PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3015, 28 February 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

It is now abundantly clear that tho events in progress on the northern part of the Somme front represent a highly important development in the Western campaign. An official message to-day confirms and amplifies the report of an extended British advance which was forwarded yesterday by Mr.. Philip Gibbs. Tho British have pushed forward to a depth bf two miles on a front of eleven miles, extending from south of Gommecourt, which is the northern extremity of the line on which the Somme offensive opened last July, to a point east of Gueudecourt, that is to say, just about duo south of Bapaume. The enemy has retreated apparently without fighting, from the villages of Miraumont, Pys, and Warlencourt-Eau-court, on and in the neighbourhood of the approaches to Bapaumc and the junction of Achiet-le-Grand. The British have captured also the Butte de Warlencourt, which was organised by the enemy as a strong defensive position blocking the main road from Albert to Bapaume. The advance of two miles has not been made evenly along the whole front, but tho British, as reports' stand at the moment of writing, are within about three thousand yards of Bapaume, and at a slightly greater distance from Achiet-lc-Grand .1 unction. _ It soems on a number of grounds likely that the enemy retirement haß not yet reached its intended limits.

Indeed, it would afford no particular reason for surprise if the movement now in progress proved to be the first stage in an extended German retreat. It has been suggested that the enemy is falling back to a new lino along the Bapaume ridgo, but it is not easy to see what he would gain by that course. As was pointed out yesterday, ho is already seriously restricted in tho use of some of the best avonucs of communicationmain roads and permanent railways —upon which ho has hitherto relied in his Somme defensive, and if he attempts a stand oa the Banaumo ridge ho will do so with impaired communications, presumably in defences less elaborately organised than those from which he was successively' dislodged during last summer and autumn, and certainly with nosuch advantage of ground as he enjoyed in the earlier stages of the struggle on the Somme. In the topography of the Somme country the Thiopval ridge, which now Hc3 well behind the front on which tho British are advancing, is a miniature mountain range, from which foothills descend gradually on either side. Tho advance is stil'l faced by rolling country, but it lends generally to la-Il away, and ?-his is of course, a very vital factor in warfare in which artillery plays such an important part both in organised resistance and in attack.

* * * ■' For the time being it is an open question whether the enemy is intent upon straightening and reorganising his line with a minimum evacuation of ground or is about to /all back in the hope of so shortening his front as to approeiablj caso tho drain upon his resources. For roasons that have been touched upon a merely local retirement of the German lino would, not-augur ill for the prospects of tho Allied offensive this year. On the other hand if the Germans attempt a more extended retreat they will invito the dangers that inevitably attend such a movement in faoft.o4 atroages and Letter

organised armies. One suggestion which has been advanced in this connection is that the enemy may retire to a line covering the junction of St. Quentin, so evacuating the head of the, great salient formed by his present front, where it extends south to tho Aisne and east along that river towards Reims. Such a movement, however, would entail the dangers of retreat and if successfully carried out would only to a limited extent shorten the enemy front. Any attempt by the Germans to materially shorten their front would give the Allies extended scope and opportunity of converting the retreat into a rout.

In Mesopotamia tho British are now achieving' important results in an offensive which has been methodically developed during a period of several weeks. Under the combined pressure nf a direct attack on tho Sannaiyat lines, M miles east of Kut-el-Amara, and a _ flank attack on their communications from a crossing of the Tigris at Shumran, five miles west of Kut, the Turks have been dislodged from Kut and other positions on the north bank of the Tigris for a distance of twenty miles. These events follow naturally upon the British crossing of the Tigris at Shumran. That accomplished, tho Turks had to choose between envelopment or retreat, and it is evident from the reports rcteived to-day that they delayed their retreat too long and were heavily penalised for their delay. Reports in hand mention the capture of nearly two thousand prisoners in two days, and with this as a basis it seems likely that the Turks have lost in tho space of a few days a larger number of men than they captured in Kut-el-Amara last year. The full tale of the enemy losses has yet to bo told, but it is already evident that the Turkish communique which admits the evacuation of Kut 'According to a pre-arranged plan and in order to effect a junction with reinforcements," has very littlo reference to the actual facts. Tho chief question now open is how far the British forces in Mesopotamia will be able to build upon the pronounced success they have won. In this connection it is not without interest that some recent fighting is reported in tho vicinity of Lake Van, in Southern Armenia. Between Armenia and the present fighting area in Mesopotamia the Turks nave penetrated deeply into Western Persia, but they are on that account so much tho more likely to be thrown into disarray by ooncertod offensive operations by the .Russians in Armenia and the British in Mesopotamia,

Possibly the sinking of the Cunarder Laeonia may prove to bo the overt act which will occasion war between Germany and the United States. In the speech which is reported to-day President Wilson declares his intention of avoiding war unless it is forced by the wilful acts and aggression of others. The torpedoing of the Laeonia without warning should be eminently such an act. The ship was presumably an ordinary passenger liner, and though the loss of life was not heavy it is stated that two American women passengers were drowned. If the facts are as reported the American Government can hardly regard the deed otherwise than as a wanton aggression inviting war.

Here Ballin, a German shipping magnate, is credited with the statement that the German submarine campaign has succeeded, not on account of the number of ships sunt, bat because neutral shipping has been brought to a standstill. Evidence is afforded from day to day, in reports of sinkings and otherwise, that neutral shipping has not been brought to a standstill, but it is quite true that a large number of neutral ships are being detained in port. Hbrr Ballin is somewhat hasty, however, in grasping at this circumstance for comfort. That neutrals are for the time to some extent intimidated cannot bo taken to mean that they will be content to keep_ their ships tied up in port indefinitely. The .United States Government is already taking active steps to maintain and protect its commerce. There is littlo doubt that President Wilson will be granted tho powers for which he is asking to supply American ships with defensive armament and to provide insurance against war risks. These' measures being taken Gormany will have a new set of problems to face, and additional encouragement wiH be given to other neutrals to defy the so-called German blockade. It is, of course, plain enough that Herr Ballin is emphasising tho effect of the submarine campaign on neutrals in tho hopo of distracting attention from its threatened failure in its larger aspect. But oven on the ground ho has himself selected his optimism is distinctly .overdone.