PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2356, 12 January 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Little news has come to-day from either of the main theatres of war. As to Belgium, an unofficial report speaks of the Germans "retiring sullenly towards Ostend," but it is too vague in its terms to be of much importance. In the East fighting continues on the left bank of the Lower Vistula, but no new developments are Tcported in Central Polapd. The absence of further .news regarding the Eussian movement against Hungary is possibly accounted for by a statement from Vienna that the rivers in the Carpathian valleys are in flood, making a continuance of operations impossible,

Is' its reference to the capture of the village of Bumhaupt by the Germans the amplified French account of tihe recent fighting in Southern Alsace is perhapß slightly coloured by a desire to' make the best of it. -It appears, however, that the capture of the village was an incident only in an extended conflict which permitted much* greater freedom of movement than most of the fighting on the Western line. The French, according to their official account, entered Burnhaup£ in Order to inflict the maximum _ loss upon the Germans, and, having done so, retired to their original position. The French artillery, it is stated, wiped out an entire German brigade, and then occupied heights dominating Cernay, ten miles from the FrancoGerman frontier, upon which they recently advanced by way of Steinbach, and also- a forest southward of Cernay. There_ has been violent fighting immediately west of this place, apparently without decisive result as, yet, and whether or not they retired willingly from Burnhaupt (which is six and a half miles south of Cernay) the French seem to be holding, some three or four miles of new ground gained ill their recent advance.

Definite new;s of the reported Turkish expedition against Egypt is still wanting, but to-day we are told that the Turkish Army in Syria has secured 13,000 camels for the advance on Egypt. This leaves things pretty much where they were. Since it was reported a week or two ago that Djbmal Pasha, Turkish Commander in Syria, had died at Damascus, little news of the "invasion" has come through, except vague statements that it is contemplated, and latterly announcements that the. Turkish Army has been reinforced with 12,000 Germans and 13,000 camels, Upon the whole, 'these renortfl are not very convincing.

While very little weight attaches to the'vague stories of Turkish preparation, evidence that the British authorities are not at present; .anticipating a serious invasion of Egypt is to be found in the definite statements which have been made that the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps will proceed to the front in Europe as soon as its training is completed. Recently this was announced to the Australians by their High Commissioner (Sik Geo. Heid), and now the Hon. T. Mackenzie ha 9 conveyed a similar assurance to the New Zealanders. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps consists of something over thirty thousand men, and has been very highly spoken of by military experts. It must, therefore, comprise an important section of the present Egyptian Army of 1 occupation, and it is improbable that the Egyptian authorities would be prepared to dispense with its services if they regarded an invasion of the country as imminent. * # # * Present indications are that the Turks, already busily engage'd in Trans-Caucasia and elsewhere, will shortly have much more pressing affairs in hand than an invasion of Egypt. From the Turkish point of view the Balkan situation can only be described as extremely threatening. The forbearance of Greece appears to have been strained almost to the breaking-point by the murder and persecution O'f its subjects by the Turks in Asia Minor, while Rumania is mobilising reserves to supplement its first line troops, and by the end of this month will have an army of nearly, half a million men under arms. No doubt if Rumania onter's the war some of her troops will be engaged in an invasion of Transylvania, upon which Rumania has designs, but others would probably be employed against the Ottoman Empire. With Greece also in the field against her, and with little prospect of any assistance from Bulgaria, Turkey would soon be fighting in the last ditch, and would he much too busy attempting to repel invaders to think of undertaking the invasion of Egypt. * * # * A summary of Great Britain's interim reply to the American Note on neutral trading is published to-day, and it shows, as might have been expected, that while Britain is perfectly ready to make any reasonable concession, consistent with the efficient exercise of the right of search v she is determined not to allow any neutral country to be made a base of supplies for the enemy. America certainly has no reason to' complain about Britain's undertaking to promptly recompense neutrals for the_ improper detention of ships, and it is a liberal concession •to permit a free passage to foodstuffs not intended for the armies of belligerents opposed to .the Entente Powers.

The reply does not overlook the fact that such concessions as Britain has made have been to some extent abused. Cotton, for example, was placed on.the free list, and cottonladen ships have been specially selected by some American shippers for the carriage of concealed contraband. Naturally enough, the British Government affirms its intention of examining such suspected vessels.

The broad effect of the reply which Sir Edward Grey has forwarded to the American Note is that Britain insists upon exercising the right of search within reasonable limits.' All suspected cargoes will be brought before a Prize Court,'and Britain will promptly pay damages to the neutral countries concerned where a mistake is made, and ships and cargoes are illegally detained. This is such a reasonable and straightforward position that it is difficult to conceive upon what grounds the United States Government can have arrived at its expressed opinion that the British reply to its Note is inconclusive. The reply appears, on the contrary, to be admirably conclusive, and to the point.

In one message to-day "Eye-Wit-neßs" emphasises the important part played by high explosives in the close and heavy fighting along the Western line. Under the methods which he describes the positions of the enemy are. located by aeroplane scouts, and this once accomplished, trenches, entanglements, and all other obstacles are swept away by artillery fire. The process must necessarily be slow and laborious, and of course it will to an extent, cut both ways, for the Germans are by no means unprovided with powerful artillery. . "Eye-Witness" states, however, that the Allies' artillery is. gradually assuming superiority over the German guns. This agrees with many French and British official messages which have chronicled dotailed successes aginst the ■ German batteries.

Quite a number of people appear to have jumped to the conclusion that the present war will end war. This optimistic view of the future is naturally attractive, but it really rests upon very insecure foundations, and as the London Times points out, it is not likely that a long reign of peace will follow, unless there is a definite constructive effort to secure" a -stable and lasting settlement. Everything depends upon the completeness of the overthrow of German militarism, and the principles upon which the new order is based. It is a mistake to think that the conclusion of the war will bo followed by' a general disarmament, though the burden of armaments may ue lessened. Shortly before his death Loed Roberts warned the people of Britain against being "fed away by those who say that the end of this struggle is to be the end of war." He declared that "there is nothing in the history of the world to justify any such conclusion. Nor is it consonant with ordinary common sense." No one would recommend the "breaking up of a fire brigade which had justified its existence by the prompt extinction of a dangerous fire; and "when our Navy and Army have helped to extinguish the flames of a war set alight by the ovil advisers of the German Emperor," surely (so Lord Roberts argued) "it would be folly seriously to reduce their strength simply because they have nobly fulfilled their dangerous tasks."

The appeal of the national secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association for £500 for social work among tho New Zealand troops in Egypt should meet with a 'prompt and generous response. Full particulars regarding the nature of the work for which the funds are required appeared in yesterday's issue of The Dominion.' The proposal has the sympathy of General Godley, who bears testimony to the excellent work the Y.M.C.A. is already doing in Egypt. Tho splendid service which this enterprising organisation is rendering to our young soldiers is so well known and appreciated that >t is. auite unnecessary, to so into

details. It would be a great pity if the New Zealanders at the front ■vere allowed to be at:any disadvantage in respectof Y.M.O.A.•facilities as compared with the Australians among whom no fewer than fire secretaries are at work. Such services cannot be maintained without money, but the results already achieved show that the expenditurehas been amply justified. The New' Zealand public are not likely to turn a deaf ear to the present appeal.