Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15612, 9 June 1916, Page 6

Progress of the War.

The Russians have apparently chosen a very opportune time for their great offensive, which is being vigorously carried out fjlong the wholo front from the Pripet to the Roumanian frontier, a length of over 220 miles. Judged by their captures of prisoners, guns, and material, the Russians have been extraordinarily successful, though their communiques give no indication of the exact locality in which their chief success has been secured. Up to Wednesday they had captured 41,000 prisoners, 77 field-guns, many machine-guns and trench mortars, and great quantities of material. The Austrian communiques admit a retirement in Volhynia, in the vicinity of Lutsk. The Russian General Staff in opening their offensive on this section of their front were doubtless influenced by the fact that tho Austrians had drawn on their reserves in Galicia for tho operations against Italy, who will now find the Russian move of considerable assistance. Further developments on the Italian and Russian fronts will bo watched with considerable interest. On tho Western front tho Germans have, after heavyfighting, achieved a local success in tho vicinity of Yprcs, where they have captured the British front line trenches running through the ruined village of Hooge. All other attacks in this sector were repulsed. The scctor held by the Anzac troops is officially disclosed by the statement that the Australians made a successful trench raid east of Bois Grenicr, a small village two miles south of Arnwntieres. It is clear from this report tiiat tho Australians and >"ew Zealanders hold a section of the line between Xeuvo Chapello and Armentieres. The Germans claim the capture of Fort Vaux with 700 prisoners and many guns and machine-guns, and are making the most of the claim. On the other hand, the French claim that the fort, was still held by their troops early on Wednesday morning, though since that time there had been no communication with the post owing to the violence of the bombardment. It is probable that Fort Vaux, as such, has been battered to picces by the enemy's artillery long since. Its capture will not affect the general position cast of ■the Meuse to any great extent. The

Turks lay claim to a success of 6ome magnitude in the Caucasus, but the

Russian communique says the enemy's attacks in this region were defeated. At Khanikin. Do miles north-east of Bagdad, the Russians have captured several fortified positions.