PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2857, 23 August 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Ax enemy, instead of an Allied, offensive is the event of the moment in tho Balkans, but considorablo room for doubt exists as to whether it is more than a sham, designed to socurc political, rather than military 'objccts. It it is backed by tho force which would entitle it to rank as a serious military movement, tho fact has yet to' appear. That tho offensive is being well advertised with a view to impressing public opinion in Greece, Rumania, and elsewhere, is apparent from the messages to-day, but its actual results up to thc # present are not impressive, and it will bo time enough to believe that . between GOO.OOO and '700,000 Bulgars, Austro-Germans, and Turks arc advancing into Greece when they mako their weight felt in battle. Events up to the prosent afford no reason for believing that tho enemy has any such force at command. As information stands the enemy is making headway only in tho eastern oonfincs of Greek Macedonia, towards the port of Kavala, and has made no impression upon the advanced lines which tho Allies now hold along, or opposite, tho Serbian and Bulgarian frontiers as. far east as the Struma valley, and thence, presumably, south-cast to tho sea. As it is loeated, the Allied lino certainly leaves a considerable extent of Greek Macedonia open to the enemy, and it is in tho eastern section of this territory that this Bulgars are now reported to have advanced to the immediate vicinity of Kavala. Their object is not at tho moment easy to fathom, but the movement presumably involves a threat to the eastern flank of tho Allied line. Its prospects in that character do not look bright. Tho Allies arc well placed to repel any attack on their flank. For the rest, sinco the Allied command of tho soa is undisputed except by enemy submarines, the Bulgars can hardly hopo to obtain any firm foothold on the coast, and thoy ai - 8 not likely to derivo much benefit from the possession of a port like Kavala. * * * # Tiie position as a wholo is somewhat ol)scure,_but it is on the front which tho Allies now hold threatening the military avenues through tho Balkans that definite developments must be looked for. Apart from tho recent fighting in the vicinity of Lako Doiran, a few miles east of the Vardar, tho enemy has advanced against the Allied line at two points, towards Dcmirhissar, a Greek railway station adjacent to tho Struma valley, and at Fiorina, on the Moijastir railway in Western Greece. No important fighting has yet been reported in the Dcmirhissar region, and Allied reports state that the Serbians are firmly established on dominating heights in the Fiorina, sector. An enemy report that these jicights have been captured lacks con'firmation, and is very possibly part of the organised campaign of bluffing and mendacity wnieh is apparently being conducted concurrently with the offensive. * * • * * The nature of the enemy enterprise cannot bo gauged witn absolute certainty at the moment, but as 3 r et it has taken shape rather in talk than in deeds. It is an essential fact, meantime, that no military development of importance is _disclosed. Further than this, proof 'is lacking that either Austro-Ger-mans or Turks are co-operating with the Bulgarians, and it is significant in this connection that only Bulgarians have been mentioned in Allied reports of local engagements recently fought. A general, though not comprehensive, review of the situation is supplied by a special correspondent of the London Times at Salonika, and while his mcssago is in some respects very guarded, it is definite and outspoken in minimising the importance of the Bulgarian movement, and describing its appearance of strength as fictitious. Moreover,, Mr. Calvert, tho correspondent in question, says nothing about tho strong Austro-German and Turkish forces mentioned in a Paris report. The absence of detail information in Mr. Calvert's message may bo easily accounted for on the assumption that tho Allies hope to spring a surprise on the enemy, and that restrictions are imposed accordingly on the transmission of news. * ' * # * There are excellent reasons for believing that tho Allies have a force of moro than 000,000 men in Grccce, and that they are in all respects ready for an offensivo campaign. This, of course, assumes that French and British troop's have not recently been withdrawn from Salonika ancl 'transferred to the main theatre, but 'the assumption is not unreasonable. 'Other evidence apart, it seems to be conclusive on this point that the 'Allies have advanced from their Salonika lines and taken up positions extending from the Albanian frontier across a great part of Northern Greece, 'lho Allied advance to this lino is a much more significant and important development than anything that has recently taken placc in Greece at the iri"t'iative of tho enemy. As to the strength of the enemy, no certain information is available, but it is distinctly probable that a, largo proportion of tho Austro-Gcrman troops 1

'"formerly located in tbc Balkans have "been transferred to the Russian 'theatre. The statement that Turks also arc co-o'pcrating with tho Bidgars follows closoly upon reports 'that heavy Turkish roinforcoments have been sent to the Eastern theatre. Considering the state to which 'Turkey has been reduced by unsuccessful campaigning and internal revolt, these reports are by no means plausible. While the Greek Government is not lifting a hand to protect tho population of the invaded districts, and has ordered its troops to retire unresisting before their hereditary enemies, the invasion is hailed with frank delight by the pro-German party in Greece, and its newspapers are rejoicing over what can only bo regarded as the degradation of their country. These traitors hope, it is said, that tho enemy demonstration will sway the result of the Greek elections, which have been set down for September 25. Beforo that dalu is reached tbo bubble should !:o pricked, but whatever the result of the elections may be, it is evident that existing conditions in Greece are anything but favourable to' a smooth development of the Allied plans. Tho rampant treachery of a powerful Greek faction to its own country and the Allies is a positive and perhaps serious factor in tho situation. * * # * A late message from Salonika supplies some dotailed particulars of recent fighting, and indicates thufc tho enemy has already suffered heavy loss without achieving any strategic gain. Besides holding their lino from Albania to tho Struma valley, the Allies have launched columns against the enemy in the territory east of the Struma. . There is no indication in this message that the enemy is in anything like the strength with which ho is credited in the Paris report above quoted, but it does indicate that tho Allied operations nro dovoloping in a fashion which should soon apply a definite test to tho Bulgarian demonstration. * * * * There is little news from the main theatres at time of writing. On the Sommo front the situation is generally unchanged. From an enemy report it appears that tho Russians are developing a powerful attack on the Kovel front, west of the River* Stocbod, but details at yet aro lacking.