PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 268, 1 August 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Determined counter-attacks by the Germans arc a feature of the latest phase of the battle in the Maine salient as it is pictured in to-da.y' reports. It is ■ fairly plain, how ever, that the enemy is attacking only in order to gain time for the removal of material and in order to case the strain on his communications. With at most minor exceptions, the Allies have nowhere been pushed back,except in ground which had not yet been reported as captured. Some of the villages named as the scene of bitter fighting lie well ahead of the line which the Allies were reported to have reached yesterday. Bcugneux, for instance, which was lost b,v the Americans and apparently recaptured subsequently by British troopa, lies four miles east of the Sojssons-Chateau Thierry highroad, and therefore about three miles east of the line which the Allies were shown in yesterday's communiques to have reached. Cierges, another village which has changed hands, also lies ahead of the lino-which had previously been named ,in official reports as marking the 'limit of the Allied advance. The general position appears to be_ that the Allies' arc still slowly gaining ground. * * * A measure of uncertainty exists at the momentin regard to the Allied troops fighting'in the vicinity of Bcugneux, that is to.say, east of the Chateau Thierry _ highroad, a few miles north of O'ulchy. Hitherto, only French and American troops have been mentioned as occupying this part of the front, but a Times correspondent states to-day that British troons captured Bcugneux, and also that British troops are fully sharing in the battle south of Soissons. This is important, because it probably means that additional British troops have been thrown into the battle. Hitherto the few British divisions engaged have been fighting south-west of Beims. Evm if additional British divisions have been introduced, however, it does not follow that General Foch is making any heavy or undue call upon his reserves in prosecuting • the present battle. Indications generally are decidedly to the contrary. The Australians have gained another notable success in a local battle by capturing the village of Merris, which stands due east of Hazcbrouck, at a distance of five miles from that centre. > Merris is situated on low ground, but in this area, on the direct approach to the Channel ports, every foot of ground is important. . * * * * A few days ago Mr. Archibald Huiid, the naval correspondent o J ' the London Daily TdegrapJi, wav credited with the statement th.". although the losses causcuoy submarines continued to decrease, "th sinkings still greatly exceed the output of the shipyards." This is correct only in regard to British losses and the output of British shipyards. Taking account of the world s shipping as a whole the production of row tonnage has been for some months in excess of the tonnage destroyed by the submarines. Late information on the subject is supplied ■to-day in a statement by Snt Eric Geddes, It shows that the balance of ; .new construction over losses is now substantial—during the last quarter there has been a net gain of 100,000 tons per month. It is, however, a somewhat striking illustration of the effort called for to cope with the U-boats even in their present days of decline that 15,0,000 men are at present employed in Britain in constructing anti-subma-rine craft as against .120.000 engaged in the construction of merchant shipping. Although the- essential

thing while the war lasts is to destroy submarines, and to construct merchant ships wherever the best facilities exist, present developments admittedly open somewhat dubious prospects for the future of British shipping. It is possible, however, that as a matter of co-ordination with her Allies, Britain may be compensated for concentrating all possible resources on the-' construction of anti-submarine naval craft by being given an option of purchase, to take effect at the end of the war, over some of the shipping that is being constructed abroad.