"A WEEK'S SUCCESSES"

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 150, 22 December 1914, Page 7

"A WEEK'S SUCCESSES"

ALLIES' FORWARD MOVE AT THE GATES OF LUXE GERMANS LEAVE LODZ AUSTRIAN SORTIE FAILS RUSSIAN CAPTURES Speaking before the French Senatorial Commission, M. Millerand, Minister for War, said that the military situation (from the Allies' point of view) was better to-day than it had ever been. This optimistic statement would seem to be justified. Since the Allies resumed their offensive they have met with considerable ' success, though, of course, not without much hard work and considerable loss in killed and wounded. Roulers has been captured aftei* a fierce assault, the Allies 1 patrols are within a few miles of Ostend, French and British troops have arrived at the gates of Lille, and the withdrawal of the main German force to Tourcoing and Roubaix is reported. "There have been a week's successes" is 'how the London Daily Chronicle refers to the Allies' recent operations, which are shortly detailed in the cablegrams. Apparently, the successes in Belgium have been repeated along the whole of the fighting front, undoubtedly the news is the most encouraging that has been received for some weeks. The effect — and apparently that was the objecij of the vigorous offensive — has been to release the strain on the Russian forces in Poland. The Germans have been driven back into East Prussia. Fearing an enveloping movement, the Germans (the news comes from a Berlin source) have evacuated Lodz, which the Russians retired from not so long ago for purely strategical reasons. At certain points on the west bank of the River Vistula serious engagements have taken place, and the Russians claim" success. The Austrians attempted a sortie from Przemysl, but the attempt failed. The Russians caught them on the flank and routed them, a large number^ being taken prisoner. /■ . Meanwhile the Servians and Montenegrins have been following up their defeat of the Austrians by pursuing the offensive along the whole of the Bosnia-Herzegovina front. For several days the Austrians were without food or ammunition, and it is stated that no fewer than 10,000 died from hunger. Thousands more fell before the Servians. Arabs, under Turkish and German officers, have been moving in Tripoli, and Italy wants to know the reason why. Anti-Austrian and pro-war demonstrations have taken place in several of the Italian cities.