PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 133, 7 June 1915, Page 7

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

ON GALLIPOLI PENINSULA FRUITS OF A GENERAL ATTACK, ADVANCE UPON ACHI BABA. In the early stages of the land fight* ing on the Gallipoli Peninsula,' the pubi lie were prepared to hear of comparatively rapid progress. The whole area, of the peninsula is small, and on a large scale map giving the "battle-ground a. reasonable amount of paper space, the movements of the forces — the advance of the Allies, in short— were expected to show up conspicuously. But after the first flutter all movement of any great extent , ha? died down. Tho main British forco landed at thr extremity of the peninsula, and as far as the reports, show, no portion of it has yet advanced more than hvc miles out of the sixteen or twenty which must be covered before the Narn™? "mafked by the landed armies, lvach official report serves only to P how how solidly tjio battlefront is fastened down by tho efficiency of the Turkish defensive organisation, itself famous for its skilful method, and built upon ground naturally splendidly suited for such tactics. Sir lan Hamilton reports a' general action. which was fought on tho 3rd and' 4th of this month— last Thursday and I'riclay. Exactly what tho position of. the Allies lino was it is difficult 1 to say, because of the absence of recognisable land-N, marks, But ,it was based on tlie right (Ircnch flank) on the valley <jf the Kereves River, which runs into the Dardanelles about three miles from Seddul-Bah>\ and crossed the Peninsula in a more ol- » less direct line -in a direction between * north-west and north, some distance wept of the village of Krithia. Its task is to capture the natural stronghold of Achi Baba, the i peak which lies seven miles from the tip of the peninsula. This lull, which is only 730 feet high, is approached by long spurs rUitig fairly gradually from the west and the south, and on these spuvs the Turks have established a thorough system of defensive tvenches. k The attack • was_ opened by artillery, " in accordance with the system with which the famous action of Nenve Chapello familiarised tho public ! and, as ab Neuve. Chapelle. tho bombardment succeeded generally but failed locally in. its "preparation"' of the trenches. ' Tho land artillery and the guns afloat shattered tho trenches and tho entanglements almost all along the line : but neur the left, probably owing to the nature of the ground, the wite entanglements were not chopped away by the Bhellf*. Tlie centre made au advance of from 300 to 600 yards (Sir lan Hamilton averages it at 500 yards) 011 n front of about thren miles. The peninsula is less than five, miles wide ot this place. Through o<e inability of iho left to go uhead, owing to tho uncrt entanglements, and of tho right to retain their captured positions against counto^-.tMnclis, the* flanks remained sis t'»e,v wove. a,"d in some degree tbis compelled part of the advanced positions to be given back ; to get clear of the enemy' 0 enfilading ' fu'?. Befovn any further advance can be made by the centre, the flanks must be brought up." The Australasian troops, presumably still >n this pm'of the peninsula, nv'e on tho left of thp ccntrp. bin not on the extreme loft, where (.he 6th Ghurktm are : but, as the General does not motion them, it 13 not possible to say exactly what part the Australasians played. Athens reports, however, toll of a Turkish attack on the Australasian positions on the heights of Krithia a week ago. in which the enemy were severely defeated. c and gave up "the summit," evidently' the crest of one of tho numerous subsidiary ridges of tlie Achi Baba group. THE SAN-DNIESTER, LINE. The situation in Galicia maintains its intense interest. Russia claims "to have made further successful attacks on thtf «iiemy westwaxl of the San in the portion which Hfs close to the Russian" frott•tier, to the extent of .causing, a disorderly vetreat of the rnetny. Tt is significant, however, _ that it was from this area that the Russians hoped, when the San line ttae veached many days ago. to gel out to tho (south in an enveloping movementwinch would jeopardise the Geftnatis then attacking Przemysl. Their inability to do so is only a further indication of the paralysis with which the enemy struck the Russians in Galicia as far as useful offensive was foncrned. Przemysl having been captured and thus no longer constituting a menace to the enemy, they may have found by now that the passage between the San. and the Dnipster is effectively closed by the RusßiaJii entrenchments. Possibly thht is the reason for the great attack )iow being made upon the Dniester we&t of the river Stryj. along thp line of tlii> Stryj-Lemberg railway. The Russians have had to go back iipott the Dniester over* a considerable distance ; but the ..full pos'ticm is not yt revealed. A RETURN TO THE WEST. It is stated tn one of to-day's messages .that Pelrograd correspondents considc? it to be Germany's aim to return troop* to Flanders if she can push flic Ru;-' sinus back far enough for the movement to bo f-afe. The extent of tho pushing back is fixed virtually by the San and Dniester Rivers; They constitute the Russian defensive line, beyond • which, possibly, tho Germans will not be ablfc to make any great advance. Conversely, they form a lino upon which a reduced enemy strength can hold the Russians, unless the latter develop special strategy to meet the situation. This, of course, develops the opportunity for a return shock in -the west, where the enemy has lately, be'en comparatively quiet. During that lull, the .Allies had no doubt been gathering strength, especially in reserves of munitions. Even with the crisis in the British supply there is probably so large a flow of ammunition to the front that the slightest relaxation below average activity means a very rapid accumulation of soserves. Consequently, if the enemy re ally begins again to mass troops in the west, we may hear of a considerable activity on the initiative of the Allies, and it may begin at almost any time