Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16149, 1 March 1918, Page 6

Progress of the War.

No great efforts are recorded in today's war news from any of the fighting fronts. The reports from the Western theatre continue to be cevoted to purely minor activities, principally raiding operations and aerial reconnaissances, with the ever-present accompaniment cf hostile gun-fire, but at no point does the artillery activity suggest anything in the nature of a bombardment preliminary to a big attack. According to a French correspondent at British Headquarters, a renewal of fighting is expected at the beginning of this month, but no reasons are given for this assumption. It is obvious that all forecasts as to the exact time of the opening of tiie coming offensive are based either upon guesswork or prisoners' statements, and no reliance should be placed upon statements lacking any official imprimatur. In the Palestine theatre the British have further advanced their line, while the Arabs continue their good work in harassing the Turks along the Hedjaz railway, the enemy's main line of communication. Tho sinking of still another hospital ship by the Germans, with a heavy Joss or life, is a reminder that the policy of " frightfulness" has not been modified in any shape or form, despite xhc enemy's promises to this effect. In Russia the Germans are apparently not standing on the order of their going, and the latest messages record no improvement in the situation from either the Allies' or the Russian point of view. It seems fairly clear that Japanese intervention is an event of the near future, and several messages deal with this important phase of the war in the East. An unpleasant sidelight on tho German i;haracter was afforded early in tho war bj r the description of the children of the Ciown Prince of Germany amusing themselves with toy Zeppelins, with which they bombed » largo plan of London, scoring extra -points when thoy managed to drop their toy bombs on Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, tho Houses of Parliament, tho British Museum, and other buildings of outstanding importance. But the German parent is seen in a still worse light whoi it is mentioned that prominent among tho gifts for German children last Christmas wero things which encouraged thom to gloat over tho misfortunes and misery of children of other countries. neuter's correspondent at Frcnch. Heaquarters was enabled to inspect a collection of these toys that had reached France, and was particularly struck by the fact that they actually inchided models in lead of the ruins of French and Belgian villages ravaged and laid waste by the German troops. Every detail of the heaps of bricks and mortar and stones, which arc all that remain of hundreds of small hamlets and villages and towns in the north of France and in Belgium, was. ho says, reproduced in miniature for the delectation of tho German children. Those toys now form part of tho collection of war mementoes being gathered together in the French Library and Museum of the War, where they have a prominent place in company with the medals struck by order of the Kaiser to commemorate such glorious feats of arms as tho sinking of the Lusitania. The collection of trophies for the Imperial War Museum, which is being established under the direction of a Staff officer, is likely, it seems, to cause soino friction betwoen the Imperial autlioriI ties and the men of tho Australian forces, from generals downwards. The Australians, according to the Commonwealth official correspondent, display the groate-t enthusiasm in bringing out from tho battlefields interesting exhibits for the people at home. Their passion for "souvenirs" of this kind equals that displayed by the average Tommy's keenness to securo a Gorman helmet, to get which, especially if it is a brass-deco-rated officer's "pickelhaube," ho will risk his life with the greatest willingness. But it appears that in the early days of the war someono promised, on behalf of Australia, in answer to a request from the London War Museum, that that institution should have the first pick of all trophies secured by the Australians. Tho prospect of a claim being made for the fulfilment of the promise has filled tho Australians with bitterness, and the demand is now made that Australia should revoko tho promise, should give the Australian Forcc tho fullest control over tho collection and distribution of its trophies, and should cooperate fully in some scheme for the exchange of representative collections, but only on a basis of equality. Already, it is reported, difficulty has arisen over tho very finest trophy that lias fallen to the Australians, the ancient mosaic pavement discovered by tho Light Horse at Shellal, on the Wadi Ghuzzo. It was one of a largo number of interesting archaeological "finds" made by the colonial troops in Sinai and Palestine. Right up from Serapeum, where the New Zealanders discovered an ancient and long-buried tomb, "tho trail of the Ansae Mounted Forces has been one of archaslogical surprises," says the journal of tho Australian Camel Field Ambulance. They came upon tho remains of old Roman outposts, they rode along beaches •'where old Greek and Roman coins were as plentiful almost as the shells with which they were mingled," and thence came to the Wadi Ghuzze, "where almost every stone is an ancient tale." There, as stated, they found this mosaic pavement, part of the remains of a Greek temple probably built in the reign of the Emperor Justinian the Great, in the sixth eenturv. It is now established, almost be- ! yond dispute, that this .was the tomb of tho "St. George" of the Crusaders, the patron saint of England. Part of the mosaic floor, which is of beautifful design and colouring, and includes a Greek inscription, was successfully lifted by Chaplain Woods, of the Anzae Mounted Division, and was to be ecnt to Australia. Whether this intention can bo carried out, in view of tho promise referred to above, will probably be a matter of negotiation between the Australian ?.linister for Defenco and the authorities of tho Imperial War Museum. Even if the trophy goos eventually to the latter institution, it should, one would think, be allowed to bo sent first to Australia.