he last.

"They began an irregular fire, which soon developed into a
hotly contested battle. We were compelled to reply with
bullet and bayonet. We took several mountain guns, many
rifles and cartridges and much ammunition. Many of the
enemy threw up their hands and surrendered. We liberated
several dozen Christian girls who had been captured by the
Kurds at the time of the Turk and Kurd raid on the Armenian
villages.

"We then resumed our march on Van, after driving the Turks
from the Village of Sor. The enemy gathered in the Town of
Janik, one march from Van, on the northeast shore of Lake
Van. To take Janik cost us several days' fighting. The Turks
fought desperately, undaunted by enormous losses, their dead
falling in heaps on all sides. The Turkish infantry fought a
brave and honorable fight, but the Kurds are foul fighters,
murdering and looting.

"Attacking directly with only a part of our forces, we sent
the rest by a long detour around the enemy's position,
taking the Turks in flank; then our men charged with the
bayonet, and the fight was over.

[Illustration: Scene of operation of Russians against the Turks in the
Caucasus.]

"The fall of Janik decided the fate of Van. On the night of
May 5 (18) the Turks evacuated Van, leaving twenty-six guns,
3,000 poods (a pood equals 36 pounds) of powder, their
treasure and documents; they went so silently that the
inhabitants did not know of it until the next morning.

"On May 6 (19) the birthday of Czar Nicholas II., we entered
antique Van, the centre of the large and once wealthy
vilayet of the same name, amid extraordinary rejoicings, the
entire Christian population coming forth to meet us,
strewing flowers and green branches in the streets and
decking our soldiers with garlands.

"The capture of Van is as important politically as it is
strategically. The advance on Mush and Bitlis is a necessary
consequence."

An "Insult" to War

Mount Kisco, N.Y., July 11, 1915.

_To the Editor of The New York Times:_

On Friday night at Carnegie Hall Miss Jane Addams stated that in the
present war, in order to get soldiers to charge with the bayonet, all
nations are forced first to make them drunk. I quote from THE TIMES
report:

In Germany they have a regular formula for it [she sai