PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3044, 3 April 1917, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

• A .report from Sir Douglas Haig to-day states that during March 1239 Germans "were taken 'prisoner by the British in, the Somme area. This coverß the period in which the enemy obtained.a measure of temporary immunity by retiring-from positions which he-was no longer able to hold. That_ the number of Germans taken prisoner in the course of the retirement was not larger must be accepted as evidence that the movement was carried out with some degree of success. If the number of prisoners is any criterion of the losses suffered by the enemy under other heads, he has contrived to evacuate an extensive range of positions and to slightly shorten, his line, at comparatively light cost, it docs not. follow; however, that the plan which the enemy has laid down is working 'out successfully. The measure of his success up to the present is that on a section of his front he has retired from one line to another, without suffering very heavily in the process. But there is no evidence that he'is in any respect better off on his new line than on the one from which he' retired. There is a good deal in currontevents to suggest the contrary. *. • *• ' t , #'•' ' '

It has been observed 011 several occasions that the line on which the enemy is now attempting. to hold his ground has many defects from the defensive point of view. As compared with the position he formerly held, he is exposed to a seriously increased danger of being outflanked with 'disastrous cffect on his line extending north from the region of Arras to the sea, and turning movements arc being developed also against his line further south, towards the Aisne. The news of the last few days makes it quite cMar that the Germans are trying to stem the Allied onset on their presont line, and that the Allies are no longer pursuing rearguards, but are either in immediate touch with established positions hold by the enemy in strong force or are rapidly closing in upon positions of this character. At the same time, for the reasons which have; been touched upon, it is hardly to be believed that the Germans would have deliberately selected the line on which they now stand. Possibly the vigour of the Allied pursuit has compelled the Germans to retire further than they had .intended (it. will be remembered thn I. it number of messages have spoken of the evacuation by, the enemy. o£ exceedingly, strong

positions well behind the line from which-ho sel; out), or it may be that tho Allied pursuit has denied them the measure of freedom which they had hoped to gain in order to execute a more extended retreat. At all events tlioy arc now attempting to hold a front which has every ap-pcuranc-o of being extremely vulner-. able, and the intensity of battle on this, front'is rapidly rising.

To-day's official reports certainly suggest that tho enemy will not much longer succeed in evading battle on a big scale. The British and French respectively arc evidently in immediate touch with strong enemy forces on the northern and southern ecctions of tho front from Arras to the Aisne, but on tho middle portion of this front the British again report notable progress. Additional villages havo been captured in the area between. Cambrai and St. Quentin, but tho CSief development disclosed at time of writing is a sudden and material extension of the British advance ; on the direct approach to St. Qufmtin from the west. Tho capture,of Savy village and of tho wood of the same name a milo further east means that tho British are now- less than three raises away from. St. Quentin: on this lino of advance. The French are in position south of the city, though precisely, at what distance has not been made clear. It is on this part of their front, between the Somme and the Oise, that thoy report to-day an artillery-duel of considerable violence/ St. Quentin is imminently threatened by the British on the west and by the French on the south-./- If there are good grounds for tho suggestion conveyed in a message from Mr. Philip Gibbs that the Germans arc preparing to evacuate tho city, it would seem'to follow as a ncccssary consequence that they, are on tho eve of a general retreat. Tho resistance they -are offering on other parts of the front, including'tho' area between the Ailctte and the Aisne-, where the French havo made some progress, bub evidently against strong opposition,/ points, however, to a different ,intention. While matters remain thus in suspense artillory battles on ■ tf.he Champagne front and in Flanders suggest that whatever policy the Germans may adopt in coping with their immediate difficulties they are likely soon to find those difficulties heavily increased. ■

Another British success is reported in Mesopotamia Yesterday's news showed that one ' section of General Maude's a.rmy ia advancing up the course of the.rivor Diala, and has reached positions about 70 miles northeast of; Bagdad, oh the skirts of tho Jebel Hamrin range.. From to-day's news it appearsthat tho enomy attempted an outflanking movement. Moving south along routes which'cross the'Jcbel Hamrin range considerably west and north of tho point at which. it is penetrated- by tho Diala, the Turks struck 'at tho flank and communications of the British' force advancing a up that river. In'. tho event the enter prise fared badly; The British' appear to have grasped 'the initiative a.t an oarly stage. The enemy attacks tfero decisively repelled,, and his troops aro now in retreat, after being'' dislodged from successive positions, on both lines by which thoy advanced. A considerable number of prisoners remain in the handsof the British, and the enemy's total losses, were presumaßTy . heavy.

■The possibility that Germany nifty attempt an invasion of Britain, , which is discussed by an English writor, in an "artiolo quoted in tho nero;s to-day, cannot bo lightly, dismissed as fanciful. There is no reason to suppose, however, that Gorraany is capable, as tho, writejr in question suggests, of undertake ing a series of raiding invasions of England. . Jfor is it likely that if Hindenbukg really has a strategic reserve of a million mon, as is alleged, ho will use any'largo part of it in enterprises .of this character. The real danger probably is that Germany may sacrifice her fleet'in the hope, of landing a comparatively small force in England.. Germany is not likely to attompt th© invasion of England in forco, for it. is tolorably certain that any army she succeeded in landing would be annihilated within a few days. But a small foroo,. deliberately, sacrificed, might do a' great deal of damage to military and industrial establishments if it were landed at the right time and place; and this no doubt would be the object aimed atf It may. seem unlikely that Germany would sacrifice her fleet in covering a raid of this character, but it has to bo remembered that she is,in a state of desperation, and has no obvious prospect of turning her fleet to account in any other way. For tho time being it is a dead asset, but if by fighting a holding battle in the North Sea it enabled a raiding ex r pedition to land in England 'and perhaps in'addition opened an outlet for a flight of commerce-destroy-ing cruisers,' it might do something to ease the strain of war on Germany which now threatens to become unbearable. Embarking on such a venture the Germans .would almost certainly lose' their fleet, and would; certainly lose any force they contrived to land in England. But it cannot bo assumed that tho -venture will not'be undertaken.,