The battle news from Italy, Salonika, and Egypt is not
this week of special importance. From Mesopotamia it was at first distinctly good. On Saturday last we made an advance of some three miles on the right bank of the Tigris, threatened to outflank the enemy, and when, owing to the rise of the river, he had to leave his trenches we inflicted heavy losses upon him. On Tuesday afternoon, however, came the news that the Turks in a fierce counter-attack on Monday had pushed our line back by some six hundred yards. In spite of this set- back, the prospect is by no means as gloomy as it might be. It is, indeed, our belief that Kut will be relieved, even if it takes us a good deal longer than we expected. General Townshend is making a most gallant fight, and in all probability he can hold out another three weeks or a month. Tha greatest danger is the river. If the floods get worse, it is to be feared that relief will be physically impossible.
