PROGRESS OF THE WAR

A particularly interesting account of tho conditions ruling on tho British front in the Western

theatre is given by Mr. Percival Phillips. He makes it clear that though thore have been no big movements since the Battle of Messincs tho enemy is far from enjoying a respite. Though their offensive has necessarily been slowed to some extent as a result of tho relief gained by the enemy in Russia the Allies, and particularly the British, are in a position to' Subject him continuously to a terribly wearing strain. Tho general effect of tho dispatch montioned is that the British are making the very most of their opportunities in this direction. The enemy is subjected without respite to harassing bombardment and to continual raiding, which he is unable to check oven by materially reinforcing his forward lines. One result of hi's lending stronger forces, into his forward

trenches will, of course, bo a eon r siderablo increase in his losses under bombardment. Some' lecent events, notably the British advance south of Lens whioh has tighteucd the investment of that stronghold, suggest that another big forward movement may bo in early prtbpect. Particulars supplied by Mr. Phillips of destruction carried out by the Germans miles behind the present fighting front in Flanders suggest that the enemy regards such a development as distinctly possible, andis not particularly confident of his ability! to cope with it when it takes shape. #■# * * '

Precisely what'readjustment has been carried out in Northern Flanders is not yet clear. It 'is announced, however, that the British have taken over tho coastal section of the Flanders front, and it is likely that thoy now sharo that front only with the Belgians, who hold a sector extending north and south of Dixmude. Tho recent mention of Lombaertzydo does not imply that any forward movo has already been made towards Ostend. The line where it extends to the North Sea coast has' been in touch with Lombaertzydo sinoo 1915.' The extreme left of the Allied front is at Nieuport Bains, north-west of Lombaertzyde. It was in this northern sector that tho enemy made ono of his formidable attempts to force a passage to the Channel ports about the middle of October, 1914. Tho Belgians wore at that timo hard pressed oy Von Beseler, when welcomo relief came from the sea in the shape of enfilading firo from the British monitors Humberj Severn, and Mersey. Later in the same month tho enemy forces under the command of the Duke op WurTEMBER'a again attempted to break through, and were only foiled in their attempt by the flooding of the Yser,, which was effected by damming tho lower reaches of the river near Nieuport, a task which was oarricd out under tho cover of the British guns from the sea. To avoid the flooded area the Belgians southward of Nieuport fell back to the Nicuport-Dixmude railway. They continued to hold Nieuport itseif, however, which accounts for tho remarkable shape of the Allied

lino near tho extreme loft, where it runs_ almost duo north-west from near Dixraude to. the- southern outskirts of Niouport. From here it 1 runs almost duo east for a little over a milo, whero it swings right round again to the north-west, thus covering Nieuport and the mouth of the Yser Canal. * * * * It is possiblo that tho British have occupied tho coastal sector chiefly in ,prder to relieve the French troops who until recently held a section of the ■ Flanders front. Another explanation which suggests itself, however, is that British land forces havo been sent to tho coastal zono in order that thoy may keop touch with tho naval forces which lately, carried out a,

! successful bombardment of cnemv port and military Establishments on the Flanders coast' and are likely to engage in similar activities on more extended lines as the campaign develops. It has been demonstrated that naval .forces are in a position to very usefully cooperate with the Allied armies in Flanders so far as operations on the northern flank are conccrailfl. In recent bombardments of Ostcnd and other ports in enemy occupation naval guns of the heaviest calibre wero effectively brought to bear, and it is noteworthy that nights of clear moonlight were deliberately selected in order to facilitate ' accurate aerial obsorvaIt would appear that the monitors and other ships employed are able to defy attack by enemy submarines and pther torpedo craft. Naval co-operation was of material value to the Allies when they wero stemming the enemy's offensive in the earlier clays of the war. It may play an even more important part in the 'development of their own offensive in Flanders.

An increasing stir of artillery bombardment on the French section of the front suggests that new developments in the campaign may be imminent in that quarter. Hcan- ■ time it is clearly established that the enemy has very little to show for the furious attacks' he has been delivering for weeks past in' the Champagne, along the Aisne, and further north, and for the heavy losses these attacks have entailed. At a number of points ho has succeeded in ponctrating the French positions, but nowhere to any serious extent, and in practically every instance his gains wero temporary. An example is the conflict not yet completely, at an end in the area cast of Vauxaillon. The enemy hero expended one of the- most powerful of his recent efforts, but bo did'not come within measurable distance of winning a definite tactical success. East of Vauxaillon the French hold, with a margin, important high positions overlooking tho Ariizy Valley, which opens, into tho plain about Laon and divides the formidable wooded hills o£ St. Gobain, on the north, from, tho Aisne Plateau, on the south. The area is one 'of a number in which the enemy is _ visibly threatened with a dangerous penetration of his defensive lino, and the threat is in no degree modified as a result of his recent efforts. His attacks gained him a footing in a salient east of Vauxaillon, but the French have now retrioved a great part of this limited loss and remain in full possession of their vantage-point.