THE CAMPAIGNS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17287, 30 September 1916, Page 8

THE CAMPAIGNS.

Although one of the correspondents in Fi i pco suggests that a halt may be called in the forward movement between the Ancre and ..the Somme wo may bo sure that the Allies do not propose to remain idle during the remaining woeks of the autumn. The current communiques are concerned with minor positional actions, but the purpose of tho fighting since the fall of Combles and Thiopval has plainly been to secure useful points d’appui for the new front and to prepare for a. further advance. North and north-east of Thiepval tho British are fighting on the hills overlooking the valley of the .Ancre, and north of Courcelette they are looking towards Grandcourt, which is more than three miles- in tho Tear of the German positions at Beaucourt and Beuumont-Hamel. The turning of the strong positions at the apex of the Gommecourt salient is one of the obvious possibilities of the corniug month. Then to the north of Flers the troops are closing on Eaucourt l’Abbayo, and on the left they are reaching out towards lo Sars, so that Bapaumc, if not an immediate objective, is likely to be reached. Given a longer period of practicable weather than is usual at this season we might even see the offensive carried to a larger decision, for Cambrai itself, one of • tho principal enemy bases and a most important rail junction, is only twenty miles away, and Sb .Quentin,' another of' tho larger bases, is no further beyond Peronne, and neither place would be out of the range of an Allied advance if a breach could be made in the enemy’s lines. ■\Ve are anticipating no large development of the kind becausc'closer at hand thero are still.strong defences to bo broken down and still ranch heavy lighting must be done to carry the advance even to the nearer objectives, but provided the character of the immediate task is appreciated it is always permissible ,to take a broader view of tbo situation. "While he has been suffering a series . of reverses in the western theatre the

enemy lias been organising'a'counteroffensive in Galicia, and tho Russian communiques speak of the severity oi the . fighting and the difficulty of .proceeding with the advance; It is quite likely that tfie Austfo-German forces have gained local advantages in their counter-attacks, - because it is imperative for the safety.-of Hungary as well as of Galicia -that they Should'meet and check Brussiloff’s heavy thrust. Thero is little enough time for big fighting in the eastern theatre, howover, and thei'S, as in the west, the Central Powers are plainly striving to hold back the Allies until winter brings them relief from the dreadful pressure. Tho situation on the Rumanian trout seems to bo generally normal. In Macedonia the Bulgarians, reinforced, are' counter-attacking in the Fiorina district. Thero has been no development of importance on tlio .Italian front, and tho unofficial statements regarding the position on tho Carso must be treated as unwarrantably extravagantyin view of tho official silence. Tho situation in Greece is still unsettled." •