NOTES ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17281, 23 September 1916, Page 8

NOTES ON THE WAR.

The situation on tho Russian front is not at all clear. A few days ago the enemy reported that there had been a general movement on tho front north of tho Pripet, but the attack does not seem to havo developed at all, for the communiques make no reference to it. Possibly tho. Germans anticipated some Russian activity. South of tho Pripet there has been a great deal of lighting, each side, according to tho other Side, assuming the offonsivo. Tho battle seems to havo been particularly heavy on the Stokhod. But theroare Austrian reports now of severe actions in the vicinity of Sviniuchy, west of Lutsk, and it is reasonable to assume that tho Russians have been attacking on this sector, and possibly on tho adjoining one to tho south, in order to ■lift the pressure from their armies near tho Dniester. It is on tho upper Zlota Lipa and between the Zlota and tho Gnila Lipa that the principal strugglo rages. Unofficial reports claim that tho Russians aro making progress there, but tho official communiques leave the issue still in doubt.

There has been an absence of news again concerning Leshitsky's right wing, which has been attacking in the vicinity of Halicz, and beyond the fact that the enemy has Turkish and German reinforcements on this sector the reports have givon little information. Turks, by tho way, aro being used freely to fill the gaps in the enemy's linos, for it ia reported now that divisions have appeared on tho Dvina fiont. In view of the losses suffered by both Austrians and Germans and of tho extension of the battle front by the entry of Rumania into tho war it is not at all surprising that the Germans should be calling on tho Turks for help. They claim that there are a million Turkish levies in training, but whilo one must hesitate to accept the stories of vast Ottoman armies raised under German recruiting sergeants it is quite probable that ten or twelvo Turkish divisions aro already being employed on various European fronts, and that other Turks will follow them.

There is evidently considerable Russian activity in the Carpathians to tho south of Stanislau. The Russians probably hold the Jablonitsa or Tartareno Pass, and at least they are blocking tho northern outlet. Now they aro attacking the next pass to tho west, and tho Austrians admit a slight retirement from positions east of the crossing. The Pantyr Pass is not of primo commercial importance, but the Russians must hold it if they are to cover the flank of their advancing army, any once ' they secure it they will .be comparatively free from anxiety concerning this southern flank, at any rate until. tihey havo advanced another thirty miles. Indeed, holding the Jablonitsa and Pantyr passes they might proceed safely with an advance on Styr, nearly fifty miles west of Stanislau In the meantime the pressure on Halicz continues. According to a cable messago published in Australian journals tho Russians actually hold the railway station less than a milo from Halicz itself, and correspondents declare that the fall of the town is imminent. This was perhaps tho origin of tho report of an American correspondent in Russia that tho bridgehead had been captured.

Tho Rumanian campaign does not call for a great deal of comment, although if information were available concerning the operations it would prove interesting enough. The Rumanian right wing joins up with the Russian left on the Bukowiwa border, and according to German reports tho efforts of tho Allies to advance into Hungary havo hitherto been foiled. Tho Russians are fighting in tho Carpathians west of the Bukowina. southward of Zabic. They havo made some progress towards tho Rodna Pass from Kirlibaba, but tho ' enemy claims to havo stopped them on the Golden Bistritza, near Dorna Watra. Tho situation in tho Maros and Alt valleys is not olucidatcd. Away to tho south an Austro-Gorman offensive towards tho Vulkan Pass made progress for a time, but tho Rumanians now say that they have established themselves at the pass and are holding their ground. In the Dobrudja tho lt'asso-Ruraaniap forces have at length stopped their retreat and heavy fighting is proceed|ng south of the Chornavoda-Constaiiza railway. Tho in tho estimated. the ■Mm

attack on Turtukai was made by 75,000 troops, including 40,000 Bulgarians, 25,000 Germans and 10,000 Turks. The town was covered by a single Rumanian division. Another report gives tho strength of the invading army under von Mackensen as 250,000 Bulgarians and Turks and 50,000 Germans. Tho force must bo considerable, because a thrust with a weak army would havo been inviting disaster. Indoed, it could succeed only on tho assumption that the Rumanians would bo caught unprepared and that tho bulk of the Rumanian forces would bo employod on the northern front. Even if tho Rumanians were surprised, however, they have had time to concentrate a sufficient force to meet the invaders, and that being the case tho enemy may even find that he had marched into a trap.

Inquiries are still being made for maps of various areas. It can only bo repeated, in regard to Rumanian operations, that the best available map is Bartholomew's. It includes Italy, a largo part of Hungary, Rumania and tho Balkan peninsula. If tho local booksellers havo sold out copies should be obtained with a little delay from other centres. For tho British front tho "Daily Telegraph's" No. 21 meets all requirements, though it does not cover the area of the French operations south of tho, Somme. The map printed in tho "Star," however, meets that difficulty. The "Daily Telegraph" map, on a reduced scale but containing all*the detail, is included in a war atlas issued by the same journal, a copy of which has beon forwarded by Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs. This is quite a useful production, though for some of the maps it is desirable to requisition a readingglass. The aim of the publishers has evidently been to give as much detail as possible in a small space, and they havo succeeded remarkably. The charts of France (in sections) are particularly clear, but the student whose eyes are not exceptionally good would be well advised to employ some aid when ho turns to those of the Russian front and of Rumania and the Balkans.