PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3039, 28 March 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Suggestions made yesterday, that great events are imminent in the Western theatre are echoed and amplified to-day, aud though the situation is not yet made clear in its details it is possible to accept with little reserve tho {statement contained in one message that battles of immense possibilities are developing. Even if messages of this kind aro disregarded, French and British official reports make it plain that tbo enemy is no longer retreating and refusing battle. On tho contrary it is shown that both on the French and British sectors he is counterattacking with a desperation wfcich can only be inspired by a real desire to recover lost positions. On the British section of the front tho principal struggle is raging at Beaumetz-le3-oambrai, a. village which stands just south of tho Bapaume-Cambrai road, at a distance from the latter place of eleven miles. The positions held by the British at Beaumetz are described by Me. Philip Gibbs as occupying high ground overlooking the German main defences. On tho map the immediate vicinity of Beaumetz is shown as the highest ground for several miles along the road leading to Cambrai. No explanation' is offered of the fact that the Germans allowed a British force to walk unopposed, on Wednesday, last, into a position they have eince striven desperately and at heavy sacrifice to recovor. Manifestly, however, it is a fact which suggests strongly that all is not going well with the German retreat. Even if it is assumed that the enemy is intent only upon delaying the Allies and .holding them temporarily in play, these objepts would have been better servedby a defensive stand in selected positions than by the costly and unavailing attacks which aro reported fo : day on both the French and British sections of the front.

Whether or not French . critics are warranted in their declaration that the greatest event since the Marne is in immediate prospect, the situation as it is disclosed seems likely to develop rapidly. It is remarked by Mr. Gibbs that the enemy has now reached "Hindenburg's line of dofenco," from Arras, East Oambrai, St. Quentin, and aon. But, as Mb. Gibbs himself points out, this line is already dangerously threatened, particularly in the vicinity of St. Quentin. As matters stand this junction is, a vital element in the enemy's defensive organisation, and _ it is within easy range of tbio Allied artillery. According to Mb. Gibbs the French are fighting heavily round St. Quentin and threatening to turn tho enemy line. This apart, the natural sequel to late events at Beaumetz and the capture of tho village of Laignicourt, to the northwest, will be an early extension of the British advance upon Oambrai, and the French are pushing ahead against livoly resistance on the southern part of the front on which the enemy has retreated, north of Soissons and on the approach to Laon. Tho situation is not lacking in featuree of obscurity, but while it is obvious that the enemy has incurred new dangers by his retreatr—notably the increased danger of being outflanked on his northern front—it is_ not easy to see what countervailing advantages he has secured. The main issutst at stake await determination, but the news in hand carries a very definite suggestion that the enemy retreat has already in _ some important respects miscarried. This is at once a tribute to the vigour and success of tho Allied pursuit, and of good augury for events to cpmft- . . .

Nor much has been heard during the last clay or two about tho British advance beyond Bagdad, but it is no doubt still being pressed in concert with the Euesian movements towards the Persian border, and across it into Northern Asia Minor, of which recent roports have spoken. As a. whole, the possibilities opened in this theatre arc interesting. After tho fall of Bagdad part of the beaten Turkish army rotreated towards Khanikin, which stands opposite tho Persian bordor, about a hundred miles nortE-east of Bagdad. . With the Russians also in rapid motion towards Khanikin through Western Persia, it seemed not impossible that the Turks retreating from Bagdad might find themselves trapped. Up to the present thoy have escaped this fate. The Britieh advanced troops are still somewhere on the route between Bagdad and Khanikin— probably considerably short of the lattor place—and the Russian column advancing on the same objective was reported yesterday to be encountering resistance in the Persian mountains, thirty or forty miles to the eastward. . It would appear, therefore, that the Turks have so far rallied as to have some prospectß of a safe retirement north from Khanikin. This does rot mean that they are at an end of their troubles. A new problem for the Ottoman command should be raised by the event reported in a Russian communique to-day. It states that the Russians, pursuing .the Turke entered the vilayet of Mosul. This may mean that the Russians have crossed the Persian border on the approach to Khanikin, but it is at least as likely that they have done so 150 miles further north, on the route to the town of Mosul, which is an important Turkish depot on the Upper Tigris. A Russian advance on Mobul would be a much more serious matter from the Turkish standpoint _than the movement against Khanikin, and the capture of Mosul by the Allies would involve the expulsion of the Turks from practically the, whole oxtenfc of Mesopotamia. There is a practicable route of approach to Mosul from Persia by wav of Rowanclus. It will be remembered that tho Russians reached this place last year, but were subsequently compelled to retire.

In the scale upon which they aro developing, tho Allied operations in Mesopotamia and in and beyond Western Persia should valuably supplement whatever the Russians are able to accomplish when they resume activities on their main Armenian front. Faced by a wellorganised British, army in the Tigris valley, north of Bagdad, and further east, the Turks, are threatened also with an attack upon their communications 260 milos north of Bagdad. In addition they must anticipate an early renewal of the campaign in Armenia, where the Russians have no doubt dona a great deal by • reinforcement, improvement of communications, and in other ways, to increase their striking power. Transport difficulties will prevent any very large Russian force advancing from Western Persia, but it is tolerably certain that the main Turkish forces will be fully engaged in Armonia; and in the Tigris valley, unless they elect to abandon Mesopotamia. The threat to tho enemy communications from tho east, thereforo, has serious importance. The position of tho Turks is _• certainly very much worse than it was last year, when they suffored heavy .defoat_ in Armenia, and made no very important headway in tho counteroffensive, which they attempted in the.autumn. Strong forces were employed in an attack upon the Russian front in .Southern Armenia, the ultimate object being to cut across the Russian main line of communications east of Erzerum. The enterprise was decisively defeated, however, at an early stage of its development. Tho Turks won more pronounced success in an invasion or Persia, but their hopes of reaching Teheran were disappointed. Persia is now effectively dominated by the Allies and the foothold which the Turka gained last year in its western marches they are now losing as rapidly as it was won. Since the Turks were able to accomplish no more last year with the British at a standstill in Mesopotamia their prospects in the present aspeot of affairs can only be regarded as dark and unpromising. It may easily be believed that Turkey is making strong efforts to recover her divisions at present serving in the ■> main Eastern theatre. If Germany adhereß to her refusal to restore these troops tho natural inference will bo that she has decided to abandon Turkey to her fate, and resentment at such cavalier treatment may conceivably shorten the period of Turkey's further resistance to the Allies.