NOTES ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17523, 5 July 1917, Page 4

NOTES ON THE WAR.

An authoritative account of the operations on tho Tscniovka front in Galicia is telegraphed from Pctrograd. It covers only the opening phnso of the offensive, in which a scries of local attacks along a front of about fifteen miles have given the Russians possession of tho enemy's advanced positions. This initial attack was delivered from Potutory, tho rail and river junction on the Zlota below Brzezany, northwards as far as Ivoniukhy, probably as difficult and as strongly fortified a front as tho Russians could well havo selected. Brussilov tested it thoroughly last year, and this year ho would choose it only if he had an assured superiority in artillery or if he had reason to bolieve that it was weakly held His best chance of success would be on tho two flanks, and the development of tho offensive may show that Schorbatchev, or whoever is directing tho operations, made his first demonstration opposito Brzezany with tho intention of compelling tho enemy to concentrate there, so that the prospects of subsequent attacks north and south might be more promising. So far there is no indication that the passage of tho Tseniovka has been forced, or that tho Russians are yet. on the west bank of the Koniukhy stream. They reached Shybalin, on the cast bank of tho Tseniovka, but entrenched in the village.

Below Potutory tho Zlota Lipa runs in a broad, marshy valley, between ranges of heavily wooded hills. Intermittent fighting occurred on this sector last year, and apparently in the present offensive the Russians attempted to reach the river at Saranchuki, a mile or two below Potutory. But ono would expect the principal attack lo come still further south, where the Russians are well to the west of tho Zlota and are entrenched along the Narajovka. The account shows that there was some fighting on the northern flank of this sector, where the Russian front bends eastward from the Narajovka to the Zlota near Saranchuki, for a couple of lines of trenches were captured south-east of Mietchischov, which is on the railway from Potutory, some five miles west of the Zlota. This is the front on which the Turkish divisions were posted last year, and seeing that it covers tho southern flank of Brzezany, tho Turks may well have considered that a large compliment was paid them, but in all probability the Geiman command guessed that the fighting there would be particularly severe and that the inevitablo losses might just as well be suffered byTurks as by Germans or Austrians. There is no doubt, at any rate, that the Turkish losses were exceedingly heavy.

It is possible that tho Russian offensive will develop on a considerable scale, and already there are reports of attacks north of IConiukhy and between that village and the TarnopolLemberg railway at Pluhov. No doubt the battle front will extend still further north, to Brody and the Upper Styr. This front, between tho Styr and tho Dniester, covers Lemberg from the east. On the northern wing, that is to eay, torth of the Brody-Lemberg line, tho main defence rests on tho upper Bug, but the enemy is making use of smaller streams and hills to support his advanced positions. South of the railway mentioned there are three main points d'appui, Pluhov, on tho Tarnopol-Krasne railway, a few mdes east of Zloczov, Brzezany, on the Zlota Lipa, and Halicz, on the Dniester. The first phase of the Russian offensive was the thrust towards Brzezany, in tho centre Tho second, reported to-day, is a thrust at Pluhov, towards Zloczov The full results of this attack are' not indicated, but already the enemy must have suffered a sharp defeat because the Russians are able to claim the taking of over six thousand prisoners and twenty-ono guns.

A strong advance on the Zloczov sector would immediately affect the position of Brzezany, and apart from the threat against Lemberg, which is still forty miles distant, it would compel an enemy retreat in the centre, where there would be a danger of envelopment. If the advance were maintained tho next of tho enemy's possible lines of defence, that along tho Gnila Lipa, would also be turned, and not improbably v tho Austrians would be compelled to abandon Halicz, the bridgehead holding the crossing of the Dniester. The Germans knew the gravity of the danger on this front Fast year. Thus Count Bothmer's army early in the year contained only one German division. By September no fewer than six German divisions had been rushed to the sector, in addition to various smaller formations drawn from the ro'servo. Boehm-Ermolli's army, which was on the immediate left of Bothmer's and which has apparently taken over the Brzezany front, was similarly reinforced. Of course Brussilov's offensive in Juno had dealt hardly with the Austrian divisions, and if the reinforcements had not come from Germany there would have been none to fill tho gaps, because the Austrians and Hungarians had to find virtually a whole new army to take the place of the one that Lcchitsky had shattered south of the Dniester.

Brussilov had not been concerned with the capture of Lemberg or of any other particular town. Jn Volbynia ho hoped for so large a break in the enemy's front that it would be possible to envelop the enemy forces in Galicia. Lochitsky's great drive south of the Dniester similarly threatened the envelopment of the enemy's right, and if tho season had been a favourable one the Austro-Germans in Galicia might have been overwhelmed, in spite of tho fact that tho Russians were short of guns and munitions, and especially of heavy guns. As it was the July rains saved the situation temporarily for the enemy, enabling him to bring enormous reinforcements to fill tho gaps and to strengthen tho essential positions. One cannot be sure of the condition of tho Russian armies this, year, but if their equipment is complete and if tho supplies of, munitions are adequate they may bo ablo to achievo another largo success. They are late starting their offensive, and normally there will havo to bo a comparative pause in the middle of this month, but on tho other hand tho Germans aro deeply committed in France and the Austrians have apparently taken the chance of a Russian recovery and havo massed for an offensivo against Italy, so that tho opportunity for a useful Rn.afij.un drive* certainly exists.

Unofficial Russian reports state that a strong German offensive is expected against, the northern group of armies and that there will bo naval demonstrations in the Gulf of Riga. Similar reports have been current ever since the 1 evolution, and indeed it was suggested that the German fleet would attempt to cover a landing on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. The Germans' last experience of an attempt to send troops into tho Gulf of Riga by sea was not encouraging. As for the possibility of operations in the Gulf of Finland, it seems that there have been troubles in the garrisons of fortified ports, including Kronstadt, but the loyalty of the fleet to tho Provisional Government seems to be firjm. A few weeks ago M. Kerensky went to Revel to investigate tho position there. " Tho object of my journey," ho said on his return to Pctrograd, " was to investigate tho condition and capacity for defence of the Baltic fleet and the spirit of the local Estonian population. My conclusions are most optimistic. Of course there are some insignificant difficulties, but they aro inevitablo after such a colossal upheaval as has taken place in Russia. Nevertheless preparations for defence aro quito complete. All vessels are in splendid condition and perfect readiness for fighting. Tho sailors fully realise the seriousness of the situation and the responsibility resting on them, and are determined to defend tho country or die. All rumours of tho weakening of the Baltic fleet aro quite unfounded. Such rumcuirs are purposely spread by the enemies of liberty. Relations between Estonians and Russians are of the best. Estonians deny that they wish to break off from Russia and obtain total independence. They want only local autonomy."