PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2705, 26 February 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Verdun has long been considered an impregnable bastion in the Allied line in the Western theatre, but the Germans are apparently determined to put its strength to a practical test. No other explanation is available a.fc the moment of the terrific assault they: have opened on the outer lines covering, the fortress on the north and north-east. At the same time confidcncc in the impregnability of Verdun is so far from involving any hasty or ulsuppoi'ted assumption that it seems wise to keep meantime an open mind as to the object tho Germans actually have in view. Current reports declarc that tho hattlc north of tho fortress is proceeding • with undiminished intensity, and, therefore, suggests that the Germans are doing their utmist to extend and develop such succcsses as they have so far gained. These preliminary gains , obviously cannot be regarded as insignificant.. _ Confirmation is still lacking (at time of writing) of the German report of yesterday, which claimed that the French defences had been penetrated to a depth of a mile and three-quarters on a front of six miles, but the Frcnch reports include some important admissions, Tho Village of Brabant, on tho Meuse, was so heavily homharded that its French garrison had to bo withdrawn at night, and .further east the. Germans penetrated a wood in tho French lines to a depth of a mile. One point brought out in tho reports is that the first-line positions in the battle, area "were thinly held, both sides knowing that front trenches can be easily destroyed by, bombardment, but it is plain enough that in the areas where their lino has be(!n driven in the French have lost more th.an front trenches.

It does not necessarily follow, however, that the Germans are materially nearer to achieving the main object they have in view. Though compelled to fall back at some points 1 the "French elsewhere stopped tho enemy dead. For instance, whilo the. village of Brabant-sur-Meuse has passed into the hands of tho enemy, attacks upon Samogneux, a mile or two further cast, wero repulsed. The enemy seems also to have been brought to a halt on thoso sections of the front where he penetrated for a distance. It would be useless to indulge in speculations as to tho outcome of an assault which may at any moment tako on. soipe new development, but on the facts-so far disclosed the position at Verdun remains broadly unaltered. Considerable in itself, the success credited to the enemy represents only a very early stop towards a reduction of such an immensely powerful range of field fortifications aa has been thrown up around tho great French fortress. The general character of the defences is indicated in some of the. messages published to-day. Verdun does -not depend for its strength upon permanent fortifications of the old style, such as-experience in this war has shown to be incapable of standing against the battering of modem artillery. . Its defences consist of entrenchments and field fortifications pushed forward to a- distance of a dozen miles or more from the centre of the stronghold into the wooded hills and ravines -by which it is surrounded. Verdun is a fortress, but a fortress brought into line with modern conditions. Line beyond line of field-works is defended by an immensely powerful array of artillery, but even the heaviest guns, instead of being established in perm&ncnt fortifications, arc capable of, being moved from point to pointy as required, many of them on rails. Defended as it is, and with' short and convenient interior-communica-tions radiating from an immense supply depot to all sections of the neighbouring battle-front, Verdun is pernaps the strongest detail in the great range of entrenchments and field fortifications upon which tho French Army is at present estab-1 lished.

As the battle-front extends, Ver-, dun is in the interior angle of a salient. It is the point around which the Allied line, after' rurfning cast across the Champagne district and the Argonne Forest, turns south opposite the border of Lorraine. But the great size of the Verdun salient redeems it from the weakness which makes a smaller salient, like that of Yprcs, exceedingly difficult to defend. So far as its general configuration is concerned the Verdun salient nowhere offers the enemy a wedge of limited area against which lie can bring convergin" fire to bear against a divergent fire by defending artillery. It is possible that there arc or were minor salients on the face of the line, some of which have been driven in by the enemy in his assault, but such successes by the attackers would leave the main position oaaonit.ially unimpaired and as formidable

as ever. There is a suggestion in the French reports that the headway so far made by the enemy consists largely in the occupation of weak detail positions, which arc not essential to a sound defence. This presumably is implied in the statement that a retirement was made at certain points to avoid useless loss. Time will show if this statement is warranted, but even if it errs on the side of optimism the battle in the Verdun lines has only begun, and there is probably no single section of their front, on which the French can better afford to niccli their enemy in decisive conflict.

Tins view of the matter is strongly emphasised in messages just received. Indeed, the Paris correspondent of the Daily Telet/raph goes so far as to declare that though they have been pressed with indescribable violeneo for three days, the German onslaughts have produced no appreciable effect on the French positions. At the same time it ; s reported that French experts, so far from entertaining apprehensions as to the security of the fortress, hope that the Germans will persevere in their attack. The reasons underlying this attitude are not far to seek. If.they cannot win a decisive victory, the Germans are simply squandering strength which might have been employed to better purpose in fighting a defensive campaign and spinning out the war. Anything shoj't of a decisive victory will leave them worse instead of .better off, more particularly if, as reports suggest, they are suffering heavier losses than they arc inflicting in their assault on Verdun. •

It is conceivable that the present battle may die down, leaving the Germans in possession of some additional territory, but with the main defences of Verdun unbroken. They would then be in apposition analogous, at a surface view, to that of the Allies after their offensive last September, in Northern France and the Champagne. Plainly, however, it is only at a surface view that the comparison will stand. Apart from the fact that the Allies, by reason of their great reserves ancl rising power, can much better afford than '/he Germans to intensify the conflict in the Western theatre, it is to J)e borne in mind that the September offensive coincided with a critical period in the Eastern campaign when the Russian armies were desperately hard pressed. .Germany's striking power in the East, as a result. was reduced at a time when it might have been exerted with disastrous effect, but it is unlikely that the German attack on Verdun will in any way delay or hamper the offensive action of'the reinvigorated Russian armies. On the other hand, the losses now being incurred on the Verdun lines should very materially reduce Germany's power of defence when the time arrives for the Allies to take the offensive..

The latest messages in hand declare that the efforts-of the Germans to break the French front have completely failed. At the same time it is admitted that the line has been retired for a distance on both flanks of the attacking front, at Samogneux, eight miles north from the "centre of the fortress, and south of the River Orne, about 12 miles east of that point. At Samogneux the enemy is nearer the original Verdun works than elsewhere, but the line upon which the attack opened seems to havc_ been here less advanced by some miles from the fortress centre than most sections of the outlying defences.

'Reports tell of renewed activity 'on the Russian • southern front. Hardly any details arc given at time of writing, but indications that the Russians are taking action again in Southern Russia, as well as further south'; are doubly interesting in view of the turn events have taken in the other main theatre.

Official news of the campaign in Armenia, is lacking at tlie moment, but a report which comes from Petrograd, via Rome, declares that the Russians have surrounded a Turkish Army Corps south of Mush (west of Lake Van), and that the Turks are hastening the evacuation of Trebion the Black Sea coast. This is good news, but it needs confirmation.

An interesting report states that the Portuguese Government has seized 36 Austrian and Germart ships which have been lying in the Tagus since the war began. The explanation offered, that it was apprehended that the ships might try to cscape, while vessels are also required for transport purposes, has a somewhat peculiar look, and seems to leave something untold. It. is not impossible that the report, if it is well founded, means that Portugal has deliberately committed an act of war. But for ■ the fact that she has lately passed through an, era of acute political strife it is likely that Portugal would long since have been' definitely ranged with the Allies. She is bound to England by an alliance of old standing, which reached formal expression under a treaty published in 1898. The contracting parties agree, in case of war-or invasion, to assist each other when required. In the later months of 1914 there was much talk of Portuguese intervention, and Germany sought to ward off this accession to the Allied strength by assuring the Portuguese Royalists that she would restore the monarchy if Portugal did not intervene. The offer might have had little effect, but Portugal passed into a period of.- political strife, which lecl to some ngh'ting, and witnessed rapid changes of Government. Something like stable equilibrium was reached in June last when the Democrats, who favour and support the treaty with England, had a sweeping victory at the polls.

Since she appears to have settled her domestic differences, it is quite possible that Portugal may revert to her interrupted project of taking part in the war. The Portuguese Army has a peace strength of about 30,000, capable of being considerably cxpandccHn war. The navy consists of old ships, and includes a battleship and some protected cruisers. Possibly the reported seizure of enemy ships in the Tagus may mean that Portugal contemplates sending a contingent to East Africa. She is capable, of course, of playing a somewhat larger part in.the war if she elects to do so, and on the other hand if she did no more than make enemy ships available for the use of the Allies she would be rendering a distinct service, in view of the prevailing shortage of shipping space.

The Methodist Conference decided yesterday that a strong deputation should interview the Prime Minister in Auckland 011 the subject of curtailing the hours for the snle of liquor and sale of intoxicants to soldiers.—Press A unoiation.