THE SITUATION ON THE THREE FRONTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3173, 25 August 1917, Page 7

THE SITUATION ON THE THREE FRONTS

A GENERAL'S OPTIMISTIC REVIEW PROSPECT ALTOGETHER MORE HOPEFUL (Kcc. August 21, 8.20 p.m.) London, August 23. General 1V.13. Jlaurieo, Director of Military Operations, states that tho recent British' advances were- all carried out according to programme, Mud rendered the Langemarck advanco unexpectedly difficult. Recent German reinforcements hnvo been twico ours, but owing to their losses and exhaustion wo are now right into Lens on tho south-west and north-west. Tho Italian great battle is proceed: ing satisfactorily, and there is a possibility of very great and important consequonces. Russia is malting a stand in the south-west, without any present signs of being forced back. The prospect altogether is more hopeful. The Germans' claim that between July 19 and August 18 they captured 11,000 prisoners is not surprising, for the Russians were withdrawing in a state of mutiny, only half of them fighting. Against those figures the Allies in three days havo taken 25,000 prisoners, and in the past twenty days 32,500. To maintain tho people's coufidenco tho German communiques contain more and.more fiction. Their railway traffic rolling stock is breaking down, and coal is getting short. Tho public are beginning to feel the pinch, and the tone of their papers shows many anxieties — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.