AFRICAN CAMPAIGNS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15604, 31 May 1916, Page 7

AFRICAN CAMPAIGNS.

GERMAN EAST AFRICA. IMPORTANT BRITISH ADVANCES. HEMMING IN THE ENEMY. The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, May 30 (11.20 a.m.). Our troops on tho northern border of Rhodesia and Nyassaland, on Thurnday, advanced twenty miles into German territory over tho whole front between Lake Nyassa and Lake Tanganyika. Tho enemy were compelled to retit c from Ipiana, twenty-one miles north of Karunga and Igamba, eighteen miies north-east of Fort Hill, towards New Langenberg. j Tho South African and Nyassaland troops cifectcd good work during the night, bridging and crossing the river Songwe. Genoral Smuts reports that the railway station of Zaine, on the Usambara railway line, was occupied on Thursday. Another column occupied Les>ai>.. on tho Pangani river, eighteen miles to tho south, tho enemy withdrawing to the southward.

The operations in (Jermun East Africa arc developing rapidly and favourably on no fewer than four fronts.

General Smuts'h forces crossed Hie north-eastern frontier south-east of ..Mount Kilimanjaro. The Belgians from the Congo 1 ,- reo Stat© arc operatiug in tin: north-western district between Lake Victoria Nyzan-v and the northern end of Lake Tanganyika. British troops from Nyassaland and Northern Rhodesia have made a solid advance into German territory, across the 200 mile front between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyassa. The Portuguese are advancing in tho south-oast between Lake Nyassa and tho soa coast. Karonga is on the north-west shore of Lake Nyassa, a few miles eouth of the iSongwe river, which forms the boundary between British and German territory for about sixty miles to the westward. New Langenberg ie about 20 mi Iff, north of tho head of Lake Nyassa.

General Smuts is rapidly advancing to the south -east, the Usambara railway. Last week he reported the occupation of Lenibcni, 35 miles southeast of JMoshi, which is tho northern railhead. Zamo, -which is now reported to have boon occupied, is fully 2*5 miles below Lembeni. The column advancing down the Pangani river, which rnna almost parallel to tho railway, has occupied Lcsara, 18 males south of Zamo. The Mounted Corps, undei General Van der Venter, is holding a strong position at Kondoa Irangi, over 300 miles to tho westward of the Pangani river.

Tho plan of General Smuts is clearly to "corral" the enemy in tho interior. Tho German forccs trill doubtless fall back on the main trunk railway running from_ I>ar-es-Salaam on the sea coast to ujiji on Lake Tanganyika. The final stand will probably bo made in the vicinity of Taboro, tho chief towr on this railwav.