PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1915, Page 7

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

NEW GERMAN ACTIVITY GALICIA AND THE BALTIC PROVINCES. NO CHANGER IN THE WEST. A message from Berlin tells Tather sensationally of success against the Rus« sians in Western Galicia. The area is described as " from the Hungarian frontier to the Dunajec and Vistula rivers," and the Russian front is said to have been penetrated at various points and pushed back everywhere, while the escaping Russians are being hotly pursued. This portion of the line, established long ago with the cessation of the Russians' attempt to reach Cracow, links up the Carpathian front with the Polish area, and has not been referred to in any important way during the whole of the period including tho Bzura battles, the late East Prussian German offensive, and the Russian offensive in the Carpathians. It was a locality which both sides were content to guard. The German message shows that there has been a sudden renewal of interest in this quarter. If the Russians have been taken unaware by a completely unexpected attack, the enemy's enterprise might have a serious effect; but it is not easy to believe that this can (have happened. Germany has struck enough blows without warning to make any commander careful about leaving points of possible danger perilously weak. The German message really tells little more than that an attack has been made, with alleged success, and in the meantime it need not be regarded as meaning any^ more. It is the mention of actual localities, not the use of broad generalisations, which helps to establish the reliability of communiques, and tne Berlin story mentions no milestones passed on the way by the victorious Germans. The front in Western Galicia. nine roughly from a little west of Dukla Pass, through Gorlice and Tarnow to the Dunaje'c Ri>ier, and then along the river to the Vistula. THE NORTHERN INVASION. The complacent tone of the Russian reports regarding the new German invasion of the country south the Gulf of Riga, if it was correctly used, must have been based on fuller information than has been sent out over the cables An official message from Petrograd reports that the Germans are occupying Shavli district, , which lies within a hundred miles eastward of the Memel-Libau coastline. German patrols haye < appeared near Libau, and torpedo boats in the Gulf of Riga. The "occupation of the Shavli district " does not seem to bear out the previous Russian estimate that tho affair is only a foraging raid, and the development is one which will be watched with interest. As to the rest of the Eastern front, little is reported. The Carpathian front, which still seems to be the crucial part of the line, shows no important change. ' SHELLS ON THE FRINGE OF METZ. It is gratifying news that some of the Metz s defences have been bombarded, with considerable effect. This is an indication of the advance of the French on the line eastward of Thiaucourt to useful gun positions facing northward to the famous fortress. What the extent of the Metz defences is now, of course, no one can say ; but it is certain that they extend a long way beyond the forts, which on the maps are shown occupying an area of ground nearly fifteen miles in diameter. Like most other great fortresses, Mctz is not so much a stronghold in itself as i the contro of a great entrenched camp, ill which the numerous forte are linked together with field fortification* and i

hidden batteries, requiring a great army to man them, in addition to the garrisons of the forts. It is the southern fringe of this entrenched camp which the French guns have assailed, probably from near Arnaille, which on a previous occasion figured in a transient bombardment of the Met 2 defences. VAIN GERMAN ATTACKS. Another German attack on Hill 60 on Saturday, and St. Julien on Sunday, are the only new phases in the fighting about Ypres. Both, according to Sir John French's report, failed, and resulted in heavy German losses. The German staff in Belgium admit that in the recent fighting in this neighbourhood 12,000 of their troops were killed. ITALY'S ATTITUDE. Italian intervention is still m the future, in spite of the recent events which seemed to promise military activity as a matter almost of hours. Russia reports that an. agreement with the Entente Powers is still being negotiated, but that Italy's action will lose in value if it is deferred till Austria is definitely beaten in the' Carpathians. On the other hand, other Russian opinions prophesy Italy's activity "sooner than is expected. Tho messages tell of the preparation of manifestos warning the people on Austrian territory near the frontier that the Italians are ready to occupy gpc-und which the Austrian authorities will be compelled to (abandon. But a report to almost exactly the same effect was ' is- j sued two or three weeks ago. The utmost that oan be said on the matter is that Italy is still considering a, very difficult problem, and is preparing for all contingencies.