Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16143, 22 February 1918, Page 6

Progress of the War.

The lull in the fighting in the Palestine theatre has ended at last, General Sir Edmund Allenbv having r.dvanced two miles on a fifteen-mile front in the direction of Jcricho. The cause of the long delay in Palestine is difficult to nccount for. It is now

over two months since any operations of importance were recorded from this front, and this in the season most suited for campaigning. It was obviously not part of the British strategy to hold the Palestine forces inactive on the line north, of Jerusalem, and we must assume that tliero was some cogent reason for the delay in pressing on agf.inst tha Turks. it is possible that the Russian defection has extended to thoir armies in the Caucasus, though the cables have been silent regarding this point, and if this is the case it is conceivable that the whole strategic plan in the Middle East has been changed, and the hulk of the Mesopotamian forces transferred to Palestine, apart from those necessary for a policy of passive defence, the object being to undertake a vigorous offensive in Palestine, occupy Aleppo, and push oil to Constantinople. The news from the West front to-day records the usual local activities, none of any special significance. Great aerial activity is reported in a communique from Sir Douglas Haig, German towns being heavily bombed, in additiop to sucessful attacks on military objectives behind the enemy's lines. The German advance in North Russia continues without resistance, apparently, and from tho details given in the official German report it would appear that a descent upon Petrograd is contemplated.