PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2335, 17 December 1914, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The Allies appear to be keeping the enemy on the move all along tho line in Belgium. Details of the operations are Jiomowhafc meagre, but the position soems to be that the Germans are weakening in the Northern areas of East Flanders, and , concentrating their efforts at the moment on 'the extreme south of that territory; and across the border in North France. Accounts of a combined attack by the Allies on a line about three niiie.3 long,_ from Hollebeko to Wytschaete, show that tho : Germans in this quarter are still quite close to tho Fianco-Bolgian border, although further north they have been pushed back for a considerable distance. Tho Hollebeke-Wytschaeto lino runs north-east and south-west (roughly at right angles to the line of advanco immediately north of Ypres), and on this lino, as in tho north, the Allies are reported to have niado substantial progress. * * * .» Reports from other parts of tho Western line, though somewhat vague, indicate renewed activity on the part of the various French armies and progress at various points. Tho French are fighting their way forward in the Vosges-"and making hoadway in Alsace. An unofficial message states that the inhabitants of Colmar are preparing to evacuate the place, and that tho French can invest Strassburg .' whenever they choose. The French Army was somewhat unprepared at the incoption of the war, and is probably only now attaining the full measure. of its effectiveness as a fighting force. The Germans, on the other hand, were splendidly prepared, but aro now admittedly feeling the drain upon their resources both as regards men and munitions of war. It will therefore be by no means surprising if the present suggestions of a'vigorous offensive at various points on the French line ehould prelude the general advance of the Allies which some of the correspondents are predicting.

A late message relating to tho operations in Belgium shows that as a result of some days of desperate fighting in the Ypres region, in 'which the Germans'lost heavily, tho Allies have driven a solid wedge into the German lines, pointing towards Roulers. and it is claimed that the road to that place lies open to an Allidd advance. Another forward move has beon made on the Northern coast. Debouching from Nieuport the Allies have occupied a line some, miles east of that place, extending from Lornbaerteyde to Saint Georges. They are now in a position to advanco upon Ostend.

The one fact which stands out clearly concerning the latest operations in Poland is that thebesians have driven back tho Germans in the Mlawa region. It, is admitted by the Germans that thejr force which was advancing in this region has been checked and compelled to occupy former positions. Fierce fighting, apparently on fairly even terms, has beon .going on west of Warsaw, and the Russians claim thai they made some progress against the Austi'ians on the Ozenstoehowa-Cracow line. _ This claim is denied by an Austrian official message, which asserts that the Austrian success in Western Galicia has caused the Eussian front in Southern Poland to waver and in places to retire. The probability is that the operations in the south are of minor importance and indeterminate character, but the Russian success at the northern end of their appears to have a definite value.

The story of what the Seventh Infantry and Third Cavalry Divisions accomplished and endured at Ypres sta-hcta out boldly even against the background of gallant deeds innumerable achieved by British eoIsince tho war began. The two divisions have been thanked by their Generals for holding the Germans at bay against odds of eight to one. The nature of the fighting may be gauged from the fact that, in the Infantry Division, alone, of 400 officers who started from England only 44 answered to their names in the roll-call after the battle,, and of twelve' thousand men only 2336 remained. It is a fearful price to-pay for victory, but from the carnage of this terrible conflict emerges the proud certainty that the British Army is second to none in the world, and thai; the valour of its soldiers is proof against any test that war can impose.

An< interesting though possibly not very authoritative "story is supplied by a Daily News correspondent, who was informed by a German officer, that the Germans considered Zeebrugge the key to an attack on Britain, and that only when • Zeebruggo had been evacuated by_ the Kaiser's troops would the project of invading England be abandoned. The narrative adds that the Germans regard Zeebrugge as an excellent submarine base from' which to attack transports which will be crossing with British troops in tho spring. . Colour js lent to the story by a report that an aviator saw Gorman submarines on a Bruges canal. One of these waterways connects Bruges with Zeebrugge, and no doubt submarines transported overland to tho Belgian town could be conveyed to the sea.by this_route, but as matters are now shaping the. Germin tenancy of Zeebrugge should be very quickly terminated, and they will no doubt soon be restricted to their original base for submarines at Heligoland." « * * * In connection with the possibility of an attack by. submarines upon British transports, an unconvincing story is told of a German discovery which will enable their submarines to remain under water for several days on end. This may safely be set aside as untruo, for apart from its inherent improbability if such an invaluable discovery hud actually been mado it would most certainly have been jealously guarded. The danger to which -British transports aro exposed from German submarines is no new thing, but the fact that the under-watcr raiders of the onemy have not succeeded in disposing of a single one of our transports is a satisfactory indication that tho Admiralty has means at .command'of staving off the danger. While the Germans, if report does not lie, are straining every nerve to maintain the supply 'of munitions of wai', Groat Britain evidently hvia those matters much more comfovj,ftbly in hunrl , So lon.nl; h suggested by the announcement that,,

unless some unforeseen emergency arises, Woolwich Arsenal will be closod down for a few days' holiday at Christmas time._ The Arsenal hae, of course, been going night and day since the war began, and the mere fact that it is possible to contemplate a Christmas cessation of work is a striking testimony to the capacity of the British works, and plain evidence that warlike supplies are being produced in ample volume, aud that the supply is keeping well ahead even of the enormous demands. * * * * The unenviable plight of the Turks becomes more apparent day by day. Mention is made of a concentration of troops at Damascus, but more interest attaches at the moment to tha reports from various parts of the Turkish territories which tell of disaffection and protests against tho war. There can be no doubt that the : nation is divided against itself and furiously incensed against tho Germans by whom it has been deluded and betrayed. One of the latest reports states that the disarmament of the Lebanese troops is believed to be imminent, despite Ge'rman assertions to the contrary. The Sultan's speech at the opening of the Turkish Parliament was so pro-German in tone that it might havo been composed in Berlin (as quite possibly it was), but it will carry little weight in face of the demoralisation which evidently prevails throughout a great part of tho territories under his rule.

As was tolerably clear at the outset, the defection of the Khedive of Egypt . is a factor of little weight. Upon this point no better authority could be cited than Lord Cromeu, who so successfully guided the destinies of Egypt during a long term of years. Lord Croher has stated that the action of the Khedive is of no great political importance. Ho must cease to be the ruler of Egypt, which must irrevocably be relieved of the mortmain of Turkish sovereignty. In fact, the Turks have gained the personal adherence of a puppet monarch and lost a nominal sovereignty over a country which henceforth will bo free from oven the shadow of their influence. **■ # * It is stated that Italy is determined to obtain immediate satisfaction for the Consular incident at Hodcida (where the Turks invaded the Italian Consulate ,and seized the , British Consul, who had taken refuge there). If Italy is really serious in this, intention it can only mean another enemy added to tho Porte's' already overflowing list, for the Turks are clearly in such a plight as to be incapable of rendering satisfaction to anybody. Italy, however, is not likely to plunge into war at present if it can be avoided, whatever she may decide to do later on.

The, story; which oomes from Buenos Ayres about the German battle-cruiser Von der Tann being at large in the South Atlantic is almost -certainly untrue. Ten days ago- a similar rumour was "confirmed" from Buenos Ayres, but it is-pretty safe to assume that if so powerful a ship had really been Tanging the seas somothing moro tangible than . rumours would have resulted before this time. In all likelihood the Von der Tann is safely blockaded in the Elbe with tho rest of the German battle fleet. * * # * Lord Halbbtjey has stated one aspect of the case against Germany very forcibly, but without exaggeration. ' It is undoubtedly true, as he says, that the Commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," has a universal application,'and that it meets the blasphemous cant of any man thinking himself appointed by God to seize another's property. It is only necessary to look at what has happened to Belgium, to recognise the perfect justice .of the statement that any ! Emperor wanting to possess a world Empire by seizing smaller countries than his own is a dirty thief, who ought to be hanged. • ••#.#■ 4 * Sque of the details of the German crimes in Belgium must await full investigation before final judgment can be pronounced, but the facts already established will brand Germany for all time as a nation that steeped its hand in diabolical crime in order to gratify ambition. These facts were succinctly stated the New York World not long ago in the following terms:— "Practically the whole of Belgium has been devastated. More than I*ooo,ooo of its 7,500,000 inhabitants are fugitives; other millions are homeless or helpless. The Power which destroyed its industries and ravished its fields has also seized its food, and now it levies upon money with which food might be purchased. In this oppression of a starving nation there is neither disguise' nor denial. The robbery of Brussels is os frank and open as the sack of Louvain." That is a very temperate statement of facts which fully warrant an English public man in deliberately linking the German Emperor with the criminal outcasts for whom society' reserves tho gaol and the. hangman' 3 rope. From these outcasts the Kaiser differs only in the magnitude of his crimes.