The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-03-12
ANNOUNCEMENT IS
MADE OFFICIALLY
Gen. Maude's British Forces
Inter Mesopotamlan
City.
OBJECT ACHIEVED
LARGELY POLITICAL
Former Effort Had Resulted
in the Surrender Of
Townshend.

LONDON, Marll--l 10 i Nj
General Frrdrick Stanley Maude,
III command of the Entente forces
in McSDpOtamia, tClegraphed to-
day the welcome news for the Brit
ish OF tho occupation early today
of the city Of Bagdad. the chief
Turkish city in M"S0roramia. and
formerly tho capital Of III" empire
"f the Caliphs.
No details Of tho capture have
Yet; hUrn received, General
MaudeS story Of tho operations
carrying events only up 10 Sa,ur-
day morning when The British, af.
ter "fccting a surprise crossing
uf the Diala and bridging the IT,
girls. had driven the Turks back
~ within three miles Of Ragdad.
IT, is evident, however. that the
Turks have hern unable m offer
any serious resistancr since the
fall Of Kut.el.Amara
They were said TO be hurrledly
SumnlOning re-intOrcGmentS from
other theatres OF The war where
Turks were engaged. but the dis
tanrCS To b" covered were so great
that additional forces were unable
To arrive in time 10 SAVE The an
cirnL city which. after Mecca oc
cupirs first place in the Moham-
medan mind.
The fall of Bagdad. besides end
ing German hopes of near eastern
dominion. based on a Bcrlin-Rag
dad Railway. will rcverbratr
throughout the Mohammedan en-
r>lr ! ir- 11 I,,t1l
than rehabilitate British prestige
in the Far East. damaged by the
earlier loss OF Kut.el-Amara.
Perhaps no more welcome news
could have come. at q time when
the British public for the first
time. owing TO the submarine war,
is beginning to feel the effects OF
the war in greatly reduced food
supply. besides being thrown into
depression by the revelations Of
the Dardanellcs report. Further
news must be awaited before it is
known whether General Maude
made important captures OF Turk
ish troops or guns. either before
or at Bagdad. Apparently the oc-
Cupation was effected without re-
sistance and with only slight losses.
Even II the Turks succeeded In eX-
tricatiug all their forces. the loss
Of Bagdad is grave blow 10 them.
Bagdad has been the base for all
Turkish operations in Persia. Up
70 within few days the Turks oc
cupied about 10000 square miles
~ Persian territory. but with. the
Russians pressing them closely
the direction Of Erzerum. indica-
lions point to speedy junction
OF the British and Russian forces
which would soon compel the
Turkish evacuation Of Persian ter
ritory.
LONDON, March II (7:51 p. mD
saGdad, the chief Turkish city
tesopotamia. and formerly tho capt.;
t the Caliphs. has been captured h
he British forces. Announcement {
he capltulalion of the city was mad
his afternoon by the British pres
ureau.
The statement was issued on r,
eipt of a. telegram from Gener;
Iaude, saying the British forces ha
coupled Bagdad early Sunday morl
lg. No details of the capture Of tn
ity were contained in the despatch {
ieneral Maudc.
During the day the following of
ial report was received concernin
he operations against Bagdad. carr,
ng them up to Saturday morning
then the Turks had been forced haC
0 within three miles west and sout
IeSt Of the city:
Our forces engaged with the
Turks on the lJiula line ihr night
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