PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3162, 14 August 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

At tirao of writing little new light is thrown upon conditions in any of the war theatres. The position in Rumania, where the enemy is still concentrating heavily against tho Russo-Rumanian lines across Southern Moldavia, is summed up as sorious but not hopeless. At the momont there is no news from Galicia or other parts of the- main Eastern theatro, but a statement by General Korniloff (in a telegram to General Eoch) lends colour to recent reports that tho regeneration of tho Russian armies is proceeding apaco. Tho Russian Commander-in-Chicf declares himself confident that after- tho restoration of firm discipline his troops will very shortly bring full support to tho_ Allies. This it will ho observed isnota promise that the Russian armies will very shortly bring full support to tho Allies, but evidently General Koeniloff considers that tho restoration' of discipline which he names as the first condition of renewed activity is only a matter of time.

■ Some interesting figures bearing on Aniorican recruiting and other" aspects of war preparation are given in files just received by mail. In tho matter of volunteer enlistments, for instance, tho total number accepted for all branches of the Army and Navy and National Guard was estimated early in July at more than 000,000. If tho New "York Mail is right in its statemont that 75 per cont. of those who applied for enlistment wero not accepted because <|E failure to como up to the physical standard required, then about 2 400,000 men had offered themselves beforo the American declaration of war was two months old. This voluntary recruiting, it should be remembered, relates only to America's existing land and sea forces, and not to tho new national army which is to be raised from tho outsot in compulsory drafts. Tho success of the Liberty Loan gave- another indication of tho spirit iu which the American pcoplo havo responded to tho President's call to war. On this subject ouo commentator remarked: "Despite the fact' that Anglo-French bonds (with two great .Governments behind them), bearing live pur cent, interest, could be purchased at QSh, and French Republic bonds, with gilt-edged securities as well as tho credit of France behind them, bearing interest at Sj per cent, could bo purchaser] at 99, the Liborty Loan bonds, bearing 3i per cont. interest, wore subscribed for at par by about three- million persons to the extent of about £580,000,000—an over-subscription of about jSmQQMOQ..

An ambitious plan by which it is claimed that German" submarines might be confined to the North Sea, is outlined in an article in tho Scientific American. Tho writer remarks that "the time lias come for Great Britain to render the whole of tho inland waters, extending from tho Slietland Islands and Norway to tho Straits of Dover, a closed sea, by building and maintaining a continuous line of netting from tho northernmost points of the Shetland Islands to the nearest point on the western coast of Norway, and by similarly closing the open passages between the islands which form the Orkney and Shetland Island group." By the blockading the blockadera within the North Sea, "the transAtlautic routes would be opened up once more for the uninterrupted floNy of food, munitions, and supplies which are necessary for that decision on land which the Allies now have- within their grasp." Tho probable cost of the huge net is set down at threo or four million pounds; say, half of what Britain is spending every day of tho war. But what about the U boats' not cutters? "Let this great not, 150 [ feet deep, be built of half-inch stocl wire with a 10-foot mesh, and a ring at each intersection into which would bo snapped a contact bomb, large enough to cut a hole in tho submarine, or at least start a leak along the seams of her plating. Should the knife cut a strand of the wire, tho submarino in forcing ber N way through would carry the flexible net with her, and as it swung in against her sides one or more of tho bombs would be pretty certain of contact." It is suggested that along tho whole 250 miles of netting there should bo maintained a string of destroyers, torpedo boats, and seagoing chasers, while at every 30 miles there might be anchored a mothoi'-ship, surrounded with a triplo lino of notting. These' ships would form the pormanont base for the patrol boats and for a large fleet of aeroplanes. The depth of water, in feet, on tho line proposed, running cast, is stated to be as follows:—36o feet, 480, 510, 462, 372, 600, 942, 1020 feet. These are formidablo'depths, but it is contended that they could be overcome by a sufficiency of mushroom anchors and steel wire cable. "Such a blockade could bo broken only if the battleship fleet of Germany came out in force, which is the vory thing that the British Fleet is hoping that it will do." It will be noticed that the writer of tho avticlo assumes that Britain would be permitted to net not only the international area- of tho North Sea, but Norwegian territorial waters. Hitherto tho fact that open lanes through neutral waters aro available to tho U' boats has constituted one of the most sqrious problems of tho anti-subnumno campaign. It would bo a big &uop forward if means were found of inducing Norway and other neutrals to consent to the closing of those lanes.