PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2837, 31 July 1916, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Reports from Russia to-day record the opening events of another big development in the southern offensive. The chief results" made, known as yet are the capture by the Russians of many thousands of prisoners and large numbers of guns, the occupation of Brody, a railway town about 50 miles northcast of Lemberg, and a near approach by the Russian southern forces to Stanislau, an important railway centre south of the Dniester. The drive on Lemberg from the north, which has been prominently in evidence for more than a week,, has broadened out into much more extended operations, and it is likely that / reports in hand at time of writing record only the first-fruits of the latest Russian stroke. Many details have certainly to be filled in,, and it is probable also that the attacks which have opened with so much promise will strike deeper home before a halt is called. As reports stand, the Russians are shown to be ; attacking north and south of the great salient formed by the Austro-German front wl)cre it bulges forward cast of • Lemberg. The capture of Brody means a rapid development in tho movement against Lemberg from the northeast, and not only brings the occupation 'of tho Galician capital into nearer prospect, but exposes the enemy forces in Galicia, east of Lemberg, to an increased danger of being enveloped. The danger is further accentuated by'the Russian forward movement south of the Dniester, towards Stanislau. In Southern Russia, it is reported, the Russian cavalry is pursuing a fleeing enemy. On tho whole, the outlook for this latest development must bo regarded as exceedingly promising.

Gkappmng with the stubborn problem of explaining away unpalatable facts, tho enemy has apparently icsortcd to tho expedient of magnifying the actual extent of the battle-front. A German report speaks 6f abortive Russian attacks north-west of Sokul, that is to say, almost duo east-of Kovcl junction, which is about 50 miles north of tho Galician frontier From the Russian official report, it will be seen that the front selected for tho renewal of the offensive starts further south. It extends from the KovclRovitcho railway (a lino running south-east from Jfovel) to Brody. This is a front of something over 60 miles. The line of attack may soon be extended, but for the present the Russians are shown to be standing fast opposite Kovcl (whore the Germans allege, unsuccessful attacks), and driving into the lines which cover Lcmbcrg on the north-east and also into tho flank of the Kovcl defences, well to tho south of that

place. It is, of course, very possible that feints arc being made op-' posito Kovcl to kcop the enemy engaged, but it is evidently Geneiut, Brusiloff's policy for the timo being to hold strong enemy forces on this particular section of the front, and drive home his attacks where better openings exist. As the operations are developing, Kovcl, as well as Lcmberg, is increasingly threatened, though not by frontal approach.

Few details have come through at time of writing about the latest move in the Russian offensive south of the Dniester, towards Stanislau, but on the news as far as it goes this, enterprise promises as well as the more extended operations further north. If GenebaS Letchitsky's drive extends to Stanislau the immediate effect upon the enemy will be to further limit the avenues of retreat available to his_ gravelythreatened forces in Galicia.

* / Envelopment on a wholesale scale, enabling attacking forces to pour through a great gap in the enemy line, has not yet ueen witnessed in this war, but it "is not impossible that the spectaclo is about to bo afforded in Galicia. At times in the opening stage of their present offcnsivc-tho Russians seemed to bo within measurable distance of such an achievement, but the AustroGormans, though they suffered enormous losses, contrived to maintain a continuous front. They will be fortunate- if no worse disaster be--falls them in the present chapter of the campaign. With their line p'ractically in its original position across a great part of Galicia, and deeply driven in on north and south, they arc- much more exposed to envelopment than when the offensive opened.' Already the Russians are about twenty miles nearer, to Lcmberg on the north-cast than the enemy forces thrown forward in Eastern Galicia, and Lcmberg is the railway centre by way of which a, great part of thes« enemy forces must retreat if they are to retreat at all. The position of the AustroGermans in Eastern Galicia is not yet (desperate, but it is so critical 'as to suggest that their only choice lies between a timely retreat or ultimate' envelopment.

On the Somme front British troops have completed the conquest of the heavily fortified village of Longueval and made progress at other points, against desperate opposition, .but no sensational development is reported in the Western theatre at time of writing. A feature of the news which should not be overlooked is th'c additional evidence afforded that the enemy is suffering very heavy and disproportionate losses in his efforts to make head against the Allied offensive. Sir Douglas Haig bears witness to the fact that German losses during the last few clays have been extremely severe, and he mentions that at Delvillc Wood several enemy regiments appear to have been annihilated.. Other passages in the official reports show that on a number of occasions in recent fighting, enemy attacks broke down vimdcr fire. There sceins every reason to believe that the enemy is being compelled to squander his strength without being able to -inflict by any means as heavy losses upon the Allies. This is a much more important matter than tho gain of so much ground, which in itself counts for little. It would, of course, bo absurd to suggest that the extensive inroad? tho Allies havo made into the Gorman defences on the Somme- front are unimportant, but they are chiefly important because the progressive reduction of his defences compels the enemy to fight with a reckless disregard of sacrifice and promises to place him at a still greater disadvantage in the near future. In essentials the task before the Allies is to destroy such it proportion oE tho German forces that Germany will no longer be able, or willing, to continue'the war. Taking the official reports as a guide, the heavy and disproportionate losses of the enemy in the Somme battlo arc mounting at a rate which is far from being measured even by the good progress tho Allies havo thus far made towards broaching tho German line.

News of an encounter between Serbian troops and Bulgarians, .in Greek territory, is arresting. It is not suggested that the engagement was of very great importance, but it is quite possibly the beginning of greater things. The Serbians constitute only one-section of the powerful Allied army based on Salonika, which is tolerably certain to lie heard of before long as taking the offensive against Bulgaria and whatever reinforcements she may be granted by the Central Empires. It is officially reported that the Serbs drove the Bulgarians out of some of their. positions, and whether or not the enemy's claim that he won "back these positions is true, it seems unlikely that the Serbian attack was an isolated event, and more probable'that <it is intended to lead up to a general attack, in which the power of the Allied army will be fully brought to bear. ti :i * *

Another item of news relating to the Balkans is the statement of the semi-official Cologne Gazette. that England and Russia arc endeavouring to coerce Rumania. At its face value this statement is .worth as little as the newspaper's warning to Rumania and its most erroneous assertion that the Russian offensive is at a standstill. But the remarks of the Cologne Gazette are very possibly a German rendering of facts which mean that the hour of Rumanian intervention is drawing near. It would afford no .particular cause for surprise if entered the war simultaneously' with the opening of an Allied offensive from Salonika.

The sweeping character of the victory lately won by the Russians in Armenia is brought home by the news that up to Friday last- they had captured over 20,000 prisoners and 51 guns. With cavalry pressing harcl on the Turkish retreat from Erzingan, it is likely that these totals will soon be materially augmented. The Russians arc advancing in the direction of Sivas, WO miles west of Erzingan, and a movement is also being made towards Kharput, which lies about 80 miles south of Erzingan, due west of Lake Van. _ There are good grounds for believing that the main effort of the Russians iri Armenia will now be directed against the Bagdad railway, to the south, but the lines upon which tho attack will "bo developed are as yet largely a' matte)' of conjecture. Meeting disaster in Armenia, the Turks have suffered a defeat also in the area between Mosul, on the upper Tigris, and tho Persian border. The Russians report that the Turks attempted an attack in this region, and wore put to flight in disorder.