Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15464, 17 December 1915, Page 5

Progress of the War.

The announcement that Sir John French, at his own instance, has been succeeded in the command of the British Armies in France and Flanders Ly General Sir Douglas Hnig, the most important news to-day, is referred to elsewhere. The official message.-; covering operations on the Western front refer principally to the doings of the Allies' aviators. A French communique .says there is intense aerial activity on the part of the Allies, and to their advantage. The air raids are more fully detailed in messages from the High Commissioner, who states that two German machines, one of which is decribed as a battle-plane, were forced to the ground. The German lines in several quarters and two aerodrome* were bombarded by the Allies' aviators. The German.- claim that their anti-aircraft gnu? brought down four aeroplanes in the attacks on Bapaumc, Percnnc. and Mulhcim. A

German ammunition depot was destroyed by a heavy shell near Tracy-le-Val, which is in the angle cf the OLse and Aisno. The Germans exploded a mine near Ypres, but bombing parties occupied the crater and frustrated the enemy's attempt to attack. The most interesting news from the Balkans is tho official announcement that the Italians have successfully completed the transportation of an Expeditionary Force to Albania. There were only two accidents, a transport and a destroyer being sunk by mines, and fortythree lives lost. This very satisfactory news is a reminder of what the Allies owe to the British Navy. For more than sixteen months the enemy has not attempted to dispute the command of the seas, which virtually passed to the British Fleet on the first day of the war. It is safe to assume that it is tho ovefwJaelming strength of the British Navy that has enabled our Allies to transport their army in safety across the Adriatic without having first to dispaso of the Austrian Fleet. The Austrian sorties from Cattaro a few days ago were re- [ sponsible for the loss of several ships and a French submarine at San Giovanni and Durazzo on the Albanian coast. It was doubtless at this time j that the Italians wore disembarking at I some other port, probably at Yalona. j Their transports would bo well protcctj ed from attack, and tho Austrian destroyer flotilla, led by the light cruiser Novara. had to bo content with the minor raids. The Italians have acted promptly in fulfilling their promise to send assistance to the Serbians, who arc at present engaged in guerrilla warfare in th c 7nountains of Montenegro and Albania. A German communique claims further successes in I Eastern Montenegro by driving the Ser. [ bians across the Tara. Doubtless the | work of reorganising the Serbian army is being actively proceeded with. The I assistance of the Italian army should | enable the gallant Serbians shortly to j reassert themselves. There aro no fresh developments on the Greek frontier. An Athens message, which is described as official, says the Bulgarians have crossed the Greek frontier, but this is contradicted by a message from thc High Commissioner. Reutor's correspondent with thc British Army says tho Bulgarians do not want to enter Greece, but the Germane arc trying to force them on. The correspondent says the enemy is not likely to move immediately, as ho is unable to invest Salonica without suitable big guns, and thero is likely to bo a temporary lull while both sides prepare for the "eventual decisive struggle." Meanwhile the Allies aro said to be landing reinforcements and heavy guns, and tho Greek troops are withdrawing from tho Salonica zone, which suggests that Greece has agreed to the demands of the Allies regarding freedom of action in that quarter.