PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 2456, 8 May 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Netvs from the Dardanelles is still fragmentary and gives no definite information as to the point which the invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula has reached. Naturally, also, reticence is still observjd as to the total. available stroigth of the Allied forces. At the same time the scries of messages published to-day— the most important a statement by Mn. Asquith in the House of Commons and a dispatch from a correspondent of the Daily Chronicle stationed in the immediate vicinity of the fighting area—show definitely that the land and sea attacks had been developed some days ago to a fairly advanced point. . Since a

pause in operations of this kind is unthinkable, it mint be supposed that the first great section of the campaign, which aims at the destruction of the forts along the Narrows and complete command of that section of the Dardanelles, is by this time well advanced. Taking the messages as they stand, however, and remembering always that days of heavy fighting have no doubt materially altered the position they describe, .the New Zealanders and Australians arc shown as still fighting their way across the Gallipoli Peninsula, towards the head of the Narrows. Imperial troops, fighting on a line across the peninsula, are advancing north and east from Krithia (five miles north of Cape llelles, where they landed). vV'Ben the colonial forces and the Imperial troops effect a junction they will hold 14 oils miles of the Gallipoli Peninsula, from the head of the Nariows to the Aegean. This is more than a quarter of its total length, but much less than a quarter of its total area, because north of the Narrows the peninsula widens out considerably. In the three hundred square miles of mainly hilly peninsula, from the head of the Narrows to the Sea of Marmora the Turks may be expected to offer a strenuous resistance to the onset of the Allied land forces, and that under circumstances which are likely to limit for a time the amount of assistance rendered by the Fleet. * # * * In their broad effect to-day's messages hold out a promise that the conquest of the Narrows is likely to be effected at no distant date. While land forces are advancing from west and south, the Queen Elizabeth and her consorts have been battering and heavily damaging the forts right to the northern extremity of the Narrows, Bokali Kalessi, the most northerly of the Narrow forts on the European side, appearing to have suffered most severely of all. Land guns, also, have been playing on the forts and these in all likelihood must be with the Australians and New Zealanders who would gain possession of artillery positions dominating a section of the Narrows forts at a comparatively early stage in their advance from tho west.

A Greek report that Maidos had been occupied by the Allies is definitely discredited by the messages received to-day. At the same time Maidos is named as one of the places which have suffered most severely by the Allies' land and sea bombardment, and the Greek report probably has only anticipated events.

Although the French have withdrawn from their temporary lodgment at Kum Kale, and there is 110 indication that tho Allies contemplate the risky enterprise of an advance along the Asiatic shore of the Dardanelles, they still have to" reckon with considerable Turkish forces in Asia Minor. News coircs to-day that a British aviator has destroyed a bridge on the road connecting Smyrna with the Dardanelles, and so Interrupted communications and hampered thi transport of troops and supplies. Even when the forts along tho Strait have been reduced the possibility of an attack by the Turks on the Asiatic shore will remain. Attacking on this side they could not seriously dispute possesF.ion of the Strait, because their guns would be dominated from the peninsula opposite, as well as by the warships, but even under these adverse conditions they might offer serious hindrance to the passage of ships. H is probable that the Allies will have lo land troops eventually in flic Asiatic, a* well as the European, Rtc'c. "t i 1" event* nluog the .Narrows.

Ix a late message a vivid account is given b,v Mfl. Ashjiead-Baktlett of the lauding of the Now Zcalanders and Australians at Gaba Tepe. Though it is chicliy interesting as filling in picturesque details ignored in the official reports, the story shows that the landing on a hostile and fortified coast was admirably organised and carried out with maohinc-likc precision, and that the splendid feat of arms of the Colonial troops has in no way been overrated. No one who" reads the story of the landing, and of the gallant charge from the beach that thrust the Turks from their first defensive line, will doubt that New Zealand and Australian soldiers are lit to go anywhere and dare anything, it * * *

Russian reports, while denying exaggerated Austrian and German stories of an overwhelming victory in Western Galicia, make no attempt to bido the fact that a very critical situation has arisen in that region. In one detail only the Hussion and Austro-German accounts aro in substantial agreement; they agree in stating that the main assault is bcin<* developed towards the southern end of the seventy-milo front, which stretches from the Vistula to the Carpathians, but as to tho measure of success attained by the enemy, the 'two .stories differ widely. The Austro-Germans assert that tho Russians are in retreat all along the front, and fighting a purely rearguard action, and claim that they have already captured Jaslo and Durlo (possibly Dukla). Jaslo is about twenty miles north-north-west of tho Carpathians at the Dukla Pass, and Dukla is eight miles north of the pass to which_ it gives its name. As has been said, the Russians admit that their troops aro severely tried on this section of the front, but they do not admit the loss of Jaslo, and merely state that the main efforts of tho enemy are boing made in the direction of Biecz and Jaslo. Biecz is ten miles west of Jaslo. The juxtaposition of the two names implies either that the Russians have already lost Biecz and retreated cast towards Jaslo, or (as is very possible) that their line here turns east, before striking south to the mountains west of the Dukla Pass, and that the Austro-German assault in this locality points north and east instead of east. Hard pressed in the south, the Russians havo also lost some ground at the northern ond of their Galician line, but here the success of the enemy seems to have amounted only to his gaining a footing on the eastern bank of the Dunajec River, which constituted the Russian front for a distance of about 15 miles south from the Vistula.

It is now beyond question that the tide of battle in Western Galicia has turned for the time in favour of the Austro-Germans, but it is not established that the measureof success they have so far gained is vital, or that the back of the Russian resistance is broken. As in every big battle in the Eastern theatre, the Russians aire handicapped by the superiority of the enemy in heavy artillery, but on their previous .'ecord it is quite likely that their account of the present situation—a defence shaken, and driven _in■_ to some extent, but stubbornly maintained and not broken, is'strictly correct. However, it is obvious that the Russian right flank on the Carpathians, resting on the Dukia Pass, is seriously menaced. If_ the battle goes on developing on its present lines, the Eussian Carpathian line will be rolled back past the Dukla Pass, and possibly further, in which event the invasion of Hungary would lie once again postponed. This, however, is looking to the worst that can happen. The Russian lino across Western Galicia is strained, but there is no proof as yet that the general retreat which the Austro;Germans report has occurred or is even in prospect.

Enemy reports of events along the Carpathian front culminate to-day in the staggering assertion (in a message from Vienna) that the Rus-. sian front has been forced back 94 miles. This would carry the Russians out of Galicia altogether, and into Poland, all along the line. Actual news regarding the Carpathians is meagre, but all definite information that has come through lately indicates that the Russians are again closing in upon the mountains in Eastern Galicia,

The most notable 'item of news from the Western front to-day is Sir John French's report that the British have regained portion of the ground lost at Hill 60. It is evident that the Germans attach the utmost importance to this small, but strong, position, presumably because its loss has hampered and restricted their freedom of movement against the Yser front in ge.ieral.' At all events Hill 60 has, during the last day or two, been subjected to the full fury of a concentrated assault, and the fact that the Germans have lost ground here is an indication very satisfactory in its bearing upon the strength of: the contending armies on the Yser front as a whole.