PROGRESS OF THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9794, 18 October 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

As with the Spanish fleet in the play, so it is with the Russian Baltic Fleet. We do not see the Russian Fleet, because the Russian Fleet is not in sight. Its absence certainly does not speak for its willingness to fight. The enemy has struck a shrewd blow at the Gulf of Riga, and has almost gained possession of the island which commands the Gulf of Riga entirely, and with that command offers many openings for the invasion of Livonia. The Russian Baltic Fleet is urgently needed. Tho Russians only hold tho western high ground of Osel Island, from which their groat guns command the Irmoa channel. It is the on© obstacle to completing the value of Riga as a base to the enemy. The Baltic Fleet can drive Che enemy- out and rescue the island, by cutting off the enemy’s supplies. But we do not see the fleet, because the fleet is not in sight. Kerensky has adjured it to do its duty. But there is no sign that it has moved out of Kronstadt. It now seems very probable that tho fleet, of which it was gadd two days ago that it “may fight,” has made up its mind not to fight.

Tbe only question then remaining is how long will the Russians be able to retain those commanding gun positions. The army holding the island has been driven away from the guns, and is faring badly, probably arranging to embark for tho mainland. What sort of defences are keeping tho guns which command the Irbea strait, and what is fine state of the munitions and food supplies ? The experience of Gallipoli suggests that the ship guns are not of much avail against tho big guns on shore, towering above them. As to the chances of die defence, beleaguered By a victorious army, we have no information to guide us. . Noting regretfully the absence of tho Russian Baltic Fleet, we ean only hope for the host.

But tho Russian Fleet does come into sight after all. Not in the Gulf of Riga, how.ever. That rumour about the enemy attacking the other side of the gulf of Finland turns out to bo true. The German Dreadnoughts have attacked in the neighbourhood of the Aland islands. Wo feel sure it is Aland, but the cable man has called it Soelasand. There is no such place. Moreover, there are other activities off the Finland coast which adjoins the Aland islands standing across the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia. One of these islands is Bomarsund,. and may be that is the Soelasand of the cable romancer. This is the place which Admiral Napier took in the Crimean war after heavily bombarding the forts, and when peace was made one of the first conditions was that the place was not to bo fortified again— too near Stockholm and a menace to Sweden, ever fearful of her huge neighbour. Within the last dozen years the Czar wanted to renew those fortifications, but the other parties to the treaty said “No,” and their “No” stood.

It is interesting to remember that Bomarsand was taken hv a combined British and French squadron, which landed a - French force under General Baraguay d’HTiers. who occupied and held the place for the rest of the war, only leaving it after the treaty was signed forbidding the renewal of the fortifications. This, with the abortive attempt half a century later to fortify Bomarsand, explains the leaning of Sweden in this war towards Germany.

The German squadron began by driving off the Russian patrol, the light craft being no match for Dreadnoughts. Then the Russian Baltic Fleet (part of it) took a hand and made a good fight, tho commodore reporting well of their courage, good-will and gunnery. That is why the Baltic Fleet did not go to the Riga gulf. It is a groat thing that tho men stood to their guns. There is

a mystery, however. It concerns the absence from Riga. Why was there not a big Russian squadron at each place attacked? Is the Russian Fleet not big enough for both jobs? Or has the command only been able to select a portion by reason of the prevalence o? insubordination ? We shall probably hoar more on the point as the naval campaign develops.

The attack on Finland is the culmination of the German efforts to foster a rebellion in Finland, and the Germans have violated neutrality by setting up a depot of arms for the purpose on the Swedish coast, and handing arms to a Finnish vessel in a Swedish port, said vessel resisting the Swedish officials by force. This will complicate matters with Sweden. But as long as the High Sea Fleet roams over the Baltic Sweden will not bo able to protest.

The battle has not yet been renewed on the West front, and tho fact i« eloquent evidence that tiio ground has not yet dr.od sufficiently for anytuing but long bowls. Some further stories of British heroism in the cal lie satisfy the public awaiting for no vs. The artillery bombardments ooili/.nuo as yesterday, and the enemy has moved his infantry in one or two places, notably Hill 304, on the left of the Meuse, to attack, without any result. The most active department is the air department, the flyers ranging behind the enemy’s lines, making him uncomfortable, perhaps crippling him seriously in places. At Routers, for example, tho bombers eet fire to some barracks in which a newly-amv-ed regiment was lying, and cm the men up awfully as they rushed out of the burning building. Nothing more has been heard of the British ships that were bombarding the enemy positions on the Belgian coast on the afternoon of the big attack. Naturally enough, for until the ground moderately" favours a general advance be tween tho coast and the Lys, or at least the Gheluvelt country, any sea bombardment would be premature, and therefore useless.

The Western news is pleasantly wound up by tbe warm appreciation sent to Marshal Haig of his successful drives, bis skill and good leading, and tho splendid behaviour of his officers and men. It will put heart into all ranks, and convince the world that all is well with the great British army of the West.

Tho Italians have'not made the predicted advance. On the contrary, they have been for several days now without saying very ranch about it, repelling tho assaults of the enemy. U looks as it the Austrian general has got the better of General Cadovna by anticipating him —getting his blow in first. What is more, tho Italians report to-day tho approach of vast reinforcements from the Eastern front, tho aviators reporting tho roads as crowded with the marching Austrians. It reminds us of the flying men rushing to Headquarters at Ypres ]nst before the great battles of 1914, announcing that the whole country was a mass of moving grey-green. The enemy is concentrating for a great blow. Doubtless General Cadorna is watching him, and has his plan ready. It would not bo surprising to hear of his hitting him hard before the end of his preparation. It is the sort of thing he has done several times.

Reuter sends us word of General Maude’s victory at Ramadie m a scarcely up-to-date fashion The message, however, though it tells us many things we have all fogged out of tue situation for ourselves, gives valuable confirmation to a good deal of conjecture. We have shown already tuat tho German General commanding the great Turkish exped.tion against Baghdad has massed large forces at Aleppo to operate either against Genera! Allenby at Gaza or against Genoral Maude at Baghdad, or both; tnat 'he i s probably throwing a railway across tho open country between Damascus and Ramadie—the winter route for stock and caravans —that he cannot hope to prevail unless he can maintain his pressure on the Delta with a railway from Aleppo; that the turns who escaped from the Russians and General Maude 011 the Diala are on the Tigris (left bank), about half way between Mosul and Baghdad; and that they are in touch with the *argo ish armies in Armenia, which havo probably sent heavy forces nearer. Ahe situation we evolved wag of our Mesopotamian general facing two menaces of attack drawing nearer gradually, one Oil each side of the Delta. One ot these ho had thrown back well tow aids Mosul, while he had caught the head of the other and captured it with a brilliant victory, taking railway material which implied the enemy was building a railway with the aid of boat and motor transport across from Aleppo, and doing it rather quickly.

Reuter confirms all that pointing out that General Maude, while holding the enemy on one side of his territory of the Delta with one hand, struck him hard with the other hand on the other side. He describes the victorious battle as a finished piece of work, "dding that a man is seldom surprised on his own territory. This means a o-ood deal more than that Maude has frustrated a mere march across the desert in. the good travelling season, when grass and water abound. It means that General Falkenhayn tried to steal a march by rapidly construe ing a railway line, working by means of motor transport on the hard desert around, simultaneously at several sections of the line over the level country,'hut that he failed to surprise the British General, who watching his movements, struck him hard as the head of his necessarily ex Sedition reached it s objective on the Delta, in time to be thoroughly overrtbllrned “First blood,” he puts it, Shi to his fight with Falkenhayn for Mesopotamia. • • *

Reuter in this narrative, mentions a general belief that the German commander has already built his railway across from Aleppo or Damascus, and motor transport m addition on an important scale. If he has nearly completed the railway, as the booty taken at Ramadie seemed to imply, to probably brought it from Aleppo m the nearest point of the Euphrates, and taking advantage of the flood season seat the material down the river 'depositing dumps regu.arly on the hank, for the motor transport to distribute along the line roughly surveved by the engineers. If thus is true and it certainly seems most probable according to many signs, then must it he said that Germany has made preparations on a worthy scale for a struggle which promises to be tho most important in the history of, at all events the Eastern World, since the campaign of Alexander in tlxxse regions. Falkenhayn is working

with Turkish soldiers and German mechanism. But the. fight, for the mastery of this country of vast potential wealth and political power,. tiie fight of which this victory of Ramadie is first blood to General Maude, is between Germany and Britain for the mastery of the East. There arc many signs that Britain is just as much aware of the great issue as is Germany. The fight will probably bo well forward before Generals Haig and Petain drive tho enemy out of Franco and Belgium.

Tins great issue is no doubt among tho matters to bo discussed and settled at tho coining conference of the Allied commanders in France. As wo understand it. they will co-ordinate tho work of all the fronts, the 'Western, the Italian, the Russian, the Balkan, tho Roumanian, and tho Mesopotamian, embracing Egypt, Palestine, Arabia, with Baghdad and Asia Minor. In the spring the Allies will have force adequate for moving strongly on all these lines. The enemy is striving hard to be beforehand. It is clear that in tho West he is weakening; on the Italian front lie is preparing a blow ; on the Balkan and most of the Russian fronts he is silent, through sheer inability to do much more; at Riga ho is making a strong effort to seal that port to himself as a valid base for a campaign he may never be able to maintain or oven perhaps initiate; and against Mesopotamia ho is moving with a preparation for tho capture of tiro prize we are fighting for, and tho maintenance of tho last hope of the Eastern Germanic Empire, to compensate for tho bitterness of the vast failure in the West.

There is news to-day of a mutiny in the Austrian Navy, due partly to the ignoble part it has played in the war, and partly to the insufferable arrogance of its German allies, which has caused a serious collision with casualties on both sides, followed by the separation of the forces. There is also a hint that Austrian troops are showing restlessness under the heavy task of standing up to the Italians. More 01 this kind of news would be received with satisfaction throughout the Entente countries. Moreover, it is the kind of thing the course of the campaign leads on© to expect.