PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2477, 2 June 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Russian victories reported in Galicia should involve nothing less than the final collapse of the AustroGerman offensive and complete failure of the attempt to encircle Przemysl. _ On the front as a whole the Russians report, capturing prisoners to the aggregate number of over ten thousand, and a considerable quantity of artillery. For clays the enemy has had the worstof the fighting on the long battle-line east and south from Przemysl, and on sections of this line ho is now stated to ho an disorderly retreat. On the twenty-mile front from Stryj to Dolina, in Eastern Galicia, the Russians claim to have captured 7000 prisoners and thirty quickfirers.

The most important news, however, relates to the line of the San, north from Przemysl, where the Russians were lately giving ground slowly before a tremendous AustroGerman onset, on the eastern bank of the San, some ten miles north of the fortress. . From, this point the enemy were pressing forward, along the valley of the River Wisznia, on a line that would have brought them to the Lemberg railway in rear (to the east) of Przemysl. This advance seems now to have been definitely checked by powerful Russian counter-attacks, which resulted in the capture of three thousand men in one day. In addition, the enemy has been thrust back across the River San to the River Lubaczovka (five miles north of Jaroslav). This means that the enemy have been dislodged on a front of five miles from the eastern bank of the river. _ They still hold this bank for a distance of about fifteen miles, but the loss of ground in the north, coupled witn the crumpling of their main attack towards Przemysl and the big Russian victory in Eastern Galicia, can only be regarded as indicating that the Austro-Germans are face to face with defeat and its consequences— one of which should be the speedy loss of much of the ground they have lately won. *.* * * Naval activities along the coast of Asia Minor south of the Dardanelles may presently have an interesting sequel. Ships of the Allied Fleet nave evidently undertaken a systematic search for hostile submarine depots. From the few details supplied it is to be gathered that the coast is being thoroughly scrutinised and harriecL The port of Avili, which has been shelled, lies near the seaward end of a gulf opposite the island of Mitylene. Apart from its being open to attack it would constitute a convenient depot for the submarines since it is only about ninety miles distant from their recent cruising ground off the Gallipoli Peninsula. Oastelorizo, where a French cruiser located and blew up several benzine depots, is an island opposite the south-western extremity of Asia Minor, and more than three hundred miles south of the Dardanelles. There is a long line of coast to be patrolled, but pursuing their present tactics the Allied warships should soon make it very difficult for the submarines to find the safe haven which is. essential to their continued activities.

The general tenor of one message relating to the Dardanelles shows that the Australians and New Zealanders have successfully attacked the Turks eastward of Gaba Tepe and effected an important advance, but no definite information is given as to the position now occupied by the colonials. A Press Bureau communication, though equally vague in the matter of location, gives an interesting description of_ a battle, fought by moonlight, which followed upon an attempt, by the Turks to undermine a section of the Allied line. The locality of the engagement was presumably between Krithia and Achi I'-aba, where the Allies arc advancing from the south upon the main inland stronghold defending lb-: Narrows. It was reported recently 1-hsiL it had been found ncccssar.v to resort to methods of siege warfare on this front,- and the story of the mining and l.lio battle i.» tn show 1.11111, Mm Alliiin iirn cauaUx well able to wasUa: t&a

Turks in subterranean eiiterprises aud iii lighting on the surface.

The Italians in their frontier campaigns have already iirogresSed boyoml the stage of occupying advanced positions lightly defended by the Austv'o-Gernians. A message from Mil. Mautin Doxohoe describes an artillery battle on the southeastern frontier of the Treutino in which Italian heavy guns reduced several modern Austrian forts to powder in the space of a few hours. The Italian guns wore posted on the Asiago l'lateau, which stands upon the frontier about fifteen miles southeast of Trent. The latter place is the strongest fortress in the Southern Tyrol, and commands what is probably tho only practicable approach for large bodies of troops, along the valley of the Adige, directly to the south. It is doubtful whether an advance on Trent from the south-east is possible on account of the difficult mountain country that would have to be traversed, but the Italians, as recent reports lyive shown, are also pressing forward into the Adigo Valley. Beyond t.iicir north-eastern frontier, as Mr. Donohoe, reports, the Italians are heavily bombarding tho Austrian forts along the Isonzo Bivcr. and here as in the north the enemy have suffered considerable losses. Although they have not yet brought the enemy at any point to a decisive engagement the Italians are hammering so hard at his outer defences that they should soon provoke a counterstroke, from the Tyrol or elsewhere, unless the Austro-Germans are finally resigned to the idea of a defensive campaign. Now that the enemy offensive in Galicia seems to ba crumbling, however, it is likely that additional German troops may soon be made available to act against Italy.

As disclosed in recent cablegrams the munitions controversy in Great Britain has been a somewhat onesided affair. Much prominence has been given to tho allegations of a section of the newspaper Press and some public men regarding an ammunition scandal—an alleged shortage of artillery shells which is said to have seriously hampered the British Army in the field—but comparatively little has been heard upon the other side. Possibly the agitation is less seriously regarded by those at whom it is directed than by its authors. At all events rebutting evidence which deserves attention is now furnished by 4 correspondent of the Morning Fast, who nas investigated the question on the spot, that is to say in Northern France, where tho British Army has been hammering at tho German line for some weeks past. This correspondent's testimony is all the more valuable sine© his paper is an opponent and outspoken critic of the British Liberal Government (now merged in the National Cabinet), and would certainly not lend itself to any white-washing process not warranted by the facts. Briefly stated, his testimony is that the British Army is blasting its way through the strong; German defences north of La Bassee just as the French are doing further south. The Germans have stiffened their lino with works in concrete and steel, but the British artillery is doing its work splendidly, and while high explosive shells are wanted in ever-increasing quantities tho situation, the correspondent remarks, has been altogether exaggerated in some quarters. * * * * . It is satisfactory to know (on the authority of the Morning Fost's correspondent) that the attacks on Lord Kitchener are scouted and resented by the soldiers in the field, who are in the best possible position to correctly appraise the facts. The best answer to the critics, however, is to be found not in the verdict of the Army, but in what it has accomplished. Whilo the critics halve been lamenting a shortage of artillery ammunition the Army, which is supposed to be crippled by the shortage, has dealt manfully with its. enemy. In Flanders it has borne the principal brunt of a German assault continued for weeks in what was intended to be overwhelming strength both in artillery and men. In Northern France the British Army is dynamiting its way into the enemy's line, keeping pace with its brave Allies, whose artillery resources and equipment, instead of being criticised have been praised. Had it been as badly off for artillery and artillery ammunition as has bean alleged the British Army could never have made the progress it has. * * * * The true position as regardß the British supply of munitions—admittedly a vitally important factor in the war—will perhaps be best gathered by considering statements on the subject made from time to time by Ministers and other responsible persons. Speaking at Bangor in February last Me. Lloyd George said that arms were needed more than men, and that any delay in producing them was full of peril for the country. In the House of Lords on March 15, Lord Kitchener said that the supply of war material (not artillery ammunition alone) then and for the next two or three months was causing him very serious anxiety. On March 29, Mr. Lloyd George declared that success in the war was purely a question of munitions. In this, he stated, he spoke on the authority of Sir John French, and expressed also, he thought, the conviction of Lord Kitchener. All that the country required to enable it to win was an enormous increase in the shells, rifles, and all tho other munitions and equipment necessary to carry through a great war. Mr. Asquith, speaking on April 20, denied that there was a word of truth in statements that tho operations of the British Army and of its Allies had been hampered by failure to provide tho necessary ammunition. He denied also that there had been any general slackness in this branch of industry on the part of either employers or employed. He did not deny that there had been instances of 'slackness. These and other statements have been made the basis of a oliarge of inconsistency levelled at members of tho Imperial Govern-, mcnt, but a speech made by Mr. Lloyd Georqe on April 21 very largely furnishes the key to the position. After mentioning that in the fortnight of fighting in and around Nouve Chapclle almost as much ammunition was expended by the British artillery as during tho whole of the Boer War {in itself a striking reply to the allegations of shortage), and that this ammunition had been supplied leaving, a reserve in hand, he gave relative particulars of the increase in tlie British output of artillery ammunition from (lie beginning of the war. In March, 1015, the output, was iiinetren-fold greater than in September of the previous ,vrnr, thi- rjonmrl month .of the war, , aid U'a output wna beiajj oontiflU"

ously multiplied at a very rapid rate.

The position seems to be that the British supply of munitions, using the term in a wide sense, will call for ever-increasing efforts in organisation and manufacture while the war lasts and while additional troops are being sent into the fighting line. Iu great part the machinery of supply has had to bo improvised or adapted since the war uegan, and it is likely that whatever may be accomplished there will always be room for improvement. But there is no reliable ovidence for assuming that any grave failure has occurred in connection with the output of artillery ammunition. Problems undoubtedly exist in connection with the manufacture and supply of war munitions, of all kinds, but in the light of what definite information is available concerning output and the achievements of the army in the field the people who have dragged the production of artillery ammunition into such prominence seem to have greatly exaggerated the position.