MILITARY SITUATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 3 January 1916, Page 6

MILITARY SITUATION

REVIEWED BY-LORD SYDENHAM. ' Dec. 31 -;: Lord Sydenham, who is recognised as. ; -'-.*»ife?ofvt]ievworJ&V.<OTeates& military an-... ''u v .<tlioritiess ; ?gra«ted<- -the. Australian. Press Association an' interview. Reviewing the situation, lie said : "The year has ended in'shadow. It has - brought many sacrifices without# visible successes which might seem to "offer adequate compensation. The con- " "quest of the German colonies, in which • - Australia and: New Zealand played, an i ' important .part, _is 'the .only ' counter-. 1 '■* sbroke oa the parrfc-'of the Allies -to* : the gains in Poland .and the Near East. ; ; "We have .withdrawn, a great -part of the Imperial troops fromi GaTLipoli, and . at" Salonika we'are on -the ing attacfci'v-while. further efforts against , ' , the "Suez Canal may be impending _ \\ - ■ - ihave met with- a reverse on >the Tigris. *- ; Nowhere .can be seen a near prospect of -*• a-decisive military advantage. * "If we contemplate past ev"Ti+<~ in detail there-may appear to be giuiuuis for pessimism, but jn a war on siich a gigantic .• scale it is essential to "view tie • -* situation. as a whole. The year 179-7 - ended, in the deepest glpom for our fore- . I fathers. The great naval battles of Gape ! Sti Vincent and Camperdown had- been j -: won, but there were acute" internal dis-. j . : sensions and alnrcst-intolerable burdens; : r .The Bank of England suspended' cash •' v paymeiits, and- when the mutinies air .Spithead and -the 2voie broke out all hopes of victory might have seemed tr> • be "lost." "We may .well consider these j facts now. . ■_ !

- ''•■ '"The real crisis was passed In Sep- >-., tember,' 1934," "when" the German plan of jr' campaign was wrecked and Paris saved. *•' ,The wonderful preparedness of the ene- • my and his* instant .perception of the . - new' needs told,' heavily against the Allies," who are '-only, beginning to attain the ascendancy of which, with superior forces, wil enable them to' establish and maintain- the advantage. f "Foiled* in...the West, the Central ■-' -Powers .struck:" wildly eastwards, but - -were finally brought-to a standstill bv the splendid; -tenacity of Russia. Terri- " tory. and -fortresses "were abandoned, but- '••-. the" enemy failed to take Riga, and -'-must bear the . xigors of the Polish ;' winter \ with the unceasing "menace of Russia's masses, which are growing more formidable as her armaments increase.

"The enemy can now be held fast on the Eastern and' Western fronts, and hi> power'of- offensive appears ,to deneiul .. upon'-the subsidised Turks and Bnlgai.-. - -Meanwhile the eager efforts of the CJcr- ; mans have failed to destroy the unity, c? the-Allies, -who with "gathering strength and stern determination, await the coming spring. ' -:• -"The economic pressure exerted by

the Navy is beginning to tell, and tl-e enemy's internal situation is gradually '. . growing more acute. Winter is en tKs side, of Jhe' Allies, who fcce the future without misgivings. ;", "For Australia"and -New Zealand 1915 •will always be associated -with glorious memories. Their troops have shown gal- ."' lantry and endurance unsurpassed in the history cf war. If victory was de- ■__ ." nied them at- Gallipoli they have wc:i "undyang fame and given enduring ex- /. amples of devoted sacrifice from which ■ ~ the .whole Empire draws hope and in- , Vspir'atiou.. "." ""France is -showing all the great -'; -qualities. which r 'built up her finest tr.i- ---' Editions. "-'Russia has stemmed the fiei'p -.-- onslaught of the,Austrians and Germans ' .with indomitable spirit, and is silently -\ . developing, -the.. unrivalled resources c-'f -. -her splendid manhocd, and Italy is fighi- -. frig'.'bravely. .Our warlike but immilitary : ;' Empire" is solidly united in the face cf . . the commonr peril, auj is raffing ti-aine 1 " V citizens by the million. Above all stands .-'-■ the .Navy, firmly holding the seas of V-'the-'world, and'far more powerful than when -the war broke out. Si'fh are Iho ■'' conditions xmder which th? Al'ies o>i;- - ■ front the New Year with calm con- . fidence."