PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 163, 30 March 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

It would seem that Germany has been accompanying her military effort on the West front with a special effort in her submarine campaign. The toll levied on our merchant shipping for tho past week as reported to-day is heavier than usual, but we may hope that the Navy has exacted a proportionately heavy price in U-boats. It was to be expected that increased German naval. activity would accompany the. offensive on the West. It is in accord with the growing idea that Germany, is. now making her aupreine and perhaps her final effort to wrest a favourable peace from the Allies ; 'that she should seek to make the blow as heavy and as far-reach-ing as possible; It is not only the actu.il results attained that Germany relies on for her ,ends but the moral effect on the people of the nations with which she is at war. Her endeavour now is to snatch victory by force of arms if she can, but in any case to make her effort so tremendous as to appal the Allies with the terrible cost of prolonging the strugglo and so weaken their will and secure a German-made ■peace. It is by no means improbable that the surface vessels of the German War Fleet will be found joining in the effort. Whether tho Battle Fleet will be risked in a general engagement may be open to doubt, but it might conceivably be sent out in an endeavour to.force a passage to the open seas for fast raiding cruisers to prey on mercantile commerce; or raids or attempted raids on the British coastal ports may prove an alternative. At any rate it is unlikely, if the German's arc seeking to make the present offensive on the West their decisive stroke in the war, the ilect will be kept idle. One thing is certain. The British Fleet, under Admiral Beatty, was never better able to cope with the enemy's naval enterprises than it is to-day. It has been strengthened in directions which no doubt account for the fact that for a very long time past Germany has been forced to confine her surface, activities in the North Sea to the swiftest of her smaller craft,

All sections of the Allied armies engaged have earned undying renown in meeting the grim and searching test imposed by the German offensive, but assuredly none have given a hotter 'account of themselves than the airmen, who have been tirelessly strafing the enemy hordes since the first moments of the battle. By massing enormous forces and recklessly squandering lives the enemy contrived to thrust back for a distance the indomitable infantry and artillery which stood in his path, but so far as air fighting is concerned his record throughout these days, which for him arc days of crowning effort, has been one of overwhelming defeat. His practically unrelieved .defeat in the air is disastrous in itself, and makes heavily for the defeat of his total effort. The record of the Allied air-

men in this battle is one of the most brilliant of the war. In direct attacks upon the enemy troops with bombs and machinu-guxu, in _ tho bombing of depots and junctions, and in blinding the enemy whilo freely observing his dispositions, they have surpassed their own past achievements. Ample evidence is supplied that they have enormously increased the enemy's losses both by their own attacks and by _directing a bombardment which ■is described as the most terrible to which an army in the open' was ever subjected. It is plainly demonstrated also that their daring goes hand in hand with remarkable skill and efficiency. They are facing every possible risk in their ceaseless activities over and behind the battlefield, and yet their losses are not only on a considerably lower level than those suffered by the- opposing enemy squadrons, but are not heavier than have often been suffered in earlier stages of tho campaign. Of late the Allied aircraft have been largely concentrated over the battle area and in'its near neighbourhood—for the obvious reason that unlimited scope is. there offered for profitable activities—but more distant objectives are not being altogether neglected. Attacks upon enemy establishments in Flanders are being steadily maintained, and Sir Douglas Haig reports to-day that four tons of bombs were dropped on Valenciennes, a railway junction north-east of Ca-mbrai, and more than thirty miles behind the battlefront, through which the enemy is pouring supplies and reinforcements. No doubt attacks of this character will be rapidly multiplied as timo goes on. Tho events of the battle have made it clearer than ever that the Allied air forces utterly outclass those of the enemy, not merely in numerical strength, but in the human qualities which make even more than superior numbers for supremacy.

At timo of writing part of a report lias come through which speaks of an attack in which the Germans penetrated British advanced lines east of Arras. The report as yet is incomplete and without details, but the general position reached in the battle affords tho_ enemy little encouragement to widen and expand his attacks. Some fighting in which the enemy mado limited progress is reported alqo further south, but it now seems highly probable that tho introduction of Allied resorves will speedily emphasise and intensify the change for the better which is already in evidence. Somewhat later news is to the effect that in tremen--dously heavy an extend--j cd battlefront the British have substantially mai'il-aimd their positions at all points; * * * * The New Zcalanders are mentioned to-day for the first time as taking, part in tho battle. They ar,o fighting at Bucquoy, a town about eleven miles south of Arras and a little over three miles east of the line from which the Allies attacked in the Battle of the Somme. Australian troops ( arc also now engaged. No doubt the appearance of the oversea troops means that considerable reserves have already been brought into line. * * . * « Events which l at any other time would command and deserve a- great deal of attention are reported today in the Turkish theatres. In Palestine British forces have advanced'east from the Jordan and are now. astride the Hejaz ' railway. Apart from its other results, the achievement will no doubt give a pronounced impetus to the Arab.revolt which has already gained formidable head, with weakening effect on the Ottoman Empire. At the same time it is announced ti'at tho left wing forces of the British Army in Mesopotamia have made a further considerable advance up the Euphrates, capturing a body of 3000 Turks. « * * * A kkiv days ago an American Senator (Mr. Lodge) was quoted as dc'claring that only two Americanbuilt ships had yet been completed. To-day's cablegrams include a statement by the Chairman of the United States Shipping Board (Mr. Hurley) in which , lie mentions amongst other things that contracts" have been let. for &,160,000 tons df shipping, of which, thus far 2,121,000 tons have been completed. In all rospecfa • the statement is impressive, and its details seem to amply warrant tho assurance that in eight months the United States will have a shipbuilding machine capable of defeating- Germany. • • •