Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15488, 15 January 1916, Page 8

Progress of the War.

Though the official reports are very brief, it is evident that there is growing activity on the Western front. Following on the decisive check sustained by their large forces eastward of Rheims at the beginning of the week, the Germans have attempted offensive movements at several other points. As a prelude to an attack between the Argonne and the Meuse north of Verdun, the Germans discharged a cloud of gas, but a change of wind drove it back into their trenches with, it is to !be hoped, unpleasant results. Tho threatened attack did not develop. Between the So nunc and the Avre, castwards of Amiens, an attempted surprise attack was completely checked, and in the Champagne two grenade attacks were "stopped dead." A violent bombardment of the German lines is proceeding, and trenches have been destroyed at several points, notably in the vicinity of Lille. At Roye. on the Avre, south-east of Amiens, a German regiment was caught by the French artillery fire. There are reports that an attack on the Allies' lines in Macedonia is imminent. This is in part confirmed by the statement that,* as part of the defensive plan, the railway bridges at Kilindir and Demirhissar have been destroyed. Both of these places are well beyond the defensive line described by a correspondent a fewdays ago. Kilindir is an important junction just inside the Greek frontier, where a branch line connects the Vardar railway with that paSsing through Demirhissar to I>edeagatch and Turkey. For several days there has been no news from the Italian front. Tho absense of any Russian statement regarding the Bukowina campaign suggests that the offensive in that region is at a standstill for the present.