Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16164, 19 March 1918, Page 6

Progress of the War.

Artillery activity is the main feature of tho news from tho West front this morning, but while this heavy firing is reported from several different parts of tho line, it does not appear to be particularly ominous >*:iless perhaps on the sector held by the Belgians along tlio canalised portion of the Yser. Here the bombardment has been intense for tlie past two days, according to a Belgian communique, the enemy continuing to hurl largo quantities of gas shells against the defenders. A violent and prolonged bombardment of defensive positions has come to be looked upon as an almost certain indication that an attempt to advance is anticipated by the enemy, bufc in this case it seems improbable that this is intended, for another message states that the Belgians have taken over a further sector—that previously held by the British on the cotist. With tho excellent British intelligence service mentioned by Sir Philip Gibbs in a despatch to-day, it is safe to assume that tho High Command would know of any projected attack on this front, and it does not seem

likely that they would risk a re-shuf-flinc of the armies if there were any possibility of an attemp£cd advance by the Germans. The probability is that the heavy firing, if it has any specisl significance, is intended to divert attention from preparations for a thrust at some other part of the line. In the Champagne there appears to have been some heavy local fighting, and one of the French communiques records a highly successful attack, severe damage being done to the enemy's organisations. The situation in Russia provides subject matter for a number of cables, and details of the ratification of the German peace treaty are given.