THE CAMPAIGNS

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17529, 12 July 1917, Page 4

THE CAMPAIGNS

The continuation of'General Kornilov’s drive in Galicia, south of the Dniester, is raising the hopes of the correspondents in Petrograd, but, encouraging as , the reports certainly are, they are not sufficiently full to warrant a very positive opinion as to tie probable results. It is suggested that the defences of the bridge-head of Halicz hav© already been turned. That does not appear from the official reports. What has' happened is that Kornilov has driven we3t along the Sfcanisla’u-Dolina railway to a depth of about seven miles from his old front, breaking the enemy formations badly and capturing many prisoners and guns. The front of his advance, however, does not seem to be wide, and for * the present the enemy has retreated to the Lomnitsa, and is attempting to < rally there. Halicz, therefore, is not yet turned, though the success .should enable the Russians to attack it from the south as well as from the east, and there is quite a possibility of envelopment. If Kornilov succeeds in forcing the passage of the Lomnitsa and continuing his progress, Halicz will be rendered useless to tht^enemy, and will bo

abandoned. The July rain;? are at hand, however, and the rising rivers and flooded plains will impede the Russian advance. Along the Zlota Ldpa the fighting continues, but the defence appears to be holding firm. Tho enemy communiques report increased artillery* activity at Smorgon and ICrevo, implying the possibility of a movement by tho northern group of Russian armies. Id is stated, unofficially, that th© Germans and Austrians are concentrating in Rumania in anticipation of a RussoRumanfan offensive on that front. If they are so concentrating, however, their purpose will almost certainly be

to attempt to break across the Sereth .and tho Pruth and to invade southern Russia. This was the plan that tempted the Germans last year, when‘the Russian reinforcements barred the way, and French journals have persistently declared that the plan has been adopted for this coming autumn. They hold that all the talk of threats against Petrograd is intended to divert Russian attention from the southern front. The most Useful advance the enemy could make would ho into wheat country, and that, say French critics, is precisely what they will attempt on tho Wallaohian front this year if the general conditions in. Europe allow them.

There has been little movement on the British front, a small advance being recorded eastward of Wytschacto. The

French have had to meet another fierce enemy attack on the Hurtehise sector, and held their ground solidly. In Germany the political crisis has led to the reconstruction of tli* Ministry, but it is reasonable, in the absence of positive news to the contrary, to regard tho trouble as being mainly of a domestic character.