THE ALBANIAN ADVANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 167, 15 July 1918, Page 4

THE ALBANIAN ADVANCE.

By the capture of Berat the Italian and French forces operating in Albania have deprived the* Austrians and Bulgarians of the most important stronghold guarding the approaches to the Semeni Valley. If by the statement that the whole of the Kosnitza Ridge has been captured is meant that the Allies are in possession of the entire range of mountains lying south of Lake Preepa, then it is evident that the whole operation is one of considerable magnitude, and that its aim is to turn the enemy's pceitioi.' 'behind Monastir and so open the way to Prilep and Veles and the valley of the Vardar. The AustroBulgarian line from Monastir ±o the coast ie one of exceptional strength. Just -west of Monastir it is protected by the great lakes of Ochrida and Prespa, while to the east of the town lies the swampy region of the Cherna Valley. Apart from the difficulty of negotiating Hie ewamps, any advance here would be impossible till we. !had possessed ourselves of the heights on either side, and to capture those heights we would have to attack from the valleys below. For the next fifty miles -we are faced by strong mountain positions, varying from 5,000 feet to 7,000 feet in height, and then come more swamps "with high mountain positions 'behind them. It was thought at one time that tie Allies might have developed an attack along the valley of the Vardar to the west of Lake Doiran, and an attack in this region ■was actually commenced, but for some unexplained reason it "was discontinued just, at a time -when it seemed to promise some success. Transport difficulties are known to be great in this part of the Macedonian front, and it may have been found impracticable at fche time adequately to support an attacking force, and at the same time to supply and munition the remainder of .the front. Some attempt was made to open an attack in Albania in conjunction with operations round Lake Oehrida some little time 'before the great Austrian offensive against Italy, but this attempt neyer developed into more than a local offensive m the south-west corner of the Allied line, since the operations which were to have supported it never matured. The Italians also at that time seem to have objected to the removal of any large body of troops from the Italian front. The present attack has the advantage that Italy can more rapidly move troops from her northern front to Albania than the Austrians can. and therefore if it is intended that attacks in Albania shall alternate with attacks along the Piave, Italy will to some extent have the advantage of interior lines. The Italian command of the lower Adriatic seems to have been absolute since quite the early days of i the and this makes the position of i the enemy's right vcing in Macedonia I more precarious owing to the mobility

of sea power and the ability it gives'of rapidly changing a base. The AustroBulgarian forces have, however, many advantages in the difficult nature ;of the ground, and the Allied ferrees have only indifferent road communications on which to depend. If the enemy's line is strengthened to any large extent the present attack may he held up, but the strengthening- o f the line here means the weakening of the line elsewhere, and the present operations must be taken as part of the whole campaign oa what is now a single front.