PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 172, 10 April 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

At time of writing there is no definite news of any big development in the battle in France, birt Douglas Haig in his latest report mentions only that the British line has been slightly advanced cast of Corbie, in the Somme valley, and that the Germans have increased their artillery bombardment on tho whole front. The enemy meantime has made no headway on the most direct approach to Amiens by way of the Somme valley, and presumably has done nothing to improve bis extremely unfavourable situation in the* marshes of the Ancre further north. Both Sir Dougws Haig's report and other messages suggest that another blaze of battle is imminent, but there is little at the moment to indicate where the enemy's next blow is expected to fall or whether the Allies are likely to anticipate it.

Mr. PHiLir Gibbs fcha-t the Germans may resume their attacks in the Arras region, whero they lately fared so badly, but makes no 'definite prediction on the subject. A French semi-official commentator declares that Amiens is still the goal of the German Hich Command, and that the present pause, which he considers momentary, is due only to tho exhaustion of the attacking troops and tho heavy losses they have suffered. If his estimate of the position is sound, the Allies may have to choose before long between' launching a counteroffensive or undertaking a retirement involving serious consequences. It is, of course, very possible that the Allies may allow the enemy to develop his drive toward?, Amiens to the utmost limits consistent with the safety of their line before they attempt a counterstroke. The situation, critical as it appears in some respects, certainly cannot yet be taken to mean that they lack the reserves and other resources which such an effort would demand.

A late message conveys sonic good news. It states that the German artillery drew such an effective return fire from the French .and British batteries that the heavy bombardment mentioned in earlier reports came prematurely to an end. The weather also, which for once has been unfavourable to the Germans in' the present offensive, is hampering lie enemy efforts. The general suggestion is that the enemy is firmly held on a great nart of the front. On the other hand, ho claims some progress and t.h« can hi re of 2000 prisoners on the border of the Coucy forest. Progress by the enemy in this region weakens and threatens the eastern flank of the barrier line the French have established on the Oise, and, though less immediately, also threatens their positions north of the Aisne. At the- moment of writing 'tRe" enemy's account of events in this quarter is neither confirmed nor denied by French reports.

A hkcent cablegram mentioned that the long-range guns which have been bombarding Paris from the St. Gobain Forest have been located. The sequel may bo an announcement that the emplacements ha.ve been successfully attacked by aircraft. An interesting account of a similar achievement is given by Mr. E. A. Powell in his book, With the Italians and the Allies in the WcM. "The officer in command of the Belgian Photographic Section," says the author, "had heard that I wa.s in Dunkirk in May, 1915, when it, was shelled by a German naval gun ab a range of 2,11 miles. So he gave me as a souvenir of the experience a photograph taken from the air of tho gun emplacement after it had been discovered and bombed by tho Allied aviators. . . . Another of theso monster guns was so ingeniously concealed in an imitation thicket that for a fortnight or more it defied the efforts of sooros of airmen to locate it. Though hundreds of airplane photographs of the country behind the German trenches were brought in and minutely examined, there was nothing about them :to suggest the hiding-place of a gun of so large a calibre until someone, called attention to th.G deep ruts left by motor trucks which had left the highway and turned into the innocent-looking patch of wood , ). It was surmised that the vehicles were laden with large.calibn? shells, and a few days later it was noticed that at & certain point on the western edge of that patch of woods there seemed to bo a slight discoloration. This discoloration became more pronounced on 1 later photographs which wore brought ia. . . . At length one suggested thai, it looked as {•hoaj;ii the leaven of tbe trees had been burned. But what burned them? There was only one answer. The fiery blast from a big gun hidden amid those trees. A score of airmen soon proved that the answer was correct."