NOTES ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2265, 26 September 1914, Page 6

NOTES ON THE WAR

Yesterday's news of tho operations in France left matters at a critical stage in connection with tho important enveloping movement by the Allies on tho German right. There had been desperate fighting between St. Quentin and Pcronne, which had ended in the Allies getting possession of St. Quentin at the point of the bayonet. The message stopped at the interesting stage- when the enemy were attempting to regain possession of the town. To-day we have the sequel. The Allies appear to have not only held the town, but to have made further progress, a detachment having occupied Peronno some 16 miles to the north-east, and retained possession despite vigorous attempts of the Germans to dislodge them. This is very • satisfactory news. It goes to show that the pressure on the German Eight Wing is being well maintained, and that tho enemy is yielding under the pressure. Along tho centre where the; German position is stated to be strongly entrenched .and held in great strength a slight advance has been made. The Allies here apparently must rely largely on the movement further north to bring about the dislodgment of the Germans, as it is plain a direct attack would be a terribly costly business. Once the enemy's right flank is turned a forced retirement all along the lino may bo looked for. It is suggested that the trouble with the German forces is that they cannot retire owing to the difficulty of transporting their heavy guns over roads and fields softened by the continuous downpour. To attempt to retire in such circumstances would mean tho sacrifice of many guns and also supplies and ammunition; but the natural strength of the position taken up between the Bivors Oise and Aisne is probably the reason for the Germans holding on, and not their inability to retreat. That they will bo_ eventually forced to relinquish this" strong position now seems certain, and the longer they stay the greater will be the difficulties they will have to contend with. That is, of course, assuming, as seems reasonable, that the Allies' Left continues to progress as it has been dping.

Fujither south from Reims to Argonno no change has taken place. No doubt there has been plenty of fighting hero,' but it is made plain enough from the details supplied by the- High Commissioner in his review of tho week's operations that only slow progress can be looked for at the present stage of affairs. The German Crown Prince's Army, east of Argonne and along the heights of the Mouse, has been making further determined attacks on the French position, but here again there is little change.-To-day the Germans take a position and to-morrow the French drive them out of it, and so the fighting goes on. It is desperate > work all along the line, with the Allies slowly gaining ground.

A German defeat in East. Prussia is a piece of good news to hand this morning. General Rennenkampf, who some time ago invaded East Prussia by way of Soldau, but was driven back from Allenstein by a superior force of Germans and forced to retire back over the frontier, is again taking tho offensive. It will bs recalled that Rennenkampf, after this forced retirement, made a stand at Chorzele where he drove off the Germans, and a few days later was reported to have defeated them at Mlawa, both towns * in Eussian Poland. Now he seems to have crossed the frontier again and defeatedthe Germans as stated at Soldau, in their own territory. The Russians in Galicia, too, aro reported to be pressing home their successes against the Austrians, and at latest advices hold a strong position which places the Austrian lines between Przemysl and Cracow in peril. One effect of Russian successes in Galicia is stated to be that the great oilfields there are no longer available to replenish the supplies of petrol required by the Germans for their transport motor wagons. A shortage of petrol would be a/ tremendous handicap to the German forces, but it would be too much to hope for this for a long time to come. There arc, however, good grounds for satisfaction at the position of things in both the western and the eastern theatres of war, without this particular item.

The stories of the sinking of the three old British cruisers by German submarines are contradictory as to the time which elapsed between the different vessels being torpedoed, but it seems quite clear that the cruisers were caught off their guard. The crews, we are now told, were mainly composed of new hands who had only had a few weeks' training, and it may be assumed from this that the particular duty on which the vessels were engaged was not regarded as involving any special risks. The fact that the vessels were , cruising off the coast of Holland suggests the probability that the Island of Borkum was the base from which the submarines were operating. As far back as 1910 attention was drawn by the Press of England to the manner in which Germany was fortifying this island and making it a suitable base for naval operations. The island lies off that point of the mainland of Germany nearest to England, and the creation of a naval stronghold at this spot was regarded as a menace which Britain could not lightly ignore. How far Germany ha-s succeeded in her plans to establish a naval baso there is not clear, but apparently it will not safely accommodate anything more' than small craft. From Borkum to the nearest point in England (Norfolk) is a little more than 200 miles.

The rumour-monger was again busy in Wellington yesterday. Probably citizens have lparned by this time to pay little heed to the wild stories that are set in circulation on no better basis than "So and So" heard it from "Someone' Who Ought to Know." A good horsewhipping might prove beneficial to "So' and So r ' and "Someone Who Ought to Know," and all the rest of their kind. The public can rest assured that thq moment any definite and reliable- . information comes to hand concerning happenings which call for publicity they will be promptly informed. The Government and tho newspapers make public at tho earliest possible moment any news of importance by posting it in prominent positions throughout the city.

Five prisoners will appear for sentence in the Supreme Court boforo His Honour Mr. Justico Eoskiiiß on Tuesclay next. They aro: John Barnes and Bernard T. Walden, breach of probation orders; Stanley Willoupthby, forgbfy and uttering; William GilTlia'm, -breaking nnd eutcring and theft; and Frederick Josepn lMco, forgery and uttering.