Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15896, 9 May 1917, Page 8

Progress of the War.

In attempting to form even an approximate estimate of tho enemy's losses during tho Allied offensives, or of his present military strength, it is obvious that a good deal must be left to supposition. Nevertheless, correspondents at Headquarters are in a position to gather information noon which to build, and by putting an approximate two and two together they ultimately arrive at an equally approximate four. In the figures quoted to-day by Reuter's correspondent at French Headquarters, there is, no doubt, the usual element of guess-work, but it is notable that they aro almost precisely similar to the estimates of the "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent cabled a week ago. Both correspondent's placc the casualties suffered by the enemy in April at 200,000, and both agree that of the <14 divisions constituting Hindenburg's reserve, 33 divisions have already been utilised, and many of these have been withdrawn for reconstruction. It is not as easy to follow tho claim made to-day that the 143 divisions now in France represent two-thirds of the German army. Even placing the strength of a division at 10,000, this would moan -under 1,500,000 men, and if that figure represents twothirds of Germany's army, the enemy's strength must have "waned, even faster than we have been led to believe. According to this correspondent, Marshal von Hindenburg has been compelled to utilise every available man in the trenches in the Champagne and Artois sectors, to repel the French and British offensives. Tho statement is also made that nearly half of the German forces in tho West aro now arrayed against the British line, which is only a third of the length of the French line. The progress of the offensives has appeared to indicate that the enemy's greatest strength was being used against the British, hut if this estimate is correct, Sir Douglas Haig's men are doing even grander work than they have been credited with. The Germans are evidently beginning to take Britain's "contemptible little army" at its true worth. Australia has every reason to feel a glow of pride to-day at tho latest exploit of her soldier sons. From Mr Philip Gibbs's tribute it is evident that tho men who made tho great breach in the Hindenburg lino near Bulleeourt, achieved their success by declining to fall back, even though going on meant certain death or capture. There is something peculiarly characteristic of the Australian temperament in this dogged determination to get tho business over and have done with it. From Salonica comes word of a French success against the Bulgarians, in which tho Venizelists shared and won their full share of glory.