NOTES ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17586, 17 September 1917, Page 4

NOTES ON THE WAR.

Tho reports from Petrograd state that Russian troops, presumably reserves, rushed forward to take trie place of the divisions that abandoned their positions on the Dvina, are now driving back the German patrols between the Riga-Vendon road and the Dvina. Their present front runs about north from Friodrichstadt through Sissogal, and to the east of Lemberg. Between the Venden road and tho coast of tho Gulf of Riga the position is more obscure, and presumably the definite recovery on this sector is not so advanced. At present tho Germans are obviously consolidating a series of new positions east of Riga, and tho presumption is that whothor they continue their advance or not they will endeavour to make 'aso of tho port. They have first to secure control of the gulf, of course, and although the communiques are silent on the subject it mutft. bo assumed that tho naval operations aro proceeding as rapidly as circumstances permit. The last report stated that Gorman mine-sweepers were working at the entrance to tho gulf and according to a Swedish messago they havo cleared it. That Russian destroyers aro patrolling inside the gulf is shown by the report that they shelled enemy batteries on the Courland coast. Pornau is now theiir base, and £hey must keep open their lines of communication through the Mohn Sund.

Tho failure of tho Germans to press their advance beyond Riga is not in itself proof, of their inability to take advantage of the Russian collapse. It does indicate, however, that the enemy was not ready to proceed with the further invasion of Russia, and that tho extent of .the Russian break-down came rather as a surprise. Tho mystery of tho episode will be cleared' up some day, and at the moment one can onjly repeat tho earlier inference that the loss of Riga was duo to-tho most flagrant treachery. Tho Germans are doubtless organising now for an advance, but it is perfectly clear that the big offensive that, had been report, ed to be in preparation on tho Dvina front was planned as quite a small affair. Otherwise there would havo been no hesitation following tho capture of Riga and .the crossing of the Dvina. The passage of tho river was virtually unopposed. There was no serious opposition east of Riga, and tho e'aso with which tho cavalry pushed on was .convincing proof of tho disorganisation of tho Russians. The defence had lost, many guns, possibly most of tho guns on a front of twenty miles or so, and it, is abundantly evident that the Gbrnians had an open read to Venden. Yer thay hesitated, leaving tho pursuit to the.cavalry, and recalling their cavalry.as soon as the Russians commenced to show fight again.

Thc natural assumption is that, tho Germans were not in condition to undertake a big advance. They cannot have had the necessary transport at bond. Probably thoy did not havo the necessary accumulation of munitions and stores at their advanced bases. The break in the Russian front on tho Dvina was just as complete as was tho bieak on. the Dunajetz in 1915, but in that year tho enemy had planned a huge and sustained offensive and had the men and guns massed for tho attack. Ho was then able t-> take advantage of his opportunity. Tho break' was as complete, again, as that in Galicia this year, and though the* enemy had nothing approaching tho concentration of 1915, he had reserves at hand, hastily summoned to meet Kornilov's sensational advance sf/uth of tho Dniester. But on the Dvina ho has paused appreciably, whereas, with a reasonably strong concentration, ho might have swept right up to Pernau to tho north and might well have rolled up the whole Russian front as far south as Dvinsk.

He may be planning to continue thoso operations now, utilising: tho pause liv his advance to rush forward men and stores and transport for the advance. But tho point of immediate interest is that ho was weaker along the Dvina than he was supposed to be, and that the threat of a groat offensivo against tho northern group of Russian armies was, in the main, a bluff. He may oven have missed his opportunity altogether, because tho Russian communiques, imply that tho troops north of tho Dvina aro rallying, though it is rather difficult) to believe that tho morale of tho Russians can havo completely recovered in so short a space of time. One would expect the Germans now to gather all tho available forces for tho offensive, becauso if the Russian moralo is as bad as it appears to bo tho enemy has still the chanco of forcing a decisivo srcneral action nnd of putting the northern Russian armies out of the conflict for many months to come. If ho fails in that enterprise it will bo not becauso of tho strength of tho Russian defence, but rather because of his own essential weakness.

There is not a great deal in tho current messages from other theatres calling for detailed comment. Tho Italians have mado a small forward movement in the northern region of tlfc Bainsizza plateau, rectifying their front northeast of Auzza. The Austrians on this sector are entrenched on the slopes of

ridges that rise to 2500 ft and 3000 ft, Unofficial messages describe tho strugglo for San Gabriele. tho fortified height north-east of Gorizia, which ia at present the main support of the Austrian line north of city. Until this height is in the undisputed possession of the Italians littlo progress can be mado east of the city. The Austrian lines run poutli from San Gabrielo over Hill 307, which is Santa Oaterina, and south by.Grazigna, past Tivoli to tho San Marco slopes. Santa Caterina is said to ho virtually isolated, but nd detailed information regarding the positions actually held by tho Italians ia given either in the communiques or in the correspondents' messages, and consequently the discussion of the fiahting ion this front must always bo a littlo vague.

In Eastern Albania the French havo consolidated their possession of Po.gradetz, or Bogradetz, on the shore of Lake Ochrida. There is a road running up from Koritza to the southern end of the lake and continuine alow? tho western shore, to tho village of Lin. whore it branches to join tho old Roman road from Durazzonnd El Bassan. Lin is ten or twelve miles north of Bogradetz. Then tho road runs up to Struga, at tho northern end of tho lake, from which point there is a regular trading routo to Ochrida and on to Monastir. At tho moment the intention of tins forward movement is not clear, but the Allies apparently plan to reach Lin and so to secure possession of the upper Scumbi valley, tho valley, that is, by which the road to El Bassan runs. They may be contemplating a further advance to Struga, in tho hope later of developing an attack on tho flank of tho Bulgarians north of Monastir, but that is looking a littlo ahead of the current operations. However, wo should havo news shortly of an Italian movement in Albania in sympathy with this French advance.