PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2812, 1 July 1916, Page 8

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

■ Events, are reported in the .Eastern theatre , which very possibly' mark the opening of another active period in the Russian offensive. Except in- Bukowina the .attacking armies .have lately , been almost, at a standstill, but the shattering defeat of the Austrians on'the approaches to Kolomea is likely to lead uji.to still greater events. The Russians have won- their latest-success in the most southerly area in: which their progress, is now. being opposed by the enemy main body. Their.immediate objective is the junction of Kolomea, an important railway centre standing about thirty miles north-east of the main ridge of the Carpathians at the point where the mountains sweep south and east from Galicia around the frontier of the crownland of Bukowina. The greater part of Bukowina is .now in Russian occupation. Defending Kolomea, the Austrians are Opposing a Russian advance into" tha't part of Galicia lying between the Carpathians and Lemberg, h hundred miles to the north. Continuing their present advance the Russians. will cut across the southern railways of the great network which radiates from Lemberg,- and tho -cutting of these railways wolild_ bo. an important step towards the iso-. lation of 'Lemberg.

As it is ■ described in both Hitssian and enemy reports, • the- battle, which has enabled the Russians to closely 1 approach Kolomca ' was fought in a belt of country about 20 miles wide, . lying between the Dniester and the Truth (on which Kolomca stands), and in portions of the thirty miles of hilly country between Kolomca and the Carpathian range. The Austrians again suffered defeat in this southern region, but the main battlo was fought m the area between the Dniester and the Pruth, where the Austrians were greatly .favoured by the nature of the country in offering a powerful resistance. A number of tributaries, feeding the main streams on north and south, lie across the line on which the Russians arc advancing, and offer' serious obstacles to progress. The disadvantage is modified, however, by the fact that bodies of Russian cavalry have, crossed the Dniester on the north in such a manner as to outflank tho Austrian defensive lines.

The Russians are mow so close to Kolomca, both on north and south, that the fall of the place may be expected at' any time. All available details go to show that tho defeat of the Austrians was overwhelming, and it should tell heavily

upon the campaign. ;They were-.dis-lodged-from a strong prepared position with a loss of . more than 10,000 prisoners and many machine-guns, and the fact that the Russians captured a battery of heavy guns intact is a striking indication of tho disorganisation into which the defeated army must have been thrown These guns would, of course, lie posted well behind the line on which the Austrian infantry reefcived the Russian onset, probably • not less than a couple of miles in rear. Developments are still awaited in tho area east of Ivovd junction, which is the critical section of the front in Southern Russia! Here, as reports go, heavy but stationary fighting is still the rule. But the evident power and decisive success of the blow' struck by tho Russians on their southern flank undoubtedly suggests that matters are now in train for a.vigorous resumption of tho offensive along, the front as a whole. The success-which has thus far crowned the Russian efforts is indicated, in" the announcement that the number of-prisoners taken since the offensive opened on Sunday, June 4, has now reached a total of 205,000. The greater proportion were taken durinjr the first ten clays of the offensive while it was being pressed in full power. The partial lull which ■ supervened, and seems now in its turn to have ended, is amply accounted for by the necessity of -slowing down to 1 accumulate supplies, and by the engineering problems which the Russians have to overcome,as they advance." 'It is a point to be kept in mind that conditions on fcliy southern front-, where the Russians have struck forward so effectively, exclude the possibility of any lasting halt in active operations. The con-, ditions' are those of comparatively open fighting, and though trenches ■mid field fortifications ' are' • being 'freely utilised there -.is. ..-scope, for turning.and outflanking movements by which one side or the other is bound to profit. It may be assumed that the Russians looked ahead in opening their offensive, and are propared to-turn these conditions' to the best possible account, and. to ensure that they shall not be turned to account bj. the enemy;' ''

. Developments-that promise to as-, sume more .than- ordinary importance are a'stii' also in''the Aiist.roItalian campaign. 'It is" indicated that tho Italian " advance on the • Tr'entino front'has slovipd'clown, but thisis-completely .overshadowed.-; .by tha,.wws.;.that.a. violent attack has. 'been opened; on "the "Isonzo "front, north from the Adriatic, where, if anywhere, the Italians may expect to break through to an effective invasion.': On.-the Trenti.no front the Italians have no more important object in immediate sight than the reconstitution of -a sound defensive line, but along the Isonzo more promising obtain. At. the cost of much heavy fighting last summer the Italians made; material headway into the Isonzo defences. In particular they gained a footing on the Doberdo plateau (immediately north of the ' Adriatic),.' where 'they are now reported to be attacking in strong force, and themselves "lay claim to some success, and their lines are closely wrapped about the powerful defeiiccs 'of-'Gorizia, .about Vtwelve miles north'- of the' A'driat.ic .c'oastj' whichis t-he . key to.' the, irieriiy's line- as a" whole,. -. Still fur ; : -Iher.-'north 4he --Italians :have- captured bridge-lnads and captured or "pi'ne'd a-"Tb6ting 'series r: b'f: important '■ hili*'and' r tions. The Isonzo Jinc is: far. from "being broken,", but its' defences, have. •Tjcen penetrated to-a-.material: extent. The Austrians are bound' to strain every nerve in its defence, 'for if the Isonzo line were once forced, the advantage-they;..now enjoy in facing the''ltalians 'eve#-: wfiere in immensely powerful -natural strongholds would disappear. Their .frontier as a whole, where their territory marches with.ltaly, is the strongest and most easily defended'in'the world, and in'maintaining it they have never yet been called upon to use.anything like the force that Italy is using in attack. **■ * e Strong as it. is,-the Isonzo line is the weakest section of this frontier, and if the ; Italians break through on. the Isonzo they will, be able to bring: their full weight to-bear under vastly more favourable-condi-tions than are open to them at present. Meantime there is.good promise in the:fact.'that:they .have-'b'een able to so quickly follow up the enemy retreat in tho Treritino with' ah attack, on'the Isonzo.. Proof is thus- afforded, tliat;.the;'.erietny offensive -has very., completely fg,ile.d - to -"check- the Italians;-in • the develop---merit'' 1 of- their main plan of campaign.' '- Indeed, it would, appear .that' they are "profiting by the disarray into which the-Austrians are thrown as a result of their Trentino failure to develop a powerful attack where it is most-likely to tell with good effect. If it se'rves-_no other immediate purpose, it is likely to materially influence any design the A-ustrians may have formed Of transferring troops to Ga-licia and Southern. Russia. The need 'for reinforcements in these areas is evident, but the' Austrians cannot in any .-• circumstances afford, to neglcct the security of the Isonzo line. • Occurring almost simultaneously. with a- renewal 'of the Russian offensive, the Italian attack on the Isonzo is there-fore admirably timed.

Of the progress of the Italian enterprise little is told as yet. Both the Gorizia positions and those on the coastal plateau., arc being attacked. The Austrians declare that all attacks have been repulsedbut the Italians report that they have captured several, trenches on the plateaui and it is an aream which even a limited advance'mav materially influence futuVe operations. ■

Though they arc no longer progressing at their former speed in the Trcntino zone, the Italians aie still forging ahead. They arc shown, for 'instance, to be now between three and four 'miles north .of Arsiero,. which placc they recaptured a clay or two ago, and they are working ahead', at other points. Move than this, the Austrians are exerting themselves in attacks which-seem to have cost them many lives without altering the trend of events.

The most informative and impressive accounts given of thc_ state of affairs along tho British front are unofficial, but th'ey arc not on that account to be despised. Retaining their usual character the communiques arc evidently mcapablc ol doing justice to the remarkable conditions that have arisen. Even from the bare official reports, however, it is to bo seen that the cnpmy is beincr' subjected." to a much more trying ordeal than would be involved in fugitive raiding -and bombardment. The Germans have not only been subjected to heavy casual-

ties in the sudden forays of raiding parties, but on occasions the attacking parties have remained a considerable time in the German lines, repelling ' counter-attacks across the open. It is noteworthy also that the Germans have not only suffered loss in prisoners, but have been despoiled of warlike stores. If this is raiding it is raiding carried to extraordinary and unprecedented lengths, and as it would seem, with remarkable effect and succcss. Official and un-. official accounts of the damage done to .the-enemy's works by bombardment speak for themselves. It is probably well - within the truth to say . that no such* bombardment has ever been witnessed before except in direct connection with a general battle. Obviously the transition from reigning conditions to a full tide of battle would' be easy,, and it may be rapid. Meantime; apart from the havoc that ,is being wrought, the knowledge that is being gained,. by. direct observation, of the* enemy's works immediately, fronting the British lines is a detail of no small imnortance.

Elsewiieke in the Western theatre no very notable development is reported at time of writing. Activity •is rising at Verdun, but the general position as ycfc is unchanged. -In the Champagne and elsewhere along the Aisne front, the French have effectively retorted upon recent minor attacks by the Germans, in a. falshion to ..indicate that their strength is far from being wholly absorbed in the defensive at Verdun. Tho general and rising ten : sion in the Western theatre, loses none of its significance from the turn events are taking in Russia and on tho Austro-Italian frontiers.

! One small message, that the French Premier.is protesting to neutrals against Germany's action in compelling civilians to evacuate' Lille and other towns to the north-east, has a spccial interest as affording .definite evidence that Germany is taking exceptional measures, behind, her battlefront.. All the towns in question lie well' behind the present fighting lines.