A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 138, 11 June 1917, Page 4

A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY.

There -may be come significance in the length and appearonco immediately after the battle of Sir Douglas Haig'e extremcJy interesting explanation of the importance of Thursday's victory. Coming after Mr. Bonar Law's statement in Parliament about the Vimy Ridge battle, it suggests the existence in Britain of a section of opinion that has not fully grasped the fundamentals of Allied strategy In the West, and is a little impatient of the slow territorial progress made. This may be only a surmise, and if such impatience docs not exist Sir Douglas Haig-'s report is tot be one whit less important. He states that the position captured was one of the most important on tho Western front, that the Hermans expected the attack, and th.it every step wae taken to strengthen the line, but conditions most favourable to tho enemy did not prevent Uβ from sweeping over him at small cost to ourselves The inforenre iiN plain—that if «c can break into such positions, we can break into a-ny, that we can go on hammering the enemy until he is decisively beaten. Local conditions will never be more favourable to the enemy than they were west of Moseinee; indeed, they will probably never be to favourable. Gn the Yimv P.idge the Germans were apparently surprised; hero. ho.vever, they know we wore going to attatl-, an.i mude preparations to meet ua. Our success under the circumstances is the best of omen* for our linal victory. To adapt an epigram applied to Shakespeare, the characteristic of this victory war, everything. The programme from start to finish went "almost in exact accordance with programme," beeauoe "the whole force actud ii. perfect r-ouibiniition." .Mines, guns, aeroplanes, tank?, and infantry were handled with a s'.JIl that point* to first-el ass staff work. '! lie objectives having been secured, the Army was ipiitP ready for the counterattack, which failed to make any impression. The "bag" of prisoners brings our total captures eince April 9 close to ;»O,(X*n, 'whereas in the whole Soinme offensive last u-ar. from .luly 1 to the middle of XoveniVr. the total wan only 35.000. One or two more sucn hlows as this Hiid the German line in the North should be damaged beyond hope of holding.