PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3127, 4 July 1917, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The welcome news appears to-day that the Russians have opened an offensive in Galieia. Judging by the preliminary) though definite, reports in hand at time of writing an important' initial success has been gained, and the enterprise seems likely to develop on a formidable scale. It has still to be seen, of course, whether tho Russians are capable of a sustained effort this year, but the outlook is certainly in every way very much better now that they are engaged in a drive on Lemberg than when it was still an open question whether they were capable of attempting such a movement. The principal factthus far established is thattho Russians have gathered in a big haul of prisoners —a Petrograd official report speaks of over'Bsoo, and an American report of over 10,000. It follows almost as a matter of course that our Allies will bo able to develop their initial success. Their immediate task'in resuming the attack, was to break into and through tho'strongly fortified front which the enemy lias been elaborating in the Eastern theatre, and particularly in Southcm Russia and Galieia, since last year. Tho Austro-Germans mado great efforts in 1916 to construct ■defences which would keep tho _ Russions at a distance. In particular they laid wire- entanglements, not merely in successive lines, but by the acre. Tho Russians devised a system of blasting comparativelynarrow gaps in the enemy's wire entanglements and other defences and advancing through theso gaps to outflank and turn the- entrenchments on either hand. The big haul of prisoners already reported suggests that 'similar tactics arc again proving effective. 1 °* * *' «

At tho moment oE writing not a great deal of information is available as to the scopo and character of the offensive. It has taken shape, however, in tho area of Eastern Galieia. According to a German report the Russians nro attacking on a front of about twenty miles, from the Upper Strypa to the Naraiovka. Tho northern flank of this front, in tho vicinity of Zborof, is about fifty miles east of Lemberg, and from Zborof it turns south-smitb-wosfc, passing a mile or two cast of Brzczany, which is the principal centre immediately threatened by the Russian offensive. At_ tho stage at which active operations have been resumed the campaign in Galieia resolves itself largely into a struggle for the possession of vital river crossings. Brzczany anrj adjoining positions cover tho point at which n> railway and main road to Lemberg cijoss the Zlota Li pa. The Russians a'c across this river south of Brzczany, but; in the country between Brzczany and tho Dniester tho River Naraiovka is at present "a harrier to :their advance. The effect of news in hand is to show' that tho Ttussfojis have made some headway in a turning movement against Brzezany on tho north. Capturing "Brzczany and the causeway through river and marshy country which it commands they' would materially improve their prospects of advancing on Lemberg.

It will bo remembered by those who followed the course of events in the Eastern theatre last year that Lcmbergin Galicia. and Kovel Junction in Southern Russia, are vitally important nodal points in the enemy line. The fall of either centre would lie apt to determine the fate of the other. .While he holds these great junctions and the intervening centre of Vladimir Volyiisk, by way of which Lcmborg and lvovcl_ arc in touch by rail, the enemy is in possession of excellent cross-communica-tions which make it possible to swiftly transfer strength from the northern to the southern area, of the Eastern theatre, or vice versa. This, of course, is equivalent to convenient and easy communications between the Germans and their Austrian vassals. If the Russians captured l/cmherp' or Kovel tho facility of communication' now enjoyed by the enemy would be lost. He would be condemned to .an extended retreat, and that without hope of standing on as advantageous a line as he now holds. It is possible that these issues, which ha,ve becjj. dormant sin-c General Beueiloff's offensive, caw.

to a. hull, last year, n.ro about to lie. again definitely raised.

Onk ini'ssngc to-day suggests that the. (Jcrmans have lately linen making land and naval preparations for an offensive ou the Baltic front, if they have the .Russian stroke in Oalicia has anticipated and bids fair to foil their project. There is a. good deal, however, to support a belief that the, Germans are so deeply involved in fcho Western theatre and the Aiisfcrians on tho Italian front, as to put an offensive against Russia, out of tlu question. It certainly seems likely that if Germany had considered such an offensive practicable sho would have launched it at a time- when the armies of the Republic were much more seriously demoralised than they appear to' he to-day.

Telegraphic interruptions are delaying the war cables, but a late official message confirms the news that the Russians have broken into the enemy front north-east and southwest of Brzezany, and states that prisoners captured at the period to which it relates exceeded 10,000.