PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 171, 9 April 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

At fcimo of writing no grout change is disclosed in the situation in France. North of the Soninie thi , enemy lias made strenuous efforts to gain ground and improve his front but with little apparent result. In order to straighten out and relieve the- exposed salient, in which his line runs south-west of Albert he must gain an extended foothold on the west bank of the Ancre. At heavy Cost he has crossed this river at three points—at Albert, at Dernancourt to the south-west, and at Aveluy V/ood, north of Albert—but as news stands his foothold is in every case limited and must be greatly extended if he is to achieve his purpose. At Dernancourt his bridgehead consists of a limited area of the marshy bank of the Ancrc. At Aveluy he has gained the- fringe of an extensive wood, which is presumably strongly held and formidably organised for defence. The nature of the foothold he has gained at Albert is not stated at time of writing. Much depends upon the issue of the struggle in this area. For the time being the enemy is held in an exposed and extremely disadvantageous position and of necessity is suffering heavy losses. But if he ctfntrivod to largely- extend his bridgeheads west of the Ancre he would advance and straighten his front in tho area whore it has now most closely approached Amiens.

Heavy fighting is also reported south of-the Soinnie, and in this area the Germans have 'made somo headway against tho French defences on the Oise. By their own account they have entered the outskirts of Chauny. Tho latter place which stands on the north bank of the Oise, is a railway junction of some importance; but is useless in that character to the French as their front is now ordered. Cha.uny is now the apex of a salient in their line, and its capture by the enemy might be a matter of minor importance. .The enemy front already crosses the Oise a mile or two east of Chauny.

The actual trend of the battle obviously cannot be measured on the information at present available. The apparent state of affairs is that the margin by which the Allies hold vital positions and communications, notably Amiens and the railways radiating_from that centre, is being slowly whittled away. If the battle continues on these lines serious results are threatened, but naturally we are told nothing about whatever plans the Allies are making to redress the situation by means of a counter-offensive or otherwise. Tt may be noted, however, that many reports declare that the Allies are still resisting the enemy in the area of his offensive with forces numerically much inferior. This, for what it is worth, should mean that considerable masses ara available as reserves.

The arrangement of the enemy command in the Italian theatre, as it is described to-day, looks like an attempt to please all parties. According to information supplied recently Try a correspondent at Italian Headquarters, General Boroevic, named to-day as in the supreme command, with Von Falkenhayn as "adviser," was appointed in January to succeed the Archduke Eugene in command of the entire enemy front against Italy. . "The two conspicuous enemy figures on this front," tho correspondent added, have, been Field-Marshal Conrad von Hr>r~ ZFwpoRF, commanding the mountain front, and General ijqiiOEVic, commanding along the PiaVe. General Boroevic is tie junior of the FieldMarshal, .and his passing over him is in tho nature, of a disgrace, probably growing out of the operations on tins front. Field-Marshal Conbad von Hoetzendorf retains the command on the mountain front. Hβ has represented tho extreme element opposed to Italy, and as Chief of the Austrian Staff sought to provoke a collision with Italy during the Tripolitan War. General Boroevic s tactics on the Italian front have been uniformly defensive ; rarely offensive. ■' For two years on the Isonzo front he maintained a defensive, and took the offensive only when German reinforcements compelled an advance. Since tho formation of the new Piave lino his policy has been chiefly defensive." The appointment of General Boroevic was construed as in part a concession to the Slav element in Austria, as he is of Slavo-Croatian origin. Presumably, however, the commanding figuro among tho three men named today is neither Boroevic nor Marshal Conrad, but Yon Falkenhayn. To him no doubt will fall the actual control and direction of tho impending campaign, whether or not Germany sends troops to the Italian' theatre,