PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 282, 17 August 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

A surprise is sprung to-day in the news that a British detachment has reached tho western shores of the Caspian Sea and is_ there cooperating with other sections of an Allied force which totals 8000 men and aims meantime at defending the port of Baku. The terminal point of railways which cross TransCaucasia and the country further north, Baku is of great importance as a trading centre and also as the site of petroleum refineries and other works. To successfully hold the town against the enemy would bo to cut him off from important supplies of petroleum' and other essentials, but since Baku is in touch with the South Bussian railway system it is obviously possible that the Allied garrison .may haveto cope with other enemies in addition to tho ten thousand Turks now reported to bo in tho neighbourhood. The situation as-a whole'is somewhat ill-defined. If they had means of conveying material supplies to Trans-Caucasia, the Allies could no doubt soon raise a strong force of 'Armenians and Georgians of excellent righting quality. The transport of any quantity of war material into this region is; however, a sheer impossibility as the Allies arc at present placed, and tho enemy in. this respect enjoys some material advantages. German supplies can be transported across.the Black Sea, and if the Turkish .or Turco-Gcrman forces gain complete command of the Trans-Caucasian railway they will enjoy good transport facilities, even ■if the alternative way of approach' to Baku, by' the South Russian railways, is barred. The British detachment at Baku, on the other hand, reached that place by an overland journey through Persia- to Enzeli, on the south-western coast of the Caspian Sea, and over the remaining distance o<! two hundred miles by sea. * * * *

In its immediate aspect the advance of the British detachment commands attention as a daring and spectacular adventure. The journey through Persia was no doubt made possible by tho fact that a considerable part of that country is controlled by a force raised'aridorganised by Sin Percy Sykes to replace the Swedish-officered pen<larmerit- wliich fell completely under German influence in the early days of the war and was ultimately disbanded. The Allied' force at Baku is more than four hundred miles distant as the crow flies from the British advanced lines cast of the Tigris in Mesopotamia, and sinco there is littlo hope of effective aid through Russia this is a fair indication of its isolation. It is likely enough that it may be compelled to ■withdraw,, by sea or otherwise, but as a news message points out, even in that event it may fill an import* suit role in resisting enemy penetration towards Afghanistan. At the moment it is an isolated and daringly exposed outpost.

Some of to-day's unofficial messages dealing with events on the West front run rather ahead of tho facts. For example, one report alleges that the French are advancing north-east of the Lassigny massif, and that the Germans are retreating, but a communiaue shows that the 'French' are still engaged in methodically gaining what the enemy still holds of tho massif. The situation sencrally shows no marked change. Where he has retreated on the northern front the enemy, as in-forma-tioii stand.';, has done so only to a limited extent, but there are evident reasons for anticipating the more extended retreat which some observers predict.