Turks Dilemma: Russian Hammer and British Anvil.

“Hour of Victory”

French Premier’s Anticipations.

“WHAT makes our strength is that we did not want war,” the French Premier yesterday told the Russian Parliamentary delegates in Paris, and the phrase will live.

In that brief sentence M Briand justified the attitude of the Allies and anticipated the verdict of history.

“There is no stain upon our alliance,” he said, “for our reply to numerous acts of provocation was resolute perseverance in the search for Pacific statements - not from fear, but in order to spare the world the horrors of war” - and, as President Poincare had a few minutes previously said, “even in war it is for peace” that France and her Allies remain united.

But, contended M Briand, to talk today of peace is sacrilege, if it means that the aggressor will not be punished. A peace that cannot be durable, a peace that will not shed its rays over humanity and give security to the nations, will dishonour the Allies. What would the generations to come say of us (he asked) if we let escape the occasion to establish the peace that could only come out of a complete victory of the Allies?

It was for this ideal, he went on, that mourning women kept back their tears. “And,” he concluded, “Today, in spite of pretended successes, Germany is not triumphant. More and more she is lowering herself in the world’s estimation. She lives in anguish. It is the power of the ideal which is acting, and it is the beginning of the end. It is certain that the house of victory will soon strike for us.”

The advance of the left wing of our Tigris forces is an event which loses none of its significance from the apparent fact that General Gorringe encountered but little opposition. It is complete evidence of Turkish apprehension, and the news altogether came just at the moment it was needed to dispel the stupid rumours put into circulation by certain newspapers that the British intended retiring on Bussorah.

Assurances that no such step as this was contemplated were doubtless given to General Judenitch, or his procedure would have been very different.

The despatch from Sir Percy Lake, published by the War Office last night shows that, except for a small rearguard still maintained at the bridge over the Hai some 500 yards below Kut, the Turks have abandoned all the positions they interposed between General Townshend and the relief force during the long siege.

The position of the Turks at present appears to extend along the north bank of the river, with their left at the Sanna-i-Yat position, protected by the great Snwaicha Marsh and their right at Kut and thence for some little distance down the west bank of the Hai, which makes a junction with the Tigris at Kut.

The object of the Turks in retaining the Sanna-i-Yat position is not clear, in view of the nature of the difficulties immediately ahead of them but possibly their present movements are only of a covering character, and in a few days we may hear of the evacuation of Kut. The suggestion is, indeed, already made that the retreat of the main Turkish force up stream towards Baghdad is already in progress.