WAR SITUATION.

Grey River Argus, 18 September 1918, Page 3

WAR SITUATION.

r THE WEEKLY REVIEW. INTERESTING COMMENTS. The Acting-Prime Minister has received from the British Ministry of Information the following telegraphic summary of the war news for the week ended 13th September.: — ON THE WEST FRONT. The situation shows but little change since sth September, when the enemy commenced to withdraw from the line of the Vcslc. In the Lys sector, he shows no inclination to give up Passchaendale, Wytychaette, and Messines Ridge. Much new work has been carried out by him in the rear lines in this area. ENEMY STRAIGHTENS LINE, . Southwards he has straightened his line from Havrincourt to the Oise, while from the north of La Fere to the Ailette River, the eneniy is now back to his old* front line, and maintains approximately a straight front to the* V'csl.e, near Brenil. Using the Aisne as far as. Frombilc, the enemy has retired methodically, though forced to abandon, much material. This 1 withdrawal has shortened his front by more than 70 miles, thus economising from 30 to 40 divisions. . PRESENT ENEMY POSITION. The enemy noW occupies a highly

(defensive zone, and no further witli- - - : {drawal would counterbalance its loss, | except in the case of a very big retirement. , The enemy is now beginning to flood the country, and lie shows tliat he intends to stand firm, before the Hin--ieubuig system can be , seriously attacked. ** - TRANSPORT AT FRONT. , Much reconstructing is now necessary for us as regaids communicat.ons. Already much work has been done in re-establishing brulgos. The ctticiency ox our transport is shown by the fact that last mouth the British > artillery lired at. least 10,000,000 rounds in counter-battery woik, which resulted in the destruction of enemy guiis on a scale more titan ten times greater than our own losses from a similar cause. TIIE BOLSHEVIKS. Seeing that their end is now approaching, the Bolsheviks resort to extremist measures of terrorism. Scores of Russians of every party have been executed untried, and many British subjects in . Petrograd and Moscow Wave been ar.ested, including e.ven diplomatic .representatives. The conditions are terrible. A protest against this criminal policj'. of bloodshed i.s made by representatives of* all neutral countries. ±_von Germans and Austrians are .joining in the 'pro. est. The P.olsheviki hoid ou desperately, only through the support of the Lettish Guaid and the connivance of the' Germans. "Peasants in var.ou.s districts, maddened by the Red Guards"' campaign of violence and spoliation,* constantly rise, and are p: aving for deliverance. SIBERIA. The situation in Siberia often changes- quickly, but at present it shows an improvement. The different detachments of Czechoslovaks seem in touch with one another, and the Boishevik forces in the region of llabarovak appear to be melting. The Czechoslovaks appear to hold the entire Trans-Siberian Railway. The control of this solitary trunk system, and of the telegraphs, is of first iate importance. Military and economic relief are > being brought up as quickly as possible, and ir. is hoped that- tho arrangements now progressing may meet the difficulties of the winter. ' GERMANY WITHIN. The Allied victories are producing their natural effect on the internal political situation in Germany and Austria. It is rumouied that Lr. Solf, formally German Colonial Secretary, may replace Count Von Hertling as Chancellor, and also that the Reichstag may be -convened. These stories have no diplomatic- importance, yet they icveal dissatisfaction and disquieted public feeling. Such an exhortation as that of Hindenburg .shows how anxiously the German authorities regard these changes in the "German spirit." FOOD. Supplies of ham and bacon are coming in satisfactorily, and the quality is improving. A suggested modification of the potato distribution scheme, put fonvard by the International Federation of Wholesale Merchants, has been accepted, so certain difficulties have now been overcojne. There is general satisfaction -at the m arrival on the. market of excellent'" quality home-killed meat. A faiiuw"of the fruit crop will involve rationing when the next ration books aie issued in November. ' AIR. A most successful week has been marked by strenuous British air fighting on the battle front in France and also by sharp local encounters in the coastal area and over Germany itself. Possibly fearing an extension of the present battle towards the coast, the "enemy's scouts have been very active north of the Arras-Cambrai road, and . -.".anjy 'fierce conflicts have taken place over the Scarpe Valley, but the enemy !s main air assaults have been between Marzvibn and the railway from Equaneourt to' Epehy, where the British airmen encountered an unusually large enemy, formation, and. engaged them .constantly over their own lines, inflicting heavy losses. At the price of 51 Biitish machines reported -missing, 101 enemy aircraft were destroyed* .57 driven helpless, and IS kite balloons were downed in ilamcs. The most, successful raids were made by night- bombing machines, especially on September mh and Sth, when excellent results attended, attacks qn • the enemy 's - railway eonnee- ..,..'. tion^ at Armentieres, . Lille, D-ouai, Dinaiii, , *," Cambrai, and St. Quentin. Nearly 60 tons oi bombs were dropped behind the , enemy lines during these raids, and all. the -British machines returned. The .rapid British advance, between the Scarpe and . Somme has :nedessftated .the jjkoWgrapftiiig 0 f many positions, which hitherto have been outside the actual flighting zone. Numbers of British reconnaissance machines have actively engaged in this work, and took thousands of most valuable negatives of the new battle lines and-' of enemy prepared positions in the rea*?. The stormy weather has been most unfavourable for coastal ' operation's, yet successful raids were made on- German military and naval works at Varssenuarc, BiankenburgheBiugos, and'Ostend, Many good bursts were observed, and destructive fireß started ahiong dock buildings at'tOs--. tend. During successive raids on the stlt and Gth; British formations were heavily attacked in the air over their objectives. In severe lighting, six enemy machines'" were destroyed and four driven down. Four British machines failed to return. The R.A.F. (independent force) onco again, piovcd its ascendancy over Germau airmen by heavily raiding the notorious poison gas factory at Mannheim, in tlie teeth of an obstinate enemy -resistance. Shortly after leaving the aero drome in the morning the British* formations met greatly "superior numbers of the enemy air force. A battle bjirgan "* instantly, and for 70 miles a continuous running fight was waged, but without preventing the British from reaching their objectives, over which two tons of bombs were dropped. Ou tho leturn journey another running fight occurred.. One enemy machine was destroyed, and two driven down. -. Four British machines were* afterwards repoited missing. Destructive raids were also made oh the enemy railway organisations at Ehrange, Soorbrucken, blast furnaces at Esehl, hostile aerodromes at Buhl;- Boulam, and Morhange. At Buhl three hangars * were completely destroyed, and very extensive damage done. The aircraft establishments at Merharige were attacked/ three times in 24 hours. On the Balkan front seven .. enemy .machines • were destroyed; and no ' British nia. chines aro reported missing.