Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-11
MAUDE CUTTING WAY
THROUGH TO ALLENBY
British Generals Attempt Liaison to
Forestall Falkenhayn's At.
tack on Bagdad.
MAY FINALLY STRIKE DAMASCUS
Success Of Campaign VIII Drive
Turks From Participation in Fur.
ther Activities in Asia Minor.
Like Sherman's March to Sea.
NY H. G, WALES.

eraI Sir Stanley Naude Is cutting MS
way vigorously westward in the aim
OF eTecting a liaison with General
Allenby's army in Palestine.
The storming OF Ramadie and the
capture Of the Turkish garrison there
and the commander, Ahmed Bey, was
the first step of the British and Indian
columns. operating from Feludja, their
only strong point on the Euphrates.
Tho British troops struck outside OF
the old caravan route between Bag
dad and Damascus. and threw back the
Turkish advanced posts to Mushald.
Meantime. the British cavalry had
made an encircling movement. driving
In other Turkish outposts and swing
Ing in themselves from tho rear on
Ramade. The Turkish garrison at
Hit was driven into the trap at Ra-
made. and then the British attacked
OH all Sides. capturing all the Turks
in the old city. numbering about $4,000
men.
Pursuing these tactics and capturing
kasir Amej and other towns west OF
that point would eventually place the
British within striking distance OF
Damascus. where they would have the
support OF the British fleet operating
in the Mediterranean.
British strategy in such a campaign
would require that General Allenby ad-
vance from his position before GAIA
and strike Damascus from the south,
while General Maude attacked from
the east and the Meet shelled the posi-.
ton from the west.
Tho success OF such an operation
would allow for the supplying of the
Mesopotamian force from either Basra.
at the head OF the Persian Gulf, or
from Egypt and the Suez Canal where
General Allenby's forces In Palestine
now receive their supplies II would
also permit the rapid shifting Of troops
from the Mcsopotamian to the Pales-
tine sector, or Vice versa. and would
nullify tho advantage the Turks now
possess OF being able to transfer diyi.
sions from before GAIA to in front Of
Bagdad by way OF Aleppo
BRITISH DUPLICATING
SHERMAN'S MARCH
II Is conceded. Of course. that the
hrst action of the British after dupli-
eating General Sherman's march to
the sea- and cutting their way through
10 damascus. would be to construct a
tN'road along the route. ,raversing the
syrian desert. Obtaining material
80 oiu IoItinE StOCk-wOuld
present the only difficulty TO this task
as BY following the ancient caravan
route. cases with water holes would be
encountered frequently
double-tracked narrow-rause lin.
has been built from Basra In n.rd.d
ana another double-tracked standard
gauge line has been laid down from m.
auez Canal across the wateriess desert
10 Palestine and right up to the Turk
ism position at GAIA. 4 railroad lin,
connecting Ramadie and Damascus
Nouio De much shorter than either OF
'nese other Two lines. The British
nave ALREADY constructed a line from
SaEdad. In the Tigris River across the
p'aih 10 Feludja. on the Euphrates. and
mis- railroad is being extended now IN
Ramadie. ~
WIN such strategic railway at
lheir backs. the two British generals
NNenby and Maude-could operata n
comparative security in converoing
campaigns up the coast and up the
I.uphratcs to Aleppo. The loss az ,bi.
city would efrectually end Turk.,,.
participation in the war in Asia and
eliminate the Ottomans entirely frop,
Asia Minor
inc British. from their present adj
sanced position at Samarra, north q,
'agoad' on the Tigris. are in line for
dow at Mosoul. further up IN.
river. Co-ordnated British ATTACKS
uehvered simultaneously from Sam.rra
hofln' from Ramadie and Hit want
from GAIA northward-coupled
n inc cooperation OF the British
Heet III the Aediterranean-would Sc
interfere with Falkenhayn's
LOT an onslaught on Basdad.
"eherai Maude's advance up the
p"iales mas disarranged the Turk
pa'sh' as Falkenhayn had in
80, ~ uescend by that stream, in
s'eao OF the Tigris. counting on meet
10 ~ opposi.ioh until he was opposite
the ancient city of the Caliphs
RAILWAY MATERIALS
HELD NORTH OF sUEz
ne Germans are unable to construct
railroads for the Turks because nj th.ir
TACK or both raw materials and fnished
Proauct. The railroad line from cor
s'ah'ihople to Aleppo has been opened
py the completion Of the tunnel through
."e taurus Mountains. but little can he
uohe with the line because of the ex-
'iei"e shortage Of rolling stock. All
oop movements are made by road and
.o'.eu "arches. the railroad being used
Exclusively Tor the transport OF artj,.
'esS ana shells. Even food supplies
are barred from the road. and proceed
by camel and donkey.
Reports from Cairo indicate tho.
British have accumulated q graf s,en,o
of railway construction suppIies no.th
OF the Suez Canal and have enoueb
material in reserve there to bui,d
line from the Palestine theater scro.e
the Syrian desert to the Eubbrate,
REPORTS from Basra also indicate that
much railroad construction material
mas been sent up the Tigris to Bagdad
from that point. When General Maude
captured Bagdad last spring, he found.
as part of the booty huge stores of
supplies Of ali kinds Thnrn uA.