PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2333, 15 December 1914, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

News of the, operations in Belgium, published to-day, is the best that has come to hand for a long time. Not only does it tell of Allied successes all along the lino, but there are indications that the Germans are beginning to feel their position insecure, and premonitory symptoms which quite possibly mark the Ibeginhing of a general retreat. The British have now penetrated far inco West Flanders, and aro gaining ground north of Passchendaele and getting into a position which will enable them to drive the Germans .back along tho coast. A, positive indication is supplied in the fact that ( the German General Staff has found.'it necessary to retreat inland from Entvelde. The British are now firmly established on tho west bank of the Yser Canal (which runs northward towards the coast), a position which was gained by desperate fighting. The general insecurity of the enemy's' position is suggested in the report that a numerous German force with artillery and machine guns has retreated from the Bruges region towards Antwerp. Their route, by'the way, led through Zelzaete (north-east of Ghent), which lies close to the border of Holland. In operations along tho coast the British will be' greatly assisted by the co-operation of the ' Fleet, which has again been active against the German forces in the region of Nieuport.

'The broad facts of the position seem to be that the Germans are being driven at increasing speed north' and east in the direction of Antwerp, and that their resistance is slackening as the attack progresses. It is unlikely that the possession of Antwerp will confer any greater advantage upon the Germans than it did, in previous stages of the war, upon the Allies. The British have lately demonstrated that their heavy artillery is able to meet that of the Germans on more than equal terms, and if the enemy threw a force into Antwerp in the hope of stiffening their flank the only result would probably be a useless sacrifice. The great fact at the moment is that the Germans are certainly being driven back with increasing speed on the actual battle lino, and are apparently in the early stages of a general retreat from Belgian territory.

*** * ■ A vivid picture of the fighting on the line between Ypres, in East Flanders, and La Bassee, in France, is given by the Calais correspondent of the Dcdly Chronicle. From his account it appears that the Germans have so far modified their methods as to adopt an attack in loose order, instead of in mass, but the manner in which ho describes them as walking briskly _ up to an impregnable forest barricade is a better testimony to their valour than to their military skill. Narratives such as this correspondent has supplied bring ■ homo_ the amazing fact, so hard to realise in these days of longrange guns and rifles, that much of tho righting now going on in Europe is literally hand to hand. For the British and French soldiers who aro steadily driving the Germans oat of the west of war is not merely a matter of long-distance rifle-fire under cover of artillery. It' is also largely a tense physical conflict at close- quarters, and it is at this class of fighting in particular that the Allies have established a decided superiority.

* * * # The Daily Telegraph's correspondent at Calais confirms the fact that the Allies are_ vigorously and_ successfully pushing their offensive in Flanders. He emphasises the important point that the superiority of the Allies- in artillery is incon : testable, and gives them marked advantages. The Germans have profited enormously by their possession of powerful siege-howitzers, but apparently they are by no means- so well provided in the matter of mobile artillery, and the fact is bound to tell against them heavily in their retreat across Belgium. The statement of tho same correspondent that the Allies' line of battle runs in a zig-zag from Ostend to the Lys (a river which, runs from Franco through the southern part of West Flanders into East Flanders) is probably in part erroneous. The official messages show that the Allies are making good progress towards Ostend, but they have not reached it yet. It looks as though the Germans ore long will be driven clear away from the sea coast of Belgium fronting on the North Sea, which they hoped to use as a baso for naval operations against Britain. * * * * The latest report from Poland indicates that the Russians have defeated a German force with heavy loss, presumably at _ a point north of Lodz, and are driving it in disorder towards the East Prussian {mnUi'i-, Tbifi )jw?9 to. cenfU'tu tb<3 view that in resorting. to a .vigor-

oils offensive for the defence of their Eastern frontier, the Germans have adopted a very ris'ky strategy which is. likely to play into tho hands of the enemy. No very clear information is supplied as to the general progress of operations in Poland, but it is reasonable to suppose that the Russians, aided by their ancient ally, "King Winter," are giving the enemy ,an uncomfortable time.

Meantime the plight of the Poles J3 truly pitiable. They are evidently in no better case than the unfortunate Belgians. A widespread famine prevails and cholera and dysentery are rampant. At least one city, Kalisz, has shared the fate of Louvain, being subjected to a brutal bombardment, which cost many lives, because a couple of blundering German detachments came unawares into conflict, with one another. The horrible fate of the unfortunate Polish nation is intensified by the fact that its manhood is about equally divided between the opposing armies. Half a million Poles in the Russian Army are condemned to fight against an equal number in the.Austrian Army, and a hundred thousand in the German Army.

It is now evident that the tide of war_ has turned very decisively against the Austrians in their conflict with Servia. The- latest accounts describe the Serbs as driving the .Austrians on the extreme Left back across the River Drina (which marks the boundary between Servia and Bosnia), while . elsewhere the Austrians are also being driven back to the north and north-east. The Austrians, in fact, appear to be in complete rout, and .the- Serbs have well earned the handsome compliments paid to them by Sik Edward Geey, upon their brilliant victories. The initial successes of the Austrians in their operations against Servia appear to have been dus- not to any lack of military prowess in that gallant, little nation, but to a shortage of guns and ammunition. The Austrian reverse may have an effect on

Bulgaria and Rumania, who may be encouraged thereby to participate in the struggle. ' Apparently, however, the hardships of a winter campaign are the big obstacle in the way of this. **. * * r On present indications it appears quite likely that Turkey will not oven attempt the hazardous enterprise of invading Egypt. Even if she had been in a position to spare, a considerable' army for this purpose her troops would have found it no easy matter to gain a footing on Egyptian soil, for the choice would, lie between an attack upon the_Sinai Peninsula or the risky alternative of transport by sea. Plenty of British troops are available to defend the Sinai Peninsula and the Suez Canal, and the Navy should be easily able to defeat any attempt to transport Turkish troops by sea either across the Levant or across the Bed Sea. As a matter of fact, however, it is not likely that Turkey will be able, for any length of time even to defend her own territories. With an army of about 500,000 men she iB called upon to face a ring of foes. Apart from possible developments in the Balkans, the Porte will have to mass a very large proportion of its'military strength in Armenia

and the Caucasus to meet attacks by the Russians, and in addition it" has to reckon with a- small but enterprising Anglo-Indian force which has established itself at tho head of the Persian Gulf. * # ■ .# * Apaet from projects of invasion the Germans and Turks of course hoped for a Mohammedan uprising in Egypt and the Sudan, but there is nothing to suggest that these hopes are' likely to be gratified. The country appears to bo everywhere tranquil, and the defection of the Khedive is more than balanced by the action of the religious leaders of the Mohammedans! in urging their co-religionists to remain loyal to the British rule. In any case the British forces in Egypt should be amply strong enough to deal with either internal or external enemies. The army of occupation is about 6000 strong at ordinary times, and has doubtless been reinforced. Then there are thirty' thousand Australians and Now Zealanders and a native army of 17,000 men. In addition there is probably an Indian

contingent in the country and further reinforcements can ne rapidly poured in if the need should arise. Present prospects are, however, that no grave emergency is likely to arise either in Egypt or the Sudan, and that instead of being called upon to tftave off a Turkish invasion the British forces now assembled in Egypt are more likely to be employed in attacking • the Turks in Syria and Arabia. * * * # It appears that _ there are limits even to the credulity and weakness of the Turks where German influence is concerned. A brief message states'that a conspiracy against Field-Marshal von der Gom has been discovered in Constantinople, and that several arrests have been made. Considering what FieldMarshal von der Goltz has done for Turkey this may be accepted as indicative, of a healthy, though somewhat tardy, popular, awakening. Having lent too ready an ear to German conspirators and allowed itself

j to bo dragooned into the war, Turkoy_ now finds itself in a desperate position with a practical certainty of being expelled from Europe. In the circumstances it is not to be wondered at that the people who have been so grossly deceived should'harbour resentment against the authors of their misfortunes. *■# * * The invasion of.the Italian Consulate at the Arabian port of Hodeida by the Turks and the seizure of the British Oonsul who had takon rcfugc_ there is chiefly interesting as involving a possibility of Italian intervention in tha war. Tho Porte has mot the Italian demand for an explanation in its usual, way, by shuffling, and the resultant .situation is interesting, but it is perhaps hardly likely that Italy, having so carefully maintained its neutrality hitherto, will now abandon it—unless indeed she is now ready to join in_ the struggle and chooses to make this incident an excuse. If Italy did declare war on Turkey, however, a rupture with Germany would be certain to follow. - ■

Some time ago the London Times protested that the Admiralty was preventing the publication in England of news concerning a. naval mishap which had been frcoly reported and discussed in the American Press. The Admiralty's reply was bo the effect that nothing, had been concealed involving any loss of life. It now transpires that, the affair to whicli the Times' protest referred was nothing less than. tho lor* p* the ™ifr'Jsr<iadnoiigb.fc All- - which, .was destroyed

through striking a, mine, off the North Coast of Ireland. Happily the loss of the ship, was unaccompanied by loss of life. The steamship Olympic, which was ten miles distant, responded to a wireless call, and rescued the whole of the warship's crew. Strict secrecy was maintained by the Admiralty, and efforts were made to prevent news of the untoward event being made known through tho passengers of the Olympic. No doubt at the time this policy was fully warranted, for ordinary prudence-' must have suggested - that the temporary weakening 1 of the British line by the loss of so important a unit should bo kept secret from the enemy, and no doubt it might also have been desirable to keep the news secret cause of the possible moral effect it' might have had in stimulating the enemy's efforts should the loss be made known. It was inevitable however that the facts should escape, as they did, after the Olympic landed her passengers, and the enemy was bound to hear of the matter through American channels. There was therefore no good purpose served in hushing the matter up for so long after the accident occurred. For the rest, the people of the Empire have made it abundantly clear that they are able to face with fortitude whatever losses the war may inflict. The loss of so fine a ship will, of course, be deplored, but it will have no disheartening effect on public opinion. In fact, as has.'more than once been demonstrated, anything in the nature of a set-back' or disaster is the best possible stimulus

to recruiting, and tends wholly to stiffen up the determination of the people to see the war through at all costs. ■",'•* . * * * A somewhat amusing contribution to the fugitive literature of the war is made by a German newspaper, the Eolnische Zeitwng. Its comments upon the reported desire of President Wilson that America should play_ an important' role at the conclusion of the war are somewhat besido the point. The assurance that Germany has not been inspired by the peace movement ■ in the United States is, to say the least, superfluous, and as much may be said of the pompou3 intimation that, America, by reason of its pro-British prejudices,' must be rejected as an arbitrator. No doubt these flights are intended for home consumption. At all events they will arouse only derision in the nations which are staking their existence upon the great task of\ destroying German militarism.' So far from being inclined_ to theorise about outside arbitration they are wholly determined to-rely upon the' arbitrament of battle, and when the, time for settlement comes no doubt a round-table conference in Berlin will satisfy all possible requirements. ■,

The assertion of this German newspaper that American neutrality has been favourable to Britain will not command much credence outside of Germany and possibly not even there._ As a matter' of fact the only definite tendency which America has manifested since the war began has been in the direction of safeguarding and building up her own commercial interests. For the rest she has the present bonflict in an attitude of mild detachment only equalled by her bland indifference to the paroxysms and convulsions ' through which Mexico has been passing during the last year or two. Apparently in the estimation of the American Government, Germany's flagrant violation of international, law and of the rights of little nations is worthy of the same kindly toleration as was < conceded to the autocratic excesses of General HIJERTA. '■ ■ :