File 705/1916 Pt 1 'Arab revolt: reports' [‎455r] (457/494)

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^ a reverse or the appearance of a reverse mi^it turn the scale,
and put most of the Sheikhs against us. The Arab is essentially
unstable.
General Aylmer has entrenched himself 20 miles from Kut
the Tigris. The Russian troops of Ramadan are only ten days
march from Kut; and, in spite of the mountainous nature of the
country, and the fitting to be done en route, they confidently
expect to join the British forces before spring, and thus block
the way to Southern Persia.
The Turks, on the other side, are making strenuous efforts
to guard against this. The route from Constantinople to
Baghdad has been improved. Recently some troops arrived in
40 days, 31 being spent in actual travelling. The
passenger traffic on the Asia minor railways has been stopped;