PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2488, 15 June 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

4 One of the most interesting contributions to the war news to-day is made by a correspondent, who deals with the French offensive in Northern France, not from the standpoint of so much ground gained by the Allies, but from that of its' effect upon the German dofcnce. In its total effect, he declares, the French offensive is causing consternation to the German commanders. There is no doubt a certain amount of imagination in these and other observations which the correspondent makes, but the fact is perfectly excusable. It is only by allowing the imagination some play that any real conception can be gained of the offensive and what it means. The bare facts of the position, as they have been made manifest in official messages, aire that the Germans hav.e been dislodged—by the French assaults now vigorously continuing north of Arras and in the earlier French and British assaults further north towards Lille—from a series of strong positions which they held to the last gasp, More than that, though the offensive continued for weeks on the twentj'-five-mile front from Arras to Flahders has necessarily imposed a heavy drain upon the Allied resources, they have lately extended the area- of their offensive, and there is no reason to suppose that they are anywhere near the end of their tether in this respect. That the Germans have created a mobile column which is kept constantly on the move is not very much to the point. It simply means that they still have certain reserves available, apart from the troops garrisoning their trenches and fortified lines, to stiffen threatened sections of their front. The form in which the statement however, suggests that the Germans are compelled already to make the very most of their reserves, and if it is based upon anything ih tlu; shape of definite inforrriation the point thus raised is of very great interest indeed. When the drain upon German reinforcements has gone far enough resistance upon their present line will necessarily collapse, whether or not some vital point on the line has been carried -by a grand assault. * * » ft It is hardly likely that the correspondent who declares that the German comiiianders are struck with consternation is speaking from direct itifonnatiou, but if lie is merely submitting an inference it is an inference justified by the known facts. Th<j local and immediate value of the conquests lately made . by the French and British in Northern France is not clear. Possession of Neuville and other strorigholdsj on the fringe of tha plain traversed by a network of railways 6outh and west of Lillej seems to Open up a prospect that the latter fortress may be turned arid a vital blow struck at the German communications. It is far from certain, however, that the Allies intend to ooritinue arid develop their assault to the point of encircling Lille. Important as it is, tho advance towards Lillo froni south and west falls as vet quite naturally into lilac with a long series of operations against the German front, carried out during a period of months. These operations have extended from Flanders to the Swiss frontier. In. portions of Alsace the French have long been established in positions along tho fringe of the mountains from which their guns dominate the neighbouring plain. East and south of Verdun they hold similar positions dominating the plain, which extends towards Lorraine. In the Argoririe they fought strenuously for an important road orossing tne forest, and, having gained it, have since been content to stand mainly on the defensive. In the Champagne offensive wbioh preceded Neuve Chapelle they drove the Germans back towards an important lateral railway backing their front at that point. At Neuve Chapelle and Hill GO tho Gerinans lost commanding and covering positions, whioh _ tended greatly to strengthen their front, and the same applies with even greater force to their recent losses north of Arraa. Here they have been expelled from immensely strong _ positions, and their hold upon vital railways is accordingly imperilled. Though no doubt each governed iriorc or less by local considerations, these successful actions and others fought during tho last few months have had an all-important- cumulative effect in weakening the German front as a whole. While tho German reserves are being drained away in the war of attrition, their front has been progressively weakened, not at one point, but at many points. As a consequence, the need - for men increases a-s tho supply diminishes, fe * * * On the facts as they appear, there seems no reason to doubt that tho Allies will Ultimately gain their end of driving back the Gorman line, without incurring the cost that would be involved in a frontal attack on Lille and its railways. Already the process of weakening the German lino has gone far. At many points the enemy arc now unfavourably placed, where they were ' formerly strongly established. The ! best proof that mo Allies arc within the facts in assorting their superiority in men and equipment is to be found in the vigour arid continued i-iMi -ti-Higlj fey their 'poli& « JTM.W m,

German strength. Further successes by the French are reported to-day north of Arras, and as far south as the Aisnc. At the same time the Germans seem to be as far as ever from achieving an effective counterstroke. Their late assault at Dixraudo appears to have been an isolated effort. In these circumstances ih is easy to believe that the German commanders arc far from happy. They are called upon to reverse a process that has been in relentless operation for months, or face defeat. Meantime the strength of the Allies is rising like a wave, slowly but inevitably, against; tho weakening German line, and clay by day and week by week greater obstacles arc opposed to any attempt by tho Germans to regain the upper band. * # it * Russian and German reports alike ; confirm the important Russian victory on the Dniester, south of Lemberg. A German communique published yesterday admits that Zari avno was evacuated on Thursday . last. This shows that the enemy wero , not only driven back across the Dniester, but compelled to retreat a further distance on the south bank, and their own earlier reports put it beyond doubt that they regarded the crossing at Zaravno as the prelude to a victorious advance : on Lemberg. The Germans claim that they have since recaptured Zaravno. This is neither confirmed nor denied in the Russian accounts, but in any case, on their own showing, the enemy remain on the south bank of tie Dniester in the region where they lately launched their main attack on Lemberg. The Grand Duke Nicholas reports the capture of nearly 16,000 officers and men at Zaravno, so that the total Austro-Ger-man losses must have been enormous. * * * * While the position south of Lem- | berg seems to be secure, developments less favourable to the Russans are reported at tho eastern end of their front. They have once again been driven out of Bukowina, the much-disputed c-rownland _ which dips south from'- Eastern Galicia between the Carpathians bordering Transylvania and the frontier _ or Rumania, From their late positions in Bukowina the" Russians have retreated north about thirty miles to the Dniester; and the enemy _ have crossed the river at several points on a thirty-mile front near the eastern end of "Galicia. This latest AustroGerman move must bo regarded as , another attempt on Lemberg, but it is made with poorer prospects than tho attack on tho river immediately south of Lemberg, which ended last week in disastrous defeat. Tho easy crossing of the Dniester on the new front is riot of necessity important, and may only mean that the Russians prefer a defensive line nearer to their base than the river would afford. Zaravno is onlv 40 miles away froni Lemberg, while Niezviska, the nearest point at which the Austro-Gerinans have riow .crossed, is 100 miles distant. On their new front the enemy are not only at a greater distance from their objective but are also further from their bases of supply, and are also less favourably placed .to co-operate with the armies assailing the Russians northeast of Przemysl and along the San. Indeed, it will not be at all surprising if the Austro-Germans shortly renew, their attempt to reach Lemberg by the more direct route from the south. * # * * Wi.th tho retreat of the Russians on their sOuth-easterri front, their foothold in Galicia has contracted to an area which may be roughly described as a rectangle constituting the hbrth-casttirn quarter of tho province. Lemberg is nearly in the centre of the figure, and is tho actual centre of the' railways which radiate frOln it to all parts of the Russian front. Przemysl, in enemy , hands, is at the south-western corner J of the rectangle. At time of writing . there is no news of events in tho [ immediate neighbourhood of the ' fortress, iior further north along the San. _ The new Austro-Germari ati tack is developing on the southern ' boundary of tho rectangle towards its eastern end. * * * * A late message dealing at large ; with oveilts in the Eastern theatre includes an enemy communique claiming that they have recaptured \ Sieniaya, on the eastern bank of the , San, | in Northern Galicia. The ; Russians not long ago. drove tie [ enemy back across the river a-t this i point. References to a Russian , cavalry charge in the eastern area, where the enemy are riow across the ' Dniester; stiggest that the Russians in this region are by no means in • disorderly retreat. A blaze of fighting is described at many points on ; the Eastern front, the inost.irnpo.rt- ' ant detail being an assault by two | enemy divisions on the Bzura line, ' west of Warsaw. The resultant battle is still in progress.- » » * * ' It would be interesting to hear 1 what the Austrians have to say about events along the Italian frontiers. According to their own accounts the 1 Italians are making remarkable pro- ; gress on the approach to Istria. HavI irig forced the passage of the Isonzo [ River, near the Adriatic coast and ' about forty miles further north, they ' are now bombarding the outlying de--1 fences of Gorizia, an ihterrnediate | point of the utmost importance, it 1 is a town and railway junction on the east bank of the Isonzo, about 15 mileß north of the Gulf of Trieste. J F-roiri Gorizia railways run north ' arid south along the river, west into Italy and east arid south into Istria, | affording communication with Trieste 1 and other places. The Italians ' seem to be Btrongly posted on the east barik of the Isonzo. They have i. cut the railway north arid south of | Gorizia-, arid such details as are ' given of the bombardment indicate j that the place is in a fair way to bo encircled. Successful progress is also reported in the Trentino. ; * * * * .Skilled observers are stated to be of opinion that the Greek elections ; now in progress will result in tho ; return' to power of M. Venizelos, who resighed some riioriths ago because his views in regard to foreign policy were at variance with those of King C'onstantine. Tho return of M. Venizelos would be a factor making for Greet intervention in the war. Apprehensions have late- ' ly been expressed that the illness of ' the King might result in a sympathy vote being cast against M. Yenizelos and tho interventionist.party, but if ' tho prediction now made is borno out these apprehensions wero ground less. « * * * With reference to our comments the Medical Section of the Defence Department it has been suggested to us that, the weakness of the position is partly due to the fact that the Director of Medical Ser--1 vices attempts too much detailed work himself instead of, corifiriirig to . oi'sahicaMMi , a-nd Jmwl matew's o£ fttwlaktra,-

tion. This ma-y be the case. fIOLOSEL Purdy has the reputation of being a very zealous officer, and it is possible that his zeal has led him into the error of overtaxing himself. If such is the case, then plainly the simplest method of meetmg the situation is to readjust the work of the Department so as to ensure the fullest advantage being taken of Colosei, Puudy's experience in Defence matters without the drawbacks which at present exist. A rearrangement of this nature should not prove a difficult matter to carry out, and should prove more satisfactory to all concerned.