PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2412, 18 March 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

g f Bukowina, tho little province at J the south-eastern corner of Galicia, j again figures prominently in tho wai j news to-day. We have had _ several j scrappy items of late indicating that j the Austro-Hung'arian forco which { compelled tho Russians to retire in ( Bukowina had in turn been checked and forced to fall back as far as ] Czernovitz, tie capital of the pro- j vince, and thero tho matter has rest- i cd for some days. Now come tid- j ing* of a big battlo at Novosielitza, right on the boundaries o£ Buko- I wina, Russia, and Rumania. Vin- i tory has rested with the Russians, : and tho Austro-Hungarian Array is 5 said to havo retreated with heavy : losses. This succcss is important from a political quite its mtich as : from a military point of view. In- | deed, its effect probably will bo moro ' far-reaching in its influence on pub- 1 lie opinion in Rumania than on the military situation. It was generally thought _at the time of tho earlier Russian advance through Bukowina some weeks ago that tho main purpose was to afford facilities for a junctioning of Russian and Rumanian forces along the frontier of Rumania and Bukowina and later Hungary. Presumably it was also felt that the overthrow of tho Aus-tro-Hungarian forces in this region would encourage Rumania to enter tho field on the side of Russia. The Rumanians, howover, did not seize the opening thus made, and the Russians, who were not in strong force, were eventually oompelled to retire. Now they have again taken the offensive, and arc reported to have won a big battle right on the Rumanian frontier. Will this prove the signal for Rumania entering the struggle i * * * * Further to the West, following the line of the Carpathians to Smolnik, the last trenchos of the Austrians are stated to have been carried, and the Austrian forces aro in retreat towards West Galicia. It is difficult to follow the movements of tho opposing armies in this region. The Russian lines apparently run right across Galicia to the west of Pmmysl until they reach tho foot of the Carpathians, when they swing off almost at right angles for the greater part of tho way along the foot of the Carpathians, finally bringing up at tho northwestern point of the Rumanian frontier. Very little progress appears to have been made in this region for some time, the Russians being fully occupied in beating off the attacks of the Austro-German forces. Now however the tide would seem to have once more turned in favour of tho Tsar's troops. In North Poland tho success of the Russians is moro pronounced, and it •is reported to-day that tho offensive has been continued at various points along the front from the Niemen to Prasnysz—which probably means a front extending over anything from 80 to 120 miles. This is satisfactory enough, but none of the movements recently disclosed account for operations on a scale of the magnitude which might be expected in the event of a general advance. Neither the operations in Galicia nor in Northern Poland convey the idea that the main Russian advance is under way. Rather they suggest that the way is being cleared for a bigger stroke in some' other direction. * « * * Such news as is available from France and Belgium continues satisfactory. Fighting apparently is almost continuous, and the gains arc mainly with tho Allies. # * * t From the Dardanelles comes tidings of a dashing exploit by the British cruiser Amethyst, which risked the mines and forced the passage of the Narrows. It is at this point that the Allied Fleet is faced with the heaviest part of its task, . tho Narrows lending themselves moro than any other portion of the straits to defence both by land and water. The purpose of the Amethyst's dash probably was to draw the fire of the concealed guns, which have been one of the greatest troubles of tho attacking fleet owing to .the uncertainty as to their position and calibre. The Turks, under German direction, have been engaged from the outset in erecting guns in earthwork positions away from the forts, and the warships, after demolishing the forts, are never certain whe- ; ther in moving forward they may not have some surprise sprung upon them from concealed guns at close ' range. So it is that cruisers at 1 times take chances in order to draw the fire of these guns, which _ are ' then promptly battered into silence ' by the heavier guns of the fleet. The Amethyst appears to have taken greater risks than usual—let us hope ' that the daring of her commander ,'and crew was rewarded by the reI suits achieved. * * * » One of the puzzling things about the situation in the Balkans has • been the attitude of Bulgaria. Tho 1 sympathies of Rumania and Greece ■ seem to have been with the Allies 1 for a long time past, but Bulgaria ' until very recently has created tho ' impression that she, like Turkey, ■ might bo ensnared by Germany. At different times it has been hinted that Rumania would have entered 1 the struggle on the side of the Allies 1 but for a suspicion that Bulgaria ■ might take advantage of tbo oppor- ! tunity to strike at her, and now we i have the ex-Premier of Greece tell--3 ing us that Bulgaria was also the ■■ har to Greece sending troops to help " Scrvia. So it would seem that, in- " tcntionally or otherwise, Bulgaria ; has been playing the game of the ' Austro-German combination. Her " present attitude is rather more favI ourable to Britain and her _ Allies ' especially since the success which has > attended the attack on the Dardan--1 cllcs. 5 * * tt * ; President Wilson is disappointed ■ over Britain's refusal to relax tho ■ blockade of German ports, and. is > said to be making a vigorous pro--5 test. If America really wishes to > end the war then President Wilson ' might be expected to see that the " speediest way to that end is .to 5 cripple the resources of Germany by " cutting off her overseas supplies. " Unhappily his usually clear vision I appears to be obscured by his con- " corn for American trading interests. ! He has failed to realise how puny a ■' ihing a few million dollars of trade j arc in this great life and death ' struggle of the nations of Europe. II • ■