Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1916. 1915.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 3 January 1916, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1916. 1915.

FT is our purpose in this article to recall briefly some of the salient features of the war. The fact that certain events have gone against the recent months has tended to obscure l the vision, and it is necessary always to review the war in true perspective, or at least 'in as true a light as limited knowledge permits. Broadly speaking, the, war, it must be evident to all, is progressing surely and ; steadily in favour of tlie Allies. There i have been reverses during "the year of a i very discouraging nature, but has auy T tiring happened to remove victory' beI yond reach of the Allies ? August, 11914, saw a prepared Germany ready to pounce upon slumbering neighbours. But with all' her' immense advantages she ■lias been unable to force a decision that couid possibly have any bearing upon tho ultimate issue of the war. Germany made the initial blunder in a miscalculation of the British mind, and the preparedness of- the British Navy in the first' few days of war turned the whole current of the conflict. The.attempt to cripple France before Russia was sound policy only so long as Britain remained neutral. What would our position have been if Belgium had not been invaded in the early stages of tho war? Germany, it is conceivable, might have had time to put into operation deep-laid plans for our undoing. Russia could have been invaded much <more easily than was the case last year, and her power having been .broken, big efforts could have been made against' France. Germany would have had to meet a more fully prepared army, but she would have had other advantages which'would have made this' delay in the "West worth while. And taking events as they have .gone, Germany, tho aggressor, has been able to achieve nothing-definite on either front during the months when the Allies were unprepared, and it is not likely that she will -be -a*ble to do anything when tho Entente has full control over its resources. There is, of course, the new factor of the Balkans and 'the accession of strength to the enemy forces of the Turkish and'/Bulgarian armies, but here Germany can accomplish little unless she can set the East ablaze. Success in this direction would be very, serious for the Allies, for* there- is no knowing where the trouble would end; but the task is obviously of fcho most difficult nature for Germany -with Britain in command of the seas, and dt may safely be concluded that her designs in tlus area of tho great conflict arc- being most carefully watched. On the other hand, Germany runs great risks in extending her lines to the East. She may* find that sliei has bitten off more than she can chew, and, further, tho Allies have scope for flanking movements that, with comparatively small numbers of troops, may paralyse largo forces. The Russians, there is every reason to believe, are in strong force in Bessarabia, they may yet secure tho co-operation of Roumania, and if they advance simultaneously with the ( Allies from tho south Germany may find that her communication with the East has been severed. Then the Russians on the Eastern front and the Anglo-French forces on the Y\ est should be able to exert the strongest pressure on -many hundred miles of front whilst an attack is made from the Balkans for aecessHo the plains of Hungary. Of course, the Allied plans are not divulged, but' it is worth while noting as a very significant fart that all the invasions of Europehave- como by way ■ of the Balkans through the plains'of Hungary—a course dictated very largely by geographical conditions. The great fact to remember is that the Allies have not shot their bolt, they have not played their trumn-cards—-they have not been forced to play them—and notwithstanding this, Germany has not been able to do anything in the way of. securing decisive results. If there have been. Allied failures during tho year, the greatest failure of 1915 has .been experienced by the GermansI—the'failure''to-break 1 —the'failure''to-break Rns-' sia as a military force. The great German effort which commenced-'last spring with a> ; le,a_st_4,QW,ooo_'troops,.ended, .in, "''"'.■-->--^— ■>■" - ■•' -"-v lj - —-'-' '- ~.u.

September with the Russian army still intact and ready for an advance when the necessary preparations have been completed. In this stupendous conflict extending from the Carpathians to the Baltic, attempt after attempt was made to surround the forces of the Czar, but' each proved a failure, and whilst a great area of territory has been gained by the enemy, little of military value has been secured. Internally, great imj provements have been made in Russia, and large supplies of munitions have ,'been received from ■Britain by way' of | Archangel and. from America and Japan.' by way of Vladivostok. German, influence which was rife in the very heart of the country,* has been removed, ,and the full energies of the nation are concentrated in preparations for a renewed offensive in the Spring. On the Western Front it has been conclusively proved that, -the- Allies hold the Germans in check. Since December, 1914, when the Germans only just failed to pierce the line of the Yser and reach Calais, the Anglo-French troops have held the upper hand, and Avhilst it is true that progress has been slow, it can at least 'be saiid that what movements of the line have taken place, have been in favour of the Allies. But so firmly is the ground held, as evidenced by the offensives at Neuve Chape-lle, Loos and the Champagne, that whilst' it has been proved that me German line can be pierced the cost) is so great as' to render essential the postponement of a- big offensive until such time as there is a sure' guarantee that definite results can be achieved. Britain is pledged to rid Belgium of the. Huns, but it is quite possible that a., frontal attack in this area will not be the method adopted, for its achievement. Britain has large forces ready to throw into the conflict <at the right moment. There are some people who are always declaring that wars are not won by keeping men at home; but this is not fair comment. "What would be the result if our strength were frittered away in premature operations? The French and British military authorities are waiting their opportunity, and they will not launch their big force until such, time as they are able to keep up an inexhaustible supply of munitions and reserves. There are great trials yet to be endured and . inany difficulties to be overcome, but the • general trend, of events is undoubtedly i with the Allies, and . provided there is no weakening of determination, victory must ultimately crown tbeir^efforts.