PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2832, 25 July 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Late developments in the Battle of the Somme bear witness to the, determination of the Allies to give the enemy no time for rest or recuperation. Both sections of tho Allied forccs were heavily engaged in the fighting of last week, in which they broke into an extensive section of the German front, and repelled a series of powerful, though abortive, counter-attacks; and the broad effect of to-day's news is' that they have heavily increased the pressure of their offensive and precipitated a new conflict of tremendous violence. The locale of this liattJe is the British front, from Pozieres, to Guillemont, that is to say, along a front of about six miles, forming the northern side of the wedge of territory wrested from the' Germans in a series of British attacks. On this front the British troops are assailing onemy positions, some of them on high ground, which still bar their advance to Bapaume junction on the north. The attacks further east, at Guillemont and in Ihe vicinity, represent a move towards mastering the territory lying botween the British wedge and that which has taken shape as a result of French attacks north and south of tho Sommc.

News in hand leaves the story of the battle far from complete, and there is no doubt that the enemy is putting forth desperate efforts to stem the offensive. It is to be inferred from the reports that the German defence has nover been more stubbornly maintained than on the line of the present battle. Where the position has definitely changed it has changed to tho advantage of the British, and part of tbo village of Pozicres and some ground elsewhere has thus far rewarded their attacks. Up to tho present tho latest move in the offensive appears to have prospered reasonably well, but there is no doubt that the British forces engaged have ail exceedingly formidable task in hand. Advantage of position must still rest largely with tho enemy, since in general he holds the higher ground, but in addition to this it is evident that the Germans are making unsparing sacrifices in the effort to maintain their, ground. Some progress has been made and maintained by tho attackers, but on sections of the front there has been give-and-take fighting, which in the circumstances that obtain indicates a struggle of grim intensity. In the naturo and events of the battle as they are so- far described there is a plain suggestion that the Ger.mans are fighting in the full knowledge that defeat on their present line would mean much more than tho'loss of so many lines of tranches and redoubts.

An opinion expressed by the London 'I'tmes that, the present week will witness definite developments in tho Somme battlo is no doubt ibascd upon the fact that the. Germans are being thrown back upon vital positions, tho loss of which would involve at least a much deeper and more extensive penetation of their front than the Allies have yet accomplished. Correspondents of late have emphasised the point that tho Allies in their advanced lines are now very close to positions dominating easier country than that through which they have thus far "broken their way. This should mean that the complete penetration of tho system of defences in which the Germans aro offering such a desperate resistance is in visible prospect. The very desperation of the resistance suggests that the enemy apprehends such a danger. It suggests, too, that even greater issues may turn upon the events of the Somme battle than has hitherto been supposed. The idea has been'entertained, and not without apparent justification, that tho Sommb offensive is probably only one of a series of blows in which the Allies will set themselves to smash the enemy's front and defeat:his armies. It must bo confessed that the developing magnituclo of the battle rather tends to invalidate such an idea. There must, of course, bo a -far greater and more extended tide of battle as time goes on, but it docs not seem likely that the Allies, if they can help it, will repeat else.where the tremendous task of driving a breach in the enemy front in which they have made such notable headway on the Somme. Though it has continued with little intermission for nearly four weoks, the "Somme battle is far from being over, and as it is devoloping it seems more and more likely that it will exert a decisive and far-rcaching influence upon events in the Western theatre. It is at least not impossible that tho | Germans are in fact struggling to avert a defeat which would entail retreat from a great part of their "Western line, as it is now located. * * * «

Much, of course, depends upon the nature of tho defensive positions prepared by the Germans in rear of their present line, and this is a matter upon' which no positive information.is available. Mo:e, than onc6 in the war the spectacle has been witnessed of an attacking array driving in a hostile line, and yet' failing to completely break through. It is conceivable that the Allies might drive much deeper thau at present into the German line arid still find themselves so formidably opposed as to be under the necessity of trying new points of attack. At the same time, they are definite limits to the possible scope and strength of enemy defences in rear 'of the present line. Such defences, of course, exist, and they are no doubt formidable, particularly on the shortest available front, towards the confines of France and Belgium, upon which the' Germans would retire if, being hard pressed, they elected to continue the struggle to the bitter end. There must bo a definite limit, however, to the construction of defences between that shortest front and tho present front. The limit would exist even if only trenches, dugouts, .and other earthworks had to bo taken into account, for a vast amount of labour as well as some material is absorbed in their consltruction. But earthworks are only, as it were, the foundation of such a fortified lino as tho Germans are now defending. In its complete equipment a vast amount of valuable material is used which is certainly not in unlimited supply. It is only reasonable to suppose that the Germans have concentrated their resources upon their main front, and that supplementary defences in rear arc generally speaking less formidable, because they have not been equipped at an e(]ital expense in labour and material.

At all events, the wedge driven into tho German line is being steadily extended, and the Allies aro pressing the offensive in a fashion which holds out good prospccts for the future. Their continued advanco not only brings them nearer to effecting a breach in the enemy's front which would paye the way_ for an attack on his communications, but exposes his armies north and south of the present battle area to an increasing danger of being attacked in ilank. Defences in rear of tho front ho is now stubbornly defending would not save the enemy if the Allies gained a position of such advantage as to be able to roll up one or other section of his lino by a drive against its flank.

There is a disappointing absence of official news regarding the great battlo on the Dwina front, in the Baltic Provinces, tho opening of' which was reported yesterday. Unofficial reports, however, crcdifc tho .Russians with important progress, both west and south-cast of lliga. On the southern front the Russians are continuing their drive on the Galican frontier, but-no strikingly new development is introduced. Further details; however, emphasise, tho magnitude of the defeat suffered by tho Austro-Germans, and bring the capture of Lemberg into so much nearer prospect.