PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2345, 30 December 1914, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Hard fightingj with little change of position seems to be the rule at present all along the line in Belgium and France. On the coast of Flanders the contending Armies aro still engaged at Lombaertzyde, closo to Nieuport. Some time ago ~ the Allies were reported to have reached Middelkerke, half-way between Nieuport and Ostend, so that the present position appears to be that they have fallen back a few miles. In the fighting near Lombaertzyde, however, the Germans appear to have suffered severely. The Belgians, in particular, accomplished an _ outflanking attack which resulted in the surrender of two'thousand Germans. The success of the movement is attested in tho fact that the Belgian losses were trifling.

Further south, in Belgium, and in Northern France, there appears to have .been an' absence of important developments, and in the Valley of the Aisne heavy fighting seems to be proceeding on, fairly even terms, the scene of greatest activity being a line about thirty miles long running north-west from Reims. A minor success is reported in the region . of Lens which lies 17 miles south, and a littlo west, of Lille. * s * *

At the moment it seems unlikely that the, prediction made by some correspondents last week, that tho Allies would almost immediately commence an important advanco in Franco or Belgium, will be verified in the near future. Stories are still - coming through about the Germans labouring busily upon the fortified entrenchments which they have prepared in their rear, _ and this, of course, supports the idea that they aro contemplating retreat, but' details of the actual fighting uniformly suggest that the opposing Armies are locked in a well-balanced struggle which is likely to last. It is noteworthy that some of the bestinformed' English papers, in their latest available issues to hand, lend no countenance to the idea that an early advance in France,, or Belgium, or both, is likely. On the contrary, some of them emphasise _ the point that such an advance might easily involve an enormous sacrifice of life without ■' commensurate gain. -** * * It is argued, with every show of reason, that Germany is at a/great and positive disadvantage in having to maintain a three-hundred-milo battle-line in the West and' long lines of communication, while at tho same time the Eastern campaign makes enormous and increasing demands upon her- resources. The military correspondent of The Times points out that the great Moltke, who was the presiding genius of tho Franco-Prussian war ,of 1870, used to say, in considering the possibility of an attack on two fronts, that he could easily hold tho Rhine frontier with a small army against almost any. army that could be brought against it, and if Germany wished to defeat the Eussians decisively tho Rhino frontier was her best'chance in the. West.

From this wise and prudent counsel the German General Staff of today has completely broken away. Called upon to meet an attack on two fronts it has adopted the burdensome policy of the double offensive, and in tho West has undertaken the wearing task of maintaining a battle-line stretching from Switzerland to the North Sea. This, according to the expert quoted, suits tho Allies admirably. "We aro quite nicely posted in Flanders," he remarks. "We have strong defences, good troops, and moro to come. Even if we were to lose' a few fields more or less it is of no importance whatsoever to us so long as we can grasp our German nettle and hold on to it like grim death. It is a matter of supreme indifference to us where we fight the Germans and wear them out, but naturally our preference is for a district which is suited to our men and near our bases. This is the place where the Germans; unable to bring into play the famous enveloping attack which has been the strategic panacea of all good Gorman generals since 1870, now elect to fight." ' * * * * Taking this view of the matter it now seems not at all unlikely that the Armies in France and Belgium may remain in or near their prosent position for some time to come, and that the: Allies _ can to regard the prospect with equanimity. This, of .course, does not imply the slightest slacking of activities. On the contrantfgffie close and desperate trcuchMfllng imposes the.heaviest upon the troops engaged and : ')reccssitates a constant tide of reliefs . and reinforcements. It is above all a contest of endurance in which tlio -decision will depend equally upon ' fighting. powers and resources. Germany, called, upon to maintain two lines of enormous length, far apart from one another, is tends obviously at a turriblo tllii' .'jtdYua.twfO,

It is in the East that big developments may be looked for in tho immediate future, for thero seems to be no doubt. that the Russians are in a- fair way to resume the invasion of the German Eastern provinces. No further details have yet come through about the advance on the Lower Vistula, but it should lead to very important developments. Their advance on this line has placed the Russians at AVloclawek on the southern bank of the Vistula, .twenty miles from the German fron-< tier, and a little over thirty miles away from the German fortress ot Thorn. At Wloclawek, the Russiaus have mounted big guns to command the Thorn-Lowicz railway upon which the Germans must largely rely in, the transport of supplies to their Armies in Central Poland. These' Armies arc still engaged with the Russians on the Bzura, .west and south-west of Warsaw, and further south on the Pilica, but the available reports indicate' that they are everywhere held in .check and that they have at several points been defeated with heavy loss, notably at Skierniewice, 42 miles south-west of Warsaw.

With their supplying railway com- , manded by Russian guns at Wloolawek it seems impossible that these Armies can long maintain the positions they now occupy in Central Poland, and the fact that_ they are encumbered with heavy artillery, including eleven-inch guns, will add to their difficulties if they are compelled, as seems inevitable, to retreat. , * ■ In Southern Poland and Galicia affairs are going ' as _ prosperously with the Russians as in tho North. It is stated that the enemy has evacuated the left bank of the Nida, which enters the Vistula about forty miles from Oracow, and in Galicia, south of the Vistula, the Austrians appear to be in desperate straits.' The Russians report that, occupying a line from Opatoweo to Biecz, they captured, between December 18 and December 26, 15,000 Austrian soldiers, two hundred officers, and'forty machine-guns. Opatowec is on the Vistula, 36 miles from Cracow, and Biecz lies forty miles away to the south-east. The Russian operations in this quarter thus take tho form of a cross-country drive, extending from the Vistula almost to the Carpathians, acr.oss _ nearly the whole breadth of Galicia. As to the fighting further south, the Austrians .are stated to be retreating precipitately' upon the Dukla Pass which lies S.E. of Biecz. i *.# * * Manifestly, therefore, the Russians are pressing vigorously forward towards Oracow and. the opposition of the Austrians on their front is failing, while the attempted outflanking jnovement' on tho extemo South has been decisively repelled. In North Poland, and in Galicia, the Russian forces are.sweeping forward, and the communications of the German Armies in. Central Poland are threatened, at a vital point. Unless some remark'ablo change occurs the Germans should shortly be thrown back upon their frontier all along the line,;

Excellent accounts of tho New Zealand troops come from Egypt. Tho correspondent of the Daily Telegraph states that the- Australians and New'Zealanders are now camped in the desert and have settled down' to the task of perfecting their training! a i a3 k ' n which they 'seem to lie taking the keenest interest. There is every reason to'believe, as the correspondent • remarks, _ that * tho young colonial'soldiers,will make a : splendid addition to the .'fightingstrength of the Empire. .The readiness, and ability with which the New Zealanders are adapting themselves to campaign circumstances are indicated in the story told of tho-' Aucklanders, /who contrived in half an hour to improvise comfortable shelters out of timber and oat bags, and so escaped the unpleasant alternative of sleeping in the rain. Little details of this End oount for a great deal in campaigning and: it is no unimportant part of 'a soldier's training that enables ,him fo make the nearest possible approach to comfort in. unpromising circumstances. It is suggested that the New Zealanders and Australians are looking forward' to serving in Europe and the prospect of their doing so' is doubtless strengthened by the turn that affairs are taking in Turkey.The Turks are apparently being hard pressed by tho Russians in. Asia Minor, and the prpspect of their taking the offensive against Egypt is becoming increasingly remote.

Fuhtheji details of the naval raid on Ouxhaven confirm the impression that it was as daring'and brilliant au exploit as the war has witnessed. Even the Germans will bo bound to admit thq contrast between this bold stroke at the heart of their naval defences and the raid by their own cruisers upon undefended towns. One of the most.remarkable features of. the raid is that it was carried out with so little loss of life. Although they remained for three hours close to a first-class German naval fortress and in the near neighbourhood of two still greater strongholds, all the British ships engaged returned without loss of men or material, except that Flight Commander Hewlitt is missing. On the other hand it is believed that the bombs dropped by the British aircraft seriously damaged forts, earthworks, and airship sheds at Ouxhavep. * . .* • * * The gallant raid has exploded many notions that obtained wide credence before it was made. It has shown that the German'naval defences are by no , means invulnerable; that Zeppelins stand a poor chance against good gunnery, and that masterly seamanship makes it possible to face and repel, attacking submarines. It is no wonder that the raid on Cuxhaven has had a depressing effect on Germany and has inspirited and delighted'the people of Great Britain and the Empire.