WEEKLY WAS SUMMARY.

Taihape Daily Times, 3 September 1918, Page 5

WEEKLY WAS SUMMARY.

WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. Tho following telegraphic review of the general war situation for the week ended August 30th, has been received by the Acting Prime Minister from tho British Ministry of Information: — On the British front the advance has been continued along the whole line, from the Somme to the Scarpe. On the left flank, north of the Scarpe, Gavrelles and Arlcue enGohelle have been captured. South of the Scarpe wo gained Cherisy and Fontaine les Croiselles. These places had never before neon in British hands. Our advance here carried us two miles east of the farthest line ever reached in 1917. Most important progress has been made by the French between Koye and tho Oise, Bapaume has fallen to the British and Noyon to the French. If seems evident that the enemy intends retiring to a shorter line to obtain a better defensive position and to economise his troops. Probably he will retire to the Hindenburg Line, but he will endeavour to postpone this course until the weather renders active operations impracticable. He rvill probably make a stand west of the Hindciiburg line. Events will shove whether ho ' will be allowed to retire gradually, according to plan. The British advance on either side of the Scarpe is already a serious threat to this line. The enemy cannot allow us to advance much further hero without endangering his gradual retirement. This explains the determined resistance on this part of the front. The British advance, therefore, is highly important, though its ultimate effect is not yet known. The enemy resistance is very unequal. Some divisions exhibited the old determination and others surrendered -freely. It is necessary to guard against exaggerated expectations of a German collapse. Nevertheless, the fighting during the past month shows a notable deterioration in German morale increasing indiscipline, insubordination, '■> and disobedience vox t orders. The estimated German total losses indead frojnl.thc beginning" of • the war are largely conjectural,, but the figure' is certainly well over two millions. Between August 21 and 2(5..the British' captured 21,000 prisoners, and -t our total losses, only slightly, exceed this figure. The total captued by the; Brit-) ish since the Bth August exceeds .17,0.00 and the guns captured over 500. The Allied captures since the ISth July exceed a hundred thousand. The officially inspired German Press still explain away the Allied offensive. Dr, Self’s recent speech indicates the German Goverffmeure changed temper. Dr. Self asserted that the 1914 struggle with England was for the spoils of victory, which must be no light ones. His tone is now more conciliatory. He repudiates any intention of retaining Belgium. He pays lip homage to the League of Nations and discovers, apparently, that interantlonal law is a burning question for humanity. At the recent meeting of Emperors no final Polish agreement "was reached. Each hopes to obtain Polish support; but agrees" to permit the choice to the FOles. Austria offers an Austrian and 'Russian' Poland; ' Germany,' ah extended frontier at the expense of Russia l and Lithuania. The ’results of these negotiations, as published by Germany have not been accepted by the Austrians. Count Burian advocates the incorporation of Polnad with Galicia, as part of the Hapsburg monarchy., German democrats object to this multiplication of thrones dependent on the Hohenzollern nod, as likely to cause future complications cue to unsatisfied aspirations of the democracies concerned.

The past week was notable for the large number of raids by the Britisn on Belgium ancV the Rhine provinces. There was air hghting of considerable intensity on the Western front. British airmen took a prominent and successful part in the recent fighting in France. Besides an immense number of photographic reconnaissances, bombing raids, contact and patror work, they rendered invaluable assistance throughout the battle by harassing the retreating enemy from the air, silencing impeding batteries ana attacking isolated centres of resistance from a low altitude with machine guns, also supplying ammunition by air to adyahcfedlßritish 3 unit’s. ''British airmen also attacked the important ,railway junctions of D-ouai, Valenciennes, Marooing, Cambrai, and Somain, causing much damage and delay. Over 260 tons of bombs were dropped on the Western front. There were 95 enemy machines »[ downed during the week, and 34 British machines reported missing.