PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2831, 24 July 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

It is in the southern part of'the Eastern theatre that the principal developments' of the Russian offensive have thus far taken shape, and are likely to take shape for some time -to- come, but events are now reported in the region of Riga and elsewhoro on the Dwina front (in the Baltic Provinces) which seem to be of more than ordinary importance. No doubVanything that happens meantime on the central and northern sections of.the Eastern front must be regarded as subsidiary to tho great , drive: which has carried the Russians well forward in Southern Russia and Galicia; and to tho confines of Hungary in the south. But this docs not exclude the possibility of events 'in the centre and north capable of exerting a vitally important influence upon the general situation. From the news thus far in hand it would seem that a battle on a big scale has been fought on the Dwina line, and the question must arise whether tEe Russians had not some more important object in view than that of holding .the enemy in play and discouraging him from withdrawing force to stiffen other sections of his front. The most significant item in the news is that the Russians have crossed the* Dwina. This, it is said, is admitted by tho Germans, though it has not yet been officially announced by the Russians. "It seems unlikely that the Russians would have undertaken an operation like the forcing of the river passage unless they had some important enterpriso in view. _ For the rest it is reported (unofficially _ at time of writing) that the Russians have captured three lines of German trenches, which'would mean that they have gained a considerable foothofd on the south bank of'_ the Dwina, and captured many prisoners and guns. These details receive a measure pf confirmation from the statement in a Petrograd rowmunit/ue that the enemy has been dislodged from a village and fortifications further south.

The general situation on tlic 'Dwina line is much as it was loft when winter put' a stop to activc operations towards the end of last year. Along a great part of the 130 miles of country between Riga and tho important railway junction of Dvinsk, to tho south-east, the Dwina' itself is the line of demarcation between the opposed armies. _ In the neighbourhood of botji Riga and Dvinsk, however, tho Russian lino bends outward in a. bold salient. Dcsp.oratc efforts made by the enemy last year failed to bring him into actual touch with either of theso vital points in tho Russian line. Tho Germans arc nowhere across the 'Dwina. In October last they effected a lodgment on Dahlcn Island, which divides the river south of Ri&i into two channels, but they failed to cross the second channel, and ultimately were driven back to tho south bank. Elsewhere, in some places, as at Friedrichstadt, their artillery commands a road and railway on the north bank of the river.

At the moment, therefore, tho Dwina is at oncc. an obstacle and a defensive barrier to both armies. 'It is possible that the Russians have set themselves to throw the enemy buck upon a weaker and less advantageous line. That they will at tho present time attempt any extended drive towards the 'East Prussian frontier seems unlikely, buli there is the alternative of dislodging the enemy from a fortified front, prepared at great labour and expense, and so placing him under the necessity of using greater forces in defending a weaker front., Given the necessary force, there should be' nothing to

prevent the Russians confronting von Hindenburg with such a formidable problem locally as would effectually prevent him rendering any assistance to his hardened compatriots and allies on the southern front. Further details are needed to enable a definite opinion to bo formed as to the intended scopc of the enterprise the Russians have sot in motion on their northern front, Taut the news in hand undoubtedly suggests that something more is contemplated than another of the holding attacks which have lately been made along the central and northern line. A rioint of importance in connection with the fighting on the Dwina front is that the Russians have derived material benefit, except during the winter months, when the Gulf of Riga and a great part of the Baltic arc frozen over, from the co-operation of their fleet. Relying in part on mine-fields and assisted by British- submarines, the Russian ships havo retained full command of the Gulf of Riga, and this has meant to the Germans exclusion from a good coast road, except in the depth of winter, and an additional force to make head against where their'line extends to the coast of the gulf.

A message just received speaks l of developing interest in the operations under way on General Kuropatkin's front westward of Kemmcrn and Lake Babit, that is to say where the line of battle'extends to tho Gulf of Riga, and it is mentioned also that the enemy is being thrown into a state of uncertaintv hv ™vefully planned raids. This,, however, throws no light upon the reported forcing of the Dwina. At the coast and for a considerable distance inland the Russians are' already well heyond the river.

Reports dealing with the Russian southern front are full of promise. Tho suggestion uppermost at the' moment is that Romberg, rather than .Kovel junct'ion in Southern Russia, is likely to be the first great Russian goal. The movement against Lemberg from tho north is devoloping apace. Tho latest communiques in hand throw new. light upon tho achievement of tho Russian forces, under General Sakharoff, which have forced tho Lipa River and are driving south on" tho heels of a badly demoralised enemy. The Lipa, which runs, in a marshy valley and therefore constituted a formidable barrier, runs athwart the Galician frontier at a distance of from six to nine miles to the north. The- Russians have forced the river, routed tho Austrians defending it, and taken some thousands. of, prisoners. They are now driving south upon the Galician frontier and tho railways which run up to it from Lemberg. In particular ■ their advance' threatens a line which runs north-east from Lemberg to Brody, near tho frontier,and then across tho frontier to join the' Russian southern railways. This line is, of course, moro important to the . Russians than others' from Lemberg, which stop short at the frontier. Tho Russians aro already within a few miles of Brody on the direct railway approach. Their line of advance from the Lipa threatens it in rear.

It thus appears that a Rome message, predicting tho early fall of Brody and Stanislau, and stating that tho Austrians havo decided not to defend Lemberg, does not wholly lack justification in visible developments. Brody undoubtedly is imminently threatened, and the occupation' of Brody \yould be an important step towards tho capture of Lemberg. Stanislau; commandingly placed on tho railway system southeast of Lemberg, is situated in tho belt of country between the Dniester and the Carpathians. Tho progress of the Russians in this region has 1 probably been hampered _at least as much by .engineering difficulties as by the resistance of tho Austrian armies. At' tinio ()f writing there is no definite news regarding the advance on Stanislau, but the Russians am working forward from Delatyn junction, thirty miles to tho south, and if they are making similarly good progress further north they should not now be far away from Stanislau itself.

No very development is reported on the Sommo bafctlefront, but to-day's reports emphasise the importance of the successes lately won by tho Allies. In spite of the enemy's costly efforts to bring them to a halt, the British have pushed forward to his thirdline defences at Foureaux AVood,, east of Longucval. Here they closcly threaten positions of commanding importance, dominating a tract of country which is moro open than that in which they aro now fighting, and will therefore bo less easily defended. Tho French further south have also greatly improved and strengthened their position, and matters genorally' promise well for a further advance.

Now that tho Germans kavo got over tho first shock of tho Alliod offensive, a now tone is taken in their Press comments upoa tho military situation. Not very long ago they were asserting that tho assault on Verdun had forestalled and foiled an Allied offensive. Now they arc explaining that they . have drawn tlio British out of their trenches. A bolder flight is mado in a German commv-mquc, which declares that the Allied attack on both banks of the Sonrme, though made with a force of over 200,000 men, has failed. This, of course, is a simplo reversal of tho truth. The Alliod offensive has succeeded wonderfully so far, and is likely to bo crowned with even greater success in the hear ,future. Tho enemy's case is far too bad to bo mended with worefs.

Turkish activity is again reported on tho northern approach to the Suez Canal, and an enemy.forco is even said to be entrenching on this line at a distance of about thirty miles from tho waterway. It is doubtful, however, if more than minor activities arc likely to result from anything tho i'ttrks may attempt in this region. They aro now far too heavily engaged to make any serious attempt upon the Canal. A'fair indication of tho present plight of tho Ottoman is given in the news that tho Russians in Armenia have advanced from Baiiburt, which they captured the other dav, to a town (apparently Gomuish Khana, though a somewhat different spelling is adopted in tho cablegram), 40 miles north-west of that °i)la«v This distance is by road." As tho crow flies, Gemuish Khana is thirty miles north-west of Baiburt, and just about ono hundred miles west-north-west of Erzeruni. Tho speed of tho Russian advance suggests that tbe Turks aro in no hotter c&so than." fchcii Austrian allies in Galicia. If the now

development in (ho Sinai Peninsula carries any significance at all, it probably is that the Turks feel it more than ever neccssary to maintain at least a scmblaneo of activity in that region lest the British force defending the Canal should be in great part released for some aggressive enterprise.