on compel
the Turkish evacuation OF Persian ter
riiory.
British Advance by Moonlight
The following official report tells Of
Tie operations up TO Saturday morn
irg:
"ogr forces engaged with the Turks
On the Dia,a line the night OF the Sth
sgeceeded. despite the bright moon
light, in efccting a surprise crossing
Of the Diala and establishing a strong
post on the right bank thereof. Mean
while, on the morning OF the 9Th, the
Tigris having been bridged at some
distance downstream. a British detach-
men. marched about six miles south
YES, OF Bagdad
The enemy was driven from this po-
'iion % another position two miles in
the rear. During the night Of the 9th
passage Of the Disla was forced. and
our troops advanced some four miles
'oNsrd Bagdad.
During the 9Th our forces on the
Ight bank lTigrls) drove the enemy
ron his second position, bivouacking
On the ground gained. This advantage,
ee'pite binding dust storm and vio-
tnt gale. was pressed on the morning
q the l0tn. the Turks being forced
oaes 70 within three miles west and
sostnwest Of BagdaG'