Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16168, 23 March 1918, Page 8

Progress of the War.

The latest news relating to the German advance in the neighbourhood o£ Lagnicourt, in the Cambrai sector, leaves no doubt that this is the beginning of the much-talked-of enemy attempt to break through in the West. Owing to the absence of /any details relating to the attack, its importance cannot be estimated, and any discussion of the strategic possibilities would be futile. Sir Douglas Haig's report makes no mention of the enemy's infantry action, but his reference to the preliminary b jmbardment indicates that the front affected by the enemy's new move, from Vendhuille to the River Scarpe, is some twenty miles, allowing for the irregularities of the line. Later reports place tho front of the attack at fifty miles. It was along this front that the most sensational battle in France in 1917 was fought—for possession of the important city of Cambrai, ji pivotal German supply centre, the fall of which would have compelled an adjustment of the enemy's front for many miles. After a continuous battle for nearly twenty days tho advantage of the position before Cambrai remained with the British, although the enemy had regained fully ono-third of the ground lost by the initial success of Sir Julian Byng, and unless the present attack is intended to create a diversion with tho object of concoaling the opening of a big offensive on some other sector, it is probable that the recovery of these lost on the Hindenburg lino is its primary object. In any case, the next few days will show where tho weight of the German blow is to Ball, and until this is apparent one can only watch the development. The news from the other theatres to-day records no sensational or specially important events. The sinking of four German destroyers eff Dunkirk and the bombing of Heligoland by British seaplanes is a satisfactory feature of the war cables, and will tend to lighten the gloomy news relating to the situation in Russia, where tho German advance continue? without hindrance.