THE CAMPAIGNS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17646, 26 November 1917, Page 4

THE CAMPAIGNS.

The German communiques hare the appearance of containing more information than do the British, in reference to the western front, just now, and if v.'o had itio/'take them at their fac* value wo should gather only the, impression that the British were launching heavy attacks against the German positions on the front south-west of Cambrai, and that the assaults were bang hurled back: with serious' losses. Th 0 truth, of course, is that the German General Staff has to provide news of this sort for consumption by its public It could not well confess that tliß British were holding their positions everywhere and were improving their new front in local lighting, but 'that is, strictly, what is happening. When the British rushed Fontaine Notre Dame by n movement northwards from Contains they stilt had tho Germans on their left holding the high ground of Bourlon Wood, and Fontaine Notre Dame canncft have been tenable under these conditions. Beaten back out of the village they turned 'their attention, to tho important tactical position in the wood, gained tho ridge, were driven off it by a hot counter-attack and then attacked again and recovered the crest. Probably Khoro are other strong positions thai> will have to be .secured before itbt general advance can bo continued. Itumilb'j across the canal, appears to be one: of them, and Hill 96, to the north rf BumilVy, will have tg bo stormed sooner or later. Then local fighting is bound to have occurred on both flanks or the majn advance. There is no reason to be disappointed by the comparative pause in the. operations. The break-through occurred on a, very narrow front and was bound to be stopped by the Germans, but developments may come now alb' any point along fifteen or twenty miles of tho 'front, where the Germans have been driven from their old trenches and havo had to organise new lines of defence. The Sommu battle had the same kind of opening, and if Sir Douglas Haig elects to go on wjth the new offensive during llbe winter ho may well be on the Douai plain by *he spring. There has been no movement of consequence on tho French front. The struggles on the Italian front is said to bo subsiding, but there is no positive evidence of diminished intensity on the seo'tor between tho Piave and the Brcnta, where the enemy is still trusting vigorously.- Italian counter-

attacks, however, bear witness t« tk«' spirit of the defence. "Whether tihe Italians planned to make'tlift Piave line their main defeinsivei position or not they are assuredly offering a very stubborn resistance, awl they are gaining time for tho organisation of now defensive lines, for thei massing of reinforoementtls and for the preparation of counter-measures. Tu Palestine the British operating towards Jerusalem have found the Turks posted in some strength on the hills a few miles from the city and-along the Nafthia Road to the north.