NOTES ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2257, 17 September 1914, Page 4

NOTES ON THE WAR

An outstanding item in the news from France to-day is the reported surrender of General von Kluck and his army, estimated at from 15,000 tc 25,000 men. The cutting off and capture of this force, if correct, would seem to have been a brilliant picce of work, and a fitting climax, to the magnificent efforts of the Allies' left wing. It will be recalled that when the Allies took the offensive and began to hurl back the German masses pressing ion Paris, it was the effprts of the Allies' left, or northern, wing, that first began to make an impression. The German right gave way under the attack, and the effect spread throughout the whole of the long German line. Following up their advantage, the Allies' left wing harried the retreating Germans mercilessly, and a day or two ago wc were, told that strenuous efforts were being made to cut off the German right wing from the main force. ' Apparently this movement has been crowned with a substantial measure of success, and has led to the surrender of General von Kluck, as stated. Whether the British troops' shared in the final part of the capture of this force is 'not stated in the messages to hand at the time of writing, nor is there\official confirmation of the actual surrender, but it will not be at all surprising t-o learn • that a portion of General French's force was in the neighbourhood mentioned. During the greater part of the fighting following on the retreat from Mons, the British troops were stationed on the Allies' loft, where for a considerable time the enemy concentrated their main efforts with a view to an enveloping movement, which, however, was on every occasion frustrated by the skill and courage of the retreating force. More recently General French's troops were stated to be further south, but they were moving in a-_ north-easterly direction. Fuller .particulars wjll be awaited with keen interest.

The position generally in France as disclosed to-day would appear to make it neccssary to recast earlier impressions as to the nature of the German retreat. It is now stated that the retreat has becomo orderly though fast, the purpose of the invaders apparently being to take up a defensive position across the River Meuse. presumably near the Belgian and German frontiers. This is the direction in which they have been reported to be moving since their disastrous reverse in the region of the Marne. It may be expected that their rearguard is already entrenching there, and that they will junction with the Crown Prince's -forces, which are now stationed between the line of French forts (Verdun to Toul). and the French frontier. The Crown Prince's army would seem to be stretched along a line running in s a south-easterly direction from Etain. in France to Delme in Lorraine— that is to_ say, the northern part of the army is in France and the centre and southern winjt in Germany. The message, which pictures the Crown Prince trying to find an exit from. Fiance through the chain of forts' between Verdun and Toul, plainly is incorrect, or belated. He is already outside that line of forts and between them and the- German frontier, part of his force, as already mentioned, being in German territory. On appearances, we may look for the next big engagement along the line of the Meuse, although the German rearguard will no doubt be kept busily defending itself all the way to that point.

There are many minor happenings of interest recorded to-day, including the triumph of a force of 1000 French 'cavalry, over thrice the number of Germans. Ono of the features of the war has been tho superiority of tho Allies' cavalry .qver that of the Germans, the British mounted men especially appearing to have gained a marked ascendancy. There is a report of a naval engagement in the Baltic, but the news at present to hand is of tho baldest description— merely that . fifteen vessels of the German Baltic Fleet were in aotion on Monday. If there is any truth in the statement that German troops were being transported by sea to Memel, near the Russian frontier, it 'is possible that the Russian Fleet has made a dash to endeavour to sink some of the German transports. Otherwise it is extremely doubtful whether any force of Russian warships would ventura out from the fortified harbours to give battle to the much superior force'of German war vessels. In any case, it is not likely to have been a very big affair.

The Russians continue to progress satisfactorily. Their armies appear to be spread over a wide area of country in Galicia and Russian Poland, and are pressing steadily forward. • By their , recent victory over the Austr'o-German forces they seem to have sown seeds of dissension between the German and Austrian troops. _ The Germans who came to the assistance of the Austrians. are reported to claim that the Austrians deserted them -during the battle and left them to extricate, themselves as they best could. The result is a prospect of strained relation's, and a, lack of that harmony and confidence essential to successful co-opera-tion.