NOTES ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2283, 17 October 1914, Page 6

NOTES ON THE WAR

The keynote of, to-day's messages from France is Retreat—a German retreat. First of all, we have The Times Paris correspondent poirijting out that the operations of the enemy suggest that an effort is being made to widen the avenues of retreat for the German foroo which is being so. hard pressed in North-East France. Then-WO' are' told -of Kussian and French prisoners being compelled to construct' a second lino of trenches between Liege and Coblentz (in Germany). The first line of fortifications, according to messages received about a fortnight ago, was being built along the valley of the Sambrc, between Maubougo and Namur. . On top of this information now comes the news of further advances by the Allies at points practically all along the line. The signs point strongly to a general retirement; and not only that, but it is plain that tho necessity of retreat from Belgium as well as from France has been contemplated as a possibility of the not distant future. It would not be wise to take too sanguine a view of tho position, but we can at least go so far as to recognise that it is decidedly encouraging—the best news, indeed, that we have had for some time.

Taking the latest message to hand at time of writing, it is recorded that in tho extreme North the Germans have evacuated the left bank of the lUvor Lys, and the La Basso Canal. This means that tho Allies have cleared tho country to the seaward side of .Armentieres and Roubaix, and are closing in on Lille. It looks as though the enveloping movement of which we, have heard so much were setting in in earnest this timo. Twenty miles to' the southwest is Arras. There a distinct advance is also recorded, and the same at Albert, another ten or a dozen miles distant. These probably aro "sympathy" movements, the German retirement at these points being accelerated by the retirement of the forces further to the north-east. Crossing the Oise, and between the Oise and the Aisne, thirty milee to the south-east of Albert, the Allies have made an advance towards Craonno, while a few miles further, south they have captured several trenches at Beine. This last-named town is due east of Eeims. It is about this point that tho line of opposing forces which has been running roughly north and south strikes off east and west across France— from Exiims to Verdun. Thus it will bo seen that at a number of the main points on the Allies' Left progress has been made.

Following this comes the cheering intelligence that the night attacks (which have been maintained for somo time) between the Meuse and the Mosello have all been repulsed, and that in the region south' of Verdun progress has been made, and the German offensive definitely stopped. This last item is of marked importance, becauso this point that the Crown JPrince was particularly aggressive, and at times appeared to be making procress Seemingly he has failed in his efforts, and for tho time being at least has been forced to act on the defensive. A portion of his force has already been forced back over tho frontier, and if tho progress of the Allies in the north continues as' rapid as it has been during tho past few days,' it cannot be long now ere the German Centre and L«ft will find it necessary to fall back in sympathy.

We hear so little from tho Centre of the opposing forces in France that nothing of any importance would ever scum to transpire there. There is plenty of movement, and a full supply of thrilling encounters on the Wings, especially the Allies' Left Wing, in North-Eastern France; but a great dearth of news from the Centre, 'fO'day, h'pwpvor, tiw veil 13 and a littlo light lot in, At

the.Centre it seems the war of shot and shells and' of bayonet charges and desperate cavalry affrays . lias given place to a war of words. The story runs that the trenches of the Opposing forces are- now so close to each other that the soldiers of the rival armies can hurl taunts and insults at one another, but daro not attempt to venture put over the intervening space to meet the machine gun and massed rifle fire of the enemy. So, they spend their time under cover in the trenches, hurling violent epithets across the void and awaiting the chance which may come when the Wings of either army make such progress as will force the retirement of the onemy's forces in the Centre as well. Then the red harvest will be reaped. The story may be exaggerated, but it is probably very near the mark. Frontal attacks on an entrenched force armed with modern quick-firing guns are little short of suicide. The exploit of tliq three French soldiers who, wearying of the- monotony of thesituation, sallied out to forago for lunch,, and encountered seven Germans bent on a, similar quest, is in its main essentials just as likely as not to be true. Men fretting under strain of. long waiting in face of near danger welcome action of any sort, and our "three musketeers" of this particular story are merely typical, of thousands of venturesome spirits to whom the love of adventure makes irresistible appeal. Tho story may not bo truo in all its details, but equally reckless and daring deeds are no doubt being done each day along the fighting front in France, with no other incentive than tho craving to break away from the routine, and pcrhap3 win a little notoriety amongst one's comrades.

From a source which must be viewed with some doubt comes news of a great Russian victory against the- Austro-German forces near Warsaw. The Messagero, which is the first to publish this important announcement, is a popular Italian journal, but is hardly likely to have anticipated an official intimation through Petrograd of so timely a success for Russian arms. It is possible, of course, that the news is correct, and that it may bo confirmed before this issue goes to.press; but at present it should be received with reserve. There are official tidings of a Russian victory against the Austrians south of Przemysl, in Galicia.. This piece of news is welcome, not only because it records a further success for our friends and Allies, but on account of the proof it affords that'the Russians have not found it necessary to remove from the vicinity of .Przemysl as had been suggested. The Russian plans to meet the Austro-German offensive movement look very promising .on paper. • They have drawn a line across Russian Poland and well into Galicia, following the banks of the great River Vistula. This lino -from Plock in the north to Przemysl in the south covers a distance of something between 230 and 250 miles, and is excellently suited for defensive purposes. _ It has_ been suggested that the Russian design is to draw the Germans • into Russian Poland, where the railways are few, the .roads bad, and transport difficult, and thus catch them at a disadvantage. With the. winter coming on. this reads very well, for it must be assumed that the Russians havo sufficient men to hold the flanks of their long line. The further they can draw the Germans towards Warsaw the better situated the Russians should be to. meet them in a prolonged engagement such as that which has been proceeding for the past six weeks in France.

There is a bint from the North Sea to-day that siLence does not necessarily moan inactivity in naval circles. A German submarine, it seems, crept across, possibly from the Baltic or, what is more likely, from the vicinity of the Frisian Islands, to the coast of Scotland, hoping to pick up a victim or two amongst tho patrol vessels. It was a venturesome journey, involving the assistance of a supply ship, for submarines cannot carry sufficient fuel to enable them to stay any time away from their base. The supply ship was captured by British destroyers, which, no doubt, then became doubly alert in their search for submarines. It is not difficult ,to picture the satisfaction with which this particular un-der-water'wasp would be discovered so far away from, its. base. Once located, its fate would be practically sealed, for it would be compelled to come to tho surface for air, and having exhausted its supply of fuel, could , not hope to escape. Still, it endeavoured to put up a_ fight and do somo damage Wore being sent to the bottom, butits efforts werefutile, and the Kaiser has a submarine the less. The incident serves to illustrate the state of tension which must exist in the North Sea. Thero are no records of great eea battles to stir tho pulses, but our Fleet there is none the less performing its allotted task under conditions- in somo respects more trying even than direct and opefa conflict with the enemy's battleships. It is called upon to exercise unceasing vigilance: threatened with the danger of floating mines and the ever-present peril of submarines, it has carried out its duties tirelessly and with magnificent success.

The battle area has spread from the fields of Europe to the pastures of New Zealand. A message _ received yesterday appears to indioate that tho British Government has prohibited the export to foreign countries of all classes of wool and woollen goods 'which might be made up into articles of clothing, The message is Bomewhat confuseH, but one thing is very plain, and that is that whatever the exaet nature of tho proclamation may be, it is reported to have caused . consternation at Bradford. If Bradford is badly hit, as plainly is suggested- by the message, then New Zealand also may be involved. If Bradford cannot find a free market for its woollens, then Bradford is not going to bo the good customer for New. Zealand wools that it has been and seemed likely to be. Broadly speaking, the proclamation if correctly interpreted may so interfero with the woollen trade of tho Mother Country as to spoil the market there for bur raw material. On the other hand, it may mean that the requirements of Britain and her Allies -are/great enough _to absorb all that is available until tho new clip comes to hand. We brought the matter under the notice of the Prime Minister last night, and ho is instituting inquiries on the subject, though confident that it is not likely to affect New Zealand. Possibly Sir Walter Buchanan, who was also seen ou the subject, is not very far from the mark when he suggests thatthc proclamation may only apply to tho supplies, on hand in England at tho present time, which arc not large, and which may be ttyßQjitly neo&sd to meet the winter of the Allied Forces.