The surrender of the garrison of Kut, after a siege
lasting one hundred and forty-three days, was announced on Saturday last. A ship with provisions had been despatched as a forlorn hope, but v. as captured by the Turks, and in face of the exhaustion of his supplies and the inability of the relieving force to advance, no other course was open to General Townshend, who, in the words of the official communique, had defended the position with " ever memorable gallantry." The garrison numbered two thousand nine hundred and seventy British and six thousand Indian troops, and before surrendering General Townshend destroyed his guns and ammunition. It is pleasant to be able to record that the Turks showed their usual courtesy to the captured garrison, allowing General Townshend to retain his sword. It has since been stated that their General has signified his willingness to exchange General Townshend's sick and wounded for Turkish prisoners in our hands. We see no advantage in elaborate comment en the reverse at Kut, and shall therefore only ask the British people to remember two things : (1) That the siege of Kut occupied a large Turkish force, and so may very well have contributed to
the Russian victories in the Caucasus ; (2) that the loss of the
gallant garrison is, from the military point of view, not a matter of vital iMportance.
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