PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2825, 17 July 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

By an attack on tho grand scalo which seems to have been attended at all points with notable success, the British Army has cut deeply into the German lines' north of the Somme, and greatly improved tho already advantageous position held by the Allies in that region. . Tho whole of the enemy sccond line defences," including a number of villages, have been captured on a front of several miles, and at one point, the enemy .has been thrown back upon his third system of defence. Presumably in this particular locality tho onemy has been ejected, not only from his second line, but froir minor positions in the area separating his second and third lines. The details of tho operations arc. very clearly oxplained in official and other reports, but tho position broadly is that the British attack has driven a deep wedge into tho German front. Tho point of the wedge is at, or somewhat beyond, tho villago of Longueval, five miles east of tho lino on which the battle opened, and four miles north of the Somme, at a point where tho,river bends sharply northward. Except on the northern flank, where little headway has been mado as yet, tho whole of the Allied front north and south of the Sommo is taking shape as a great wedgo driven into tho German positions. The British wodge taking in Longueval now stands forward from the general line. The French aro similarly placed in tho series o£ positions they have captured south from tho Somme, and for a few miles to tho north of tho river.

As a, result of tlio British advance, tho Allies arc in a position to make a concerted attack on the roadjunction of Combles, tho British from the north-west and tho French from tho .south, and when Combles is captured two distinct wedges thrust into tho enemy's front will bo merged into ono much greater wedge. More than this, the British arc now well placed to attack positions covering tho important road and railway junction of Bapaumc, which lies about half a dozen miles cast and north of tho lines thus far readied. Tho latest adv.inco is thus an important stop in the ordered process of shattering

a lengthy section, of tho enemy's front, and breaking into the vital communications which it covers. The splendid powor and tolling effect of the British assault are recognised, not only by Allied commentators but by those of the enemy. Major Moraiit, the mouthpiece of tho Gorman General Staff, has nothing very hopeful to tell his compatriots either about the existing position or the outlook. He-is driven to confess the success of the Anglo-French offensive, as far as it has gone, and almost goes out of his way to testify to the all-round efficiency and striking power of tho British Army. It is self-evident that tho commendations which have thus been wrung even from the enemy are merited. Nearly _ two vears have been consumed in raising the British Army to tho powor and efficiency of which it is giving such positive proof, but painstaking preparation and methodical,development aro now telling thoir tale, and the British Army counts as ope_ of the most formidable factors making for tho ultimate and crushing defeat of tho Central Empires.

Late news shows that the British offensive is developing apaco and achieving magnificent results. 'Dcbillo Wood, the wholo of which has been captured, lies a mile and a

quarter north-C|ast of Longueval, so that at this poin.fc tho attackers aro more than six miles beyond the original lino on which tho battle opened. Important progress has' been made also further west into positions covering the main road, which runs north-east to Bapaume. Here the enemy's third lino has been penetrated and the extent to which he was thrown into disarray may bo judged from the fact that a successful part was taken in the action by a squadron of Dragoon G'uards. This is tho first occasion on which British cavalry has had an opportunity of operating as cavalry since 1914, but the time is no doubt approaching when it will have considcrablo scope.

At timo of writing very little movement is reported in the Eastern theatre, but the Austrians report intense activity on tho Stochod line, whioh would imply that thero has been no decline in tho great battle which is being fought cast of • Kovcl, in Southern B.ussia.. An interesting roviow of the position in tho Eastern theatre is supplied by the Times' correspondent at Pctrograd, but it should. bo noted that his remarks regarding tho nature of the ( enemy's defences aro of local, and not general, application. On that section of their front which immediately covers tho railway junction of Baranovitehi, north of tho Pripet marshes, tho Germans are established in a network of defonces, which tho correspondent describes as resembling thoso of tho Western front. Some other sections 'of the Eastern front, notably tho Dwina, line, and tho approaches to Kovcl, are also heavily fortified, but as a whole it is very far from being a continuous line of fiel'd fortifications such as tho Germans have constructed in Franco and Flanders. In the Eastern theatre the Germans arc compelled by the great length of thoir line to depend upon a series of fortified posts, covering railways and other avenues of transport, with intervening spaces thinly held. The possibility of :a disastrous, collapse is thus much fearer to the enemy on this front than in tho othor main theatre. The Germans aro now beginning to pay a bitter penalty for the obstinacy with which they havo maintained a •lino thrown far eastward into Kussia singe their failure to grasp a "decision in tho great drive of last year. Long as it is, the line as a whole must be kept intact, or tho gate will bo opened to masses of Russian cavalry to sweep through and cut across the enemy's lines of retreat, which as yet are open.

Foil the time being the main struggle is being waged in the south, opposite Kovel. Here, after having lost a good deal of ground, the Germans are at the moment holding the Russians, on the lino of the Stochod, but reports agree that 'chey are doing so only at the cost of dangerously weakening other sections of their front. The loss of Kovcl would bo disastrous to tho enemy, but tho penetration of his line further north might have equally serious consequences. Tho way in which tho Russians are developing their campaign thus promises to lead up to results of much more than local scope. Each , day in which he continues to hold his precarious lino with inadequate forces, strengthening one sector at tho oxpense of another, diminishes the enemy's prospects" of ultimately achieving a safe retreat. Even now he seems to have little hope of emulating the feat by which tho Russian forces were extricated from a position of deadly peril last year.

Decided success appears to be attending the Russian operations in Armenia. After recovering from the first confusion into which they wpre thrown by the fall of Erzerum, the Turks brought up heavy reinforcements an 4 set themselves to recover that place. It would seem that the closing chapters of the long struggle which resulted are now being reached. Reports declare that the Turkish offensive has 'been broken and rolled back in defeat, aud that the Russians are making good progress towards Erzingau (about 90 miles west of Erzerum), which is the principal advanced depot upon which the Turks have' relied in conducting "their offensive. It is further south, however, that tho full fruits of the Russian success'must be looked for. Tlicy should now bo free to develop their offensive towards the Bagdad railway, and incidentally the line of communication of the Turkish forces in Mesopotamia. A report to-day states that a battle southwest of Mush is developing successfully, which indicates a move in the direction named.

Suggestive messages .'relating to Rumania are tho more interesting since that country must bo approaching very near tq her hour of decision. King Furdinand, not to be confused with his namesake of Bulgaria, has conferred with the Russian and other Allied Ministers, and tho' Austrinns are said to be busy with defonsive preparations on the Transylvanian frontier, where their territory marches with Rumania. These reports must stand for what thoy are worth meantime, but there is no doubt that Rumania is bound to decide one way or tho other without much further delay. Her opportunity consists in tho fact that she is in a position, while striking for the satisfactioa of her own rights and ambitions, to render useful, though not necessarily vital, service to tho Allies. Her co-opora-

tioa would facilitate the rapid conquest of Bulgaria, and an attack on the Central Empires where they aro vulnerable. As the war is developing, the value of the service Rumania is capable of rendering is likely to'diminish with time, and it is on that account likely that her decision will not be very long delayed.