NOTES ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17282, 25 September 1916, Page 6

NOTES ON THE WAR.

The story from Fctrogrnd that voii Hindenburg has gathered something like a million men to deal with the problem in south-eastern Europo places a considerable strain on one’s credulitv. It is stated that the French, Russian and Italian, fronts have been made to supnlv thirty divisions—approximately 600,000 men. Estimates of the strength of the army which was used against Serbia last year vary considerably. but it seems to be fairly well established that the. invasion was commenced by 100,000 Austrians and Gormans, the enemy relying, of course, on the fact that a much larger Bulgarian array would co-operato in a flank attack. Before the campaign concluded there were probably twelve Austrian and German divisions in Serbia, with possibly two divisions on the lines of communication and doing garrison duty, but the point is that, the enemy’s enterprise in the south-east last year was carried out by not more than* 250.000 troops. A strategic reserve of this magnitude could bo gathered without serious difficulty, seeing that the offensive in Russia had come to an end and that the troops there were virtually settling down in winter quarters.

But the position this year is very different. Both Austria and Germany have had a hard season’s fighting. The <rreat force that Germany massed on the Meuse was not itself sufficient to. carry through the offensive against Verdun, and various divisions were drawn from other sectors from time to time to rcplaco units that had been badly battered. On top of the Verdun struggle came the tremendous fighting north and south of the Somme, in which not fewer than a million German troops have been, at ono time or another, engaged. The Soiamo struggle has by no means ceased, and the German General Staff is not likely to make the mistake of leaving it to look after itself. A French report the other day showed that a division that had actually beeu despatched from the western front to assist in stopping the Russian drive had been sent back to do its share north of the Somme and had been sent virtually straight from the railway to tho trenches. This dees iut suggest that the enomy has men to spare in the west. Ono does not pay special attention to the reports that como from Holland, but a recent message announcing tho departure of troops that had been doing garrison duty on the Belgian frontier is likely to lie correct. Tlieso troops were under orders for the eastern front, but their destination was changed as scon as the Rumanian nienaco developed.

Germany had to rush troops east to fill the gaps in tho Austrian ranks, while Austria herself, compelled to recall divisions from tho Trentiuo and to divert others from the Isonzo because of tho disasters in Volliynia and Galicia, suffered the loss of Gorizia when tho Italian offensive opened. Neither Germany nor Austria, therefore, can have largo reserves for a new enterprise, and tho concentration of 600,000 men against Rumania would impose a serious strain on their resources. No one doubts that the enemy will find men somehow for the new campaign, and, of course, the sound plan for him is to strike quickly and, if possible, in overwhelming force, against the non enemy. But the enterprise is a very different ono from that of last year, for Bulgaria i 3 deeply engaged in Macedonia, and Rumania, though open to attack on two fronts, has tile solid support of Russia at her back.

Wliilo tho Central Powers would be glad to mass 600,000 for a campaign against Rumania it may be doubted whether they would venture to releaso tho troop; from the other fronts, for

while they were engaged in the important task of paralysing Rumania they might he suffering grave disasters elsewhere. Von Hindenburg is said to be using only fourteen Bulgarian ’divisions, this, presumably, being the army that was concentrated to meet the Russo-ltumanian threat. The Bulgarian divisions arc normally strong—nearly 25.000 each—so ’that fourteen divisions would bo a very considerable proportion of tho active army, and if anything like that strength is being employed against Rumania tho Bulgarian front in Macedonia must be rather weak. The problem from the enemy’s point of view is a troublesome one, and even with thirty Austro-Ger-man divisions, fourteen ’Bulgarian and seven Turkish at his disposal, von Hindenburg could scarcely hope to soke it this year.

The developments in the Balkans ought to give a fairly reliable iudex to tho strength of the Central Powers. At present ono would scarcely credit them with tho capacity to hold the main fronts securely and at tho same time mobilise a sufficient force to put Rumania out of action. Tho Petrogrnc correspondent implies that that is thr course they propose to follow, and if he is correct Europe will not have long to wait for tho demonstration. If the prevailing view is the correct one, an offensive against Rumania or against tho Allies in Macedonia may be looked for, but not in tho overwhelming force mentioned by the correspondent. The enterprise in tho Balkans last year enormously strengthened the position of the Central Powers, because it gave them unity. This year the object for which they have to fight is. their own security, and their effort must needf bo a great one. For the next two or three months, therefore, the Balkan area is sure to repay close study, even though the actual military operations sho'uld appear uninteresting.

Tlio main enemy lino of communication between Hungary and Turkey is not yet in a satisfactory condition, according to the reports of recent travellers, much of the damage done by the Sorbians in their retreat having still to be repaired. “ Running through Serbia tlio most impressive signs of the German occupation were the encampments of the troops alongside the permanent. way,” says a correspondent of “The Times.” “There are huge notices up at all the stations warning the inhabitants to keep away from tlio railway. No ono is allowed on tho platforms because the whole country is still infected with typhus, and there has to bo the most rigorous supervision for this reason. All along the line may bo seen the trenches and the rusty barbed wire entanglements that tell of the fighting months ago. Through Serbia nearly all tho bridges of any size had been destroyed, at least partially. Often whole spans had been blown out. In many cases the • Germans had replaced these, moving them bodily with great pains to their old positions. In some of the otkor bridges, whore the girders and way were so badly damaged as to defy repair, temporary bridges on wooden trestles had been built. These structures may serve during tho summer season, but they could not stand even a moderate flood. The work, therefore, still goes on, and in time the old bridges will be reconstructed.”