PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 59, 3 December 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Clear proof of, the' anxiety with which the Germans regard the results of tho British thrust towards Cambrai appears in the powerful countcr-stroko described in to-day's ' reports. Mado in heavy force and developed with an unsparing sacrifice of life, it gained some initial success, but tho net result as matters stand appears to be that the Germans effected a limited penetration of British positions at appalling cost. The blow is described as perhaps the hardest struck by tho Germans, since they opened their attack on Verdun last year, but it seems likely that the battle as it develops will resemble Verdun only in _ tho colossal sacrifice of enemy lives. Tho prodigality with which Prince Rupprecht squandered his reserves is attested in both official and unofficial reports, and this, no doubt, is the feature which best deserves attention. Nothing is more certain than that tho Allies weloomo overy effort by tho enemy to resumo aggressivo tactics and

mako it tlioir definite aim to provoke his counter-attacks. Tho enemy is on tho defensive. His purposes would best bo served by economising tho reserves which are essential to tho prolongation of his dcfenco. It' is chro necessity and acute concern for tho safety and stability of his lino which has driven him to thnitst forwaril these reserves to be swept away by British artillery and mach-ine-gun fire. Ho has purchased some ground, but at a cost which he can ccrtainly ill afford to pay.

The German attack was directed against both flanks of the British salient advanced towards Oambrai. Gaining full success, it would have made the salient untenable, and restored tho line much as it stood before tho recent British offensive. The Germans claim that they made pronounccd headway on both attacking fronts, but the latest message in hand at timo of writing, a .Router dispatch, states that the northern front (west of Oambrai) has been practically restored to its original shape, and that further south tho enemy has little more than the village of Gonnolieu to show for his sacrifices. In tho north the Germans attacked on a front of about nine miles running along tho northern .faoo of the British salient and turning south about three miles west of Oambrai. It is here that tho British hold high ground looking into the flank of the Hindenburg line extending north towards tho Scarpe. and artillery positions from_ which they are bombarding Oambrai. Tho enemy claims that ho deeply penetrated this line, but British reports show that hiß attack ended in total failure. Further south ho stnuck against the' southern flank of tho British salient and at tho height of his attack had driven a wedge with its point extending to the village of Gouzeaucourt, about a mile west of the lino on which tho recent offensivo was launched. _ He also captured La Vaoquerie, a village two miles north-east of Gouzeaucourt, as well as some ground further south, and positions to the east. Both La Vacqiierie and Gouzeaucourt have been recovered in counter-attacks.

All that tho enemy has accomplished is to somewhat accentuate the British salient and slightly contract its southern area. It is possible, however, that in the'positions, to which ho has been driven east of Gouzeaucourt he still commands a railway running into the salient, and so interrupts a usefiul line of supply. On the other hand, the enemy wedgo driven towards Gouzeaucourt is narrow, and will be costly_ to defend and difficult to maintain. A report from Sir Douglas Haiq, .just received, states that the battlo is still proceeding, but that the enemy has been completely repulsed. The Germans claim tha,t they captured four thousand prisoners, and at time of writing this is not contradicted, but their statements in regard to territorial gains aro evidently false in several material particulars, and the claim concerning prisoners is also on that account in some degree open to doubt.

The essential fact in any case is that the enemy has been completely repulsed in a tremendously costly effort to restore his line. _ Whether or not they lost as heavily as he alleges in the first rush of his assault, the British troops have maintained their salient at' all vital points. Gambrai is as dangerously exposed and threatened as ever, and the enemy has failed to remove the serious threat to his positions extending north to the Scarpa. There is no reason to doubt the truth of reports that the evacuation of Cambrai is proceeding, aud even if he retains the town for some time to come, the readjustment of communications he is making at this point will heavily accentuate the enemy's problems of defence.

# • 0 4 There, is not much news_ from Russia to-day, but it is becoming increasingly clear that tho activities of the Bolsheviki have not opened a direct road to a,separate peaee. In Pctrograd, which is their stronghold, they are said to have secured half of tho total votes cast in the elections to the Constituent Assembly, but the statement of a correspondent that only two armies out of fifteen support Krylenko, the Bolshevik "commander-in-chief," is a striking indication that conditions in Petrograd are far from being representative.

* * * .# No change is reported in Italy. One correspondent states that snow' has ceased in the mountains, and that the enemy is making preparations for attack, but it is likely that from this time forward the weather will heavily, impede the enemy in any offensive he may attempt in the mountain areas. The same factor raiust of course tend to hamper offensive action by tho Allies, but they are bettor placed than tho enemy to bide their time.