SOME FIGURES

Evening Star, Issue 16196, 18 August 1916, Page 6

SOME FIGURES

VERDUN AND THE SOMWtE.

■ BTJSSKY RETURNS. BRIBING POLAND. [By Ceiticds.] Paris mentions that there are 122 divisions on the west front, and that of these 20 oppose the Franco-British on the Somnic, 20 are before Verdun, and the rest are scattered over the remainder of the front, which extends over 550 milos. In straight lines the front would- not be nearly so long as that, but the innumerable windings and salients lengthen out the lighting iine enormously. The difficulty of assessing numbers from these vague statements as to tho number of divisions engaged lies in the fact that it is impossible to know the strength of the divisions. Divisions on active service are often mero skeletons after a few weeks of hard fighting, and the number of brigades to a division is not stated. Before tho war some of tho German divisions had three brigades, though the majority had only two. Probably most, if not all, will have been made into three-brigade divisions since tho outbreak of war. Assuming that they all had three brigades, 122 divisions would give a total strength of 2,562,000 men on the west front, while if all were two-brigade divisions their strength would amount to 1.712.0G0 men. The difference between, these two figures is an instructive illustration of how much confidence can be placed in these precise-

seeming statements as to the enemy's strength. Tho truth will probably lie somewhere between them. It is noteworthy that Verdun is credited with as many German divisions as the ■Somme. This forms an interesting commentary on the view that the Somme offensive represents* our main effort. Presumably tho Germans can maintain their lino intact with no larger body of troops than they need at Yerdim. although the Verdun offensive is no longer a serious proposition. In truth the Somme offensive is probably no very serious proposition either, now that it has served its purpose of crippling the attack upon -Verdun. A late cable last night reported a further advance by the French and British, acting in conjunction, between Guillemont and the Somme. Between Guillemont and Maurepas.a line of German trenches was carried alo.ng a front of 1.500 metres, and tho road connecting these places was reached at certain points. ■ South of Mamepas two lines of trenches were carried to a depth of 7k-Q to 500 metres on a front of a little more than a mile; while a system of German trenches was carried south of the village of Bcllov-en-Santerro along ;i front of 1,200 metres. The lastnamed viiLige lies about 4£i miles southwest of Pennine. These are steps forward, but small steps only. They in no way modify the strategical position,'and no one can have any expectation that progress of such a character would drive the enemy out of Franco and Belgium in less than a lifetime, still less carry us to Berlin. But ihe=e attacks are not intended to do that. They are merely to keep tho enemy occupied tmtil our real plans are matured. RUSSKY AGAIN APPEARS. The appointment of General Ku'ropatkin as Governor-General of Turkestan is explained by the news that General Russky ha a again been appointed to the post of Commander-in-Chief of Russias' northern armies. This is General Russky's second reappointment to the command after a period of illness. There can be no doubtthat he is the best man for the position if only his health will hold, but the physical and nervous strain of directing hi me armies is tremendous, and from the fact that lie has twice broken down it is evident that the General, is not a strong man physically. RUSSIAN CAPTURES. A few days ego what purported to be official figures put the. total number of prisoners raptured south, of the Pripet during the. present ,iu've at 402.000. But an nflicial ccmniiiniipir: now puis the captures from June -1 to August 12 at nr-arlv 360,000 prisoners, 405 pint's, and 1.526 machine guns. Evidently' someone has been exaggerating fee nuiuher of prisoners hv over 40.000. hut even Ye. the present figure's it should easily bo possible to hag a. halfmillion before the drive is concluded. There is little fresh news. A Russian communique admits that counter-attacks by the enemy are checking progress to thewest of the Zlota. Lipa, but the enemy arc still tetreating towards the Carpathians, in the region of Dclatvn. ITALY'S PROGRESS. No material advance, is reported from the Italian front, ami it is evident that the. enemy have recovered from their surprise, .and have probably received reinforcements. A cable mentions that every inch of the- ground is being hotly contested. Armored motor cues are said to dash within a few i'eet of the enemy's lines and pour in an enfilading machinegun lire. This recalls fiallipoli," where armored cars dashed up to the Turkish lines and endeavored, with more or less success, to drag away the barbed wire entanglements with grapnels. These heavily "armorcd cars are comparatively proof against rit'e and shrapnel bullets, aitd they do not not offer so easy a. mark to high explosive shells, as might be imagined. Only a direct hit is likely to do them scr'ioufi harm, and it is extremely dilhrult for a gun _to .secure a direct hit on a swiftlymoving object like a, motor car. OX NERVES. The same cable mentions that the Austrian prisoners arriving from Gorizia- arc tit ill dar.ee'. and trembling from the effects of the battle. 'The trembling is probably not due to fear, as might J> e imagined, but to nervous exhaustion. AH fear "is usuallv banished by the excitement of tho light. Tho faculties of the soldier are so concentrated on the life-and-death struggle going on before him that he has no time to" feel afraid. But tho strain on the nervous system is immense. Many a man who is quite pleased and surprised to find himself going through the thick of the- struggle without any sensation of fear, and perhaps even earning distinction, is astounded to discover when the battle is past and the danger over that he is trembling ]ik c a. leaf. The thoughtless nonsense written and talked on the subject of cowardice" ami trembling often makes him ashamed of thio. In leality it is el no merely to ihe enormous expenditure, of jiervoiics energy during the light which leaves the nervous system in an exhausted state. Jn any case, nervousness can no more be helped than a lime leg, and a man whose nerves give way is no more blamewoithy than he whoso health is not equal to the'strain. Botli havo been set a task bevond their powers. Besides, nerves arc very capricious. Many of our most famous generals have confessed to a- very nervous disposition. _ General Sir Alfred Turner describes, in his autobiography, how- a certain military ■officer in Egypt had -to be literally helped by his companions over a high bridge, because of the effect of the altitude ujvou his nerves. Yet that man had won tho V.C. Lord Wolseiey would go several .sheets out of his way to avoid the sight of a. butcher's shop because of the etfeet on his nerves. Lord Roberts's nerves would not allow him to remain in the same room with a eat. -POLAND.

There is much talk about the alleged intention of the Central Powers to reconstitute Poland. It is Jiighly probable that when they find that; their case is practically hopeless, and that there is no chance of buying off any of their adversaries, they will attempt to emulate Napoleon's policy, and buy the- support of the Poles by a pretence of re-establishing Polish, independence. A similar promise rallied the Poles around Napoleon, but it is doubtful if tho Austro-Uermans would gain much by it. Most of the men of military ago wiil have been carried oil' by the Russians in their retreat, and thoso remaining are not likely to attach much importance to Austro-Uerman promises. All that Napoleon did in the' way of fulfilling his promises to them was to establish the Dueliv

of Warsaw by tho Treaty of Tilsit in 1807. His admirers assort that this was all that he could do, while his enemies declare that it was all that he ev«r' tried to do. Neither explanation is very comforting to the Poles, and they will probably remember this when the Central Powers begin to promise. But if there are many fighting men in the country the enemy will be quite equal to setting up some empty form of government and compelling the population to serve.