PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2868, 5 September 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

While the enemy's next move, under tho increasing strain to which ha is subjected, is still proving a fruitful source of speculation and discussion, tho 'Allies have struck hard and with effect irij what will undoubtedly rank as one of tho' greatest of the series of battles, fought since they opened their offensive on the Somme. From the details given, the Allies arc shown to have attacked the enemy, and advanced on the greater part of tho front of five miles extending north from the river. In places they havo advanced over a mile, and this, with the details of prisoners and guns captured, and the frantic efforts made by the enemy to retrieve his position, bears eloquent witness to the tremendous power of their assault and its success. These details, and particularly the fashion in which the enemy exposed his troops, in counter-attacks, to tho raking fire of tho Allied batteries, may be left to speak for themselves. The battle, however, is not less important in the extent to which it has cleared the way for_ further action than in its immediate results. This is emphatically a case in which the Germans havo lost more than is immediately apparent, and positive evidence of the fact may bo afforded very speedily, for, as reports stand, tho battle is not at an end.

It is hardly necessary to repeat what is now so familiar, that the Allies aro not engaged in' an operation for territory. But in a battle of positions, such strongholds as tho oneniy has lost, and all but lost in this battle are of vital importance, because their loss means that he will continue tho strugglo at an increasing disadvantage. _ Near tho northern end of the line on which the Allies attacked, the British have completely mastered tho hill position of Guillcmont, and Guillemont, besides covering tho road junction of Combles (a couple of miles away to 'tho eastward), was tho eastern bastion of the lino.of elevated positions, facing Bapaumc, from which the Germans have now been almost completely dislodged. The British troops aro how established 500 yards east of Guillemont, and they have also won portion of the village of Ginchy, which lies about half a

I mile north-cast of Guillcmont. In [effect a great corner-post of tho German lino has fallen. The French, oporating on a longer front, havo also done notably well. To reach the outskirts of Corables they must have advanced about a mile, and tho capture of Clery and a neighbouring wood, immediately north of the Somrne, involved an advance ot something over a mile. Combles, which is said to be very powerfully lortificcl, is an important road centre, though second in importance to Bapaume and Peronne, and stands on a light railway. At Olery tho French arc about three miles distant from Peronne, on. tho north bank of tho river. South of the river they are separated by little mora than its breadth from Peronne. It is plain enough that while the fall of Guillcmont has dono much to impair and weaken the German defences on the northern section of the battle-front, the French advance on the north bank of the Somme bringß tho capture of Peronne into near prospect. Tho next important obstacle confronting the French in the advance they have now extended to Clcry is a range' of heights along the Tprtillc, a stream which flows south-west to the Somme, and joins it. a mile and a half north-west of Peronne. This line, with Mt. St. Qucntin (not to be confused with the great junction 15 miles away) immediately in rear, represents the last defence of Peronne, and it should not be long before its resisting powers are put to tho test. * » * • *.

Only a glimpso is givon at time of writing of tho circumstances reigning in the Eastern.theatre, but a big struggle is in progress on the Dniester, where tho Russians are forcing their way towards Halicz. Reaching that centre they would compel the enemy to tako another long step backward towards Lembcrg. At the same time they are pressing forward on different sections of the Carpathians front.

Messages relating to Greece hardly combino into a coherent narrative, but they indicato generally that the forces making for Greek intervention are gathering head against decreasing opposition. It is significant that the measures now being taken by tho Allies, though comprehensive, seem to be directed only to weeding out German conspiracy. There is no suggestion that pressure is now being imposed on Greece, or that it is necessary. Baron Schenck, organiser-in-chief of German espionage and conspiracy in Greece, is reported to be self-interned in his house in Athens, along with a choice collection of bravoos and bombs. Ono more bomb, judiciously applied, would do a* good deal to clear tho air. On the whole, there seems to bo at least a possibility that Greece may break clear at the last moment from the toils in which she has been so long enmeshed almost to her undoing. M. Venizelos has not abandoned hope that Greece may join the Allies to her own profit, and his opinion carries weight.

• No important change in the military situation is reported at timo of writing, either in tho Southern Balkans or in the Rumanian campaign. Some hopes are held out of a swift advanco by tho Rumanians along tho Danube to Belgrade—a movement which would sevfcr _,the enemy's inaih communications through tho Balkans—but it. does not seem likely that these expectations will bo realised until tho Allies have developed their southern campaign, and mado an end of Bulgaria. There is further talk of a heavy enemy concentration against jftumania, but as events arc going ir. tho main theatres it. seems lobs than ever likely that it is founded on fact.

The good news which camo through in a late messago yesterday that a Zeppelin had been brought clown in ilames in the northern outskirts of London is the more welcome since there are some grounds for believing that happy chance had little to do with tho event, and that it marks in fact tho opening of a new chapter in the history of air raids on England. Once before a Zeppelin raiding England was brought down (in the Thames estuary) either by gunfiro or as a result of aeroplane attack, but all the reported circumstances of tho latest raid indicate that great strides have been made in tho organisation of tho British, defences against aerial attack. This appears, not only in the total destruction of one airship, but in the fact that tho strong fleet engaged was evidently in serious difficulties from first to last. Only three out of thirteen Zeppelins succeeded in reaching London, and while one was brought down, the other two seem to havo. escaped that fate only by beating a timely retreat. The story of the raid is, of course, far from complete, but as far a.s it goes it indicates thai; London, instead of being comparatively defenceless, is now on the "footing of a strong fortress so far as aerial attack is con* corned, and that tho Zeppelins will be assured of as warm a reception in future raids as was given them in their latest visit. Not only ago it was hinted in a British official statement that a surprise was in store for the raiders, and apparently this was no idle boast.

As reports stand, the number of airships engaged-vv as the largest on record; yet the list of casualties is much lighter than on many previous occasions, and the extent of the damage is bolieved to be slight. These facts, together with the destruction of one airship, oertainly suggest that the British defences have been greatly improved. This docs not necessarily mean that any new device has been invented which provides an antidote to the Zeppelin. It is more likely that tho improvement in the British defences is the outcome of organisation on comparatively familiar lines. This js partly revealed in the stateinent that as a result of new measures for tho reduction and obscuring of lights, tho Zoppclins had to grope their way in the darkness instead of [steering a steady course, as they |did in some earlier raids. As.to iho striking power of the dofencc, improvements are constantly being effected in guns and aeroplanes, and in devices for facilitating and, as' u- as possible minimising the dangers of night flying, but the changed circumstances in evidence are probably mainly duo to tho fact that resources aro now being made available for defence against air attack, which until rocontly were diverted into other channels. Not many months ago the late Loud Kitchener announced that tho production of anti-aircraft artillery, which until that time had been subordinated to other needs, would henceforth be pressed with all possible speed. No doubt similar circumstances applied | to the provision of aeroplanes for

home defence. So far at least as aerial raids are concerned the homo defence of Great Britain was placed second to the moro vital needs of 'the Navy and tho armies in the field. War production of all kinds has now expanded enormously, and needs which formerly had to be neglected can now bo satisfied. It is on this account likely that tho odds have turned permanently against tho raiders, and possibly the Zeppelins may henceforth find an attack on London attended ■ by as heavy dangers as an attack on l J aris.