WESTERN THEATRE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 17 February 1915, Page 4

WESTERN THEATRE.

THE asset of sea power belongs to the Allies, and it would seem that it will bo utilised in the great land attack in the western theatre of the war. The Germans have .to content themselves with a direct frontal push, for all flanking operations are impossible by tfee fact that their extreme right now rests on the North Sea, and their extreme left on the Swiss ..frontier. But the Allies, wlio toave the sea free for their own purposes at-any rate along this coast, will be in a position, it would seem, to turn the German line by landing t T 'oops in their rear or on.their flank from oversea. The "Telegraph" considers it to be not improbable that such a landing of- troops, possibly on the Belgian ccast north of Ostend, will be one of the fixtures of the coming spring Also, there are other localities.where troops might be landed—covered by the fire of the British 13.5 inch guns—in such a way as to'threaten the German lines of communication, and their flank and rear most dangerously. The frontal attack will bo a costly matter for the Allies, for it is well-known that the Gevmans have mined every possible line of advance into Belgium, both from the coast and from the French frontier, while they have also constructed entrenched positions and barbed wire, entanglements, which will enable them to contest every foot of country back to their own frontier. A German plan which has been trumpeted abroad is to overwhelm, the Allies and seize Dunkirk, Calais, and Boulogne, a proceed- j ihg by which t they hope to break the naval power of Britain. The intention of the Allies, on the other hand, as avowed in r.ublic utt?ran-e* hni.h :-y Mr Ascinith and the Frpnoh PreiinVr. M. Vivuuii. Is to thrust, the Germans out ui', Belgium and restoru the Belgians to \ their fatherland, prior to drivin- the in-, viidors back to Germany-