PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2740, 7 April 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Practically the only news from Verdun at' time of. writing is contained in a Paris communique, which reports the destruction of threeenemy aeroplanes, and tells of a slight gain of ground by the French north of the Oailctte Wood, immediately south-east of Douaum'ont. It cannot yet be taken for granted that the dearth of news means that tho conflict has again subsided, but if it has, a phase of the battle has ended with which the Germans have even less reason to be satisfied than with those which preceded it. They hold the village of Malancourt, but seem to 1)0 as far as ever from making it a stepping-stone to a further forward movement, and tho slight advance they recently effected east of tho Mouse has been rolled back by French counter-attacks. On the other i hand, it is stated in a French semiofficial messaae that the enemy/a

losses wero never so terrible as during the recent attacks. From the German standpoint this is a balanco of accounts which is deplorably to the. bad. It is so bad that one is almost tempted to accept at its face value Colonel Bepington's theory that the Crown Prince is being allowed to fritter away the strength of the German Army in vain attempts to retrieve his lost reputation.

A rniiEF report from General Lake, in Mesopotamia, points to an improving situation in that theatre. After a period of inactivity, devoted no doubt to reinforcement and transport reorganisation, a British column is again moving up the Tigris towards Kut-cl-Amara. The Turks have been dislodged from an entrenched position 'at Umm-el-Henna, about twenty miles from Kut-cl-Amara as the crow flies, and "the operations are proceeding satis, factonly." This last observation presumably means that the British .are continuing their advance up river. It will be remembered that

tho last attempt to relieve General Townshend at Kut-cl-Amara was made about a month ago. Towards the end of February General Aylmer drove tho Turks out of their positions at, Umm-el-Henna and advanced up-river, but was unable to force tho main enemy position at Essinn, seven miles north-east 'of Kut-el-Amara. Tho Turks were at-

tacked at Essinn on -March 8, but after an abortive attempt to outflank their defences on the south bank of the Tigris, General Ayljier was compelled by lack of water to fall back to the river. Subsequently the British column made a further retreat. How far the retreat extended has not been stated,, but it was far enough to enable the Turks to reoccupy their advanced position at Umm-el-Henna, from which they have now again been dislodged,

The events reported to-day are not decisive in their bearing, upon the siege of Kufc-cl-Amara. They simply mean that the attempt to relievo the place is being renewed; but in view of the experience {pined in past abortive attempts, it is likely that tto British aro now advancing in considerable strength. As there is no mention, on this occasion, of General Aylmer, it is likely that the Commander-in-Chief (Sir Peroy Lake) is in personal charge of the relieving column. The salient features of the problem by which, the British forces in Mesopotamia aro immediately faced aro by this time fairly well known. In the first place, the" relieving column on thb Tigris is operating at the end of hundreds of miles of river communications, which involve many serious difficulties of travel -and transport, and have to bo'guarded by a considerable proportion of the total British forces. In resisting the advance_ of the column which "aims at relieving

Kut-el-Amara, the Turks have throughout relied mainly upon the Gtrongth of their formidable stronghold 'at Essinn, which, as has been said,- is seven miles distant from Kut-el-Amara. Each 'advance by the relieving column has been resisted by the Turks as Umm-el-Henna and other places along the river, but apparently only covering forces, intended to hamper and impede the British advance, have been employed in these operations. The strength of the enemy centres at Essinn. This position consists of an 'entrenched line, twelve miles long, at right angles to the courso of. the river. On the north bank there are two miles of entrenchments,' then two mile's of marsh, and then another two miles of ■ entrenchments. From the south ■•' bank the ' defensive line I stretches unbrokonly for six miles. It is faced by an old water-cut, with banks ten to twenty feet high overlooking the plain, and the southern flank is protected by a strong redoubt. Formidable as it is, the position is not impregnable. - .It was stormed in September- last by forces under the command of General Townshend, prior to the. advance up-river, which brought the British to within 18 miles of Bagdad. Today's news means that another attack 'on Essinn is imminent. If the attack succeeds the disaster to' Turkish arms should be serious, for the British force now Beleaguered at Kut-el-Amara- is admirably posted to harry an enemy retreat.

. One message states that the. Umm-cl-Henna position is of great strength, naturally and artificially, its natural strength arising from the fact that it extends from the Tigris to the Suwaicha marshes, . which closely approach the north bank of the river. It is to be noted, however, that the Umm-el-Henna lines are open to flank and reverse _ fire from the opposite side of the river. They were attacked in this fashion by General Aylmee in February, and no doubt similar tactics were pursued on Wednesday morning.

Renewed activity by the British in Mesopotamia' is, of course,, doubly important in view of the vigorous prosecution of the Russian " operations in Armenia and in Western Persia. Not so very long ago the immense difficulties with which the Russians have to contend on account of the length of their communications and the mountainous, character of the country in which-they are -fighting, seemed to forbid the hopo of their effecting a junction with the British in Mesopotamia.- Such a development cannot now be iegarded'as impossible. Both in Armenia and in Persia the configuration of the country practically affords the enemy a series of natural fortresses. Yet in both areas the Russians .'are steadily extending their occupation, and the Russian threat to the-Turkish communications north of Bagdad is already more than nominal. A British success on the Tigris at this stage would bo apt to have far-reaching results. ■■At an immediate view it would represent an important step towards Allied command of the Turkish eastern provinces, and if the Turks were unable to stave off this measure ol defeat a fairly convincinu indication would be afforded of "their failing powers and resolution in the war.