PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2631, 29 November 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

A buoyant'tone on tie London Stock Exchange, such as is reported to-day to bo in evidence, is an indication not to be despised of the fashion in which the affairs of the Allies are prospering in the war, As a barometer extremely sensitive to the play of national and international fortunes the Stock Exchange is at the moment in freet operation that for a long time past I by reason of the removal of mini- ! mum pi-ices for' certain classes of stocks. There is thus more scope for the market movements which reflect national and international prospects, and it is significant that this restoration of freedom to the market and removal of restrictions has disclosed a state of mind on the part of investors and their expert advisers which points to a hopeful outlook. Justification for such an attitude is not lacking in the general trend of the War news of the week-end. It is true that no decisive success by the Allies in any theatre is recorded at time of writing, but in several quarters, notably the Near East, the ruling indications are decidedly hopeful. j * .tt * * | The report published on Saturday that Gorizia had fallen is not confirmed, and it is practically certain that it was premature, but current news suggests that the Italians are successfully pressing their offen- . sive and making headway, both at Gorizia and on the neighbouring front to the south. Tho Austrians, it will be noted, ai'e_ complaining bitterly that the Italians are ' systematically shooting the town of Gorizia to pieces, and have enormous damage upon its buildings with heavy artillery shells and incendiary' bombs. The complaint comes quaintly from the member of an alliance which, has earned eternal infamy by tlfe destruction of unresisting towns and cities, and lias made the\ bombardment of open towns a comnjonplace of war, but it is likely that the Austrians have a serious political, and indirectly military, object in making the complaint. It is now familiar knowledge that the Italians have been hampered not a little in their military operations on the Isonzo front and elsewhere by a desiro to inflict a minimum of loss and suffering upon the civil population of the districts they are fighting to liberate.Under this policy the town of Gorizia, though it is heavily defended by forts and field fortifications, was for a long time spared the horrors of bombardment. The town, however, serves its purpose in the Austrian defensivo organisation, and the Italians have found it necessary , to cast aside such limitations upon : their attack. Under the laws of war they are well within their rights, 1 but the Austrians ' evidently hope • that the bombardment of Gorizia ] will t<3ll afriunffc fcha Italians with ; the population of unredeemed Italy,, y

Though Gorizia, or some portion of its defences, remains as yet in the hands of the Ausfcrians, the fact that an unduly optimistic report anticipated .a decisive victory need not be regarded as darkening the outlook. There is official news today Vi'hioh shows that tho Italians are unremittingly pressing their assault upon a, defensive line which is wearing thin, at Gorizia and elsewhere. Decisiyo success is not to he rapidly _ or easily won in such a contest as is being waged on the Isonzo front, but the best information available'implies that the Italians, after months of effort and sacrifice, are within reaching distance of such a sucscss. Not tho least interesting item of news to-day states that Lord Kitchener has gone to the Italian front, to meet the King of Italy. It seems reasonable to regard the visit as an indication of the intimate relation between the operations now attaining suoh head 'on the Italian front, and those of the Balkan campaign in its present and prospective developments. The most obvious explanation of Loed Kitchener's presence in Italy ■is that he has gone there to arrange measures of co-ordination between tho Italians, who are in a fair way to smash through tho Austrian flank defenoes, and th© armies of the Entente operating in the Balkans. Apart from the fact that heavy losses have been incurred by the British forces engaged, the accounts given to-day of progress in Macedonia are wholly satisfactory. The Turks were fought and beaten about twenty miles down the Tigris from Bagdad, and the_ victors have now covered half the distance between tie battlefield and the city of romance whicih is their immediate goal. Whether the Turks are expected to make another stand and fight another battle is not disclosed, but transport problems, invariably intensified by the conditions of tropica! warfare, may easily account for tht comparatively slow progress apparently being made by the invading army, even if. the vigour of the enemy's resistance has been broken. The total effect of to-day's news is to confirm the impression given, at the end of last week that Bagdad is likely soon to be in British hands. This ancient city is less important in every way than Constantinople, but its capture may nevertheless be expected to exert a great and salutary influence upon members of the Moslem faith in general, and may tend in no slight degree to detach some sections of the polyglot Turkish population from allegiance to the German-Young Turk' combination which holds the reins of control at Constantinople. " * * » News of the Serbian campaign at the moment is in some respects more copious than definite, but there is a ruling trend to be noted. Tho Serbian northern army, though still fighting hard, is retiring to positions parallel with the Albanian frontier, while in tho south 'the Serbs and their Allies are attacking the enemy vigorously and apparently with a fair measure of success. Tho retirement of the Serbian northern army and the consequent resignation of nearly the whole breadth of Serbia to the invaders, except in the south, is course to be explained in the first instance by sheer inability to withstand the pressure of the enemy, but it is not impossible that the conditions the enemy has created may be in part accepted' and maintained not altogether to Ms advantage. It is stated in one report that the Serbians have established communications with Durazzo (the Albanian port lately inspected by the Italian Staff), which will enable them to maintain positions parallel with tho_ frontier of Albania. There is no railway from Durazzo, but if the enemy attempts to finally crush the Serbs in the positions to which they are retiring he will bo under the necessity of divorcing himself from his heavy transport, and the resultant conditions might easily be more favourable _to the Serbs than those which obtain at present. Meantime the Serbs and their Allies in the south are developing an attack which already seems likely to defeat Bulgarian aspirations in regard' to conquering the whole of Macedonia. There are obvious gaps' in the story of this southern campaign as it has so far been told, but all reports now agree that both the Serbs and the Anglo-French force are attacking with vigour, and have gained 6omo ground. « « * »

I Some current references to the anticipated appearance of a Russian expedition in the Balkans are vaguo in terms, but there is_ a body of evidence that Russian intervention is in prospect, and probably in early prospect. The broad effect of the news is to suggest that Russia and Rumania have reached an understanding, and the fact that the Germans are resorting to threats of terrible things in store for Rumania'goes to warrant a belief that this interpretation of the position is not unduly optimistic. A softer tone might be expected from the Germans if theix hopes were still high. As to the line of the Russian advance it is suggested that troops will probably be transj ported up tho Danube, which gives j access to the Bulgarian frontier. It is stated also that Rumania has refused the Austro-Germans permission to send war vessels along the Danube through her territory to Galata, a place about a. dozen miles distant .from Reni, on the Bessarabian frontier, which is named as the Russian point of concentration Events should soon apply a test to these and other details of news, but meantime there seems no reason to doubt that Russia contemplates an early attack on Bulgaria. ''' ' • * # » ' There is a revival to-day of stories that Bulgaria is growing weary of tho war. Bulgarian newspapers, it is stated, are unanimous in declaring that with tl'ft occupation of Macedonia Bulgaria's mission will have ended, and she will bo indis- , posed for further._ sacrifices. „ An attitude of this kind so obviously ascribes to Bulgaria a freedom of election she docs not possess that it may not seem to deserve much notice. It is worth bearing in mind, however, that although various reports have come through about heavy Austro-German reinforcements for the Balkans—some additions aro made to_ these reports tn-day—the main weight of the campaign seems to have fallen upon Bulgaria. Whether or not it is truo that 30,000 Bulgarian wounded were returned from the front in one week, it can hardly be doubted that such losses ■ have been incurred as must make j Bulgaria khig for ,? s pitc. To long for .respite, howover, is' not to command it, and there does not scjm ' to be any way out •'< r Bulgaria J except, -perhaps, displacement, of ( King Ferdinand and his coterie, and f unconditional submission to Russia, j Meantime, if reports of tho stationing of Turkish divisions at tEo Bui- <

ganan Black Sea ports and on the Turkish northern frontier are true, the Austro-Germans are insuring themselves against any weakening on the part of their latest ally. It would bo easy in any case to base exaggerated anticipations upon reports of a growing desire in Bulgaria to escape from the war. When Turkey was dragooned into the war, a popular revolt against the war party was considered not unlikely, but tbe> Turks instead have fought as determinedly as if they had fre-ily espoused a just cause. Being hopelessly entangled the Bulgiars may quite possibly pursue a similar course. \ » * * * Almost the only news from the L>ardanelles at time of writing is the brief statement in an official niessago that there is a marked enfccblement in the Turkish artillery Now that ■u. n s o P e . n 'communications Germany this may Ecem a state of affairs unlikely to last, but it is a possibility to be considered that the* general development of the Balkan campaign may impose upon tho enemy, as we 1 as upon tho Allies, tho necessity of limiting effort and experiditure at tho Dardanelles in ordor to concentrate elsewhere.

It is rather curious that no one seems to have suggested the idea of stationing a vessel with refrigerating machinery at the Allied base of operations at one of the islands near Gallipoli. We hear complaints from time to time about the "bully beef" supplied to the troops and about the heiilth of our soldiers being affected by the lack of variety in the food available and by the absence of fresh meat. Yet as was pointed out by the Hon. 0. J. Johnston to a Dominion reporter a-day or two a go, it should be a simple matter to send a steamer with a refrigerating plant and a fair storage capacity to the Mediterranean _ and keep her there, at any rato during the winter months. Such a vessel could be refilled with carcasses from time to time, and there should befno insuperable obstacles to supplying the troops at Gallipoli with occasional meals of fresh meat. It is easy to conceive a public movement from time to time to send a gift cargo of carcasses of mutton or beef to our troops, as a practical demonstration that we are keeping them closely in mind. Moreover, such a supply would certainly have a beneficial effect on the health of the men. Of course, as Mr. Johnston out, it may bo that already there is a vessel or vessels With refrigerating plant , operating in this _ way at one of the bases, off Gallipoli, but ■if so we have heard nothing about it through the Press or from any other source. The idiM should be worth Mr. Massey's attention. o

Though heavy fighting is continuous in the Western; theatre no. unusual event is reported in that area at time of writing. On the opposite main front tho Germans are said to be opening a vigorous offensive in Southern Russia, along the' Kicff railway, in the hope of inducing Russia to. detach troops from Bessarabia, where they have been assembled in readiness to enter tho Balkans. There is no official news on the subject in hand, but judging by the success which has attended Ita operation in Southern Russia during the last month or two, the enemy enterprise should have poor prospects of success.

The offensive power of the aeroplane is exemplified in an exploit which has earned Commander SmythPigott tho Distinguished Service Order. On December 13 he bombarded the railway bridge over the River Haritza, at Kulelu Burgas, just inside the territory lately transferred 1 by .Turkey to Bulgaria. The strategic importance of' this bridge may be realised by a glance at the map. It carries the Constantinople railway just short of the point at which it branches north-west to Sofia and south-west to Dedeagatch. The destruction of the bridge would, isolate Constantinople from all railway _ communication with territory outside -Turkey, and also cut railway communications between Constantinople and the Aegean coast, on which Dedeagatch. and other ports which may yet prove useful to the Allies are situated. Lying more than fifty miles from the nearest point on the Aegean coast, the Kulelu Burgas bridge is safe enough meantime from attack by any other than the aerial arm, but Commander Smyth-Pigott has demonstrated that it is open to attack by aeroplanes tiie oourse of a four-hour flight. " damage he succeeded in doing to the bridge is not stated—probably because exact information on the subject is not available—but since aerial bom>>s' of the latest type are exceedingly powerful, and Commander Smyth-Pigott dropped his consignment from a height of only 300 feet, it is very possible that he succeeded • in temporarily cutting the enemy communications. Such a result would in itself be of no slight importance, but it is likely that Commander Smyth-Pigott's exploit, though it involved an attack ma-de at great hazard, was largely in the nature -of a/ reconnaissance. No effort of imagination is needed to realise the .useful sibilities of attack upon the Kulelu Burgas bridge by a- squadron of aeroplanes instead of by a single maohino._ The Kulelu Burgas bridge occupies much, the .same place in the Balkan campaign as tie railway bridges of Warsaw,.did in tho Polish campaign, and it may bo assumed quite confidently that where Commander Smyth-Pigott has led others will follow.