The Star. MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1914. THE MILITARY AND NAVAL POSITIONS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 19 October 1914, Page 4

The Star.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1914. THE MILITARY AND NAVAL POSITIONS.

Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltliain, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna. Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, "Waverley.

The week opens .with navrs which, on the whole, is encouraging. It is not to be expected that victories and advantages will be all on our side. The forces engaged are- so enormously •strong, highly trained, and numerous, and the fighting is over so immense an area, that there are sure to be alternations of success and failure' according to the preponderance of strength at ! various positions. During last week, no doubt the enemy secured substantial advantages, which entrench him more firmly in Belgium, and will increase the difficulty of throwing Mm back into his own country. Whether j these advantages will enable him to strengthen the attack in North France is at present a matter of speculation. But in the meantime he is making no advance there; indeed, cfiicial cables indicate that the Allies are gaining ground. Their forces are growing and are likely to grow, and there is good i reason for confidence in their leadership and strategy. From the southeast of France the news is of similar | tenor. It would, of course, be highly satisfactory if the operations were more heavily against the Germans, but jwe all have confidence that time is on the side of the Allies, and the day of more rapid advance will come. From Russia come reports that, following on a check reported last week, the Czar's armies have been successful in a sustained battle, and have resiuned their forward movement. The position seems to be much more .satisfactory than it was . It must not be lost sight of that the best authorities have from the first told us that in all probability the war will be long, and that patience must be exercised. The news from the North Sea shows losses on both sides, but the British firmly hold the situation. We have lost a cruiser, and, on the other hand, have, sunk four of the German destroyers, and the blockade is unbroken. It is a weary, silent vigil that the British: fleet is keeping. But our open trade routes show how well the fleet is doing its work; and the sinking of the destroyers is an episode proving how completely the enemy's navy is enveloped and paralysed. The loss of the Hawke is one of those sacrifices that have to be submitted to as part of the price to be paid for continued mastery of the sea; and, on the other hand, the sinking of the destroyers is a demonstration of the strong probability that if the enemy dared to put to sea in any force he would be very promptly smashed. There is little in the cable news to cause excitement or elation, but there is nothing to weaken confidence in the strength of our arm>s either on land or sea.