15 JANUARY 1916, Page 3

The news from Mesopotamia shows that while General Town- shend

is besieged at Kut-el-Amara, General Aylmer has met with considerable resistance in his march along the Tigris to relieve the garrison. The Turks who are between General Aylmer and Kut, after falling back some way, have taken up the same position (six miles lower down the river than Kut itself) front which General Townshend drove a Turkish army in his original advance. As the Turkish position is so near to Kut it seems possible that the British garrison are helping by means of sorties. At all events, the Turks are once more giving ground, and only bad weather prevents an active pursuit of them.