PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 51, 28 August 1914, Page 8

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

GERMANY'S FIGHT WITH TIME HER NAVAL LOSSES.

If there is any truth In the cabled statement that the Germans are prepared to incur 50 per cent, of loss in their attacks, in the hope of securing a decisive victory, it only shows up the weakness of the German case. A« Germany's plan is to strike down France with a quick decisive blow, and then turn her own energies eastward to repel Eussia, time is obviously the essence of the contract. Hence the headlong attacks and the effovt to secure victory at almost any cost. _ There are, however, obvious limitations to any such theory of war. Com-mon-sense compels the conclusion that the SO per cent, loss principle can only be applied twice against a well defended position, after which only 25 per cent, of the invaders will be left, and in that case it does not matter much whether thtir destination is Paris or Berlin. The 50 per cent, is only a figure of speech. Even in attacks on key positions, it is doubtful whether the Germans or any other race skilled in war would act on any euch idea as a deliberately-calcu-lated plan of action. In principle, German strategy is enveloping, not penetrative. Great sacrifices of men by German commanders point mainly to the reality of the Russian terror. Time is fighting against them', and they must outstrip time. On the -whole, the betting is dietinctly in favour of the man with the scythe. The rtiain task of the defending Allies is to prevent their left wing from being outflanked, and at the same time to keep their line strong enough, at all threatened points, to guard against penetration. At time of writing, the cablegrams throw little light on the movements along the Franco-Belgiaao and Franco-German frontiers. In their sally from Alsace-Lorraine the Germans seem to have met with severe casualties in the St. , Die district. There is no news concerning Luxembourg. DEFENCES OF GERMAN EAST FRONTIER. . . The interior of East Prussia now appears to be in the hands of the Russians, who will probably invest the Baltic fortress Konigsberg, and then move on to West Prussia. Here they will be confronted by the Vistula, -which river is lined with fortresses, including Danzig, Marieriberg, Dirschau. Graudenz, and Thorn. Farther south, on the Wa-rthe (a tributary of the Oder), is Posen, said to be one of the greatest fortresses in the world, commanding the approach from Russian Poland. It is cabled that Russia has a central army advancing on Posen. Any detailed map of East Prussia shows a great number of lakes and swamps. Generally speaking, it may be said that the eastern frontier of Germany is a low open plain, traversed by big rivers.^ like the Vistula, and thickly studded with swamps and forests, many of the narrow passages between which have been fortified by the Germans. It is true that a big scheme- of fortification initiated by the Germans is still incomplete, but the country offers great natural difficulties and the ' Vistula fortresses afe sufficiently strong to discount the ' cabled opinion that the Germans will voluntarily retire from the Vistula to the Oder. Forcing of the Vistula will require strategic skill as well as overwhelming numbers. One of i these requisites -Russia certainly has, and ' her movpments to date afford no reason for doubting that she has the other also. In the past expert opinion has generally favoured the view that there are better routes for an attack on Germany than the march-lands ot Eaist Prussia and the fortified Vistula. An advance, via Posen, down the Warthe Valley, is considered easier for an invading army. Another route is via the Metze. In any case there are fortresses to be considered. Possibly, before long, the first place in the picture will be taken not by East Prussia, but by Posen or Thorn. GERMAN CRUISERS LOST. The loss of the German cruiser Magdeburg (sister to the Breslau) with over a hundred men killed of missing, counterbalances the sinking (by contact mine) of the British scout cruiser Amphion. Navigation of the Baltic Sea is by no means easy, and its arm, the Gulf of Finland, which is studded with small islands, presents peculiar difficulties. Stranded in a fog, the Magdeburg had to be sacrificed, and the fact that the Russian fleet fired ' on the rescue operations -shows that the ! Tsar's warships, which have probably been sheltering under their ■ fortresses, still retain the power to sting. This Magdeburg incident is about the. only light we have had on the supposed Baltic campaign of the German fleet. The Magdeburg class of cr.uiser is' of 4500 tons and carries twelve 4.1-inch guns. The Amphion type is of 3400 tons and carries ten 4-inch guns. The Germans are also about two Knots quicker. Germany's other cruiser casualty is a. converted merchantman of 14,139 tons, the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, one of the cracks of her day, and that day was not so very long ago. Her mission in the Atlantic was probably commercedestruction. The value of fast cruisers to pc-Hce the' seas in Biitish interests — both offensive and defensive — is now very evident. So far all thework done has been done by 'torpedo-' boats and destroyers and the lighter cruisers. Apparently the capital ships have not been in action at all. Their day is to come. > The landing of British troops at Ostend is interesting. North Belgium must still play a big part in worrying the German invader with flank attacks, and ultimately the Belgian battles may be fought again, with results entirely different. TRAFFIC AT COURTENAY-PLACE . .-«. . TO THE EDITOR. , Sir, — I notice "Public Safety's," also " Roseneath's." remarks re Courtenayplace termini, all of which I fully endorse ; and I think it is quite time that some suitable alteration is made to obviate the danger and congestion of traffic now at Coui'tenay-place. AYe have now quite a number of small huts and sheds erected in the centre of the roadway, surrounded by a tangle of overgrown shrubs and trees, neatly enclosed by a high bull-fence. Is it not high time for this to be laid out on more modern lines, with an up-to-date public convenience, instead of as at present the disgusting arrangements at the end of the reserve ? If the reserve were curtailed, with a waiting shed in the centre and cars to run on either side, we should do away with the great danger which now exists. —I am, etc., ' ONLOOKER. Wellington, 27th August, 1914. The Bluff press states that the cutter Antelope has brought back the balance of her sealing party, after having been stranded ■at the Solanders for some weeks.. Amongst other adventures, their hut at the Solanders Was flooded out by heavy seas at night, and the inmates had' a wild woolly time of it. JTroin start to finish the Antelope's cruise was crammed full of exciting incidents that will be long remembered by the members of her crew. Every one of the 91 skins secured was well earned.