PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3184, 7 September 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

A late message yesterday made the important announcement that the Italians had captured Monte San Gabrielle, but at time of writing the news lacks official confirmation. The latest Italian communique in hand makes no claim to the capture of Monte San Gabrielle, though it reports that a great battle is raging north-east of Gorizia. The presumption is that the mountain Is still in tho enemy's possession. Its capture would be chiefly important as a big step towards outflanking the Austrian lines across tho Oarso, and making them untenable. At the moment • the position seems to be that the Italians have resumed their offensive on a big scalo, ' after disposing of a powerful enemy counterattack (on tho southern half of the Oarso front), which made some temporary headway, but was. ultimately rolled back in defeat. Tho extent to which the cnemy's > defensive organisation has been laid open raises interesting possibilities, but there is admittedly a degree of uncertainty aa to the extent to which the Austrian armies havo been ioinforccd.

* * # * Conditions arc reported on the British front which very possibly portend another forward movement. British airmen aro raiding and reconnoitring well behind tho enemy lines, and Sir. Douglas Haig mentions that a record number of photographs have been secured. The'position in Eussia shows no material change. According to tho latest

available reports the Russians are conducting an orderly retirement which involves the abandonment of Riga, and a considerable section of the Dwina line. * * * *

A statement in which the German Imperial Chancellor maintains that certain revelations at tho trial of General SintnojipiNOFF, the- former Russian War Minister, support Germany's contention that she is not responsible for tho war is no doubt intended for the consumption of tho unbalanced fanatics who are doing their best to reduce Russia to a state of chaos. Germany's responsibility for the war and the fact that she prepared for it over a long term of years are established on overwhelming evidence, and the Chancellor can have made his statement with no otkor object than that of influencing the extremists in -Russia who are prepared to grasp at any absurdity in furtherance of their extraordinary propaganda.

For the last four weeks, including that reported on to-day, losses of British ships of over 1600 tons by mine and submarine have been slowly rising. Twenty ships ovor 1600 tons and three under were sunk last week, and this is the heaviest loss in big ships since the week ended August 3, m wh'ich :U ships of over 1600 tons were sunk. Tho aggregate number of ships sunk last week—23—is, however, the same as in tho previous week, and unsuccessful attacks have increased from six to nine. On the other hand, the aggregate number of arrivals and departures is tho lowest recorded for about 18 weeks. Although losses as stated have- been somewhat increasing during the last four weeks, it remains true that losses have substantially declined from the maximum figures reached in April last. * • *

A good deal has been heard about tho measures taken by the- United States in sending torpedo flotillas to European waters, in expediting tho construction of mercantile- shipping, and in other ways to assist tho Allies in counteractmg_ and defeating tho enemy submarine campaign. Other possibilities of American naval co-operation wero interestingly touched upon by Mr. Akthue Pollen in a recent article in Land and Water. "With eighteen battleships, whoso aggregate.! gun-power is vastly superior to that of tho whole German battle and battle-cruiser fleet," _he remarks, "the Americans arc in a position, should Norway elect for belligerency, to establish a North Sea base directly threatening both tho Sound, Heligoland, and tho exits of the German fleet, which would have a far more profound effect on North Sea strategy than the mere menace of the German.battle fleet implies For it must not bo forgotten that one of the main ad carnages that the enemy has derived from tho neutrality of the- Scandinavians is bis liberty to use their territorial waters, either for running cargoes directly into his own harbours or into those of countries powerless to resist his demand that- contraband should bo shipped through to him. With Norwegian territorial waters no longer neutral and with the Sound no longer an open passage, the problem of tho closer blockade is entirely revolutionised. Add to this that American belligerency gives to the Alliance a new power of checking the shipping of supplies ultimately destined for the enemy, and ah entirely now situation is create , :!. But there- is another question to which attention has been directed here more than once during tho last six months, and that is the possibility of direct offensive operations against the German bases. I_ am still of opinion that such operations cannot bo with any hope of success, without special preparations which may take six months or more'to complete. The character of those preparations, the special construction which they will involve, tho demands they will make on,the shipbuilding, tho gun-making, aid the munition-producing capacities of the older and tho new belligerents, need not be- specified. But jt is clear that here again the whole character of the problem is changed by the fact that tho American Navy is ready to take a most active part. - '