PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 34, 4 November 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

At time of writing there is no news of an Austrian capitulation, but it seems impossible that it can be delayed for any length of time. The- various messages dealing with internal developments in • the Dual Monarchy and official reports from the Italian front speak.'for themselves. Unless the news is hopelessly misleading, and there _is no reason to suppose- that it is, the. Hapsburg Empire no longer exists in that character. Capitulation or surrender is probably delayed only because there is no longer any authority competent to speak in the name of Austria-Hungary—one of the latest messages in hand states that Count Andrassy has resigned the position of Foreign Minister, and there is no news that a successor has been appointed. It is likely in the circumstances that the Austro-Hunga,rian armies will be reduced to surrendering in the field, and that the Allies will afterwards seek an understanding not with the Hapsburg Empire, but_ with the fragments into which it-is being resolved.

« * * » A considerable part of the Austrian front, as information stands, is still stationary, and on the Asiago Plateau the enemy is still offering somo resistance, though he has lost in that area in a day_ or two a series of mountain positions which at an earlier stage , would hardly have been won'by the Allies without weeks of desperate fighting. But on the 'front from Monte Grappa to the sea the Austrians are rotiring with all speed, and are suffering enormous and rapidlymounting losses. Eighty, thousand prisoners and sixteen hundred guns had been counted at the period to which events are carried in available reports, and tho situation_ of the enemy armies is becoming visibly and 'increasingly desperate as time goes on. To appearance the days, if not tho hours, of their further resistance are numbered.

Whilk the Dual Monarchy and its armies arc falling to pieces, the Allies in the Western theatre have opened not one but a series of at ; tacks, which promise to lead up swiftly to big results. British, French, and Belgian forces are driving forward in Flanders, in Northern Franco the British have completed the capture of the.great junction*, of Valenciennes and are advancing beyond it on fin extended front,' and the French and Americans arc developing a formidable attack on either side of the extensive Boult Wood, which ranges' north from the northern extremity of the Argonne Forest. Tho j positions the enemy is defending in this area constitute a vital flank, upon which:depends the stability of his whole front to the west ,',nd north, and judging by the reports in hand these are seriously imperilled. r *#■*■»'

It is an arresting feature of tho situation in the Western theatre that the enemy is apparently clinging as desperately to his positions in tho north, in the region of Valenciennes and in Flandors, as to those north of the Argonne, the loss of which would disastrously lay open his main communications. There is little doubt fliat if he had freedom of choice he would seek relief by a further retreat on the , northern front, and that his present tactics in this region* are not voluntary, but are dictated by the congestion of his communications and his, inability to break contact with the' attacking armies. It has been stated within the last day or two that the enemy .practically has no fresh divisions in reserve. Making evorv effort to economise his strength he has suffered of late such losses as are detailed to-day by Sin Douglas Haig. Oil the British front alono during October the enemy lost 49,000 men as prisoners, 925 guns, 7000 machine-guns, and a vast amount of stores and materials, including locomotives and rolling stock. He is now compelled to fight simultaneously a series of great battles, with his main communications in evident jeopardy. It is, a situation which opens big possibilities. * * # *

An historic event reported to-day is the recapture of Belgrado by the Serbs. This in itself would mark a red-letter day for the gallant Serbs and their allies, but at the pace at which events are now moving the event is all but completely overshadowed. The recovery of_ Belgrade, however, has its place in developments of far-reaching importance., The rapid advance of the Allies to the Danube is a further guarantee of that complete overthrow of the Dual Monarchy which in any case is assured, and it is also an important step in preparation for an invasion of Germany from the south.

An unofficial report declares that tho Austrian Dreadnought Viribus Unitis, or a ship of her class,'- has been sunk in Pola Harbour by an Italian attacking force. Two if not three of the four Viribus Unitis Dreadnoughts—the most powerful ships in the Austrian Navy—had already been sunk by Italian mosquito craft. One was sunk in Pola Harbour by an Italian motor-boat, and two were- later attacked at sea by Italian small craft. On this latter occasion one of the enemy battleships was certainly sunk, and the other was cither sunk or badly damaged. The achievement recorded today possibly moved the Ejipeboh Ka'tsl to transfer what is left of the Austrian fleet to the Southern Slav National Committee.