CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 28, 8 January 1916, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

The “nibbling” process still continues in the West. The High Commissioner reports that “South of Arras the station at Boisleaux was shelled, together with a passing train, while in the Champagne, north of the farm at Navarin, material for a gas attack was destroyed by our guns.” It will be admitted that the difficulty of breaking the line is very great, and there can be also no doubt that the crucial point for the - great offensive when it comes is being carefully kept secret. The present activity on all ' parts suggests this, th 4 artillery fire being a mask over the real objective. The September offensives in the West, the British one in Artois and the French in the Champagne, Avere partial successes, but there is no ‘doubt better results were hoped for. This much may be gained from the tone of General Joffre’s order, Avhich shoAved that the general hoped for greater success. Still, something was accomplished. The British at Loos, between La Bassee and Lens, betAveqn September 25 and October 8, accounted for 'BOOO to 9000 Germans killed. Whether the arrival of reserves on September 25 would have turned the. engagement into a great victory is a moot point with the critics. 'That success Avas such a short distance off is worth remembering, and emphasises the point that Neuve Chapelle and Loos were only stepping stones to the victory that is to come. The loss of a British submarine off

Minor, in the Aegean Sea, four and bi-half miles Avest of Smyrna. The island is mountainous and picturesque, and the climate • is' excellent. The area is 320 square miles and the population, Avhich numbers over 60,000, are mostly Greeks. The port (Chios, Castro, or Limno) lies on the east coast, and large vessels find a safe anchorage half a mile from the shore. Originally colonised 'by the lonian Greeks, the island Avas independent and prosperous until its conquest by the Perisans in 494 B.C. A few years later it recovered its liberty and was in close relation with Athens until the fall of that city, Avhen it came under Spartan rule. Chios shared the fate of the Byzantine Empire and Avas conquered by the Turks in 1566. It is the ,birthplace, it is claimed, of the poet Homer.

One of the jokes of the war, for even so grim a thing has its jokes (remarks an authority on Avar), is the fact that, although Russia is fighting Bulgaria, a Bulgarian general is leading a Russian army upon Russia s most important front! The general is the famous Radko Dmitrieff; he commands in the Riga area, where he received the [Czar the other day. The joke is heightened by the fact that Dmitrieff has been a popular hem iu Bulgaria since big exploits in the first Balkan Avar. It Ava s he Avho gave the Turks their first defeat at Kirk Kilisse, and ho led the left wing of the Bulgarian army at Lule Burgas-Bunar Hissar. Dmitrieff has been fighting throughout Arith the Russians, and when* Ferdinand dragged Bulgaria in on the other side he Avas reported to have made, as Savoff also did, a vehement protest. For a while nothing much Avas heard of him, hut noAV it turns out that he is, or AA'as just lately, in charge of Riga. He has been the Avhole time under Ruszky, and must noAV be under his successor, unless by any chance he lias himself been given command during Ruszky’s absence ill. Dmitrieff played an important part in the taking of Lemberg, the victory of Ra\A - a Ilusska, and the attack on Przemysl, though he had also the bad luck to command the army Avhich Mackensen’s tremendous offensive drove back across the Dunajeo and the San.

Texel is recorded by the Admiralty to-day. This incident in warfare is always to be deplored, but it loses its sting when .there is no loss of life. It

is very gratifying to learn that tlie entire crew of thirty-three Aver© taken off safely and Avere landed from a

Dutch cruiser at Holder, fifty miles from’ Amsterdam, with which it is connected by the Holder Canal. The scene of the sinking is the centre of several memorable naval engagements. Texel is a low-lying island, the southern and largest of the West Frisian G oup which lies north of Holland at the entrance to the Zuyder Zee. It was in the vicinity on July 31, 1653, that Van Tromp, the famous Dutch Admiral, lost his life in an encounter which he and Admiral De Ruyter had with the English under Admiral Blake. * Here also, in 1673, the English and French were attacked by De Ruyter. The French are

The following striking verses, entitled “Women to Men,” originally appeared in London “Punch.” Every line breathes encouragement and best wishes for the “lads” who go “through the red reeking fights” for Empire’s sake. The sentiment of the lines is admirable, indeed. Here they are: God bless yon, lads! All women of the race. As forth you go, Wish you with steadfast face The best they know. / God cheer you, lads! Out in the bitter nights, Down the drear days Through the red reeking fights And wasted ways. God bring you, lads! 1 Back to Mother Land. True laurels gained, Glory in either hand, Honour 'unstained.

reported to have behaved badly } while ■ the English and Dutch fought furiously, and De Ruyter narrowly escaped decisive defeat. Again, it was here, in 1797, that Admiral Duncan defeated the Dutch. The engagement took place off Camperdown, when De Winter was obliged to strike, eight ships being taken, two of which carried flags. For 'this service Duncan received the thanks of Parliament and was created Viscount Duncan of Camperdown, receiving an annual pension of £2OOO.

The dearth of noiys from the Balkans yesterday is followed by an important message this morning to the effect that nervousness prevails at Athens consequent on the announcement of the immediate occupation of four islands Py the Allies. King Constantine might well have asked himself where the Allies would stop if they were allowed to gain a footing in his beloved country, and be will shortly find himself compelled to lighf with the Allies or to aid his natural enemies, the Bulgars, to destroy his own land. Surely, reason will return to him before such an incongruous position faces him. The necessity for bases for the Alh’ed forces will be read-

Womeu of Britain’s race As forth you go, Wish you with proud, glad face* The best they know: God bless you. lads!

ily recognised, and for these the islands of Corfu, Cephalonia, Epirus and Chios are to be used. The two firstmentioned belong to the lonian Isles, an irregular chain of islands with an area of 1100 square miles extending along the whole of the west coast of Greece, Corfu is the most important and Cephalonia the largest of the group. Epirus is a country of ancient Greece, and the name by. which the south-west portion of Albania is known. Chios (or Seio) is a Turkish island off the wept coast of Asia