Evening star., 1917-12-10
End of Mohammedan Rule.

End of Mohammedan Rule.
The capture of Jerusalem by the
British forces marks the end. with Two
brief interludes. of more than 1.2eo
wears possession of the seat of the
christian religion by the Mohamme-
dams.
For S.3 years the Holy City has been
in undisputed ownership of the Turks.
the last Christian ruler of Jerusalem
being the German Emperor Frederick IL.
whose short-lived domination lasted from
1929 to 1914.
Apart from its connection with the cam
paign being waged against Turkey by the
British in Mesopotamia, the fall of Jeru-
salem marks the definite collapse Of the
long protracted efforts of the Turks to
capture the Suez canal and invade Egypt.
First Move of Turks.
Almost the first move made by Tur-
ioy after her entrance into the war
lie great desert Of the Sinai peninsula
IN November, 1914, a Turkish army,
,ariously estimated at from 10000 to
-:,a.0OO men. marched on the Suez canal
md succeeded in reaching within strik-
ing distance of the great artificial
aterway at several points. For sew
cral months bitter fighting took place,
he canal being defended by an Anglo
Egyptian army, aided by Australians
md New Zeaianders and French and
ritish forces.
For the greater part of 1915 conflict
ng reports of the situation were re-
-eiyed from. the belligerents. but in
JecembeR OF that year definite informs
son showed that the Turks had Sbeen
:rfven back as far as Ell Arish. about
,.ghty-five miles east of the canal A
r. tnI, la 81 tnd for civ
.aonths, and in June, 1916. the Turks
-~.sin advanced as far as Katieh, about
fifteen miles east of the canal. Here
they were decisively defeated. losing
more than 5000 prisoners and a great
quantity of equipment
Stormed Ell Arish.
Another period followed in which the
situation was greatly confused through
the vagueness and the contradictory
character of the official statements. but
in December, 1916, the British stormed
IL Arish and a few days later severely
defeated the Turks at Maghdabah, about
sixty miles to the south on the same
front. Two weeks later the invaders
had been driven out Of Egypt. and the
British forces crossed the border into
Palestine.
There had been no hint from either
official or unofficial sources as to a
British intention to undertake a def
u, II
was with intense surprise that the
world learned on March 5 last that the
British forces had captured Ell Khulil.
fifteen miles south of Jerusalem. Ell
Khulil is the modern name of ancient
Hebron. The campaign 1apsed into
q. stagnancy through the heated period.
but was actively renewed with the
setting in of cooler weather last fall.
Capture Beersheba.
Early in November the British activ-
ity resulted in the capture of Beer
sheba. forty miles south of Jerusalem
simultaneously a coastal column be-
came active. BY November : the city
of GAIA was in their hands. and the
British were pursuing the Turks north
ward after having inflicted casualties
estimated as in excess of 10000.
By this time the British inland force
was again up in the neighborhood oi
Hebron. where the Turks were reported
organizing for the defense of Jeru-
salem. Cen AlIenby, the British com.
mander. meanwhile kept his forces nea,
the coast in rapid motion and pushed
on to Jaffa, the port of Jerusalem. il
mid-November.
BY November % the British had pushed
within five miles of jerusalem, on the
northwest, and on December Cen Allen
by announced that he had definite pos
session of Hebron Jerusalem thus wa.
virtually cut off on all sides but the east
Few Details Given.
Few details have come through sine,
that date, but the encircling movement
must have been carried out with consjd
erable rapidity. eliminating in the sur
render of the city.
In sentimental and romantic aspect tn,
capture of Jerusalem far exceeds even tn,
fall of fable-crowned Bagdad.
The modern city of Jerusalem con.
tains about $4,000 inhabitants. and is
the home of pestilence. filth and fevers
but in historic interest il naturally sur.
passes. to the Christian world all Other
places in the world. Since the days
when Joshua wrested it from the hand.
OF Jebusites to make it the capital OF
the Jewish race Jerusalem has been the
prize and prey of half the races of the
word 1t has passed successfully into
the hands of the Assyrians Baby.
ionlans. Greeks. Romans, Persians
Arabs, Turks. the motley crowds of the
crusaders. finally to fall before tn,
descendants of that Richard the lior
hearted. who strove in vain for its pos
session more than 700 years ago.