Progress of the War,

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16156, 9 March 1918, Page 8

Progress of the War,

There is an almost complete abscnce of news relating to m-tual military operations in to-day's caoles, and the \aiious messages are devoted to the politicomilitary aspect of tiie war. The reports from the West front record only artillerv activity, and even the minor raiding operations appear to have lulled for the time being. Some particulars of the recent successful British operations in Palestine are given in a despatch from Mr W. T. Massey, whoso report indicates that a steady British advar.ee is being maintained, with little opposition from the Turks. No fresh light is thrown on the situation in Russia, apart from the report that differences are growing stronger daily between the Leninists, who are advocating the ratification of the peace terms, and influential Bolshevik groups, who are demantling their refusal. A split at the Moscow Congress of Soviets, called to discuss the ratification of the pcaco treaty, is regarded as possible, but it is difficult to sec how any further partition of the already numerous political groups can have any effect on the situation. Several messages comment on the prospects of Japancso intervention in Siberia, but, as in the case of the cables relating to Russia, they throw little light on the actual state of affairs.

The discussion in the House of Commons and in the Chamber of Shipping regarding the national shipyards reflect the dissatisfaction with the Government plans which has beon fslt for some time in England, especially among thoso engaged in the shipping industry cither as builders or owners. There is no question that the output of new ships has not been nenrly largo enough, but it is urged by the experts that this is because the Government hai-o not taken proper advantage of tho shipbuilding facilities already in existence. "An Engineer," writing in the London "Spectator,'' states that tho Government staff who arrange tho contracts have not the remotest acquaintance with tho industries concerned. In the majority of cases they simply place tho order with a number of reputable firms on. the assurance of the firms that they can do tho work in certain quantities. They go on doing this until tho demand is met. The result is that each firm spends largo sums of money and locks up skilled labour in making preparations. It is doubted if moro than *20 per cent, of the machinery is working more than ono shift. Another correspondent declares that existing private shipbuilding companies havo been for months and still are yearning for additional men and m practically every such yard ".additional output could be attained given greater supplies of labour and material.

11l these circumstances it is easy to understand that the establishment of national shipyards -will tend to retard the output of ships rather than to increase it. It will mean locking up largo sums of money and diverting labour and material to making shipyards for the production of ships in the future instead of building at once the ships that are so urgently required now. The diversion of is perhaps the most serious feature.' The Government admit this fact by appointing a sub-committee to securo that labour and materials required by the private yards shall not be diverted to the State yajds. The idea is excellent, but, in : the opinion of tne "Spectator," impossible of execution. The Government declare that the labour of German prisoners could be profitably and easily employed at the national yards. The "Spectator" replies that there Is bound to be considerable division of materials for creating the new yards, and even if the labour of prisoners should prove satisfactory, highly-skilled staffs would have to be taken away from the private yards to control the labour in the Government yards. The Government, however, seem determined to go on with the project, and we only Hope that the results will prove very mucn better than the critics anticipate.

Captain Lloald Amundsen, the Norwegian explorer, who managed to forestall the late Captain Scott by ,bei:u; the first to reach the South Pole, has designs on the North Pole also, and, as cabled in Wednesday's paper, means to leave on his long-delayed journey to the Arctic in June next. He was lately visiting America for the purpose of buying there concentrated foods and instruments for his trip, which he anticipates will last at least four years, and may possibly extend to six or seven. The fascination of Polar exploration, on which numerous writers have expatiated, must be very real when it induces a man, who has already had great experience of the discomforts and dangers of Arctic and Antarctic travel, to embark on an enterprise which vnay mean his isolation in ihe Polar solitudes for another six or seven years.

In tiie case of this now expedition there is no discovery of the Pole to reward the explorer—that has already been won by ihe American, Rear-Ad-miral Peary. Amundsen's plan is to enter the Polar Ocean at Beliring Straits, and leave his vessel to the mercy of the currents, which lie believes will carry it over tho Pole and into clear water on the other side. If the currents do not take him in the desired direction, he proposes to get to the Pole by aeroplane, and it is for this that he is taking the aeroplanes and seaplanes referred to in -he cable message. Peary marked the Pole with an American flag, but the site was on moving- ice, and it has been pointed out .that by this time Peaiy'tr" mark of discovery may be many miles away from the actual location of the Pole. There is some doubt .is to whether it will be possible for Amundsen to make the necessary observations from a moving aeroplane, but the critics of his plans seem to overlook the possibility that it may not be necessary for him to leave ins ship to get to the Pole, and that if this is forced upon him he should be ftbl-j to land on the ico.