PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2850, 15 August 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Though'the grim struggle on the Soramo front nas not yet opened out into the general engagement to which some recent predictions have pointed, the Allies are making rapid headway in their increasing attacks upon one point or another of the German line. Yesterday there was news of a brilliant advance by tho French into the German third-line positions on a fourmile front nortn from the Somme. To-day a further important advance is reported on the British section of tho front, as a result of which the enemy' defences on the plateau north-west of Poziercs havo been penetrated to a dopth of four hundred yards on a front of nearly a mile. Besides increasing the now fairly extensive foothold gained by tho British troops on the _ high ground bcyond_ Pozieres village, tho latest move is a further step towards tho reduction of Thiepval. Situated near the point at which tho now line of contact leaves that on which the battle opened, Thiepval is a powerful enemy stronghold on the llank of the British advance. Repeated attacks, however, havo so curried the line _ forward that Thiepval now lies in a salient, and is, therefore, exposed to converging attack. The approaches from the west and south are stoop, but there is an easier approach on tho lino of the advance reported to-day.

Significant evidence as f;o the condition to which the enenfy has been reduced by the rcmorsolcss pressure of the Allied offensivo is contained in a dispatch from Mr. PHiLir Gibbs, describing recent counter-attacks upon the captured i areas north of Pozieres. Contest-

ing these vital positions, essential elements in the strong rampart which throatens to completely give way under the Allied blows, the Germans appear to havo abandoned bheir traditional tactics of attack in mass, and with anything but encouraging results. The attacks which, Mr. Gibbs describes involved a heavy sacrifice of life, without hope or prospect of compensating result, and such incidents suggest that tho progress of tho Allied offensive has been much greater than tho penetration of the enemy positions, considered alone, woula indicate.

The Isonzo front continues to command attention'as tho sccno of great events. On tho Oarso plateau, in the south, the Italians have crossed a valley extonding across their line of advance, and as reports stand are making rapid progress eastward. At tho same time they aro heavily bombarding the hill positions cast and north-east of Gorizia, and are pressing tho attack also in tho* Alpino regions still further north. Homo interesting observations upon the general position are supplied by Lord Northcuffe, who is at present visiting the Isonzo front. His references to the crippling of the Austrian aerial arm and tho consoquent superiority of tho Italian gunnery are particularly noteworthy. Unless it is being overdrawn, the demoralising effect of their lato defeats must heavily discount the advantage the, Austrians enjoy of being still established in exceedingly formidable positions. At all events, the Italraris aro still in tho full tido of an advanco over the Oarso plateau (to 6ay nothing of their achievements iurther north), which, if continued far enough, will turn tho Isonzo line.

• » « V Highly satisfactory accounts arc given of the fighting in tho Sinai Peninsula. Tho Turks are now in retreat, fifty miles oast of tho Canal. They have as yet escaped complete disaster, but their enterprise has collapsed in utter failure. Apparently it was only by bringing up reinforcements that they were enabled to withdraw the badly-beaten division wnich attacked the Canal defences. As matters stand, thoy havo lost some six or seven thousand men, and available reports indicate that the British casualties have been relatively light. The chief point of interest, in tho latest news of this campaign is a hint that tho Turks still have reason to look anxiously to their line of retreat by way of El Arish,_ 90 miles east of the Canal. Tho possibility that the Turks may find their retreat intercepted by a British : landing at this port has not yet wholly disappeared.

Matters have roached a highly interesting stago in Galicia, and, indeed, on the whole of the Russian southern front. For weeks past an Austro-Gerhian, army has been obstinately clinging to a front in Eastern Galicia, west of Taniopol and north and_ south of that locality, under an increasing danger of envelopment. Driving steadily forward in Northern and Southern Galicia, the Russians have wrapped their lines well around both flanks of the enemy central front in Galicia, and are at once making good headway towards Lemberg, and step by step enclosing the enemy eastern forces, which were established until a day or two ago in positions more than sixty miles east of Lemberg. Reoent • operations have. converted tho enemy front in the northern half of Galicia into a pronounced salient, extending into the eastern part of the province. And while the forward extremity of the salient was more than sixty miles east of Lemberg, the Russians are reported to be within eight miles of the main railway from Lemberg, about forty miles east of that place. This does not fully cover the position, for the enemy communications have been penetrated, and are further threatened, on the south as well as on the north. It is from the perilous situation here outlined that the enemy is now reported to be retreating. '

An orderly retreat, if tEat is within his power, seems to represent the_ enemy's only hope of escaping a serious disaster. On visible facts, lie Would have been wise to retreat some time ago, move especially before the Eussians had contrived to make bo close an approach from the north to the main railway * running east from Lemberg. At time of writing there is not much to show how the enemy is faring in his movement to the rear, but it appears that he is being vigorously pressed 'as ho goes, both on front and flank. question at the moment seems to be whether tho Eussians can get astride the main Lemberg railway in rear of their retreating enemy. No doubt General Sakharoff will be desperately resisted in his further advance towards tho railway, but the distance to be covered is not great, and it is not by any means certain that tho resistance will prevail. It is at all events from the north that the enemy retreat is most dangerously threatened. The Russian southern advance has had an important effect in cutting supplyrailways through the Carpathians, and in clearing the way for an ad-; vance on Lembsrg, but tlie Russian' southern forces are not yet so plaoed as to be able to seriously obstruct an enemy retreat on that place. The possibility, of course, still exists that the Austro-Germans may effect a fairly orderly retreat from Eastern Galicia, but, even so there is much cause for satisfaction in the present trend of events. Events are visibly leading up to 1 a point at which the enemy will find himself making a last stand in dcfencc of Lemberg.

By tho latest accounts in hand, a comparative lull obtains in Southern Russia, where tho Russians are established west of tho River Stochod, opposite the junction of Kovel. Th'c Austrian message which conveys this information seeks to creatc an impression that the Russians are- wasting their best troops in fruitless attacks on tho approaches to Kovel. It is pretty safe to assume that the Russians aro doing nothing of the kind. In a general review of tho position, Mb. Stanley Washburn states to-day that tho Germans are able to stubbornly resist tho Russian armies on tho Kovel front, but are unable to move a single unit southwards—that is to say, into Galicia. Ho remarks, also, that while tho enemy is constantly reinforcing his southern front, the reinforcements are far from being' adequate. This, indeed, is attested by events. Tho onemy, at most, is fighting a holding battle on the Kovel front, and meantime his Galician defences aro going down in ruinous collapse. It is plain enough that the Russians are not, in these circumstances, compelled to force tho issue in the battle for Kovel. They arc rapidly ncaring Lemhcrg, and when Lcmberg falls a definite limit will bo Ket to "the furtbor defence of Kovol.