Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, JULY 16th, 1917. RUSSIA’S OFFENSIVE.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, JULY 16th, 1917. RUSSIA’S OFFENSIVE.

CrEN'ERAi, Korniloff’s offensive in L»aiicia continues steadily, though certain delays are bound to occur as a result of the temporarily breaking of connections as - a result, of tho advance. The offensive is working out very much as was to b a expected' when once Korniloff had broken the enemy’s front An advance for eighteen or twenty miles has been made on rather a narrow front south of Dniester, and the Russians are energetically endeavouring to clear tho south bank of the Dniester as they march. The enemy rail iod temporarily behind the Ijomnitsa but was broken again betore the capture of Kalusz, aid we should therefore have news of Kornilov’s steady progress subject to only such delay as may ho occasioned by the fighting along the' Carpathians. Of the enemy’s movements north of the Dniester we hnv e no direct information.' Tho capture of Halicz makes it virtually impossible for Bothmer to hold on along tho Narajovka I ,' and the lino of tho Guild IJpa is similarly untonablo, or will defiinitely ho so if Kornilov is able to maintain his advance. It is too early yet to predict the influence of the Russian drive on the campaign in Franco, but it is certain that Hindenburg will lie compelled to weaken his reserves in the west and to find divisions to fill the gaps on his front in tho‘East. There is no portion of his e astern front on which he can afford to take liberties, and consequently no must look to the west for tho reinforcements that he needs; and just as tile Allied offensive in Franco gave Brusilov his opportunity so the Russian oifensivo ought to relievo the. pressure on tho Allies, in tho west. Italy; too must immediately feel tho influence of the Russian attack, which should put tho threatened Austrian offen si vo iu the Trentinq virtually out of the question. It is reporter through Router’s agency that the Austrians aro strenuously urging the necessity for a u immediate peace, and, though it is impossible to bo quite sure of tbe enemy's conditon, -wo have always felt that the first sigiiß of weakness would ho evident in Austria rather .than in Germany. That the military and economic condition of the Central Powers has been a largo factor in the development of tbe political crisis in Germany is not at all improbable, but it would bo impossible to regard the crisis i n itself as proof of the enemy’s weakening dotwmination.