Bisbee daily review., 1918-09-28
From Palestine to PiCdrdy

The narrative of events now. transpir- ing in Palestine sounds like the chanting of the first verses of the book of Genesis. The taking of the ancient Syrian seaport of Acre by the British marks an epoch even in the stupendous events of the great war. Consider, Acre was first besieged by the crusaders in the year | 100. It was taken by Godfry de Boulion and the other leaders of the first crusade and held for some eighty years, then 1t was retaken by the Saracens. Then, just four years later, or in l9I, to be exact Richard of the Lion Hearted leader of the third crusade, re-took the city for the Christians, and while Richard failed to con quer the Holy Sepulcher from the infidels at Jerusalem, his conquest of Acre remain ed Christian possession for one hundred years before again passing to Saracen hands The great Napoleon was the next leader to appear before the gates of. Acre and demand its surrender in 800. The city, defended by the British forces, held out against Bonaparte for two months, when he was forced to raise the siege. The Turks secured possession of Acre in 1882, and in l640 it was bombarded by British fleet, but it remained in Turkish hands from that time until last week when Gen. eral Allenby's cavalry stormed 1t with a sudden rush.
 The taking of Acre affords the British fleet much better harbor on the Mediter- ranean than that at Jaffa.
 Damascus, seventy miles northeast of Acre, is the next objective of the British army Then, due north from Damascus one hundred and fifty miles lies Aleppo, most important city, and the natural june ton point of the Palestine and Mesopotania forces; also the key to Alexandretta, one of the best harbors and largest ports of all the east coast of the Mediterranean sea. It IS from Alexandretta that the real drive on Constantinople will begin.
 That the British will soon take Damascus there Is no doubt. This ancient city stands at the head of the great desert and Is the metropolis of all this section of Palestine and Syria Its capture will mark the pass ing of the Turk from the Holy Land and will cost him his richest and most treas ured possessions. The British have already passed over the immortal field of Arma- geddon. In fact every mile of ground now being conquered by this modern army was battle ground for contending forces thousand years before Alfred the Great or ganized England into nation from savage and warning tribes of barbarians. Joshua and Saul and David and Joab and Abner and Jashobeam each fought in his turn on this ground where General Allenbys men now press on. The Man of Sorrows taught and healed in these places. The armies ot Afo-v-~lo- Aba and fbnce nt Persian and Greek and Roman conquerers swept over this section, for Syria has al- ways been the gate and the portal for every wave of conquest that has flowed or ebbed between Asia and Europe Time was when Syrian cities along this coast were most rich and wonderful and fair to see. Groves and palaces and magic gar dens dotted the slopes. But all these have been buried and forgotten for many hun dreds of years and the woodcutter and the sheep herder have done their part to aid time in the changing of one of the worlds fairest and most fruitful sections to miser- able and desert place.
 But these two British armies, the one in Mesopatania and the one in Palestine, they are spearheads that are surely piercing the vitals of German S plan of far eastern con quest and greatness. For the first time Tn the war Germany faces the real danger of the loss of her allies, Turkey and Bulgaria. She cannot long survive their dismember- ment from this unholy alliance. With their passing, shattered Austria must turn and defend her eastern and southern borders. Germany cannot spare a man from her hard