Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-17

the Turks employed storming troops in
successive assaults on Nebi Samuel,
northwest Of the holy city, then held by
London troops, according to a Reuter-
dispatch from British headquarters in
Palestine. The dispatch, which was
sent by airplane, gives details of the
capture and the entry into Jerusalem.
The Anal Turkish attack was preceded
by such heavy Smelling that it ap-
peared. the enemy was confident the
British would be blown off the summit.
but all their attacks were repulsed san
guinarily. The Turks had a strong line
west. south and northeast of Jerusa-
lem. They were well provided with ma
chine guns and their artillery dominat-
ed the crests over which the British
should have to advance. Some Turkish
guns were placed just outside the city
walls. making it impossible to reply to
their fire without endangering the
town.
"A torrential rain made the roads
impossible" the correspondent contin-
ues. while a chilly east wind pierced
the sodden soldiers to the bone. The
problems of supply almost drove US to
despair; The camels were unable to
keep q foothold on the slippery paths.
Nevertheless the food and ammunition
supply was maintained fully.
Advance Toward Jerusalem.
-'on the night OF December 7, when our
attack began, the men moved UP under
cover Of darkness. the attack pivoting
on Nebi Samuel. from which the Lon
doners advanced eastward toward Jeru-
salem, while other troops assembled the
the south.
They found Hebron evacuated. but
encountered resistance around Bethle-
hem. where the Turks also had posted
guns so that counter battery work
would endanger the sacred village.
Hence our troops had the disagreeable
experience Of being shelled without the
ability to reply. But they pressed for
ward and by noon OF the 18th were two
miles north of Bethlehem.
The Londoners had a hard task on
the steep slopes OF the Judean hills.
where 1t was impossibleto bring field
guns to their support, but some noun
tain batteries and howitzers rendered
magnificent service. and by in the
morning the Londoners had stormed
and captured all the enemy works west
of the town. The Turks still held the
last line on the ridge overlooking Jeru-
salem having posted numerous machine
guns on the houses of the Jewish and
German coionists in the farthest out
skirts of the town. The position was
charged late in the afternoon of the
9Th. The magnificent feat was crowned
with complete success and the Turks
were driven out at the point of the
bayonet. The survivors bolted to either
side of the town. Their losses were
enormous.
Turks Show Desperate Spirit.
Throughout the whole fighting
around Jerusalem the Turks showed
a more desperate spirit and a greater
tenacity than in almost any previous
fighting. They stood their ground to
the last.
During the night the Turks with
drew to the north and EAST of the city
and at o'clock on the morning OF the
9th the mayor and chief of police came
out with a flag of true and surrendered
the town.
Acceptance of the surrender was
made formally at noon. without actual
posted to prevent surprises. Meantime
our troops swept through the suburbs
northward. being subjected to machine
gun fire from the Mount OF olives and
Mount Scopus The ridge of Mount
Scopus, north of the city, was stormed
with the bayonet and the Turks were
cleared from the Mount of Olives.
big demonstrations of joy broke out
surrender of the city. Flowers were
showered on the troops and the popu-
lace clapped their hands to testify to
the JOY of deliverance front the hands
of the oppressors.
Farther north the troops were es-
tablished in a long series of trenches
around the village of Beitikes- These
trenches were carried with rush and
the British line advanced beyond the
village. Welsh troops advancing from
the South pushed across the road east
Of Jerusalem leading to Jericho and
thrust back Turkish reinforcements adj
yancing along this road to succor Jeru-
salem. In the course of all these oper-
atoms they captured nearly 1000 pris-.
oners in addition to 700 wounded Turks
in hospitals in Jerusalem.
People of City Famished.
."rhe wonderful CO. ordination of all
our movements In itself speaks praise
for the admirable staff work. OF condi-
lions In Jerusalem ! learned that in the
early DAYS of the war and the abortive
Turkish attacks against the Suez canal
the Turkish losses in pack animals ex-
ceeded $4,000 dead from neglect, lack
of food and overwork. The people were
so famished from hunger that they
used to flght for the bodies of the ami
mails that died in and about the town.
Then there was suspicion and perse-
cution.
Everybody suspected of sympathiz-
ing with the allies was imprisoned or
killed Many persons were executed.
Among these was the Multi of GAIA.
belonging to a distinguished Arab fam
lily, who, after an attempt to escape
was captured and hanged with his son
outside the Jaffa gate. All aged sub
jects were sent away, but the Ameri-
can colony of about 500 was not mo-
Tested 1t did noble work in relieving
distress. aided by funds from America.
when the United states broke off
relations with Turkey these funds were
discontinued. Nevertheless. the mem
bers Of the colony persisted in the
good work to the best of their abii-