PROGRESS OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 106, 31 October 1914, Page 8

PROGRESS OF WAR

TURKEY DECLARES WAR REPORTED ROUT OF "CALAIS ARMY."

Tbere are more new developments in the war news to-day, and more disturbing factors, than has been the case for a long time. ' The long-threatened complication with Turkey has come to a head ; the, Ottoman Empire is at War with Russia, and this extension of the belligerent area may spread far. Hostilities began with a bombardment of Theodosia, in the Crimean Peninsula, bj the Breslau, and other operations by thes Goeben, before the world has had the satisfaction of knowing whether these ships are truly Turkish or are still German. The Turkish cruisei' Hamidieh committed an "act of war by demanding the surrender of «, Russian town, and two destroyers Bhelled > the port of Odessa. The naval operations in the Black Sea may be serious to the countries concerned, but the fleets are in neither case very powerful. Russia has aimed at a fleet m this sea, half as strong again as the combined fleet* of Turkey, Bulgaria, and Rumania. TURKEY'S TWO NEW SHIPS. The Turkish fleet, disregarding for the moment its two latest additions, is an irregular combination, consisting mostly of very old vessels, far less formidable than the Russian Black Sea Fleet ; but the Goeben and the Breslau are very considerable .additions, greatly increasing the nominal value of the Turkish squadrons. There can be no doubt that the securing of these*'two modern ships alone enabled Turkey to assume the offensive in a naval campaign against Russia; and the whole circumstances attending the presence of the ships in Turkish waters, and Turkey's other preparations, indicate that she has acted in accordance with the desires of Germany. A Gerj man paper states that Turkey is negotiating presumably a treaty with the Ameer of Afghanistan, whose territory lies between Russian Turkistan and Nortn«weat India. Turkey has been warned not to cross the Egyptian frontier on pain of war with the Triple Entente. GREECE AND ITALY. Another new development is the landing of a Greek force at Santi Quaranta, on the coast of Albania, at the north end ot the Corfu Channel. This step, which is described as giving Greece the mastery of the channel, is apparently displeasing to Italy, which aims at furthering her control of the Adriatic ,by utilising Valona, only a short distance north of Corfu. If, as is suggested, Britain and France are supporting Greece in the matter, a new complexion may be placed upon Italy's attitude, though the situation may be greatly modified when the circumstances are explained. Italy's neutrality, if not her active friendship, is very valuable to the Entente, and is not likely to be sacrificed for any small consideration. Some aspects of the ! international position cieated by these j new events are discussed in the leading columns to-day. ON THE BELGIAN COAST. From the Franco-Belgian area, only good news comes. It is true that a German official message states that the enemy has made progress west of Lille,, and in the Argonne, and has inflicted a defeat on the French southwest of Verdun, but these statements can confidently be discounted. The frankness of the French has been too often remarked, and the falseness of German reports too often proved, to make it necessary to give the report any weight. It conflicts directly with the consistent tale of the Allies' successes. The m6»t striking item from Belgium is Mr, Martin Donohue's repoit from Calais, that the German army which was endeavouring to advance upon that port has been flung back towards Ostend shattered and ip disorder, the culminating point having been reached on Wednesday. Other reports give corroborative information, including the statement that two towns five miles west of Ostend have been occupied by the Allies. Another report states that the Germans are making some pieparations for a retreat. In view of- these reports it is odd that the official messages received up till early this afternoon stated that there is "nothing fresh on the Nieuport-Dixmude front." THE COAST OFFENCE FLOTILLA. Further news regarding the use of warships off the coast states that the artillery used against them has been silenced, and also mentions the use of 12-inch guns. The employment of guns of such heavy calibre against land forces may have been made necessary by the fact that the enemy were able to to keep the ships at a distance beyond the effective range of smaller guns. All tho casualties on board ship occurred on small and lightly -armed craft, and it may be found after all that the heavy guns, specialised for naval fighting, did not play a very important part in the coast operations. It can certainly be assumed that if they did the vessels used were obsolete warships. Admiral Hood, who was in charge of the squadron, had a "shore appointment" as Naval Secretary of the First Lord until at least the middle of August, so that the Navy List throws no light on the question. The principal matter i* that the naval guns afloat established their preponderance. A FAVOURABLE POSITION. The continuous prtssure of the Allies along the Aisne and towards the Argonne has borne fruit in the capture of trenches somewhere along the line between those points; and further progress has been made at Apremont, east of St. Mihiel. Apart from the reported change on the Belgian coast, it may be said thati the situation in this part of Europe ie little altered and remains favourable. OVERTURES FOR PEACE. j Highly interesting is the report from Paris that Germany, through commercial and financial intermediaries, has proposed to make peace with France alone on terms which are set out in the message. The offer was "instantly and scornfully repudiated." Having made a compact with her allies not to enter into an individual peace, France could do nothing else. It is worth noting that peace overtures pay be expected to come first from financial and commercial interests. But it can also be accepted that no terms even approximating those offered by Germany are likely to be considered by the Allies, either singly or collectively, while their present temper holds. THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN. In Poland, quite satisfactory developments have occurred. The last of the enemy north of the Pilica has been broken, and there are indications that the German forces have been cut in two. Radom, which is the Russian left of the new line reported, a few days ago to have been established, has been entered by the Russians, and a large number of prisoners taken. After a long silence the Russians on the extreme left, in Bukowina, are heard of. Czerniewice, the capital of the province, is reported to haye been taken, and the success followed by a further defeat of the Austrian forces at Bogana, ten miles cast of the capital city. SOUTH AFRICAN REBELLION. No strategy has yet been developed in South Africa. A surrender of a largo numbei of the rebels in Galvinia, in I the western central part of Cape Colony,

is reported, and Colonel Claussen and an unspecified force have been completely defeated. These items are apparently of no great importance. General Beyerß is reported to have had his forces scattered and to have flown. More interest attaches to the evidence, in many quarters, of preparation, extending over many years of waiting for an opportunity, for such a rising as has taken place. Tho statements on this subject may be quite true without altering the fact that the temper of the great bulk of the Boer population of South Africa' is entirely opposed to the rebellion. If Germany has, in addition to fomenting the disaffection, supplied, the potential rebels with large quantities of arms and ammunition, that would be quite in keeping witli the extraordinary skill and ingenuity displayed by her elsewhere in making ready for her war with Britain. It would supply further evidence, if it were needed, that Britain was the Power at which she aimed. The action of De Wet in setting up an independent republic to which his following may rally as to a national ideal is a step which was to be expected. It is part of the stock-in-trade of the insurrectionist. Contradictory reports are to hand concerning Angola, the big Portuguese West African colony. It is denied that Portugal has official knowledge of a German invasion, but particulars of the event are given. After all, it seems to have been a very small affair. THE EMDEN "FIGHTS." When the Iron Crosses are being given out there should be a special set for the officers ?4id men of the Emden. Having sunk or taken virtually a score of merchantmen, she has now sunk with a torpedo a Russian cruiser at Penang, and a French destroyer. The Jemtchug was taken unawares by the Emden, which had disguised herself with an extra funnel, and slipped in ekise enough to fire two torpedoes. This was just the form of attack for a disguised and unsuspected ship, which would have given everything away by opening fire. However much we deplore the loss of the Russian and dislike the Emden's method of attack, each success of the enemy's elusive cruiser must increase our admiration for a vessel which has carried out in an ideal way the duties for which she was made and despatched. The Jemtchug, thoi'gh not a new ship, was one of Russia's latest and best light cruisers.