PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 125, 28 May 1915, Page 7

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

LOSS OF TWO BATTLESHIPS A DANGEROUS DEVELOPMENT, SUBMARINES IN A NEW FIELD. The news that submarine attacks have destroyed two British battleships in the Gallipoli Peninsula operations is startling and of the utmost importance. H.M.S. Triumph, a comparatively modem but faulty pre-Dreadnought, and H.M.S. Majestic, one of the oldest battleships in the British Navy, represent the latest toll in the Near East. But the significance of the events goes far beyond the actual loss of the ships, whether new or old, and of lives, whether many or few. It is full of serious possibilities. If the Turks had been reasonably equipped with submarine craft, the forcing of the Straits would have presented enormously greater difficulties than those hitherto experienced ; but for some unexplained reason they had none ; and the defences of the Straits' consisted only of guns and mines, to each of which there is in naval tactics an adequate reply. So far, there is no reply to the submarine if it can find favourable conditions. Submarines are partially blind; but they are very nearly invisible; and if the commander knows where to find his prey his task is comparatively easy. The presence of enemy underwater craft has only lately been evident. There has now arisen the very important question of their "number and origin ; the reply affects the precautions which the Allies must take to safeguard the fleet at work in the Gallipoli campaign, and the transports which are carrying troops to the Turkish theatre To a certain extent the fleet can look after itself. It can be guarded by flotillas of torpedo boats and the other recognised tactics which have proved sufficiently effective in the northern waters; and the result of the new arrivals will be to increase the difficulties of the naval operations to an extent depending wholly upon the number and efficiency of the enemy submarines. "But with the transports the matter is different. Up to the present, the British authorities have sent thousands of troopships across the English Channel without a loss, though the enemy would most cheerfully torpedo every one of them if he could. The voyage to the Gallipoli Peninsula, from England, France, or Egypt is, however, no simple matter of a- night dash across narrow waters thoroughly patrolled by scouting warships. From Gibraltar to the Dardanelles is over 1600 miles — a good four days' voyage. and a distance within which all sorts of things may happen. The problem of convoying troopships over such a distance to protect them from submarines is no light one. It has been suggested in recent messages that German submarines are at large in the Mediterranean, and there is no insuperable barrier of distance between the Levant and the German home ports to prevent their presence ; it is not much over 3000 miles, and is well within the cruising range of the later types of submarine. There is no need at all for any far-fetched explanation about overland transport, which might be successful enough for very small craft, but difficult in the matter of large ones. It is possible, too, that the culprit is an Austrian vessel. There are only a few in the Austrian navy, but one or two might well luwe been spared for such important work. It can be assumed at once that, whatever submarines are responsible, they are not Turkish. They must have been imported ; and they must be manned by expert crews — no doubt German. The Turk has no instinct for naval warfare ; and the submarine would certainly not suit him. THE LOST WARSHIPS. H.M.S. Triumph was the most modem battleship yet lost by Britain, and was only completed in 1904. She was built, with her sister ship Swiftsure, for Chili, and purchased before she was completed. In many eyes these two ships were the handsomest vessels in the Navy. The Triumph was the better ship of the two, having more up-to-date equipment in some respects. For a vessel of her size she was very formidably armed ; but the design was not particularly good, and she could not use many of the guns in her fine equipment except in very calm weather. The rapidity with which the vessel sank suggests that she must have been struck in a magazine It also leads to a fear that the loss of life, which has not been reported, was heavy. > She was on her side in less than a minute ; and it is hardly likely tha.t the large number of men at stations below would be able to escape within that time. The Majestic, one of a class of nine ships, was of 14,900 tons, armed with four 12-inch, twelve 6*inch, and sixteen 12-pounder guns of old typo. The class is the oldest group of battleships in the British Navy, and ; except for such operations as are in progress at the Dardanelles, is of very low value. The original cost of the vessel was £900,000. and she carried about 750 officers and men. The following is the toll of the Dardanelles in large ships lost to date :— : 18th March— H.M.S. Ocean (12,950 tons), H.M.S. Irresistible (15,000 tons), French battleship Bouvet (12,000 tons) ; all by mines in the Straits. 15th May— H.M'.S. Goliath (12,950 tons) ; by torpedo boat in the Straits. 25th May— H.M.S. Triumph (11,980 tons) ; by submarine in Gulf of S&ros. 26th (?) May— H.M.S. Majestic (14,900 tons); by submarine off Gallipoli Peninsula. A TALE OF THE SCILLYS. A remarkable story supplied in Newcastle by a captain from Singapore is published to-day. Ho states that, according to Singapore newspapers, seven German submarines were destroyed by British officers as they came in to a depot in a cave in the Scilly Islands. The report is one which all would gladly itUeX*- Th§r« b*ve been rumours lately.

that the enemy have had very heavy losses in submarines, which have no'fc been announced for strategical reasons, and this may be the explanation. It is very apparent, too, that the famous submarine blockade operations have been very much diminished in frequency dui> ing several week? pact. THE REGULAR COURSE OF EVENTS The Russian campaign continues to be very strenuous, with its focus of activity on the San and in the area between Przemysl and the Dniester swamps. Tha enemy is making tremendous effort* to break through the defensive organisation, Unfortunately, tlip attackers have crowed the San over n considerable length of the front, and only the most stubborn defence by the Russians us preventing them from bursting a gap in the line, north of Jaroslav. and so breaking tho Russians into two — an achievement likely to have disastrous results. The greatest effort, however, eeems to be made in tho Dniester marshes, where the London Tinieß military expert reckons half tha enemy's strength is operating. At present, however, there tire no indications of a marked impending change ; and the fact that the Russians have been able to make a firm stand promises well -fol' their ability to hold on. The dangerous feature lies in the reported fact that large reinforcements are arriving. As far as tho reports of previous offensive movements of the enemy show, this is a novelty., Hitherto the Wowb have been struck with the maximum available and not followpd up by reinforcing armies. A very interesting comment on tho eastern war is given by Mr. R. C. Long, in the Fortnightly. He quotes, come Russian Generals, who describe the struggle as having a "schematic.'' chronic character. The stages are : Germans' surprise concentration with % chance of succpss. before the Russian army, with its bad communications, can. counter-concentrate ; next, a belated stopping of the German advance, followed by a limited reaction, thanks to stout infantry fighting, in our favour,; next, weeks of stagnation, with fruitless frontal attacks undertaken by the Germans without real faith in success; and finally, a new German concentration on a new front. This was the course of events after the first East Prussian battles, after the big mid-Poland battles of November-December, after the great battles of the Bzura and Uawka (of which Mr. Long was writing at tho time), and after the recent East Prussian offensive. So far it. has been the course of events in. this case, too; and if tho German reinforcements fail again to break the line, it will work out to tho usual finish. How can Germany send heavy reinforcements, with Italy 'on her hands? And afterwards, with Italy on. her hands, how can she make a new, surprise concentration elsewh°ro? Italy provides' no news of military; operations to-day. THE FRANCO-BRITISH EFFORTS. The chief interest in the western campaign centres not in the battlefield, but in the condition of the British Army in the matter of equipment. 'Notwithstanding the clamour of controversy, tho troops are making progress north 'of La, Bassee, in the neighbourhood of Richebourg; and the French are still carrying ground in their particular sphere o£ activity a few mile? further south.