PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3089, 21 May 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

After a. long spell of idleness in its ports, the Austrian Navj has attempted an offensive stroKe in which it appears on the whole _to have fared rather badly. Austrian light cruisers and destroyers raided tho drifter line across the Southern Adriatic, which constitutes an outpost of the British anti-submarino organisation, and gained some preliminary success. Fourteen drifters, Ismail steam trawlers and similar craft, are stated to have been sunk. In the subsequent engagement, howover, one enemy cruiser was all but destroyed—she was towed into port badly on fire, and in a sinking condition—and another was badly damaged. All that the Austrians have to .set against this, apart from the sinking of the drifters, is tho torpedoing of tho British light cruiser Dartford, which returned to port with a loss of three men killed, I five missing, and seven wounded. Tho Dartford is a ship of 5250 tons, i with a speed of about.2s knots, and [armed with eight 6 : inch guns. She was completed in 1911. Unless she was more seriously damaged than her casualty roll would suggest the balance of loss in the engagement probably turns against tho enemy. It is possible, however, tliat the raid served one purpose in enabling a number of submarines to pass through tho temporarily broken drifter line. With a more enterprising enemy raids like that reported today would bo of frequent occurrence, instead of being rare and exceptional events. In the Adriatic the Austrians have excellent facilities for enterprises of this character, but have turned them to poor account. The eastern coast of the Adriatic, with its islands and deepfrater channels between these islands and the mainland, offers a comparatively safe and sheltered corridor for tho passage of warships. Since there are many times when aerial observation is impossible, it says a great deal for the vigilance and 'efficiency of tho Allied patrols that the Austrians have not made much more frequent raids and achieved more important results.

Seveeal items relating to America appear to-day, and they serve to ■emphasise the fact that America is taking a serious view of her.war responsibilities, and is acting in full accord with her Allies. This is particularly true of the announce-ment-that Captain Evans, of Antarctic fame, who lecontly took a leading part and won promotion in a very gallant destroyer engagement in the Channel, has been lent to America in exchange for Admiral Sims. The latter, it will be rememb'ercd, lately crossed the Atlantic in .charge of the American destroyer flotilla which is now operating with the British Fleet. Presumably Captain Evans will be employed in organising and training additional naval units destined by the United States for service in European waters. Other interesting reports relate to tho dispatch of American troops to Europe. The idea of organising a special force under the command of' ex-President Roosevelt , has' been discountenaced on the ground that this course would interfere with the general military preparations of the United States, but it is announced that an American division will be sent to Franco as soon as possible, under General Pershing, who commanded the punitive expedition '.which entered Mexico in pursuit of Villa. As a whole, the news conveys a highly satisfactory assurance that America will show in naval and military measures the energy and the spirit of helpful cooperation she has already manifested in such matters <is finance, shipbuilding organisation, and the supply of munitions. President. Wilson's words carry a definite promi so that tho United States will send the largest possible army to France as speedily as efficient preparation will permit.

Tug'ltalian offensive on the Julian front continues to develop with excellent promise. In their latelywon positions east o£ Gorizia. and on

fcho Carso plateau (he Italians have defeated formidable counter-attacks, iiud they arc making good headway ih their attack upon the immensely strong positions held by the enemy in the mountain country north, of Gorizia. It is stated that the key to the enemy's defensive system is Monto Santo, four miles north of Gorizia. As reports stand at tho moment of writing the conquest of Monte Santo has not been completed, but the Italians have captured Monto Vodice, which in its turn is described as tho key to the enemy's defences north of Monto Santo. The latter mountain has an elevation of 2280 feet, and Monte Vodico is over 2000 feet high. A convincing indication that matters are going well with the Italians is given in the number of prisoners taken. At time of writing the total stands at 6432.

Mention of M.onte Santo and Monte Vodice as key positions does not necessarily imply that their capture would open a fatal breach in the. enemy line. In the high country to tho east, the Austrians have no doubt prepared a second defensive system on which to retire, and the second position may be as formidable as that from which they are in a fair way to be dislodged." But an assured foothold in the mountain country against which their offensive is now concentrated would give the Italians a much better prospect of pushing forward across the Carso plateau to the south. Hitherto, on *,i, considerable part of tho front north of Gorizia, they have been attacking under conditions which confer an enormous advantage ou the enemy. Apart from his possession of commanding mountain positions, the Italians have been handicapped by having to pass a considerable river, or operate from limited bridgehead positions on its eastern bank. In contrast with these , conditions possession of Monte Santo and the defensive system in which it constitutes the principal element would place the Italians substantially on an equality with the enemy on the front north of Gorizia. As a result they would gain increased opportunities of concentrating effectively against the vulnerable section of tho enemy front, where it crosses the Carso plateau, and the enemy's prospects of striking a counter-blow would be materially diminished.

A stir of raiding and continued heavy counter-attacks by the enemy are the ruling features of the situation in the Western theatre'. The general failure of the enemy's coun-ter-attacks is raodifiect only'by, the capture of a French advanced position on the western section of the Aisne front. ' In reference to the fighting at Bullccourt, the Germans make the decidedly unconvincing statement that they evacuated the ruins of tho village undisturbed, and that the British occupied the position twenty-four hours later. Bullecourt, as British reports have shown, was disputed foot by foot in ono of the most desperately contested battles ever fought, and the German report seems to have been framed on the principlo of departing as far as possible from the truth.

• • « * Times havo changed since the British Army had to make head as best it could against the cnomy's overwhelming superiority in heavy artillery, and to-day- British heavy artillery is 00-qperating with the Italians in their offensive, and has rendered them material assistance. This is a striking instance of the co-ordination of Allied resources, and it suggests also that the Italian offensive- is likely to be developed on an exceedingly formidable scale. Italy has enormously increased her own production of war material, and that she is being assisted in the manner stated does not mean that she is weak, but that Britain has now carried her war production to a, point which enables her to assist an Ally already strong.

One of the most important announcements made to-day relates to reparation for the illegal destruction of shipping by the enemy submarines. At the Allied Commercial Conference lately held, a- resolution was passed that the peace treaty should require Germany to replace ships illegally sunk. That is to say, the conference approved tho "ton for ton" principle, the adoption of which lias long been advocated. No doubt tho decision of the conference will bo approved by the different Governments concerned, and upheld by tho Allies as a, condition precedent to peace. Tho form of the resolution indicates that it is proposed to demand compensation for noutral as well as _ Allied shipping sunk by the submarines. It is plainly just that Germany should be required to make good the destruction effected in the course of her piratical campaign, and even so the question of "reparation for the murders which have gone hand in hand with piracy remains open.