A WEEK OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 231, 18 June 1918, Page 5

A WEEK OF THE WAR

OFFICIAL REVIEW THE MONTDIDIER-NOYON OFFENSIVE IMPORTANCE OF ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS . The following telegraphic review of tlie war situation lor tho week ending Juno 15 lias been received by His Excellency tho Governor-General from the Secretary' of State for tlie Colonies:— Tho enemy's offensive in tho Aisne salient was definitely arrested on the oveninjf of Holiday, Juno 3. On the two foil wing days the enemy's attempts to advance further wero severely punished, and tho French regained certain tactical points. Tho Crown Prince was obliged either to abandon the operation, to bring up considerable reserves from other parts of the front, or to start a complementary oftensivo elsewhore. Tho latter course was evidently decided on. At dawn oil Sunday, June 9, the enemy opened an attack on the front with fifteen divisions, three, of which wero from Prince Rupprecht's reserves. Tho Allied Higher Command was fully prepared. Some ground was gained by the first shock, to a maximum depth of four mile 3 in tho centre, while tho flanks firm. Tho enemy's losses wero exceedingly heavy. On the second day, with proportionately even greater losses, the enemy gained only another two miles in tho centre, while tho flanks still held. Carlepont salient being endangered, the French withdrew their line at that point, fighting a clever rearguard action and dealing soverely with the enemy, who attempted pursuit along the Noyon-Com-piegno road. The French left counterattacked Eimultimeously, and regained a considerable strip of ground. Kerce fighting continues. It is again evident that the enemy can achiove no decision here _ without heavy calls on his reserve divisions from other parts of tho front. The Next Mov£ Tho main enemy reserve on Prince Rupprecht's front between tho Somme and tho sea is still untouched. How does the enemy intend to ueo this • reserve ? Tho enemy is certainly determined to force a decision before the eml of. 1018. Tho original main objective was' the destruction of the Allied armies by a strategical penetration in tho Allied centre at Amiens while drawinpr tho reserves outwards to t.lio two flanks. Tho operations of March, April, and May wero undoubtedly all pari: of this plan. •Germany has drawu heavily from every sourco, and is unable again to reconstruct her armies to their present strength. The Allies must make every possible man available to maintain tho armies to tlieiv full strength. This applies equally to the Dominions, whose contingents arc among onr first troops. Thus remade, tho Allied armies, with a full-sized fresh American Army added. I will end the war with a, decisive victory.

Balkans, Palestine, and Italy. Ou the Balkan front hostilo ammunition and supply dumps in tho.Struma Valley were subjected to frequent heavy raids. In Paleslino hostilo tioops in the trenches and in camps were attacked by our aeroplanes with bombs and mnchiiiegun fire. The' Amman Railway Station, aerodrome, and bivouacs wero the objoctivo of a very successful raid 011 June i. Considerable damage was caused to troops, rollinit-stock, and hangars. In Italy the weather conditions somewhat hampered flying operations, but a considerable amount of wjrk lias been accomplished. ■ ' The War in the Air. Tho Air Ministry reports considerable aerial activity during the past week on the Western front, especially in the battlo zone, tho fine weather favouring our aerial onerations. Mist somewhat hampered Toconnaissance work, nevertheless an iinmeuso number of aerial photographs wero taken during closo and distant reconnaissances. Bombing operations into Germany ivero carried out with vigour. , tievonteen raids were undertaken, of which ftvo were on Jletz and live on Diedenhofen. Coblenz was also Taided. During tho week approximately 20 tons of bombs wero dropped on Gonnan territory. Our aircraft cooperated with the French Aviation Corps in bombing enemy railway junctions, roads, and concentration points, In air fighting Git Gorman machines were brought, down, nnd 33 driven down out of control. Twenty of our aeroplanes failed to return to tho aerodromes. German Methods in Russia. The German idea of a world peace is illustrated by her recent manoeuvres in Russia, Rumania, and ( .Finland. A similar process is taking place in the Caucasus. Attempts to establish an independent Caucasian Republic, in which Christians and Mohammedans alike will nil are, are threatened by the advance of Turkish-German forces, continued during tho progress of peace negotiations. An independent Georgian Republic has boon proclaimed. Germany's object is to completely separate that all-important district from Russia, and bring it completely into her economic and military system. Prdbably with this object, Batum, which was previously promised to Turkey, has been assigned to the now Georgian State, giving Germany control of the Black Sea oilfields, similar to the oilfields in Rumania, and a base for penetration of Central Asia. ' Threatened Disruption of Austria. Austrian conditions continue to grow worse. According to tho "Weser Zeitung," tho burgomaster of Vienna recently declared that "the faults of our Governments of last oenturies Jiitterly avenge themselves. High treason and boundless ingratitude are now rampant, and . the Government proves weak and unsteady. The supreme duty of the German .parties is to show a united front against Slav treachery." Austrian weakness enables Germany to reduce Austria to thq position of a vassal State. Tho new treaty fetters Austria for a' generation. It proposes tho complete unification of the two armies, co-ordination of mobilisation, munitioning, transport, food supply, and the merging of economic resources. Tho Gorman policy of domination has increasingly proved to be a menace to the freedom of all countries.

America at War. The United States is daily talcing an increased part in the conflict. The American war spirit has onty been accentuated by tho pinking of ships off the American coast, the tonnage of which will be soon replaced nmuy times over. The Food Outlook in Britain. Tho Ministry of Pood reports that tho International Scientific Commission, after meeting at Paris and Rome, is now sitting in London. The Commission has already reached valuable conclusions. The minimum food requirements of the average man liavo been computed for tho Allied countries. The Commissioner reconunonded that a uniform averago milling extraction be adopted as far as possible throughout tho Allied countries. Men should always take preference over animals in the allocation of food by Governments. Tho registration of lea dealers throughout tho United Kingdom has been completed on tho basis of two ounces for each member of customer's family. Milk prices have been increased by fourpence per gallon. Exoopt as regards fruit, tho home harvest prospects are good. _ The fruit crop is expected to bo seriously short, and if tonnage is availablo importation to supply tho deficiency will bo essential. Efforts and self-denial exercised in Canada and tho United States liavo resulted in a substantial increaso of cereal and other imports. Rationing gives general satisfaction, and the evidence shows no increased consumption of bread or other unrationed articlus.