PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2410, 16 March 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Plainly the big event of the moment; is the British success at Neuva Chapelle. It is difficult to determine frcm the messages which reach us the value of individual successes m the fighting in Franoe, but it is evident that the very decided, gains by the British force in the vicinity of Nouve Chapelle are of more than passing importance. The §tory of this struggle is a stirring one, and should be a source of pride and inspiration . to our troops in France and elsewhere. The French have also made a very important advance at Vauquois, near Varenneo to the'east of the forest of Argjnne A plateau here dominates a wide range of country and for many weeks past the Frenoh have been gallantly striving to wrest it from the possession of the epemy. Now they have at last succeeded after what must havo been one of the bloodiest conflicts of the war. Each side in turn secured possession of the plateau until after many days, of desperate hand-to-hand fighting the French finally Succceded in driving off the enemy, and in establishing themselves securely. It was a brilliant piece of work carried out with that dash and daring for which the offensive of the French soldier is world-famous. Tlie Josses on both sides in this struggle for the mastery of Vauquois must have been terribly heavy, which is a very, good indication of the importance attached to the position wen- Elsewhere in France and Belgium the news also is satisfactory. British airmen have again raided Westendo, apparently with good effect. * • * * All that can be gathered fronj the messages from_ Petrograd ip that fne. situation in the East is undergoing slow changcs and such air terations as have occurred favour our Allies. German' • attacks have been repulsed along the Nieraen' and the Vistula (that is to say, in West Russia, apd Northern ana Central Poland), while in Gajicia tl)e tro-Hungarian forces have also failed to make any impression on the Russian lines and have- suffered heavy losses. Here and, there the Tsar s troops have gained ground, particularly in the rcg : on of the Carpathians. A late message indicates that the-German offensive in North Poland is weakening and that the bombardment of Osowiec, which has been proceeding for some time, is lessening. This is good news. Osowiec is one of the few cases—if not the only case—in the _ present war of a fortified town being able to resist the bombardment by heavy modern German guns. 1 * * * A sinister story comes to hand from Turkey.' Von dee Goltz, the German general who was made Governor of Belgium after the invasion, and who subsequently, when Turkey joined in the war, went to Constantinople, where ho is said to have practically enjoyed the powers of a viceroy, is missing. The story runs that with a large staff he went to Smyrna to see to the strengthening of the fortifications there, this no doubt being rendered necessary owing to the recent attentions of the fleet of British warships. Now, he and his staff havo disappeared and Germans in Constantinople believe that they have been ljiurdered. There may be nothing in the story, but it will surprise no one should it prove to be true. The Turks have been led to their ruin by Germany, and they have of' lato begun to realise this. It is quite in keeping with Turkish ideas of retaliation that they should vent their anger on the Kaiser's representative, or for the matter of that any other Germans who might Slace themselves within their reach. n the other hand General von per Goltz may have mcthis death—if he is dead—during the bombardment of the forts by the British warships. * * » » News from the Dardanelles _ is scrappy, and' at time .of writing there is nothing to indicate the extent of the progress made by the Allied Fleet. The bombardment of the forts 'goes on apparently with as much vigour as ever and the forts continue to crumple up under the heavy gun-fire of the warships; as witness'the story to-(lay of the effects of the Triumph's broadsides. Also, the leaders of the Young Turks' Party are said to be hastening away from Constantinople. This latter is a very hopeful sign . Germany's simple little plan to sacrifice Austria in order to epsure the neutrality of Italy has been rejected with great unanimity by the Emperor of Austria and his Ministers. The idea was to hand over to Italy a portion of Austrian territory at the head _ of the Adriatic Gulf, the population of which is largely Italian. It has been suggested that if Italy were to join forces with the Entente Powers she would, when settling day camc, receive a good deal more of this portion, of Austria- than Germany has now proffered as a peace offering. It is doubtful whether Italy would have entertained the offer, but in face of the emphatic refusal 'of Austria to fall in with the proposal of her ally nothing can now come of the matter. One effect of the incident, however, must be to spread ths rfistrust. which i? said to exist widely, the Au^o-Huugai'laa

Empire concerning German ambitions. The idea that Austro-Hun-gary is regarded by the Germans as a useful tool to be iised to serve German ends is likely to be strengthened by this latest evidence of Germany's readiness to sacrifice her friends. « * * * Another turn of the .screw ia about to be made .in order to tighten the blockade of Germany. A decree is to be issued next week under which all ships going to Germany will be seized. Dy the Allies, irrespective of their flag, and taken to a French port for inspection of their cargo. Nothing that is likely to assist. Germany to prolong the struggle will be permitted to, pass, but all merchandise seiied will be paid for. As showing tho importance of the blockade, the stoppage of coppor supplies may be instanced. Copper is essential to the manufacture of war material of many kinds. It is necessary to the manufacture of rifle cartridge cases; cartridge cases for quick-firing guns require the highest quality of copper; on shells there are copper bands encircling the steel to ensure close fitting to the rifling. Pure coppor is stated to be the only substanoe known that gives satisfactory results. For field telephones, copper wire is indispensable, and in the electrical industry generally there is an enormous consumption of copper. Germany, according to a writer in the London Times, requires 250,000 tons of copper annually in normal times, while her internal production is only about 25,000 tons. The balance has to come from abioad. Now these supplies are almost entirely cut off, and if the blockade is maintained she will be forced to destroy plant all' over the country in order to secure the copper necessary to supply the niaterial for the manufacture of munitions of war. This means an enormqjs loss, and the supply even in this way cannot bo long maintained unde? the pressure of the tremendous demand occasioned by the war. Germany has always drawn her principal supplies from the United States. At tne present time Germany is willing to pay something like £200 a ton for copper delivered at any of her ports, whereas ip England the price is £65 a ton. This is but one illustration of the vital effect of the blockade of German porta. And that blockade we are told is to be made still more stringent. * * « * The anxiety displayed in German official circles over the sinking of the American sailing ship William Frye. by tho armed cruiser Prince Eitel Frederick is rather surprising. Certainly it was a • flagrant breach of international law to sink the vessel, but Germany has been over-riding the laws of nations whenever it suited her purpose ever since the war began, and has rather gloried in it "Necessity knows no law" has been her motto. The William Frye was wheat-laden and bound for England, and the commander of the German cruiser, rather than go to the trouble of jettisoning the cargo, sank the vessel, and then had the impudence to jput into an American port for repairs. There seems to have been some sort of an outcry in the United States oyer this sinking of a vessel flying the Stars and Stripes, bi(t the authorities. in Washington so far as is known have made no official protest. Germany now suggests that the captain of the Prince Eitel ;Frederick is an excitable gentleman who has acted .indiscreetly and contrary to the wishes of his superiors. But what 'of the sinking . without warning of neutral ships which by chance may come within range of German submarines? The commander of the Prince Eitel Frederick did take off the crew before sinking tho vessel, whereas the Kaiser's submarines are sinking trading vessels whenever they get the chance regardless of the safety of passengers and crew. It will be interesting to watah developments in_ connection with the case of the William Frye. Germany's apologetic "attitude should encourage the American President to assert himself.