hting. Heavy rains and consequent floods
make the country almost impassable for the movement of big guns or
large bodies of troops in the face of a determined defense.

But while the position of the allied troops in the hills away from the
fringe of coast was becoming desperate, at or near the beaches they
could enjoy practical immunity except from a few long-range Turkish
batteries. The powerful guns of the allied warships so far outranged
and outweighed anything the Turks could bring into the field about
Krithia and Achi Baba that the allied troops could lie sheltered under
their protection.

This fact undoubtedly contributed largely to the astonishing success
of the reembarkation operations here, as it had at the two northern
bases. The chief danger to the allied troops about Krithia was in the
retreat over the few miles that separated them from the embarkation
beaches.

Finally, however, the pressure of the Turks became so heavy that there
was very real apprehension for the safety of the allied troops still
left on the peninsula. Whether or not it was ever intended to maintain
the positions won in the south it is impossible to say at this time.
Some observers were of the opinion that it was England's desire to
construct on the territory in her possession at the entrance to the
Dardanelles a second Gibraltar, commanding at least one end of the
important waterway. German opinion held that it had been agreed
between the Entente Powers in the event of the forcing of the
Dardanelles that the land commanding the waterway was to be divided
among the three countries, each dominating a stretch--probably Russia
in Constantinople, England at the Narrows, and France in between.

However that may be, any intention of hanging on to the territory
captured in the south was soon to be impracticable. By the first of
the year, 1916, the Turks were hotly pressing the allied troops to the
left of Krithia and it became imperative to shorten the line.

Favored by the floods and the fact that, despite the knowledge of the
Turks that a reembarkation had been decided upon, they did not know
exactly when it was to be carried out, the retirement was effected
with small loss. On the nights of January 8-9, 1916, the men were
embarked from the beaches at the north of Sedd-el-Bahr under the guns
of the British and French fleet.

At the last moment it was found impossible to get eleven British guns
away. Reluctantly it was decided to destroy