The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1915. PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 88, 16 April 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1915. PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Military authorities hold that the second phase of the war has ended, the Allies being now able to assume the offensive and, to some extent, the initiative. During the past strenuous months Germany has been consuming all her stored munitions of war and the accumulated foodstuffs of the country, which she had hoped and anticipated would be sufficient to see her through her great campaign and on to victory. The complete breaking down of her military machinery, and tbe upsetting of the Prussian timetable have left her in a very difficult position. ft is safe to assume that unless her depleted stocks have been replenished she will have to pay enormous prices for everything she can

obtain. From many of the neutral States—some of them, as America, for instance, perfectly prepared to lend every commercial aid they can—accounts of Germany’s tremendous efforts to acquire by any means; piracy not excepted, further supplies of copper for instance, and it is said that a month ago she was paying six times as much per ton for this now precious metal as it was costing the Allies. Barley was costing her four times as much as France or England have to pay, whilst aluminium and antimony have quadrupled in price for German consumption. With the cordon tightening, it will get dearer instead of cheajier and the pressure on this account must be severe. The closer net work which the Allied fleets has drawn round Germany and the firm hut corteous intimation to neutrals as to what they may and what they may not do, while it may excite protest from people who have goods to sell and are merely anxious to sell these goods without any thought for the future, is all for the best, and Britain and her Allies know that every hour the war is permitted to continue our sons and brothers and their noble comrades of France and Russia are being slain and mutilated by the barbarous enemy. Pressure therefore must be brought to bear to stop all supplies to both Austria and Germany in so far as we arc able, and the Allied lloets must continue to isolate the enemy countries as completely as is possible.