Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15768, 8 December 1916, Page 6

Progress of the War.

The enemy's successful march upon Bucharest continues without check. As a. consequence of tho victory northwest of tho city on tho Arges, the Roumanian position in tho Prahova valley, below the Prodeal Pass, lias been weakened, and a retirement to the east is inevitable. Already the enemy claims the capture of Sinaia, where the King of Rouniania's summer residence is situated in beautiful surroundings. Plocsci, to the south, has also fallen, and its fall may lead to huge hauls of prisoners bcinrr made b\- the enemy. Unless the Second Roumanian Army, which has been defending the Prahova valley, has already made its cscapc. it will now be in the position of being penned between Sinaia and Ploesci —a distance of tinder 40 miles—with no lino of escape save over tho hills to the east. A modern army cannot

readily escape in this manner, so it would not bo surprising if a largo capture of prisoners were made- The fall of Plocsei also affects Bucharest in gravo fashion, for it deprives the defenders of that city of their natural line of retreat to the north. Possibly there will bo no sustained defence of t!io city, and the troops may already have evacuated it, but the forces which hold tho enemy up at Tzomana, in the event of retirement being necessary, will require to look to tho Cernavoda railway for transport. Tho position is by 110 means cheering. The enemy's strategy is working out brilliantly, and is plainly being conducted on lines calculated to yield tho greatest number of prisoners. Tho city of Bucharest has not yet been officially announced to be in the encmy' s hands, but reports from two sources announce it to havo fallen. In tho southern Balkan area the Serbians are still securing minor gains, whirih in the aggregate arc of considerable value. From all the other theatres of war tho reports aro meagre and of no great momont.