The Daily News. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1916. THE FRENCH COUP AT VERDUN.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1916. THE FRENCH COUP AT VERDUN.

Those who have felt at all depressed by ">e news of the reverse suffered by Roumania at Cohstanza should have no ditfculty in finding ample compensation in the brilliant coup achieved by the French at Verdun. It lias come upoji us with dramatic suddenness for the more recent events of the war have almost reduced tic Verdun campaign to it memory of valiant deeds done in the past. Xow, in a flash, a new offensive ha- been made by the French win, doubtless, took advantage of the withdrawal of German forces to the Roumanian and Eastern front to make a brilliantly successful attack on a front of about six miles on the right bank of the Afeuso. The nature of the offensive, may be gathered from the French official report, which states that they "smashed the whole German line to a depth of two and a qumer miles, captured Fori Doiaumont, the village of Haudremoni and the quarries, besides capturing between three an il four thousand prisoners. The enemy's line was burst in everywhere, and the French hold their gain.; in spite of the desperate counter-attacks of the German.'. ''lt will be rememberel that it took the Germans two months or sti unions struggle to win this ground, and yet the French have regained in a few hours. Tt is not surprising to flirl that the prep-ivations made by (.icneiw! Nivelle, the French commander at Verdun, were kept secret, and the knowlcdgj of this • vdontly inspired his army wilii perfect confidence in the success of tile great undertaking, for they flung thou selves wit'u the utmost speed on one objective alter another until they accomplished one of the most startling surprises of the. war. After consolidating the gains further progress was made and will, doubtless, be continued. We may regard this great coup as the response to Germany's eastern campaign, and it is all the more gratifying fro-n the tact that it must convince the Germans that they cannot play fast - and loos-; with their forces, and that tlir.r strength on each of the fronts will not allow of the lightest margin for depletion. It is only by'such a reverse .is that effected by General Vivelle that the enemy will be convinced that liis eaily tactics of rushing troops to and fro will only ,'ead to disaster, for sti'trgth is waning daily, while that of tl'c Allies is increasing. The moiv.i effect of the Fcinch victory far eclipse", the German success against Roumania. ane it is by 110 means improbable that <1 renewed vigorous offensive may be set on foot by the iiritish. When Germany counts the cost of her operations in th" Verdun sector it. will be a woeful record of failure involving colossal sacrifices of man power or munitions. We can but rejoice over th<? French answering to the German attempt to crush Roumania. The importance of Douaumont is il? commanding position on the highest crejt of .» dominating ridge, so that its se-:sicn should facilitate further prog''e#j, The e.'fjct of this blow again?:, licnsiany should be all the greater by reason of its coming at the hands of the French !>r:ny, which the enemy stihed so hard to pulverise. This ev.deiiie of rcn-nvd strength will be n bitter pill for the Huns to swallow, especially as there seems to be good indications that the victorious offensive !» capable of indefinite extension. Tho Kaher, at Bap».ime, may well feel that the ground is being taken from under Ills fi-et, and that the great blow he is engineering may recoil on his own head. The outlook icr the Germans on the Wer.i front is about as gloomy as it can well be, and the French success should certainly infuse additional fire into tli3 Ar.glo-French ■ operations on the Bat aume-Peroiine line.