PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2480, 5 June 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The speech in which Mr. Lloyd George has signalised his appointment to tho office of Minister of Munitions ■ should stir the British nation like a trumpet-call. He had no admissions to: make to the croakers who have lately been lamenting that tho British Army is crippled by a- shortage of artillery ammunition, when in fact it is considerably more than holding its own. At tha same time he mado it plain that tho immediate demand upon the British nation is for such a production of munitions of war as will make it possiblo to overwhelm the German armies, as tho Germans have lately overwhelmed the Russians in Galicia. In its frank admission of ugly facts and recognition of work to De done, the speech is a remarkable departure from tho past utterances of British Ministers. It will inevitably raise the thought that such speeches should have been made long ago, and that if Mr. Lloyd George and his colleagues had made such stirring appeals to the nation months since, tho war would have been bo much nearer its end. However', in a great war, as in lesser human affairs, it is useless to crv over spilt milk, and the speech of the Minister of Munitions may be accepted as a token that the formation of the National Cabinet will shortly bear good fruits in tho organisation of tho nation for war on a scale not hitherto attempted. » » » » The Minister's speech has in some respects almost tho force of revelation. That the Russians in Galicia had been overwhelmed, not by superior valour in the Auatro-German soldiers, but by a tornado of artil-lory-firo, was already known, but it is something new to hear from a British Minister that if we had been in a position to apply the same process in the West the enemy would have been driven out of France and Bolgium, Germany would have been penetrated, and the end of the war would have been in sight. There has perhaps been a tendency to reoeivo too readily an idea that the war in tho West is bound to follow for a long time the lines of a slow death-grapple on a practically star tionary line. Me. Lloyd George, at all events, has painted a different possibility, and in a fashion which should awaken every ounce of force of which the nation is capable. Hb points in the first instance to an industrial rather than to a military effort. Conscription, and the principle of State control and compulsion in the production of munitions were both touched upon in his speech, but the reference to conscription is set asido for the time by his statement that tho numbers of men raised by voluntary enlistment are far ahead of available equipment. It is very much more in tho circumstances that the Imperial Government is prepared to take all neccssary steps in controlling both employers and employed in order to secure tho maximum production of munitions. Mr. Lloyd George did not go into details, but he mado it evident that fho Government intends to act with decision. The munitions workers whom the Minister addressed at Manchester passed a resolution pledging their support to action deemed necessary by the Government, and it is certain that the nation will as quickly respond. Thorn was need for a call, and its first notes, at all ovents, have been soundod with cffcct.

T:» iin immediate effect new? toda,?, oi evoJits in GftUoio. ia bad. It

goes in the main to show that Austrouerman attacks, instead of slackening, are being pressed as vigorously as ever, and that tho Russians have so lost ground at one or two vital points as to threaten thoir continued occupation of tho reduced area they still hold in Galicia. An Austrian message reporting the capture of Przemysl would not in itself establish the fact, but Russian reports on the subject are scarcely a denial. Tlicy state that tho northern and north-western, forts, against which tho enemy launched their attack, were almost demolished by tho Austrians before the surrender in March, leaving it to be inferred that they have remained in that state. For the rest the Russian story is ono of heroic resistance ending in defeat, and it can hardly bo doubted that the fortress is onco again in tho hands of the enemy. Tho loss of Przcmysl may not in itself affect tho general position so much as it would have done had the Russians been placing dependence upon it as a strong fortress, but critical developments are also reported further east, whero tho Russia® left-wing extends towards Bukowina. In part, these reports rest upon enemy authority, but to the extent that Russian and Gorman accounts are in harmony tho position disclosed is still serious.

Eabt and south of Przemysl the Russians are lighting in advance of the Dniester, in some places considerably in advance, ana the Dniester covers the most important of the Galioiaji. railways upon which tho Russians are now dependent. Today's news indicates that the Russians are being forced back towards the Dniester, as they have been forced back of Przemysl, and further north upon their line facing generally west. The Germans claim that they have reached a village about three miles south of the Dniester, and still closer to the easternmost of two railways which run north from Stryj to Lemberg. Tho enemy communique states also that in the battle at Stryj, which the Russians reported yesterday to be still undecided,' they captured over twelve thousand Russians and a considerable amount of artillery. Russian accounts of the fighting in this region admit that the enemy have achieved "some success," and then go on to speak of a Russian success further east. It is therefore quite likely that the enemy's claim that they have all but reached the Dniester on the approach to Lemberg is truo. If they force the river, as they have forced the San, Russian victories further east will be of- little avail, for a retreat all along the line to the eastern end of Galicia will be in prospect.

The continued Russian tenure of Galicia seems to be very largely dependent upon the remaining resources which the Austro-Germans are in a position to throw into the scale in this theatre. It has been reported recently that their ammunition stores are running low, and that their artillery predominance as a consequence is diminishing. The smashing assault on Przemysl by the Austrian 16-inch howitzers ana the rigorous advance towards the Dniester further east tell a somewhat different story, but it is as true as ever that the Austro-Germans are rapidly spending strength in an enterprise that seems to promise them no definite or final aclvantage. So long as they c-an maintain a west-ward-facing line on or near the San, and hold the Dniester, the Russians will retain possession of a section of Galicia which may be roughly described as the north-eastern quarter of that province. Until the enemy succeeds in closing in on Lcmberg, the Russians, assuming that they are forced back, will be fighting in this area on a continually 1 shortening front, and so under the best possible conditions to offer a stubborn resistance. Possibly they can be expelled from Galicia altogether, at a price, but tho price is one that tho enemy should liardly be in a condition to pay. » * * 0

A late message from Petrograd indicates _ that tho Russians are cheerful in adversity. As regards Przemysl, it is stated broadly, that it was indefensible, and that by withdrawing to tie east the Russians have shortened and strengthened their lino. It is further indicated that on some sections of the front they are attacking with success, but there is no clcar definition of tho position south of the Dniester, on the approach to Lemberg. Satisfactory assurances are given concerning the front west of Warsaw. The Germans aro making full use of poisonous pas, but the Russians are well provided with respirators, and apparently are holding their lines intact.

An important victory haa beon gained by _ tho Anglo-Indian force operating in Mesopotamia, north of the Persian Gulf, in circumstances indicating that' this campaign is developing; on more ambitious lines than was intended when it was first undertaken. The principal duty allotted to the Anglo-Indian force in this region is, or was, the defence of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company's pipe lino which conveys petroleum from Persian springs ninety mile 3 east of the Turco-Persian frontier and about the same distance north of tho Gulf. In 1914 the British Government, having oil-supplies for the Navy in view, acquired a controlling interest in the Anglo-Persian Company's undertaking. Tho pipe-lino runs south-west towards tho TurcoPersian frontier, reaching it near Mohammcrah, on the Shat-fc-el-Arab, forty miles from tho head of the Gulf. It has been a Turkish objective for months. The main Ottoman attack has been developed along tho rivers Euphrates and the Tigris, which afford means of transport. They _ run well to _ the west of tie frontier, and meet just above Basra, twenty miles west of Mohammerah. A Turkish force about 15,000 strong was heavily defeated in the region south and west of Basra in April last, and compelled to retreat along the_ Euphrates west of Basra. Tentative attacks on tho pipe-line itself, towards its northern end, were also defeated at about the same time, but it was then considered unlikely that the British force would advanco far beyond Basra, along the Euphrates and the Tigris, an apprehension being entertained that the Turks might bring up heavy reinforcements. Tho British victory reported to-day and the locality of the lighting indicate cither that the British force has been strengthened or that the Turks in Mesopotamia have been weakened by the pressuro of the other campaigns at the Dardanelles and elsewhere. At all-events i' combined naval and military attack upon the Turks at Kurna, on the Tigris, about 45 miles north-west of Basra, has been crowned with complete success. Tho enemy was dislodged from defensive positions, and tho British pursuit has already reached a point 33 milcn north of Kurna. Gunboate 011 tlio river have

played havoc with tho Turkish transport, sinking a steamer and capturing two largo lighters and other vessels. All the reported circumstances, including the capture of these vessels and of artillery, point to the complete rout of tho Turks. Their total losses must havo been heavy, for about GOO were taken prisoner. Tho British casualties, it is stated, numbered only twenty. Developing on these lines the campaign in Mesopotamia should exert an influence upou operations in other parts of tho Ottoman Empire.

An idea of what tho war of attrition amounts to in its later developments may bo gathered from a recent oliieial report dealing with the losses sustained and inflicted by a French division in twenty-four days of lighting (to Juno 1), during which it carried by assault Carcncy and a number of other positions west and south of Lens. Assuming that it was at full stronjzth, and it is the policy of tho Frencn War Staff to maintain formations in the fighting lino always at full strongth, the division would consist of about 16,000 men. The statistics of wastago are official, and can bo rejected only on the supposition that the French Government has lent itself to a deliberate deception. As tho report goes, the division during the twenty-four days made 3100 prisoners, buried 2600 German dead, and lost in wounded, dead, and missing 3200. Two-thirds of the latter number were slightly wounded. In considering tho total of German losses, somo allowance must be made for dead carried off and buried by their comrades, and for a number of wounded other than wounded prisoners. Even as the figures stand, and they must of necessity be to some extent incomplete as regards the German losses, the French division is shown to have inflicted permanent losses on the enemy equal to more than one-third of its own strength, w r hile its own permanent losses were about one-sixteenth of its own strength. To put it in another way, the German permanent losses were six times as great as those of the French division which inflicted theso losses. ■ Taking the ratio of German wounded to killed as 3 to 1 they must have had close upon 8000 men wounded (besides those who were killed) in the twentyfour days' fighting. Even assuming that the whole of the 3100 German prisoners were wounded (which is unlikely) the German permanent and temporary losses must have reachctl a total of close upon 11,000. This is equal to more than two-thirds of the total strength of tho French division, which suffered coincidently permanent and temporary losses totalling 3200, approximately oncfifth of its strength. rt * * ft

German permanent and temporary losses four times as great as thoso of the French and permanent losses six times as great, may seem almost incredible, but the latter comparison is supplied by tho official figures as they stand without making any allowance for hypothetical additions. The casa of this French division is no doubt exceptional, but the strategy of the Western Allies is largely based upon the assumption that, as a result of tho wasteful German battle-tactics, German wastage will always, or practically always, be very much greater than that of the Allies. It is true that on the approach to Lens, and elsewhere in Northern France, the Allies are on tho offensive, but German counter-attacks have been a constant feature of tho operations, and they almost invariably entail heavy loss to the enemy. Even if the normal ratio of German and Allied losses is only half, or less than half, as favourable to the Allies as in this concrete instance, it is Btill true that tho policy of attrition is being justified in its rosults, and in tho prospects which it opens up. In Northern Franco alone, not thousands, but hundreds of thousands, of men are engaged, and General . Joffre's policy of "nibbling at them" resolves itself into a terrible drain upon tho total German strength, a drain very much greater than tho corresponding losses of the Allies. * • t> # 'News from the Dardanelles today relates chiefly to naval activities, and in particular there is an official report that a.large_ German steamer employed as a Turkish transport has been sunk by a British submarine in the Sea of There are interesting stories of disputes between the Turks and their Gorman officers,. which havo led to bloodshed, but they rest on unofficial authority. . *#- « * Reports from Homo point to tho continued successful development of the Italian campaigns along the frontiers, and tell also of disorders in Trieste, which is very largoly populated by Italians. Here and elsewhere tho Austrian authorities are resorting to brutal methods of repression, but in Trieste especially the antagonism of the Italian population is likely to be a considorablo factor in the war.