PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3145, 25 July 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

iS'urroundxng circumstances make it impossible to base particularly optimistic anticipations on tho Russian attack on the enemy front in the region of Vilna, which is reported to-day, but it will stand for all time as a very gallant enterprise. The great retirement of 1915 in which tho Russian armies displayed such splendid qualities imposed no severer test of courage and resolution that does the prosecution of the offensive at tho present time. Tho success on the northern front was definite as far as it went. The enemy defences were penetrated in places to a depth of two miles, and over a thousand prisoners were taken, but it is admitted that the development of the success is jeopardised o.v the instability and moral weakness of certain detachments. The statement that numbers of officers porished _ in fulfilling their duties is a significant indication that some of tho troops engaged were not easily induced to assault. The attack appears meantime as a heroic attempt to reanimate the Russian armies, but the prospects of succcss are at best problematical. i -ft # Mr ■ * The full extent of tho disaster on L tho southern front Jjas ycti to }jq de-.

fined. .The enemy, however, has captured amopol, but. is not only in a lair way to drive the .Russians out of Galieia, but may attempt a drive on ivielf with the object of cutting bit the Russian and Rumanian armies to tho south. Eveu a partial recovery on tho part of tho Russians, however, would make prospects of success iu this venture dubious, and hopes of such a recovery have not entirely disappeared. The unfavourable aspects of tho day's news, which arc sufjiciontly obvious, aro to some extent modified by the .Russian success on the northern front, and by enemy reports of a Russian bombardment iu the Carpathians, and also on the southern part of tho Rumanian front, whiQh it is suggested indicates impending battles.

The spirit which animates France is admirably summed up in a sentence credited to-day to M. Ribot: "France is not conquerable." Apart from its wider application, this will fetand as a comment on tho great defensive battle the Frenoh have neen fighting for _ weeks on the Aisno "Plateau and in adjacent areas. It is not easy to assign an adequate motive for the enemy's prolonged and all but completely abortive attacks in this region. Certainly these attacks have entailed a prodigal sacrifice of lives, and havo brought the Germans no perceptible gain. Tho French aro established north of the Aisno in strong positions, giving them at most points excellent observation. That is to say, they aro splendidly placed to fight a defensive battle. The enemy's furious assaults have at times given him a limited foothold iu the French line, such as ho gained a, day or two ago on tho northern edgo of tho. California Plateau, but these gains have in nearly every caso been temporary. Tho decline of the enemy's efforts has on a number of occasions given the signal for French attacks, pushed homo with vigour and succcss. It is possible that the enemy aims at bringing such pressure to bear on the French line as would compel the British to so extend their front as to limit their prospects of successful offensive action in Flanders .or Northern France. It seems unlikely as_ matters stand that this object will be realised, and much moro likely that another forward movo by the British will find the French ablo and ready to co-operate.

With the light that has lately been cast upon the trend of tho submarine campaign it is possible to regard the reported statomcnt of the Kaiser to the Germa'n Socialist leaders as an indication that its author is badly at a loss. Mr. Lloyd George's references to the underwater campaign in tho spcech which was reported yesterday aro a sufficient answer to tho assertion that the submarines hayo succeeded beyond all expectations and will bring ruin and destruction to !Brit-. ain. Mr. Lloyd George laid particular emphasis upon tho construction of now mercantile tonnage and the increasing production of food in Great Britain. He also stated, however, that our losses at 1 sea were gradually and surely diminishing, and it is obvious that this diminuy tion is of even better promise as regards the future than tho important progress made in measures calculated to neutralise tho losses causod by the submarines, oigures for a limited period throw 110 definite light upon tho trend of tho campaign, but'tho numbers of British ships sunk by mine and submarine have been upon the wholo declining during a period of nearly three months. During three weeks of Juno tho rate of loss roso above normal, but on the whole it has been declining since the end of April. As Mr. Lloyd George pointed out only half as many British ships we're sunk in threo weeks of the present month as in tho corresponding period of April. The only explanation which will meet the facts is that tho efficiency of the anti-submarino organisation is steadily rising. Tho improvement, which is still in evidence dates from the end of April, and it is noteworthy that on May 25 Mr. Lloyd George stated that substantial progress was being made in the anti-submarine campaign. "During the last three weeks or a month, ho remarked on that occasion, "wo have dealt more effectivo blows at the submarine than during any corresponding period of the war." About a week later it was reported that the German Government had confiscated the whole of an edition of the Vossische Zeit-ung in which Captain Persius had written an article admitting that tho war could not be determined as a result of Germany's submarine policy. It now seems highly probable that this report was accurate.

Writing at the end of May the naval correspondent of the London Times said that it appeared to be certain that some of- the measures taken by the' naval authoritiesmeasures which had been maturing during tho previous four_ or five months—had achieved earlier success than was anticipated. "The U-boat has not ,vefc been rendered inocuous," he added, "but the situation has improved. Manifestly the suggestions of the Naval Board of Inventions have received tho consideration they deserve, and the labours of the new Submarine Committee appointed by Sir John Jellicoe on his joining tho Admiralty are bearing fruit. The arming of merchant ships has played its < part, as the First Sea Lord explained the other day, but other means havo been found to baffle the U-boats, for, after all, offence is the best defence. If tho enemy's effort continues to lose force we have a right to bo hopeful as to the future." The enemy's effort has continued to lose force, and the outlook is on that account definitely better than it was when the correspondent wrote.