Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15873, 12 April 1917, Page 6

Progress of the War.

Whatever fortune may await the Allies in pressing home tho big offensive it is clear that it has been opened by the greatest victory won by British arms during tho war. All the experts agreo that the success has surpassed the most sanguine anticipations., and many arc astounded at the results achieved so rapidly. Tho great part the Canadians | have played in the battle is more fully revealed in to-day's despatches, r.nd New Zoalanders will rejoice in the honours won by tho gallant sons of the sister Dominion. Tho New Zealanders themselves were not engaged in the battle, and they are no doubt situated on a more southern part of the line. The official figures of the number of prisoners taken has already reached tho 11,000 mark, and unofficial sources place the total oven higher. Mr Philip Gibbs's description of the manner in which the enemy surrendered encourages tho belief that the moral of the German soldiers is even lower than was tho case in the Somme offensive last j-ear, and this alone augurs well for the continued success of the offensive. The great haul of artillery, which included 100 heavy guns, 60 trench mortars, and 163 machine-guns, must bo the largest capture achieved by tho British in a singlo day during the war. On Tuesday the British gunfire was relentlessly following tho retreating Germans along all roads. The latest official advices state that the advance has already penetrated to a depth of five miles directly east and south-east of Arras. The village of Fampoux, about four and a half miles duo east, has been occupied, and tho outskirts of Monchy Ie Preux, about five miles south-east, have been reached. This rate of progress, particularly in view of the fact that tho advance is being carried out in the midst of snowstorms, may be considered in every way satisfactory, and further good news ir.'ay bo expected at any moment. The French offensive, which last week was being pushed forward with great vigour, appears to havo been temporarily checked, and the intensified enemy bombardment of Rheims announced this morning may have something to do with thi3. The fact that the civilian population of Rheims have been warned to bo prepared for evacuation mav mean that tho French expect a counter-German offensive in this region, and if that is the caso the necessity of strengthening their line at that point may have caused them to temporarily pause in their advance towards St. Quentin. There is no reason, however, to feel, disturbed regarding tho situation. Even if the enemy had contemplated an attack on Rheims, the menace to their line tit Arras would probably cause them to abandon it, and in any event there is no reason to doubt that the French will prove themselves masters of the situation there, hs elsewhere. The name of Brazil has now to be added to the long list of countries which havo broken off relations with Germany. It is difficult to keep in one's memory the nameß of all the civilised Powers that have felt themselves constrained to break off diplomatic dealings with a country which .has set tfll dictates of humanity and all the laws of civilisation at defiance. In addition to those who have openly declared themsolves, wo know their example would be followed bv others such ns Denjnark and Holland if they dared to do so. Already it is almost a case of the Central Powers against the world, | and after the present war is over, it I will take at least a couple of generations beforo tho moral obloquy which Germany has brought? upon herself will be removed. —» The entrance of Brazil into the arena in opposition to Germany is the more noteworthy because it is well-known that Germany has long had Brazil in view as a country to bo annexed at tho first favourable opportunity, and in the meantimo sho has carried tho policy of "peaceful penetration" to considerable lengths. In tho Southern State of Rio Grando do Sul there are about 200,000 Germans; in Parana 180,000, and jn Santa Cutherina 85,000. In 1914 no less than 15.5 per cent, of the imports into Brazil camo from Germany; the United Kingdom contributing 23.9 per cent., and tho United States 18.1 per cent. In 1915 the imports from - Germany, of course, ceased, and those from tho United Kingdom and France exhibited a falling off. The imports from ,the United States and Argentina, on tho othor hand, showed a big jump—tho increaso in the former being fully 50 per cent. —4 —. Military service is obligatory on every Brazilian from 21 to 45, tho terms of service being two years in the ranks, seven m tho reserve, seven in the Territorial Army, and eight ir. tho National Guard. The peace strength of the army, however, is only 25,000, and before any considerable force could be mobilised there would need to bo a large expenditure of money on tho necessary "materiel." Tho chief value of Brazil's assistance, should she decide on actually entering into a state of war, would consist in the seizure and utilisation of the German shipping interned in her harbours, and help in rooting out any submarine bases which the Germans may attempt to establish in the neighbourhood of Brazil. ' For this purpose the destroyers included in the small Brazilian fleet would bo useful. ♦ — f "Joseph Chamberlain as I Knew Him," is the title of an article in tho latest number of "United Empire," the Royal Colonial Institute's journal, which is of special interest now that we seem to be on the point of adopting Mr Chamberlain's great scheme of Imperial Preference throughout the Empire. The article is contributed bv Sir Hairy Wilson, K.C.M.G., Secretary to tho Colonial Institute, who, when Mr Chamberlain became Secretary of State

for the Colonies in June, 1895, was appointed his private secretary at tho Colonial Office. He hod known Mr Chamberlain and his family for some years, having been at school with Mr Austen Chamberlain, and lie was one of tho few persons privileged to visit the great statesman in his enforced seclusion owing to the illness which necessitated his withdrawal from public life. His recollcctions of Mr Chamberlain have, therefore, a special value.

"We gather that the Colonial Office when Mr Chamberlain was appointed to its control was a very leisurely, not to say somnolent, institution. Our readers will not be surprised to hear that Mr Chamberlain soon proceeded to wake it up. Having to receive a deputation from the commercial community of Hong Kong, Mr Chamberlain took tho precaution to consult the map of tho colony, which with many others, filled a largo caso at the end of the room. On pulling it down.it proved to be nearly fifty years old. and the next day came an order that the whole collection should be scrapped,' and brought up to date without further delay. The office was very shabbily furnished, and was dimly lighted by candles in candlesticks of antique design. Mr Chamberlain remarked, "We mu6t have this all smartened up a bit," and the next thing was a. requisition to tho Office of Works for new plenishings of every description, together with an installation of electric light. "Theso things," as Sir Henry Wilson remarks, ''wero only straws which showed the wav the wind was blowing."

An incident which happened during tho Jameson raid in the winter of 18951896 is sufficiently characteristic. There was a delay in the delivery of an important cable message expectcd from South Africa, and Mr Chamberlain at onco took a cab in tho dead of night and drove down to tho Eastern Telegraph Company's offices in Broad street, to enquire into the reason. Under the charter of tho Telegraph Company the Secretary of State could take control of their offices if occasion rendered it necessary for him to do so. Needless to say, explanations wero at onco forthcoming, and these being satisfactory, no such drama-tic consequences followed. Sir Harry Wilson states that one of the oldest and staidest of the Colonial Office messengers arrived on the step at the same moment, and nearly had a fit on tho spot when he saw who had preceded him. "But the City was enchanted when it road the next morning what had happened in the small hours. They folt that there was a really livo man at the head of Colonial affairs in Downing streot."

As may be imagined. Mr Chamberlain was very regular and methodical in his mode of work, and his relations with his private secretaries, whom he trusted implicitly, were ideal. In dealing with this branch of his subject, Sir Harry Wilson gives a characteristic example of the late King Edward's kindliness and th oughtf u'lncss. When the crisis of the Jameson raid was over, they were all surprised one day at the Colonial Office to hear that the Prince of Wales, as he then was, had oomo to pay a call on the Secretary of State, and congratulate him on his handling of the affair. But still greater was their surprise when hi 3 Royal Highness, with that kindness which distinguished him, expressed a d'esire that all those who had been engaged in the business, and kept unearthly hours during the progress of the raid, should- be presented to him. They were ushered into Mr Chamberlain's room by Sir Robert Meade, the permanent Under-Secretary, and the Prince very kindly said a few words to each of them, and shook hands with a few prominent officials. It was stated at the time that no public office had ever received, a similar compliment from Royalty. « Turning from a more purely personal aspect of his subject, Sir Hfj.rry Wilson fittingly recalls the efforts mado by Mr Chamberlain to bring about a closcr understanding between the Mother Country and the outlying portions of tho Empire. Ho holds with Mr Boyd, tho editor of Mr Chamberlain's speeches, that tho Diamond Jubije'e of 1897, and the welcome extended to tho colonial Premiers sowed the seed of the present rally of tho Empire:— "What imagination ho displayed in that marvellous assemblage of troops from overseas, representing all parts of tho British Empire, to do honour to Queen Victoria on tho completion of tho sixtieth year of her reign! Thoy came on that occasion, in a time of profound peace, to grace the venerable Sovereign's progress through the streets of her capital. Two years later thoy flocked to her standards in the South African war. And now once more we see them, in'their tens and hundreds of thousands, rallying to tho throne and person of her grandson, King George, and bearing a noble part in tho mighty. ' struggle for freedom and justice in, Europe. It is a sight that, as all who knew him must ■ allow, would have gladdened Mr Chamberlain's heart. These overseas soldiers are in a very real sense his soldiers; and this war, in so lnr as thpv are helping us to wage' it, is his "war!"