PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 199, 11 May 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

What news there is from Flanders to-day distinctly supports an opinion that the -Allied defence, is now much more firmly organised than at some earlier stages of the German offensive. Official reports show that the enemy's opening attacks in his attempt to execute a forward movement in the low country south-west of Yprcs. were made in heavier strength than at first appeared. Two divisions, and not one, were employed on the. short front on which the attack developed, but 119 success attended their efforts. They broke into front-lino positions at some points between Vooraczeolo and La Clytte, only to. be subsequently driven out again. The enemy is now employing further forces in an attack north of Mont Remmcl, that is to say, on the southern part bi the same front, and as Reports stand ho has gained a little ground in this arca x but he has not gained final possession, for fiehting is still in progress. As information goes, the Germans have made no-real headway at any point. In Flanders, as on most other parts of the front nowadays, minor, fluctuations of the line are an inevitable feature of any battle, and events as far as they have gone suggest that the Allies arc maintaining a most effective defence.

It was announced in America sonic time ago that merchant ships were being constructed faster than they were being destroyed by submarines, but according to a statement by Admiral Sims which appears to-day this state of affairs will not be reached until next week. Admiral Sims, who commands the American naval forces in European waters, no doubt speaks on the matter with full authority. Though it is still serious, the factor of loss by submarines has been upon the whole declining since the middle of last year, and shipyards in Britain, America, and other Allied countries are still far from having -reached their maximum output. There seems every reason to believe that the.shipping situation will henceforth improve steadily, and perhaps rapidly. Amongst the factors contributing to this result nmst i be reckoned not only the expanding construction', of new shipping, but tremendous developments in. .the-Allied 'counteroffensive! •The'-Tnbst' important factor of all, is the establishment of a great mino barrage across the northern end of the North Sea. Spread over an area of more than 200 miles from east to west, and nearly sixty miles from north to south, it extends from Norwegian .territorial waters ito within about 50 miles of the I easternmost Orkney Islands. An enormous achievement is, of course, implied in manufacturing the requisite number of mines and sowing them over such an area, and the results are likely to be correspondingly important.

Tire essential- fact to be 'noted is that submarines leaving Germany by way of the Baltic and cruising north,"as well as those which leave North Sea'bases and make for the Channel, must now face the perils of a mine-barred zone. •Assuming that the northern minefield is impassable, submarines taking the northern route must cither' attempt to follow the lane- of Norwegian territorial water or to escape throujfh.. the passage between tho western limits of the minefield arid the Orkneys.. Each.passage will.present its perils. The. neutral lane, of course, offers some facilities for evasion, but undci'stftV.T travelling through a three-mile channel between the irregular edge of a minefield and an indented coast will.bold very definite dangers, and the "submarines have to cope- also with Norwegian patrols. Tho passage between the western limits of the minefield and the Orkneys is no doubt organised and patroiled by day and night in tho same fashion as the. Channel. It is a material point that this northern passage is closely .commanded by British naval bases, while it is at a great distance from the enemy's nearest bases,. An attack upon tho patrolling anti-submarine forces would thus bo opposed by extreme difficulties. Taking account also of the effective blocking of the Bruges Canal at Zccbruggc, it is evident that enormous strides have been made of late in the development of the anti-submarine campaign. America's contribution of fast patrols has, of course, an important part and place in these developments.