CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1915, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

AUSnUBO - GHRMLAiJT CASUALTIES. The estimate of Austro-German losses wade by that usual reliable journal, tli« •Paris Matin, is so high that only ou: growing knowledge of t)he terrific caV' nage experienced in modern war prevents it being "regarded as altogethei fanciful. According to this French citdilation, the enemy casualties to tlw middle of June are: German 4,2.00,000 Austrian 2,530,000 Total enemy casualties 6,726,000 It is also stated that a neutral cstimatt places the Austrian losses at 2,500,000 an approximation which is suffieientlj near the Parisian figures to justify oui regarding it as corroborative. Th< Frerich summary of enemy casualties as slimes that Germany had a total wai strength of 8,500,000 men, ami Austrie 4,500,000, or 1.3,000,000 between them If the figures, are even correct they suggest that half the orig inal force of the enemy may bo regarded as disposed of, but this is too optim.is tic a view to be unhesitatingly accepted In the first place, Germany and Austris are undoubtedly able to call severa' additional million's into the field by in eluding youths and elderly men among their conscripts, and there is evjdenci from our official TSritish reports that tliii is being done. In the second place, fh< casualty lists iifrlude killed, woundec and prisoners or missing, and of thi wounded a very large proportion re cover sufficiently to return to the col ors. Tt is iirobnble that the Earisint estimate is not greatly in error as t< the number of German and Austria! casualties, vast as the estimate is, bill we must deduct not less than half-a-mil lion and possibly a full million for in valids returned to some form or otbei (i. active service. Tt would not be. safe to assume that Germany and Austria together have now less than 10.000.00f men capable of being employed in th< desperate attempt being made by IVrliri to escape the consequences of its criminal attack upon civilisation and. humanity. Satisfactory fence enmint be expected until at least a half of (his number are eliminated from (lie effective forces of the enemy.—'Auckland Herald.

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