NOTES ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16959, 11 September 1915, Page 10

NOTES ON THE WAR.

ON LAND AND SEA,

The success won. by the Russians bit tho Seretli, in front of Tarnopol is simply another proof that the AustroGermans can take no liberties with lvanoff’s armies, hut tho present information concerning tho action does not warrant very enthusiastic anticipations of further developments to-tho Russian advantage. It is oxpressely stated that after the initial success the Russians were checked by a tremendous j ain ox shells and the most they could accomplish was tho reoccupation of their former lines on the Seretli. They probably anticipated little more, although the captures of men and material would doubtless 'have been much heavier. It may he inferred that the action opened * with a crushing attack on a portion of tho enemy’s front, resulting in the defeat of one division and perhaps the disorganisation of another. If the total enemy forces engaged consisted of no more than two German divisions, with the support of an Austrian brigade, however, the victory was a fairly substantial one on the front affected.

The action seems to have been mainlv local, and it could scarcely lnwo been btherwise if, as the cable messages imply, only a portion of the enemy has so far crossed the Seretli. But the suecess should have extended southwaids to tho Trcmbowla district, where the enemy have 1 alien hack to the Seretli. Olio scarcely looks for a decisive action in the neighbourhood of Tarnopol, at least not the decisive action for the whole front, hut that is because in this war the tendency has almost invariably been to seek victory by smashing ono or other of the wings. But with Ivanoff there can be no confident prediction . regarding either the strategy or the tactics likely to be adopted. Less lias been written about him than about any other prominent Russian general, and yet lie scored a striking success at the, very opening of the war, for hb is) credited with having directed the operations in southern Poland when the Austrians advanced to the LublinCholm line, and were so thoroughly beaten. Ho was in command, again, when the Russians surged to within fifteen or twenty miles of Cracow itself. Tho only note concerning his methods that quo can recall was written by a correspondent of tho “ Daily Chronicle,” who said that Ivanoff had the reputation of hitting wherever lie saw a hostile nose. This blunt statement, however, whs qualified by tho observe- t . tion that if- he saw a dozen hostile noses in a row ho would certainly hit two of them, but no one could guess which two ho would selcot for his immediate attention. ,

The Russian position in eastern Galicia cannot be discussed very positively, because the Austrians claim to have captured Dubno, by way of counter-balancing tho defeat at Tarnopol. It seems that tho enqpiy on this wing, not wishing to become involved in tho river and marsh area in the valleys of the S.try and ilie Goryn,, shortened tlieir front a littlo anti then drove hard towards the southeast, where they found the Russians stationed on rising ground in tho Rovno and Dubno districts. They claimed to have advanced rapidly, and at ono time it appeared that they wero attempting to turn tho Russian line along the Seretli, but they were brought up short, and / evidently suffered heavily ,in the 1 resultant fighting. However, tlio, capture of Dubno would imply that tho Russian defence on one sector lias broken down, and the Austrians may be able to push their advantage, in which ease the Seretli front will undoubtedly bo affected. Tho value of the Russian successes at Tranopol and Trembovla, twenty miles to.tho south, will be seriously discounted unless tlio right wing can hold its ground.

Tho struggle in tlio northern areas" continues on a front thait has latelyundergone little change: The Russians; admit a retirement on the left bank of the Dvina, .south of Fi-iederk-lis-tadt. There has been artillery lighting in tho lakes district, immediately west of- Vilmii, and it is to ho inferred that on the sectors between the Dvina and ViLna tho Russians, who were undoubtedly strongly reinforced-, aro holding their ground. A battle is in progress east of Grodno. Beyond these few indications there is nothing fresh, at the time of writing, from Ruszky’s armies.

In spite of the optimistic statements concerning the success of the Admiralty’s policy against the German submarines, tlio pirates continue to levy their toll oil the merchantmen, and 'the week’s return shows 'that* the merchant fleets were reduced by nearly 38,000 tons. This loss is not negligible, and it is the more serious in view of the fact that the shixibuilding yards are not able to take orders for merchant steamers. AVork has been suspended on many ships actually under construction, and the output is consequently abnormally small. The, reason* for this condition is that the yards! and shops aro concentrating all their efforts on ships for the navy and on munitions, few hands being available for commerce orders.

Lloyd’s latest report shows that only 75 vessels were launched during the quarter, the tonnage being under* 150,000, or less than 600,000 tons per annum, which is about a third! of tlio# normal output. At the same time the number of Vessels commenoed only numbered S 4, and measured 172,325 gross tons. This state of affairs is not. because there is any lack of demand for new tonnage, but rather because shipbuilding firms are not permitted to undertake merchant work in the present crisis, says “ Engineering,” commenting on tho figures. The total number cf vessels row under construction is 442, of 1,506,925 tons, which is» 81,000 tons less than three monthsl ago, and about .215,000 tons less than) twelve months ago. The diminution* in the tonnage as compared with Alarch last is applicable to all districts except! Hartlepool. There the increase id 10,000 tons, the total merchant vessels building being, fifteen, of 71,350 tons. At Belfast there are 24 vessels on the stocks, the tonnage being 260,700 —about 20,000 tons less than three months ago. At Glasgow 82 vessels, of 353,923 tons, are under construction, the decrease being 17,600 tons. The reduction at Greenock is only 8900 tons, as there are there 46 vessels, of 209,004 tons, in progress. On the Tees, tlio decrease is only 3SOO tons, the number of vessels in progress being 31, of 83,165 tons. On the Tyne, the decrease is- 30,000 tons, the number of vessels being* 62 and the tonnage 270,854. At Sutherland there are 43 vessels under way, making 162,836 tons, figures which are almost exactly those of three months ago, when 42 vessels, of 161,342 tons; wore in' course of construction. As we have already stated, howeyer) the conditions ate quite abnormal) and although the merchant work shows little activity, the workmen in the shipbuilding- districts were never so fully or so profitably employed.