THE SOUTHERN ADVANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 16278, 22 November 1916, Page 6

THE SOUTHERN ADVANCE.

.The Allies are pressing tlio enemy to the north of Monastir. 'while a French communique elates that the Italians to"the westward repulsed violent counter-attacks. This suggests that the Italian forces from Valona are now coming tip and co-operat-ing. On the other hand, the Germans announce that fresh Herman forces have reachedtho battle area north of Monastir. That will stiffen the resistance, and may lead to a determined attempt by the enem'v to avoid being completely forced back from the. lakes; but the occupation of Krani reveals that they have been nearly pushed away from Lake Presba. Seven "thousand prisoners have been captured in eisrht days, and 100 puns since. the offensive, began! Our advance is evidently drawing troops aw*y from tho Rumanian fronts to some extent, but if the enemy's claims in W.illachia aro correct they ar o not in tho least likely to allow our southern advance to interfere with their operations against Rumania at present. They will prefer to give ground (--Jowly in the'south, lighting desperate rearguard* actions, in the" hops of crushing Rumania first and then sending reinforcements to. Macedonia. The Allies' reply to this scheme must be for the Russo-Rumaniana to strain everv nervo to keep the enemy fully occupied while the Allies from the south advance. It is now nearly two months since the attack upon Rumania began, aJ id tho enemv have only succeeded in cutting off tho western end of Wallachia. Obviously, if Russia continues to pour in reinforcements, they n%y be kept occupied for a long time vet. and even if the Rus«o-Rumanians are t driven back o£~the

boomerang thoy may continue to keep tho mass of tho onemye forces so busy a 6 to enable the southern advance to continue with success. If Bulgaria" can"be conquered from tho south, then Wallachia can bo recovered, and tho grand strategical combination of tho Allies will bo preserved intact. All depends on tho energy with which Russia pours in, reinforcements. . OTHER ITEMS. Apparently Constantino and his Cabinet aro resisting the demand of Admiral Du Pournet for the expulsion of the Ministers of the hostile Powers from Greece. According to Mr Jeffries, tho immediate cause of the proposed expulsion was the discovery that Baron Von Gnrcy, a German naval attache, was engaged in espionage. But as they are all pretty deeply committed to such work wo mav assume* that his detection was merely "made an excuse. ' Admiral Du Fournct insists upon his demands. On the west front hard frosts and snow are reported. This is news of some importance, as if tho frost hardens the ground our offensive operations will be facilitated, and we may hear of fresh strokes pre-' eently. The Germans claim to have driven us out of the western outskirts of Grandcourt, on the Ancre, aud tho correspondents admit that our men were withdrawn owing to tho position being tog salient