NOTES ON THE WAR

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16741, 23 December 1914, Page 7

NOTES ON THE WAR

THE LAND CAMPAIGNS. Yesterday’s official report was rathoi less aggressive in tone than its imniecuate predecessors so far as Flanders was concerned, although progress was icported between Dixmudo and tho sea., between Dixmudo and' Ypres and east of Ypres. It i 3 to bo inferred that tho Germans liavo taken steps to strengthen their lines, particularly in tho neighbourhood of Ypres, and it is stated that they bombarded tho city hospital. From that fact one gathers that they liavo pressed close in from the east. Tliero is an unoffiuial story to the effect that tlio Allies libkl Roulers, and that their patrols are close to Ostcnd, but, while Roulers seems to liavo been rendered untenable by the enemy, tho Allies cannot afford to occupy advanced positions that aro virtually isolated, Tho general activity in Handers looks liko an effort to straighten out the front north of Armentiercs, preparatory to an advance on Alenin and Courtrai. The British are said to be on the outskirts of Lille, but they have been virtually in the western suburbs for weeks past. Tlio city itself could' have been bombarded, hut it has been spared, in the expectation that the Germans would bo compelled to withdraw by developments further north. It is becoming increasingly difficult, by the way, to locate the British troops. After j the repulse of the tremendous German assaults on Ypres they were shifted south to the Arras-Armentieres section, where they were closer to their base at St Omer, and where, no doubt, they were intended to enjoy a period of comparative rest after their stupendous labours. But evidently many now regiments have lately been landed' in France, and it is possible that there are now half a million British and Indian troops at the front. Some of them aro certainly with tho Bolgians in Flanders, operating near Dixmude, some are on tho seacoast at Nieuport, some are at Armeiitieres and some at Arras. No doubt the new arrivals are being used to strengthen tlio lines anywhere in tho vicinity of the main British base, but it is now impossible to identify any particular piece of work as duo to the British. Even when tho British lose ground, as they did on Saturday, the official report does not indicate tlio precise locality. Incidentally, it is satisfactory to know that the lost ground was regained next day. A German report says that the Indians were the troops concerned. The position in Poland looks a little more promising, but there is not enough information to warrant a definite statement. Tho bombardment of Warsaw by Zeppelins may have had a military purpose that is not indicated, but at this distance it reads very like another of tho senseless outrages in which the Germans take a delight. There is a suggestion that the onomy has found Lodz a dangerous position in view of the possibility of a flank attack from tho south, hut it must be said that if danger threatens the German front from hat direction tliero must have been some hot work lately botween Petrokov and tho Kalisz railway. The Germans believed that they had secured this flank against attack by pushing a strong advance from the Wavta towards Petrokov, and it was implied that the Russians were retreating rapidly on this portion of tho front. Tliero has been nothing in the official Russian messages to suggest that the Germans have abandoned Lodz, and indeed the enemy’s advance was supposed to have reached the Rawka, a tributary of the Bzura that flows on tho Warsaw sido of Skierniewice. The Russians have not attempted to define their front in south-western Poland lately, but the Austrians have onco or twice given an indication of the position. Tlieir last report showed tho Russians to be holding Radonisk and Petrokov, and it looks quite possible for an enveloping movement to bo developed from that direction against tlio Germans. Tlio difficulty would be to mass t'lio forces necessary for tho atA> tack. The Russian forces in the southwest are maintained by means of tho railway from lvangorod, on the Vistula. Tliero is a line through Radom and Kielee to Cracow, and a branch to Tomaszow and lioiuszki and Lodz, but a wide area of tlio country is not served by rail, and tlio Russians must have considerable difficulty in provisioning their front when tho roads are impassable. The last available report shewed that the Russians wore still holding on at Wolbrom, roughly tiventy-tivo miles north of Cracow, and at Brzesko, on tho Vistula, some twonty miles northeast of Cracow. The Austro-German forces were attacking them on this front, but tho result of the fighting lias not been indicated. Zeklpczyn, Jaslo and Sanok appear to be in Russian hands, so that the south-west portion of Galicia must bo credited to the Austrians. Facing the Carpathians tho Russians claim to have checked the Austrian advance from the south, but generally speaking they have withdrawn from their more advanced positions on tho higher ground _to give battle in a more favourable situation. Possibly they will bo content to hold tho Germans in central Poland while they proceed with the development of the' attack in tho south-west and in Galicia, in the sure and certain belief that success in the southern area will bring tho Germans scuttling back to protect Silesia. It is stated in a message from Rome that the Turks have withdrawn from tho Sinai Peninsula. Why the information should come from Romo can only bo guessed. It is not even certain 'that there has ever been a serious military movement of Turks insido tho Egyptian frontier, which runs fum Akaba to Rafa, on the Mediterranean, roughly, from 140 to 150 miles oast of the Suez Canal. Tt is known that Bedouins were raiding within the boundary, and that a Turkish garrison was at Akaba, on tho Turkish side of the frontier. But the Bedouins were supposed to havo been dispersed and a British naval force was reported to have landed at Akaba and driven out the garrison, destroying the tort. There aro only two routes into Egypt that the Turks could take, and both are easily defended, provided tho defending forces are prepared to advance into the desert. Warships can stand close inshore off El Arish, which can thus bo absolutely coninnded from tho sea. This fact should definitely close the northern caravan route. Tlio southern route, which th ft pilgrim caravans commonly take, is a more difficult proposition, but strong forces posted on eit.ier side of the route on the Till plateau could hold it, and if tlio reservoirs at Naklil, midway between Suez find Akaba aie held bv the British, there could .be small chance of a Turkish invasion getting as far ns tho canal. On the whole tlio chances of au invasion of Egypt appear remote*