PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2834, 27 July 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Rather wide possibilities 'aro sketched 'in a Pebrograd message which states that floods in tho Dniester Valley will probably make infantry operations in that part of Galicia impossible for some '.weeks. This, it is suggested, s will enable General Bothmer to transfer forces from tho flooded region to other sections of the front, and it is specifically mentioned that certain of his effectives have already been sent to tho Carpathians along with a new army composed of the remnants of General Pflanzer's army, which was recently routed and broken in Bukowina, and of units from tho Trentino' and the Balkans. This might bo taken to 'mean that the enemy is making ready for an attack on. tho Russian southern flank, by way of Bukowina, but it is much more likely that ho is only profiting by the partial respite afforded him by the Dniester floods to as far as possible reorganise and stiffen his defence. The time when the enemy might have attempted an effective countcrsfcroko to tho Russian offensive,seems to have definitely passed. Probably, the last hope of this kind was thrown away when the, Austrians detailed some hundreds. of thousands of men for an offensive against Italy, instead of massing the greatest possible strength on tho Russian southern front. If the Aus-tro-Gernians had ample forces at command a return drive against tho Russian southern flank, by way of Bukowina, would, hold out reasonably good prospects,, but their forces arc not ample In one way and another they havo lost 600,000 men or more on the Russian southern front during the last seven weeks, and they are so heavily engaged that the prospect of their being ablo to concentrate heavily against tho Russians at any point is remote.

Tun flooding of tho Dniester zone will hamper tho, .Russian operations in various ways. To an extent the Russian troops in the area between tho Dniester and the Carpathians arc dependent upon supply lines which cross the river from the roads and railways further north. In addition the numerous tributaries which enter the Dniester from north and south and form so many obstacles across the Russian line of advance will in some cases be in the same flooded state as the main river. But at most these conditions should only mean that tho enemy is granted temporary relief from pressure on one of a number of critical sections' of his front. An advance on tho railway contro of Stanislau, a gateway of approach to Lomberg from tho south-cast, is impeded for tho time being, but floods arc. apparently, not hindering General Sakh.auoff's advance on the Lomberg railways, which run up to tho northern frontier of Galicia, and in this region, and on tho Kovcl front still further north, the enemy is likely to find ample employment for all the troops lie may bo able to sparo front- other- sections of his front. The Austro-Germans have contrived as yet to avert the complete collapse of their defence which would involve the fall of Lomberg and Kovel and compol tho' Germans to retreat further north, but their front in Galicia and Southern Eussia is driven in and shaken in a way that leaves little room for doubt as to tho outcome.

**t * * A late Pctrograd communique tells of another forward sweep in the, movement against Lomberg from the north. Tho Eussiahs arc forcing tho passage of a tributary of the Styr, apparently one which runs along the nortliern frontier of Galicia, about nino miles south of tho Lipa, on - portions of which river fighting was still in progress not many.' days ago. In their latest advance the Eussians have captured (in, one clay) a thousand prisoners and nine undamaged guns, which, should mean that the enemy has by no means rccovored from his shattering defeat on the Lipa. ' ■• ■■■... ■

NoitTH of the Sommo the enemy 'isflxorting himself desperately to make good the range of vital, defences at which the British forces have been hammering with little intermission for days. It is mentioned by-Sin Douglas Haig .that the Germans have been further reinforced with infantry and guns, and that they have incurred very heavy losses in attacks which failed to reach ■ the British' trenches. These I are facts to be added to accumulating evidence that the Germans attach lifc-and-death importance to the issue of the struggle on the Somlno. In attempting to stem the Allied offensive they aro apparently displaying the same, reckless disregard of sacrifice as in their.own offensive at Verdun. The task of bursting a practicable 'breach in the Gorman lino is proving, perhaps, to. the- full as formidable as could possibly have been anticipated. But are making it formidable at deadly cost and certainly not by relying mainly, as some theorists havo Supposed they would, upon the strength of' their* fortifications _ and tho abundance of their Artillery and machine-guns. Strong, as the German positions aro and powerfully as they are armed, it is evident.that the Allies aro being restricted to their present rate of advance only by efforts and sacrifices which heavily discount the-'-' advantage • tho enemy would otherwise derive from fighting in prepared defensive positions. It-is plain enough as matters are going that the success of the Allied 'offensive must bo measured by another stancrard than the amount of ground thus far,wrested from the enemy!' -That in itself is considerable, but it is , at-..least equally important that tho enemy is compelled to make heavy and increasing calls upon his diminishing reserves in his unavailing efforts to bring tho Allies to a halt, v Where the position has changed in recent fighting' it has changed to the advantage of the, Allies. Nearly the whole of Pozieres villago is now in British hands,, and some ground has been gained elsewhere. The rate of progress is not rapid, nor is it likely to be so long 'as the Germans are willing ,to expose their infantry to destruction under British gun and rifle fire. This state of affairs means that the British troops are gaining In advance an instalment of the conditions they will gain in fuller measure when they burst 'through the enemy defences and force a battle in tho open. For the first time to-day it is made clear that New Zealand troops aro taking part in the battle. Australians were mentioned in earlier reports, and in some eases the term Anzac was used, but to-day messages from correspondents show that New Zcalanders, as well as Australians took part in the attack on Pozieres, a section of the front on which Sik Douglas Haig reported yesterday that important advantages had been won. It is plain from the accounts given of their achievements that in the stress of this battle the Anzaes are sustaining the reputation they have won in other fields.

One correspondent, gives a very clear description of 'the position reached on the British" section of the battlefront. Though Pozicres stands on a rise, the Germans still Tiavc an advantage of ground, since they hold a range of hill positions in face of the British advance. These constitute tho last natural "barrier covering low country in rear. Good reason thus appears for the pertinacity with which the Germans are endeavouring to hold their ground.

In Armenia the Russians have now very closely approached Erzingau, an important Turkish base, about 100 miles west of Erzcrum. The Turks, it is stated, are in disorderly retreat, abandoning guns and all sorts of material, and since it is upon this front that they have been putting forth their main cf'fort to break and repel the Russian invasion, the news is highly significant. Gaining Erzingan, tho Grand Duke Nicholas will be in possession of a very strong front across Armenia, backed and supplied by important roads. This should sot him free to direct his southern forces against the line of the Bagdad railway and the Upper Tigris'. This enterprise could not be developed while- the Turks wore pressing the offensive further north,' but now that their strength seems 'to havo been Tiroken, the way should be cleared for a forward movement 'in tho south.