PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2436, 15 April 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Continued progress by the Russians in the Carpathians is the outstanding feature of to-day's war news so far as the main theatres are conccrned. A momentary lull appears to obtain in France and Flanders, but a decidedly optimistic tone is still the rule in such references as are made to tho Western campaign, # * •» *

An official message, forwarded by the High Commissioner, throws a great deal of light upon Russian operations in the Carpathians,. and is reasonably up-to-date, relating as it does to nghthg on Sunday and Monday last. At the Western .end of their line the Russians claim that they are making progress on both banks of tho Ondawa River, south of Sztropko, that is to say, in Hungary, fifteen miles or more south 6f the Carpathians, at the Diikla Pass. Further east, however, the Uszok Pass remains in the enemy's hands, and a great battle is in progress for its possession. • Victorious progress by theiy armies advancing upon, the pass is reported by the Russians, and their movement southward from the positions which they have occupied forsomo time past on the Hungarian' side of the mountains at the Dukla Pass certainly seems to indicate confidence in the result of the operations to the eastward.

Definite shape is given in fcho same message to the new Austrian offensive from the mountains, towards the eastern end of Galicia. A late message, published ' yesterday, suggested that the Austrians were located at or near Stryj, a town forty miles north of the mountains and connected by rail with Hungary and with the main Galician system at Lemberg. Such an advance, bringing the enemy half-way froin the mountains towards the Russians' principal line'of communications through Galicia, would have implied a decided Austrian sucoess, and would have discredited recent reports that the Austro-Ger-man defence of the Carpathians is in grave danger of collapsing. Today's offidial messagej however, puts a different complexion upon the situation. The Russians state' that attacks made by the enemy in great strength in the region of Koziowa were all repulsed, and that furious attacks were also defeated along an extended front in Bukowina. Koziowa' is thirty miles south of Stryj, but stands on : the River Stryj, and close to the railway running from Stryj into Hungary. Yesterday's message probably referred not to the town of Stryj, but either to the river or the railway.* In any case the official message makes it clear that the Russian front _ adheres pretty closely to the mountain range through Eastern Galicia almost to the borders of Bukowina, the crownland which dips. south between the Carpathians' and Rumania

* * * * Amongst those who believe that the Allied offensive in the West will ultimately develop into an advance through Lorraine to the. Rhine is General Gherfils, a French military critic, whose opinions arc quoted in one of to-day's cablegrams. He predicts a great battle between the Meuse and the Moselle, in which the artillery superiority of the Allies will enable them to breach

the German line and then drive the enemy "clean back to* the Rhine. 1 ' Stated thus in a sentence the achievement looks comparatively easy,' but .in actual fact it presents such enormous difficulties that only the almost unlimited military resources of the Allies bring it within the bounds of possibility. Determining upon an offensive through Lorraine, the Allies would find it necessary in the first instance not only to mask or caDture the fortresses of Metz and Strassburg, but to master the crossings of the Moselle north from Metz along tie boundary of Luxembourg and on the south, below Strassburg, expel the Germans from Alsace. These subsidiary campaigns will in themselves put the major operations of previous • wars completely in the shade. On the direct line of advanco through Lorraine the invaders, having passed Metz, would meet their next obstacle in the River Saar, which affords a defensive line of enormous _ strength, not only where it is fortified as at Saarlouis, but along the whole front. The precipitous eastern bank of this river commands the other side, and the position as a whole is fortified op Doth flanks and in the centre. Further on is the Rhine, and still another range of strong positions. On this section of their frontier, as at practically every other point, the Germans have brought their system of strategic railways to the highest possible state of perfection.

It is thus fairly evident that if the Allies undertake an offensive through Lorraine, they will need a very considerable superiority in men and artillery if they are to carry it to a successful issue. As yet the work has scarcely been begun, but strong presumption that an effort will ultimately be made to force a passage_ through Lorraine is afforded in the gallant and successful efforts which the French have made to improve their position between Verdun and Metz and further south. They have so far progressed that the German effort to cncirclc Verdun, inaugurated after the Battle of I he Marnc, has definitely broken clown before a French advance 011 Metz. As yet the conflict, in this region, vital 3s it is, has been wa?cd fiv comparatively small forces, tiut Jus way., has ueYcttklMii some «xv

tent been paved for tho great offensive movement predicted by Gekehal (Jhekfils. * * * IT Some messages to-day in reference to the Austro-Italian situation indicate that Austria is actively preparing for war with her southern neighhours, and a Turin newspaper is credited with the statement that there are ninety-nine chances in a hundred that Italy will intervene A very different note is struck by another Italian journal, the Giornale d'ltalia, which finds • in the rumours of a separate pcace between Russia and Austria matter for a warning to its readers against tho wiles of belligerent nations intent upon hastening the intervention of neutrals by working upon their fear of being late. Whether or not these suspicions have any foundation in fact, more weight would attach to them if Italy, in particular, had not frequently and quite openly been warned in the Press of Great Britain and other belligerent countries that her interests are very likely to suffer if she hesitates too long on the brink of war without making the plunge. A separate peace for Austria may or may not oo in immediate prospect—quite probably , it is not—but oventa are marching rapidly! and sooner or later Austria must sue for terms. If she reaches this point before Italy ha<s asserted her claims to Austrian territory in the only way that commands respect, these claims will almost of necessity bp set aside. This is not a bogy created by belligerent nations to hasten the lagging steps of Italy and other neutral nations; it is the actual position as it exists, and is bound to develop (so far as Italy is concerned) unless Italy goea to war before Austria has made peace with her present enemies.

A titbit for those ctfedulous Germans'who fondly believed that Britain's entanglement in a European war would give Australia the cue to cut the painter is supplied in a statement which has just been made by tho Prime Minister of the Commonwealth (Me. Andrew Fisher). Australian troops so far enrolled to' lend assistance to the Mother Country number no fewer than 71,101, of whom 43,146 have already been dispatched to the seat of war. Publication of particulars of this nature has so far been prohibited both in the Commonwealth and in New Zealand, but now that Mr. Fisher has set an example the New Zealand authorities may also feel free to break silence on the subject. It is possible that New Zealand may be able to show a better enrolment, in proportion to population, than Australia, but account must be taken of the burden that Australia bears in maintaining a naval squadron. It will be noted with interest that the cruiser Brisbane, a sistership to the Sydney, which destroyed the Emden, as well as one or two torpedo-craft, are to be completed this year.

A short message dealing with the operations at the Dardanelles contains an interesting suggestion that the Turks have been transferring some _ of their artillery from the Asiatic side of the Strait to the Gallipoli Peninsula, to be employed it is supposed in resisting the landing of the Allies. Some experts have expressed the opinion that the Dardanelles can be subjugated from the Gallipoli side alone, and the message quoted suggests _ that the Turks are of the same opinion. # . * ' * if Marshal von der Goltz, as the Kaiser's deputy, has presented tho Sultan of Turkey with an Iron Cross. It is a poor omen for the appointed defender of tho Crescent.