PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2990, 30 January 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

_ While the Kaiser is making ,birthday remarks about the might of the German sword the Allies have in the last day or two given more than one sharp reminder of I the actual conditions that now reign in the war. One of these [was fho highly successful British I attack in the vicinity of Lb Trans-, [ Joy, which was reported in a late message yesterday. Le Transloy is a village threo miles south-east of Bapaunie and tho Germans aro established in that locality upon a low ridge immediately covering tho Bapaumc-Pcronne highroad. Sir Douglas Haig reports that'a commanding portion of tho enemy position was captured, so that tho attack, though not, upon a very great scale, must he regarded as a definite stop towards Bapaume. 'It'is equally notable that the British took 350 prisoners and inflicted heavy losses upon the enemy, while their own losses arc officially described as "very slight." The whole affair is in absolute contrast to the recent German attacks west of tho Meusc. The Germans suffered heavy loss without gaining any definite objective. The British gained their appointed obfcfitivc swiftly, cind at slight cost, and in doing so inflicted very material loss upon the enemy. . •

Still heavily engaged in the Kiga region, the B.ussians are now stirring up the enemy towards tho other end of the main East front, in Southern Bukowina. Hero, accordfrig to an official report, they broke through the enemy's fortified positions on a front of two miles. The Kinmpohmg-Yakoblcni road, mentioned in the report, crosses the Carpathians from Bukowina into Hungary, a little way north of tho Kumanian frontier. It is no doubt an outlying position in the enemy's Carpathian defences that has been penetrated, but tho line of attack is one that may ultimately bo selected for an invasion 1 of Hungary.

Accoeding to a Pcfcrograd message a furious battle is now iu progress south-west of Riga,, on a front of 31 miles. If this account is not exaggerated, it bears rather striking testimony to tho enemy's anxiety to stave off; the menaco to Ms northern front and restore it to at least its former strength. It is unlikely that tho reported concentration of German reinforcements has any larger significance. At all events, the successful attack just made by theßussians in Bukowina conveys a hint that in their calculations the Riga battle figures, meantime, only as a detail in a gradually developing general offensive. In these circumstances, if the Germans venture upon an unduly heavy concentration in the Riga sector they will be apt to overreach themselves. The latest reports in hand dealing with events on the northern front indicate that the Russians, though standing on the defensive, are comfortably holding their own. They state that powerful attacks wore repelled, and that the Germans tied in disorder.

The British offensive in Mesopotamia continues to develop steadily and with good promise. An official report to-day_ tells of further fighting in the vicinity of Kut-el-Amara, in which the enemy suffered heavy and disproportionate losses in vain attempts to better his position. For the time being considerable Turkish

forces are. being held in play and engaged in circumstances which place them at a serious disadvantage, and it scorns likely that Kut-cl-Amara will ho. captured or invested by the British before many days have passed. Whether auy larger purpose is immediately in is at present a matter of conjecture. It has been suggested that the .Russians from Eastern Persia and from Armenia will co-oporato with the British in Mesopotamia by concerted offensive action, hut there has been no indication of Russian activity in either area for some time pa-st. It will be remembered, however, that in previous years Russian operations in Armenia'werc not fully under way until the end of February, or later.- The occupation of Kut-el-Amara may herald important developments in more than one Turkish theatre.

A Times _ correspondent's review of tho position on the Rumanian front is chiefly of value as tending to confirm opinions already based upon earlier reports. The correspondent is of opinion that the conflict on the Trotus-Sereth line has reached a condition of stalemate, which the enemy is powerless to break. Such detail information as is available supports this conclusion —notably the fact, touched upon yesterday, that the enemy is far from being as well and advantageously placed on the Trotus-Seroth line as the Allied forces he is attempting to dislodge. Satisfactory accounts are given by the correspondent of _ the progress made in reorganising the Rumanian army and providing it with now equipment. It detracts enormously from the success the enemy has gained in Rumania that the Rumanian army which he set out to destroy has not been destroyed, but is being methodically reorganised and raised to full fighting strength. On the other hand the Times correspondent's statement that many German divisions have been withdrawn from the Rumanian front raises one rather disturbing possibility. It is not yet certain that the enemy has abandoned the idea of an offensive in Macedonia, though his prospects in that quarter certainly appear to be declining. On the whole, it does not seem very likely that he will now attempt an offensive in Macedonia. Reports from Athens imply that the Allies have very nearly gained that full command of tho situation in Greece which would safeguard tho rear and communications of General Sarrail's army, and it is not improbable that work has been found in the Russian main theatre for the German divisions withdrawn from Rumania. The necessity of diverting enemy forces from the Balkans may very possibly induco tho Allies to dovelop their general offensive more rapidly than they would bo likely to if no such necessity existed.

An announcement which comes by way of the United States that Britain has enlarged the North Sea area which is notified as dangerous to shipping no doubt means that largely-increased resources arc now being utilised in maintaining the blockade on the northern approaches to the German ports. The interest of the nows is solely in its suggestion that tho blockade is to be tightened—no doubt by extending the existing mine-fields and strengthening patrols. Britain has been rapidly increasing her resources under these heads as in other departments of war preparation, and it is likely enough that tho new developments arc as important as they are declared to bo in tho message under notice. Such a tightening of the blockade as is indicated means, amongst other things, an _ intensification of tho anti-submarine campaign. * This indeed is probably the most important object in view. The commercial blockade of Germany is already tightly drawn; since tho Jutland fight the German fleet has shown no inclination to again tempt the fortune of battle; and the penetration of the blockade by a German raider like the one still unaccounted for in the Atlantic is an exceedingly rare event. But a certain number of submarines continue- to pass arid repa*3 the North Sea in pursuance- of their campaign against Allied ana neutral seaborne commerce, and tho task of closing the road to tho submarines is one upon which the Navy' can profitably concentrate its resources. Very little is heard about the blockade and patrol work in the North Sea, but it is work which makes unending demands upon the heroism and endurance of tho sailors engaged, and when the veil is lifted after tho war the story of their achievements will staud as a splendid chapter in the history of the Navy.

Yesterday it was reported that a Navy League deputation submitted' a proposal -to the Admiralty for the more vigorous suppression of the cHemy submarines, but that the deputaton was satisfied, with the explanations of Sir Edward Carson and Sir John Jelucog of the antisubmarine measures in force. It seems (probable that f;b<». information which satisfied the deputation related to the extension of minefields and other measures taken to tighten the' blockade of the North Sea. •