PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2564, 11 September 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Some matters _ connected with re'parted changes in the Russian high command, and the trend of the Eastern campaign generally, sti'll await an explanation, but such definite news as is under _ these heads at time of writing is uniformly good. Taking the gloomiest view of the situation from which the veil has been only partly lifted the changes mado would imply a measure of dislocation in the Russian organisation, which would inevitably bo reflected in more or less pronounced demoralisation of the armies in the field. No token of such untoward developments is afforded in the war news, which at the moment provides the only available test. On the contrary the Russians are able to report a substantial victory in Eastern Galicia. This is a : gratifying sequel to the victories won in the same region and in the Baltic Provinces a fortnight ago,' and equally with these events goes to indicate that .the Russians are within measureable distance of achieving a mastery of the situation created by their retreat. It is quite impossible upon the information at oommand to dogmatise upon such a complex situation as exists in the Eastern theatre, but it is clearly established that for some weeks past the • Austro-Germans have made extremely slow headway in their invasion, and that during this period they have been more than once soundly beaten in pitohed battles, of which the engagement at Tarnopol is the latest example.

At the same timo it cannot be ignored that tho Russians are still very definitely thrown back upon fclio defensive and subjected to a heavy strain. In some areas they aro still retreating, though slowly, and even in Eastern Galicia the period of a fortnight which lias witnessed two victorious encounters with tho onemy Has witnessed also, a considerable evacuation of territory by the Russians. Tho oircumfitauccs obtaining in Galicia, howover, tiro consistent with tho idea that the Russians aro now rapidly hardening up their defence. The retreat is no longer general, and appears for tho timo beinp at least to bo confined to areas _in which local retirements aro being effected for tho Kiko of a better dofence. 'So far as Eastern Galicia and the region immediately to tho north aro concerned, the victories they have won constitute tho best possible' proof that tho Russians have retired during tho last two weeks bccauso it has suited them to do so, and not Under compelling pressure by the enemy. •h* * »

Considering the oireumstanecs in which it was won, tho .victory of tho Russians at Tarnopol must be accounted a _ remarkable achieve; racnt. As might be 'expected the oucmy sock to minimiso tho Russian success by stressing tho fact that the attack was followed by a withdrawal to tho positions from which it was launched, but this is really beside tho point. Tho Russian enterprise was in tho nature of a sortie against an cnomy preparing a powerful offensive, and in that character it brilliantly succcedcd. Two Gorman divisions, in addition to an Austrian force, wore attacked and decisively beaten west of Tarnopol, t a. heavy blow was struck simultaneously at the enemy forces in the region of Trembovla, about 15 miles to the south, and still further south Austrian attacks were repelled with heavy loss. Including the 8000 Germans captured near Tarnopol, tho enemy lost close npon 12,000 officers and men taken prisoner, and a. large amount of light and heavy artillery and war material. The AustroGermans must have lost many more men • killed and wounded than the number taken prisoner. On these facts the Russian victory was of considerable magnitude, oven as battles go on tbo Eastern front, That it .should have been ,vron ifi all tie mora,

noteworthy when it is remembered that the Austro-Germans wore fighting only 60 miles east of Lemberg and with all the advantages conferred by excellent railway communications. It is an outstanding feature of the'_ battle that the Russians were ultimately brought to a halt by an. artillery fire of such intensity that they were unable to withstand it. No reason is given f<?r the failure of the enemy to use this preponderance' in artillery before he had . suffered such heavy losses, but the most obvious explanation is that reserves of artillery were brought up from Lemberg or elsewhere which it had perhaps Deen intended to use in some oilier section of the war theatre than Eastern Galicia. It is not the least valuable aspect of such a victory as the Russians have' won that it is calculated to compel _ the enemy to revise the. distribution of' his available forces under pressure of necessity instead of in conformity with his deliberate plans.

*«' * * A later Petrograd communique states that the Russian success at Trcmbovlav south of. Tarnopol, equalled that in the battle west of Tarnopol, and that the enemy is retreating, having lost 7000 prisoners. This means that the AustroGermans lost, all told, more than 17,000 men taken prisoner in the recent battle. On the other hand, the Austrians report the capture of Dubno, a place thirty miles away from thb. Galician frontier, on a railway running north-east from Lemberg. Duduo lies duo north of Tarnopol, and its.capture,■ if it has been effected, may affect the position further south. In the immediate neighbourhood of Dubno, however, the Russians havo an advantage in the matter of railway communications, and the loss of the place does not in itself rob them of that 'advantage.

It was remarked yesterday ' that the assumption of supreme command by the Tsar can only bo regarded as nominal and'fictitious so tar as actual control of the Russian armies is conoerned, but there is another aspect of the matter whioh should not be overlooked, though it stands distinctly apart from the practical exigencies of the high command. The Tear certainly cannot step into the shoes of the Grand Dtjke Nicholas as a military commander, but he is none the less capable of exerting a moral influence upon his armies which must be reckoned of vast importance even in these-days of blood and iron in which battalions and brigades are so many pawns in the great game of war. The influence of the Tsar is not to bo measured by any British standard or conception of monarchy. As is remarked by a writer in the Nineteenth Century, by a great proportion of his subjects the Tsar is regarded as a demigod, the incarnation of all that Holy Russia stands -for. The Russian peasant, when he names his Tsar, or hears him named, makes the sign of the Cross. The simple reverenoe and loyalty thus manifested have not survived unimpaired in the conditions of metropolitan life, but the Russian peasant is the backbono of the Russian Army, and the personality and influence of the Tsar add a tremendous moral force to the fighting strength of the nation. The knowledge that the Tsar is with them in tie field will inspire his-soldiers to fresh deeds of valour, and his presence must be regarded as a call for supreme exertion and sacrifice—a call whioh will certainly not be mado in vain.

The Germans lay claim, to a victory in the Argonne Forest involving a gain'of ground to a depth of over 'five hundred yards on a front of a niilo and'a quarter. . French reports, on the other hand, declare that the enemy attacks, though pressed with vigour and in considerable strength, were unsuccessful exceptto the extent of the capture, of portion of a single trench. Possibly the German account carries events to_ a later period, but it is equally likely that it represents _ a deliberate exaggeration. It will be remembered that on tho occasion of tiie Crown Prince's attack in the Argonne the Germans gave bombastic accounts of their success, whereas it really amounted to a gain of about,a .mile of ground, on a narrow front, the greater part of whioh was retaken almost immediately by tho French.

Uncertainty again dominates the Balkan situation, the least satisfactory item in the current budget of news being a report that Turkey has concluded an agreement to cede that portion of the Dedeagateh railway whioh runs through her territory to Bulgaria. It has been represented, that -bhis concession has no important bearing upon the larger issues at stako in the Balkans, uut it is obviously unlikely that Turkey would voluntarily make any concession unless she saw somo prospect of compensating advantage. More satisfactory prospects are opened up by the announcement that a conference of Balkan Premiers and military attaches, convened by M. Venezelos, is to assemble at Salonika, With matters in this state a note of optimism is sounded from Rome. Diplomats are convinced, it is declared, that Bulgaria has given up the idea of throwing 'in her lot withthe Austro-Germans, and further that- Rumania is prepared to put 300,000 men in the field in the event cither of an Austro-German invasion of the Balkans, the entry of Bulgaria, or a definite conquest of the Dardanelles. Who the "diplomats" arc does not appear. • .** * » There is no official news of the Dardanelles campaign at time' of writing, hut an unofficial message reports the transfer of Turkish troops from the_ Caucasus, to the Isthmus of Bulair. If this report is founded on fact it certainly does not indicate an apprehension of renewed and extended activities by the Russians in Asia Minor.

• The manager of Everybody's Picture Theatro (Mr. T. Donovan) was prosecuted by the City Corporation in the Magistrate's Court yesterday for allowing people to remain standing in the passages of tho theatre on August 21 last. A fino of £1, with costs 75., was imposed. It was stated, on behalf of defendant, that the 1 front scats of tiia theatre wero empty on the occasion in question, but that the people refused to take these seats. The prosecution said that apart from the evening iu question, defendant was a verj satis/ factory theatro licensee.

In a very penitent and humble nianhei a cyclist, while admitting iu the Magisi trato's. Court yesterday a charge ol riding his machino after dark without a light, said his lamp had been stolen and that after walking his machine a certain distance ho had risked it, and as a. result had his name taken by a constable. "The report of the constable," said counsel for the Corporation, "is to the effect that when asked why he iwjj riding without a light he casually said, 'Just through force of habit, 1 suppose.' " "Fined 10s., with costs 75.,"' came the Magistrate's decision imme< diately. t Three prisoners will appear in the I Supreme Court this morning to he sentenced by His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). Their names are: Johu Henry Heath, breaking;, entering, and theft; Michael Disraeli Joyce, theft from a dwelling; and Nelson John Humphrey, theft of postal packet (two charges). A New Zealand officer, writing from the firing line at Gallipoli," says:' "General Godlev, in passing through a sap recently, accidentally bumped into one of the Australians u'ho was working vigorously with a pick. ,'AII right, that's the seventh — what's bumped me this morning,' said the Australian, The general simply smiled and remark* ed: 'I don't seem to .be very populal hers.'"

There was a look of aggrieved indigo nation about tlie face of a hawker who appeared ill the Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged .with pursuing his calling without having a license. Ha protested that 'lie'had to make a living," tliat "others ' should have been summoned, too," and many other things. "You admit you should have had a license?" inquired tlie Magistrate. "I suppose I do," said the hawker, "but I ought to have been notified." His Worship intimated that the fine would be 205., with 7s. costs, in default three (lays' imprisonment. ' "What I"'cried the injured hawker, "I'll do time," and with that he strode towards the door leading to the police cells, with an air that appeared to expect the entire Court to rise aud protest against Mb act of martyrdom.

Had it not been for the prompt action of tho Harbour Board niglitwatchman on the Queen's Wharf last evening a case of drowning would probably have been recorded. At about 9.30 p.m. a well-dressed man was observed to ho walking alpng the wharf in tlie vicipitv.of No. 8 berth, when he either slipped, or fell 'overboard. . 'Immediately the cry was raised ; Messrs. Meredith, Peters, and Lewis, ' niglitwatchnien, rushed, to the spot and after considerable difficulty managed to rescue the man from a watery grave. After ho had recovered somewhat lie was escorted to his hotel by a civilian.

Trentham Camp will not be open to. the general public on Sunday, or in fact at any time until further notice "When the name, William John Her* bert Eraser, was called in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday, "a diminutive youth walked forward and admitted that he was that person, also that he had obstructed military drill. A Defence officer arose and said that although William John Herbert Fraser was small, he had caused no small amount of trouble at recent parades. He was so small it was hard to know what to do with him. Thereupon William John Herbert Fraser was severely admonished by 'the Magistrate, ■ who said that on this _ occasion lie would only fine him os., with costs 75., but that if William John Herbert Fraser persisted in liis bad conduct .-it drill lie "might be fined £5." At this tlie diminutive owner of the big name looked exceedingly frightened, and hurried from the Court. A notice regarding the Orari Reserve, formerly kuown as Wilton's Bush (Wadestown), appears in -this■ week's Gazette. The control of the reserve is vested in a board consisting o£ the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Wellington, the chairman of the Reserves Commi#ee .of the Wellington City Council (both ex-officio), Messrs. Martin Chapman, K.C., Leonard Cockayne, Ph.D., F.R.S., B. M. Molineaus, and L. 0. H.' Tripp, under the title of the Orari Scenio Board.

A suggestion was made to the Min.« ister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hunan) yesterday by Mr., H. Poland that the junior cadet system should bo established in the public schools. Mr. Poland quoted from a report of tho Auckland inspectors who commended the system highly. Mr. Hanan replied that the matter involved a very important question of policy. _ There were reasons which had induced his predecessor to abolish the system.. The question- was one to be carefully considered, and he would not care, to reply, to it off-hand. It was his intention to give the matter consideration,-and lie promised to make a statement later in the session.