PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 129, 18 February 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

All the news from and relating to llussia to-day tends to show that Germany is far from having reached finality in that country. Thoroi are few reports of internal developments in Russia, and those that appear are under deep suspicion on account of the fact that they are practically all edited in Berlin. The opinion seems to be warranted, howover, that Germany either actually contemplates a further campaign against Russia or is endeavouring to reach by threats and intimidation results which she- has failed to attain in peaceful negotiations., Trotsky's reported statement to the people of Pctrograd that ho had cleverly avoided .tho German conditions, but that tho German troops would follow him, calls up the thought of a watchdog proudly leading burglars into the premises it is his duty to guard, but is perhaps not so utterly inane, as it sounds. Russia is no longer a military factor, but the Germans have perhaps as much to fear as to hope from extending their in< vasion. They cannot afford to regard with indifference the political dangers of further contact vith tho Russian people, and at the same time art attempt tn deal with the anarchical conditions of the country may make not inconsiderable demands upon their military resources.

There is little news from tho land theatres at time of writing. Reports from the West front deal mainly with the raids, on land and in tho air, which arc doubtless leading up to greater events. News frorr. Palestine that the British have- occupied another dozen miles of country north-east of Jerusalem, meeting little opposition, attracts attention chiefly because the period in which Germany might have hoped to organise a counter-effort to the British offensive in this theatre is rapidly slipping away. There is nothing to show that the Turkish forces have boon strengthened, and presumably tho invading army is at a, standstill for fcho time, not be cause of the resistance to be expect ed, but because it is necessary to organise and build communications in the area which was swiftly covered in tho late advance. It is, of course, possible that the advance reported to-day may be the first step in another forward movement on the scale of tho last.

The latest announcements regarding the amount of shipping constructed by Great Britain and America during 1917 compare disappointingly with earlier statements on the subject. According to Mr. Bonar Law, tho British Government built last year 1,163,474 tons of' shipping, and bought 170,000 tons abroad. This is little moro than half the additional volume of shipping predicted in Ministerial speeches during tho year, but possibly the statement is not comprehensive. A Washington report published to-day states, however, that Britain and tho United States produced in tho aggregate 2,064,000 tons of shipping in 1917. If this is in accordance with facts, theo the production of shipping both in tho United S,tates and in Britain during 1917 fell decidedly short of expectations. Both- countries, however, are taking measures to enormously increase; the output of new merchant shipping during the current year. In Brita-in the time has been closely approached at which the construction of standardised shipping in Government arid other yards will expand rapidly, and America is planning shipbuilding on an even greater scale. # * # * A correspondent of the London Observer ' gave in December last the following details of what the American Emorgency Fleet Corporation has under way: I _ Ships. Tons. Wooden and concrete ships undor contract 400 1,500,000 Steel ships under contract 400 3,000,000 Vessels undor construction taken over by tho Government 400 3,000,000 1,200 7,500,000 Provided labour problems are solved, tho correspondent remarks, this programme will much moro than realise tho promise of 6,000,000 tons' in 1918. "But 80,000 men must come forward promptly from tho steel plants and other great industrial establishments to reinforce tho present army of about 100,000 men in 116 shipyards." A description given by the correspondent of one of tho new American shipyards, situated at Hog Island, in tho Delaware River, below Philadelphia, contains impressive details. "At this particular shipyard," bo states, "the Government will spend 275,000,000 dollars. The construction of the Panama Canal cost 375,000, • 000 dollars. The greatest number of employees nt Hog Island will bo 39,000. The greatest number cmpjoyod at Panama was '14,733: this wjis* on April 16, 1913. At present over 5000 labourers are clearing tho ground at Hog Island. Thero are to be five groups of' shipways, ten shipways in each group. Each of the fifty ships on the ways at ono time will be of 7500 tons. Each will cost 1,000,000 dollars. Tho total of 375,000 tonnage from this one shipyard must be tested and accepted not later than November 1, 1918. The first keel is to bo laid on January 7, 1918. This means day and night work. The fame firm that is doing this work is building twenty-eight warehouses, each measuring 240 by f 500 feet, for an ordnance base in France."