COMMENT ON THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 227, 13 June 1918, Page 5

COMMENT ON THE SITUATION

DEVELOPMENTS REMAIN TO EE SEEN

General Maurice writes in tho Daily Chrome!.-": "General von Hutier has again taken the offensive, though it is too early to judge whether it is the beginning of a grand-scale attempt to advance on Paris or a local effort to draw in more Allied reserves. It is estimated U mt Von Hi,tier used a force of nineteen divisions on his allnckinp front ot about twenty miles between Chirv, Ourscamp and Ayencourt but littlo progress was mado except on tho centre sector, a ten-mile iron where he penetrated four and a half miles down, the Mate Valley to the south of Kessons. lie also gained a footing in the Thiescourt.Wood., It remains; to be seen whether Prince Rupnrecht will resume tho offensive against the British or will participate in the direct advance towards Pans. -Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. "THIS IS A REAL BATTLE" Mr. Perris quotes a French Staff officer as savin* ■ "This is " iv!m v "The "ui '° f \f f?3? the attack on the Chemin it, The Allies Ime is stronger, while (he reserves aro nearer than they were to the Cheniin des Dames. The French batteries SP,?° I fi i l ect "n, - ft l lD! '- n -y- f p01, I l :s ]t ? mo " ntwl to tho massacre of tho columns of assault. H ere is una. mity of opinion among tho prisoners, as well as our on i) combatants, that tho ranks of the enemy were torn and ploughed with •shot and shell, Never, perhaps, has the German Armv paid so dearly for an advance, which nowhere exceeds five miles. The smailness of the enemy's gains is merely a sign that Von liutier has found that his adversary is prepared, and is able to contest every yard. TIIO fi"htinir has been of tho modsanguinary character-terrific .hand-to-hand combats amid the ruins of evert village. Violent struggles occurred at Courcelles. only two miles from the old front, The French lost, Tetook, lost again, and then recovered the village. Similarly there was ding-dong fighting around Plemont all day long on SimklF. and covered with fire, the French defended the hump il '!w Since then no carrier pigeon lias arrived, and it must assumed that the heroic handful of men has been overcome. Their countrymen will not forget hem. There were rainstorms on Sunday night, which were rather in our favour. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE DEPLOYMENT FOR THE ATTACK Correspondents point out that tho new battle is the first Germans have launched on a hunday. Tho newspaper "Le Journal" savs': "In order to avoid giving the alarm, the Germans did not bring up troops till tho last moment. Hut there is a point at which troops must pass from the marching formation into formations 01 attack, and must deploy on each side of the roads 'This operations requires several hours, and a fjood barrage fire dropping among the enemy at tins period renders tho operation most* difficult. AVo do not know exactly what happened, .but our counter artillery firo must have been well directed, for it is. clear that the advance was stopped on both wings with losses which, it is claimed, put out of action the equivalent of five divisions."—. Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ENEMY CANNOT MAINTAIN THE TERRIFIC STRAIN (Rcc. .Tune 12, 8.15 c.ni.) ~, r . ... , , " Paris, June 11. M. Henri Bidou writing in tho Dobals," bases tho hope of the Allies' success oil tho stupendous wastage of the German effectives. In the first two of fensivcs the enemy employed tho equivalent of 62 divisions, and then throw in tho equivalent of a further D 3 divisions for the offensive commencing on May 28, and a further 15 in the present attack, jr. Bidou maintains that this prodigious effort cannot be kept up indefinitely, and calculates that tho time is approaching when the German Army will reach a stato of dangerous fatigue which will synchronise with tho final preparedness of America's younc and vigorous Army. M Marcel Hutin states: "The advance in tho centre is due to a largo number of tanks, which were suddenly launched, and which cur artillerv had not succeeded in destroying. 'Dip enemy's object clearly is to establish'a straight front along Montdidicr, Compiegno, and Chateau Thierry, outflanking the Forest of Viller's Cotterets.—Router. ° PARIS NOT THE REAL OBJECTIVE (Rcc. June 12, 8.15 jun.) •ii • • i-ii u i ~ ... . Paris, Juno 11. Pans is still the most optimistic city hi Europe, stoically reeardini: tho present campaign and.tho enemy's prolonged effort for the destruction of tho i'rench armies. L Homme Libre says : "Critical moments .will recur Von Ludendorff aims at a distant objective, in which Paris is only an incident" Tho "Petit Journal" warns tho public, of the seriousness of the present fluctuations. Tho present objective is not Paris, but Compiegno and Villers Cotlerets as preparations for if supremo effort converging on Paris. Tho lifting indicates that the Franco-American reserves are entering the battlefield. ° Tho "iMalin" declares that tho enemy's efforts cannot continue—"The Times." FRESH GERMAN DIVISIONS FROM RUPPRECHT'S ARMIES (llec. Juao 12, 5.5 p.m.) M. Marcel Hutin writes: "Two fresh divisions of Prussian Guards 1 anVtivo Bavarian divisions, lent by Prince Rupprccht, participated in yesterday's fighting. Attacks were directed towards Ribecourt on the right and Estrees-St Denis on the left with more fresh divisions which were seen echeloned behind tho waves of assault, indicating that the enemy's intention is not to relinquish his effort, which, if successful at these points, would menace Clermont Creil and Sonlis with an over-running manoeuvre from the Forest of Compiegno by tho west."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. "THE SITUATION IS NOT DISQUIETING" (Rec. June 12, 5.5 p.m.) mi •£ Paris, June 11. . The situation is not disquieting, as the ground gained is without strategic value. A south-westerly wind favours the French gas attacks and rain is delaying the enemy s advance.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. NOTEWORTHY SHORTENING OF OFFENSIVE FRONTS ir r. 11 r, 11, ,r 1 • London, June 11. Mr, Gerald Campbell, writing on Monday evening, says: "Except in tho centre wo have merely given up an advanced 7,0110 of lightly-held posts. Tho enemy attacked in close formation, and would not have attempted the vontiiro ivituout considerable superiority of forces. It seems impossible to prevent certain territorial gains even without an element of surprise. It is noteworthy that the extent of the offensive fronts is diminishing. It was sixty miles iii March, thirfcj- in May, and now twenty. On the whole, tho Germans must bo disappointed in tho first day's effort. The ground over which tho enemy advanced has been carefully studied by the Frencli artillerists. A continuance of tho attack with the greatest energy and desperation is .expected. It means everything to Germany. So far the enemy has only begun to ascend the heights which furiu our main defensive line. Fi. ether progress would compel a French retirement from the Noyon salient, but that will not bo serious. The road to Paris is barred by the Forest of Compiegno, anil then by the threo forests of Halatte, Ermcnonville, and Chantilly."-"The Times." ! ANOTHER HINT OF A NAVAL OFFENSIVE ' The ".Echo do Paris" states: "The Germans are throwiug hT'their" Vholo strength, hoping to end the war by the end of June. Wo shall not be surprised if the enemy throws in his whole naval strength simultaneously with a great attack on tho.British front."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rcc.' June 12, 0.20 a.m.) Washinuton, June 11. Official dispatches from Switzerland, state that Germany is preparing a big . 'naval offensive. Orders have been given to keep the whole fleet in readiness, and officers of high rank have been hurriedly recalled from Switzerland. The "Hamburger Post" publishes, an interview with Von Tirpitz, who said: "Germany is in a position to measure herself with the British Fleet. After our land forces push the French and British back to tho other side of Paris it will be the Kaiser' 6 turn to drive tho British off tho seas."—Reuter. THE WAR IN THE AIR NAVAL RAIDS OVER BELGIUM. ml . „ . . , , London, June 11. The Admiralty, giving details of ten aerial raids over Belgium between Juno G and 9, states that fires were started at the Bruges docks and at the Marial- 1 tor (?) and St. Dcnis-Westrem aerodromes. Four fires and two explosions occurred at the eastern basin of tho Bruges docks, and two direct hits were made 1 on tho mole at Zeebrugge."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assu.-Reuter.

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPOIIT. 'iEcc. June 12, 10.20 p.m.) crn i tt • > • r i.i „r, London, Juno 11. Sir Douglas Haig s aviation report states: "Our airmen on, the French battlefront. in spito of cloudy weather, worked early and late, dropping eight tons of bombs oil tho enemy's troops, transport, ammunition dumps anil Iroops in the trenches. Direct hits wore obtained on tho railway at lioyo-sur-Matz and on concentrations of infantry in the triangle of Montdidior, Eiohebourg, and Roye. Our low-fliers attached with their machine-guns every target offered along tho roads behind the fighting lino with immense numbers of rounds with -ood effect. Wo shot down in this area sis aeroplanes and drove down seven out of control. We lost two machines. Our night-fliers dropped seven tons of bombs on Cambrai and Bnpaume. All returned."—Aus.-N-.Z. Cablo Assn.-lteuter. THE FRENCH OPERATIONS. (Rec. June 12, 11,50 p.m.) . .71 ~ , „ n , . T .London, Juno 12, 2.30 a.m. A I 1 rencli official report sates:- Our day bombing squadrons continued their work on Monday in smto of bad weather, groups of aeroplanes flying low over exposed points of the battlefield and dropping projectiles on the enemy's concentrations, dispersing reiiilorcemenls and inflicting heavy looses Several em™ made many trips. Eight lons of explosives were thus dropped, will, tho Wit results Tlio enemy in rear were actively bombed on Monday night. Twenlv tons of projectiles wore dropped on convoys, cantonments, and stafons. Two munition dopots were blown rip. lour of tho enemy's aeroplanes and captive balloons were brought down on Monday by our chasci<s."-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo A«si -