PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2478, 3 June 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

News to-day of the campaigns in the two main theatres and at the Dardanelles is fairly satisfactory. In Northern France the French have captured another stronghold on the advance towards Lens—a sugar refinery which the Germans have tenaciously defended, but at time of writing there is no news of British progress further north. No change is reported in Galicia. The Italians have occupied an important height in the Southern _ Trentino, but no new development is reported on the approach to Istria.

A late Petrograd message reports that the Germans assaulted the north-westorn Przemysl forts, but were ultimately repulsed. Conflicting accounts arc given of the position in Eastern Galicia.

Slowly as the German-American crisis is developing it seems impossible that it can culminate otherwise than in a rupture of negotiations. The tension of the situation, which became acute a couple of days ago with Germany's virtual rejection of the American Note on the subject of the Lusitania, has been momentarily relieved by the decision of the American Government to dispatch another Note; but this is merely a postponement which does not bring a peaceful solution any nearer. It must be supposed that there is a liniit to American patience in spite of the amazing spectacle to which the United. States Government has treated the world during the last few weeks. Its Notes have bccome a 'source of international wonder. The ink was hardly dry on the Lusitania Note, demanding satisfaction for the murder of scores of American citizens on tho high seas, before an American ship, a fleet-collier, was torpedoed by a German submarine. Mow another American ship has been sunk, by shell-firo and torpedo, and still the Government is prepared to go on negotiating. On tbis evidence it would appear that President Wilson and nis advisers are ready to go on negotiating until the crack of doom, but other factors are operating which aro bound to bring the crisis to a head. The American nation is taking a long time to wake up, but it is bound to wako up sooner or later to the fact that something more than temperately-worded Notes is required to bring to reason a nation wliich arrogates' the right of murdering American citizens and sinking American ships at its own sweet will. Even President Wilson's philosophic calm may bo expected to evaporate in faco of Germany's policy and acts, and indeed there is a hint in the reported character of the latest Note—it is said to embody a demand for a- speedy reply—that he is at last moving up to tho point of action.

President Wilson has so often figured as an advocate and exponent of peace at any price that it is a little difficult to visualise him in any other character, but a spceoh which ho delivered six weeks ago at an Associated Press luncheon gives a hint of unsuspected possibilities. At that time the pro-German campaign in the United, States was in full blast and feeling had been intensified by Count Bernstobfk's remarkable action in publishing (with tho full sanction of his Government) an official memorandum reflecting upon and oriticising the Government of the United States. It had been openly suggested that in the event of America going to war with Germany tho great mass of Germans in tli3 United States woulJ be disloyal to their new allegiance and taks' up arms in support of Germany. Tb's must have been in President WjlsonJs mind when (as reported by the Washington correspondent of tho Morning Post) he said: "There is in some quarters a disposition to create distemper in this-body politic. Men are saying that if we should go to war upon either side there will be a divided America, an abominable libel of ignorance." There was an equally direct warning to Germany in another passage ill the President's spccoh: "My interest in the neutrality of America is not a petty desire to'keep out of trouble. I rlo m>t want to walk around trouble. If any man wants a 'scrap'—that is !in interesting 'scrap' and Worth while—l am his maii. I warn him lie is not going to draw me into a 'scrap' for his advertisement, but if lie is looking for trouble—that is, the trouble of men in general—and I can help a little, why, then, I an) in for it." The last passage _ <s iiuiuiif.lv phrased, ami in British cjars may sound a little undignified,, but it is « plain and nnmistakeltM<" lirnlir-iitKrmi-llfc, When PnERtcK.sT Witsps thus affirmed tho unity,

of the American nation and its ability and willingness to face its responsibilities, be was confronting cliielly the machinations of schemers liko Count Bbrnstokff and Herb DiißNiiuito. To theso Germany has now added grossly provocative and criminal acts of war. The resultant American negotiations have been spun out with what seems to outsiders exaggerated and unreasonable patience, akin to weakness, hut if Mil. Wilson has correctly expressed his own attitude and that of the nation he represents, the invitation to war which Germany has issued is not likely in the end to be evaded or refused.

Unless Germany is playing for an array of enemies which would enable her to make a spectacular surrender, her policv towards America is inexplicable. It has been argued that American intervention would weaken instead of strengthen the Allies by cutting off an important source of supply; but this has yet to be established. It ignores in any case fh© possibility of a Isensible arrangement between America and the Powers now at war with Germany which would enable the maximum pressure to be brought to bear upon that country. Also it seems to take insufficient account of America's enormous manufacturing resources. Possibly the Entente Powers are in a position to bring the war to an' end in a shorter period than would suffice to enable the United States to train a big army to supplement its present regular forcc of about 80,000 men, but American intervention would at once bring to the Entente a considerable accession of naval strength, and in various ways would tighten the net that is being drawn about the Germanic Alliance. In any case, available information suggests that Germany is working and hoping for a long war, and only time is needed to enable to develop and bring into operation enormous military' resoui'ccs. In these circumstance _ thc_ provocation offered to America is difficult to account for except on the assumption that Germany imagines that' the United States will not go to war but is ready to be smoothed over even at tho last extremity.

Accounts of the latest Zeppelin raids on England disclose an interesting hesitation on the part of the giant airships to strike at what may presumably be regarded as their ultimate objective—London. Long ago it was predicted, apparently on German inspiration, that London would be bombarded from the air in April, but tho prediction was not borne out. In their latest excursion the Zeppelins seem to have pottered about the mouth of the Thames, as they have done on previous' occasions, doing a little clamage, but not more than might have been accomplished bfy two or three raiding aeroplanes. The reticence of the British authorities, however, is an indication that the possibility of a more, purposeful attack is still seriously regarded. Experts have expressed the opinion that the raids by single Zeppelins and by small squadrons, which have hitherto been tho rule, are intended, not so much to secure immediate results, as to spy out the land and discover something about tho British plans for dealing with attacks upon manufacturing and military centres. These aims, as far as information goes,, have been very poorly realised, and it is likely that the anti-aircraft defences of London, which have undoubtedly been elaborated to the utmost possible extent, remain an unknown, and therefore formidable, factor to the German air-raiders.

On the whole the Zeppelins in their preliminary raids in the region of tho Thames and the manufacturing areas further north seem to have done far more to expose their own 'limitations than to spy out the English' defences. Where they have attempted dama-ge the results have been compaiatively trifling. Their bomb-dropping is erratic and their navigation has in it an element of bliiid_ groping, very unfavourable to swift and effective attack. As to their bomb-dropping powers, an instance may be quoted. Some weeks ago a Zeppelin tried to drop bombs on Henham Hall (a few miles from Southwold), a place by the way which was in use as a military hospital. Twenty-three incendiary bombs were dropped, and two explosive bombs. The majority did not fall within 100 to 200 yards of the building, and some fell quite 400 yards away. This was a case in which a Zeppelin attempted to bombarb an isolated building in extensive grounds, so that there could bo no doubt as to the target aimed at. . Observations of this particular Zeppelin, which made frequent uso of two small searchlights, indicated that its directing pilots had lost their way, and it was assumed that the attack on the hospital was made without knowledge of its real character.

Whatever the actual navigating and offensive powers of the Zeppelins may be, it is at anyrate a very significant fact that at the end of nearly ten months of war they have inflicted no material damage at any single point in England. Germany could probably assemble about thirty of the big airships a raid in force, and that something of the kind was not attempted weeks ago is a distinct confession of weakness. When raiding over land is concerned, the reputation of the Zeppelin is lower now than it was at the beginning of the war. In English districts which they have visited the menace of the Zeppelins is no longer very seriously regarded. Bombs might do more damage in the heavily built areas of London than they have done in small towns and rural districts, but considerable cities on the Continent —Paris amongst the number —which have been subjected to Zeppelin bombardment, have suffered comparatively little. All things considered, it -is not difficult to understand the long delay of the much-boomed "Dreadnoughts of tho air" in facing the probably formidable defences of London.

The poor performance of the Zeppelins is in striking contrast to the splendid achievements of the Allied aeroplanes, which have lately been busily bombarding the German depots and lines of communication behind the fighting lines in Northern Prance and elsewhere. Each such enterprise is a deadly blow at the enemy, equal in importance to a successful artillery bombardment or infantry assault. As time goes on ami the air fleets of the Allies aio increased, attacks of this character are likely to be multiplied. Carried out upo\\ a sufficiently extensive scale, they would absolutely paralyse the resistance of the enemy on a given section of his front, for the free and uninterrupted passage of sHtwlies of coursn essential to hie jlglitiug blren»ih. At» M, owing

duubtlcsa to tho limited number of aeroplanes available for the work, tho damage dono along tho enemy's lines of supply seems to huvi: been of an intermittent character, but iniu'li more important results arc within the range of possibility, it has even been claimed that a sufficient force of aeroplanes would be able to paralyse Germany's military activities, not by local damage along the lines of communication, but by striking nt her home liases of supply, notably the great K IKJI'I' works at Essen, it is calcnlaled, however, by the author of this ambitious project (Mr. L. Hi.in Des--1:1,12ns) I hat a force of two thousand aeroplanes would have to be provided, this number ensuring an active force of a thousand aeroplanes being available at any given time. oranted such a force he considers that even an establishment like the Kuupp works could be wiped out Considering the demand that exists for the services of aeroplanes in scouting, in directing artillery, and generally in close, touch with tho armies in the field, and the difficulties of manufacturing machines and training pilots, it is unlikely that the Allies will ever have a force of a thousand aeroplanes or more available for direct attack upon tho enemy. But even with much more limited numbers a great deal is being dono to hamper and impede the operations of the German armies.