PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2567, 15 September 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

No true conception will be gained of the campaign against Turkey unless due heed is givofi to the fact that the Ottoman Empire is working upon limited resources of men and material, which have already been considerably curtailed by Allied operations on land and sea. At the same time it is to bo doubted whether any particular value attaohes to the statement made by a correspondent at Athens that the higher German command has notified Berlin that the Turkish army cannot continue its resistance beyond September 26. An expectation that the Ottoman defence must ultimately collapse_ unless Germany succeeds in conveying relief to her ally is legitimate, since it is supported by visible facts, but there is no definite ovidence that the Turks are so nearly at the end of their resources as tho Athens message suggests. Facts, indeed, point to an opposite conclusion. 1 * * * #

The Turks, with their resources, are fighting three campaigns and are also under the necessity of making extensive provision for defence along the Mediterranean seaboard of Asia Minor, where a new campaign may open at any time. There is thus a heavy call upon their resources, aucl these resources havo been reduced'not only by the ordinary wastage of war, but by British and Russian naval activities in the Sea of Marmora and the Black Sea. But it is in tho actual developments of the war and not in speculations and rumours that a reliaule indication must be sought as to tho extent to whioh the drain upon Turkish resources has gone. It is also obvious that the Dardanelles campaign is the best barometer by whioh to measure Turkey's remaining military powers. The campaign in Mesopotamia, on its showing to date, is of limited scope and minor importance. For the time being, at any rate, the British foroes in that region appear to have achieved their main purpose in safeguarding the AngloPersian Company's pipe-line—an important factor in the supply of oilfuel to the Navy. The Caucasus campaign. has languished for some time past, though it will not neoessarily continue in that character. It is the Dardanelles campaign whioh has thus far imposed incomparably tho greatest strain of this war upon Turkish resources in men and material, and the reported developments of the Dardanelles campaign' hold out little hope of a very early collapso of the Turkish defence on account of exhaustion of supplies.

It is the misfortune of the Allies that they havo been compelled -by circumstances to make their - main attack upon the Turks in an area which enables the latter to make the very most of their available supplies. Their memorable operations laßfc month enabled tho Allies to very greatly extend the restricted area in which they had previously engaged tho eftemy in Gallipoli, out up to the present time tne resources of the Turks have proved adequate to a continued vigorous resistance on the extended front which they are now called upon to defend. The latest official reports point to a state of affairs on the extended front not materially, different from that which obtained before the extension was These aro hard facts, and they point very definitely to the conclusion that a comparatively early victory over the Turks—in itself by no means impossible—is much more likely to be won by sheer force of arms than by an exhaustion of Turkish resources. Tho process of exhaustion is undoubtedly in operation, but it has. not yet borno positive fruits. On tlie other hand, an early victory over the Turks is of such vital importance to the Allies that it is reasonable to suppose that they may 'throw tho additional forces into the scale at the Dardanelles and elsewhere, which alone would bring it into immodiato prospect.

The Germans report to-day that they have roado an important forward movement' in the Baltic Provifices, and have reached the Petrograd railway at several points, presumably between Vilna and Dvmsk —on the southern section of the .front in the Baltic Provinces. If tho report is true, the Germans have achiovcd a sucoess for which they havo striven in vain during many weeks of heavy fighting. . It has been freely recognised, however, that the Russians might find it impossible to retain possession of Vilna, and .the section of main railway north of that place, and the development now reported does not iconfliet with the optimistic accounts lately given of a continuous hardening of the Russian defence and increasing resistance to the Austro-Gterman invasion .as a whole. No material change .appears to have occurred in Galicia, and tho assertion that General von Mackensen has broken the enemy's resistance on the entire j front, and is advancing in the direction of Pinsk carries little weight when the circumstances of' tho scction of tho campaign referred to are borno in mind. General von Maokensen is advancing into the great Pripet marshes, and it is no doubt in accordance with tho Russian plans that he should be allowed to get well forward into this difficult' tract of country before they seriously attempt to cope 'with his attack. • * iS * «

Though the' Italians have made some further headway in their mountain campaigning, there is no news at time of writing of' tiie great battle on the Isonzo front for which both sides appear to be preparing. In the Western theatre, artillery actions and mine fighting arc still the rule. Little new light is thrown upon the uncertain Balkan situation, though (here is a report that Hungarian t.roope n-vr, working night, and day >U £QU the Eu>

manian frontier. This would seem to suggest that Rumania's attitude is causing anxiety to the AusfcroGerman' Powers.