PROGRESS OF THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9041, 12 May 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The bombardment of the Dardanelles once more occupies an important place in the news of the war. We are informed by tlie Dardanelles correspondent of the “Daily Chronicle” that the fleet on May 7th penetrated as far as Sari Siglar Bay, and from there bombarded the forts on both sides of the Narrows, the forts named being Kilid Bahr, on tho southern European entrance to the Narrows, Chanak on the Asiatic point opposite, and Nagara Kalessi, the last fort on the Asiatic side at the north end of the Narrows. Sari Siglar Bay lies between Cape Kephez and Chanak, the two being four miles apart; Kilid Bahr is opposite to Chanak, about one mile and a half, and Nagara is about five miles from Chanak. The report says that tire bombardment was “at close range.” The ships were stationed between CapeKephez and Chanak, and at close range might be within a mile or two of Ohaixak. They would-be within close range, there, also, of Kilid Bahr. But they could not he nearer than between six and seven miles to Nagara, which is scarcely to be called “short range.”

The statement of a fleet in this position implies that tho mine-field must have been fully swept. It implies also that precautions were taken to prevent floating mines coming swirling down on the ships before the strong current running through the Narrows. On the last occasion, when the three battleships were lost—falling victims to floating mines—the fleet was preceded by pinnaces keeping these mines off, as the accounts which have reached us by mail show very fully. But these craft i were not equal to the work and the three ships were lost. Lord Charles Beresford has been criticising these arrangements, declaring that nets ought to have been used. (Something, we take - it, has been done to supplement the protective pinnace work.

We should like to- believe that the Allied troops have got close enough to The channel to prevent the work of setting mines adrift. But we fear that the reports so fax of the proceedings of these troops do not encourage any such belief.- In all probability the supplementary arrangements owe more to the line recommended by the critical Admiral than to the troops. At all events, the tremendous loss on the first occasion—three battleships—must have ensured the most prudence that tho naval service is capable of. The bombardment is described by this correspondent as having been very effective.

By this time there have been several bombardments. It is probable, from various indications in the reports, that the fleet has been pouring shells into the forts for many days, with much effect also. One of the messages says that the fort of Maidos—opposite Nagara —was burning throughout the 6th, the day. before this bombardment, and was, of course, out of action, and incapable of restoration. That seems to explain the omission of Maidos from the list of bombarded forts. Maidos had been destroyed.

; Now. there were before the first of these Bombardments, eleven forts on the European side and eight or nine on the Asiatic. Of these Chanak, Kilid Bahr and Nagara were ' the strongest by far. There are signs of a good deal of destruction throughout our accounts of the successive bombardments. i It is possible, therefore, that the restriction of the bombarded list to three names is. an indication that these are the only forts remaining: in the Narrows worth speaking of. Indeed, unless the bulk of the ' forts had been reduced to something near helplessness, it would hardly be possible for a bombarding squadron to get up so close to the defences ,as Sari Siglav Bav. A further corroborative detail is the report of a correspondent, published yesterday, that the Turkish defence was weakening “under'the warships’ and artillery fire,” and the ultimate capture of the Turkish positions is certain. Decidedly, if only Kilid Bahr, Chanak, and Nagara remain upstanding, they must be weakened, and the capture of. the Turkish positions must, whatever it may be in i reality, appear to be imminent.

We note the detail Hand the artillery,” in the reference to the causes of the weakening of the defence. Yesterday it was reported that .our troops had taken several positions, and were drawing in on an enveloping circle. Had the process continued the shore artillery would probably have got to tho heights above the coast, and dominated the forts below. This may be the meaning for the addition of artillery to the fire of the ships’ guns. But of this nothing can be said with any certainty, except that it is improbable. • • • Yesterday’s account threw some light, on the shore position, by the statement that “the enemy is strongly entrenched on commanding heights at the' western extremity of the peninsula, surrounded by Allied troops.’’ This, it accurate, meant, of course, that "tne Turks had fallen back before the advance of the Allied troops which had landed at Sedd-el-Bahr and Cape Relies and fought their way to the Knthia plateau, that in falling back they had occupied some of the hills wdiich are scattered over the peninsula, and that the pursuing Allies had surrounded them. It might also have meant that tho Allies, after containing these cut-off troops, had joined hands with their comrades who had landed at Gaba Tepe and advanced eastwards on the Pasha Dagh range.

To-day’s message tells that the Turks have been driven into the woods behind Krithia, and there subjected to, vigorous artillery lire. It reports, at the same time, that the fighting continues “far inward from Gaba Tepe,' and that our hold of the ridges is secure. From these two statements it seems plain that the forces advancing from the south into tho peninsula have not got much further than the Krithia position—about nve miles from the Hellos coast—and something like eight from tne flank of the force moving east from Gaba Tepe, with that secure hold of the ridge, we presume the Pasha Dagh. But there is no sign either that any Turks are surrounded, or that the forces of the north and south have joined.

“The Times” comment is that the essence of the fighting is resource and vigour, that the task before our men is one that would test the most seasoned troops, and that it is getting hander

the further they get into the country The fighting is of desperate character, and one report—from Athens, not an accurate quarter at all, as many exaggerated messages have established —speaks of a halt company of Australians having fought till they were all killed rather than surrender. Another account reports that the arrival of 15,000 Turkish wounded at Constantinople caused a panic in the city.

It is difficult to see hero that the Turks have been forced back to the Straits, from the Aegean coasts, where they opposed the landing. They have put tip a great tignt, and they have sustained heavy losses; their newspapers speak of “most furious fighting,” they describe the supporting fire of the ships as hellish, they admit the inability of the Turks to drive back the invaders, and they speak of the continued ' desperate bayonet charges on their trenches by the young soldiery of Australasia. The outlook for victor}' is hopeful, but wo must be prepared to hear of considerable losses. For the final decision in the Narrows by sea and land we cannot now have long to wait. For the present we realise that the fighting is very fierce, and there-need be no surprise, for the Turk is best in a war of trenches, and ho is employing trenches with all the skill of his German officers.

One detail is, if the account from Sofia is correct, suggestive. If the Turk has really poisoned the wells on the Peninsula, he must be retreating. It is iust the sort of thing the German comnrnd would resort to in the event of disaster. The Germans have done it in the campaign against General Botha’s army in Africa, and replied to that commander’s reference to the breach of The Hague Convention with their usual cynical arrogance.

The Lusitania outrage is the theme of discussion all over the world. The most important item of the news is the report that “it is understood” in Washington that the American President will demand a pledge from Germany to abandon uncivilised war methods and pay full indemnities for the murder of American citizens in, the Lusitania and other episodes of piracy. If this is,true, war is inevitable. Germany has gone so far as to tender official messages of sympathy, coupled with lying excuses. But the German Government will assuredly not listen to the very proper demand of the great western Power.

Another interesting item is the verdict of the coroners jury of wilful murder against the Kaiser,' the German Government, and the submarine’s crew. This is supplemented by the suggestion of the New South Wales Premier that the officers' responsible for orders of piracy and murder shall, when peace is made, be handed over for trial and execution. These are logical expressions of the horror caused by the most dastardly war policy of all history. The first reminds us that part of the great heritage of the British race is the execution of Charles I. That King was condemned, not for the breach of any statute, hut for having broken the spirit of the kingly trust placed in. his hands. The Kaiser has broken specific provisions of international law, and’also the prescriptive law of the custom and usage of civilised war. -There is even more reason, therefore, why the Kaiser should be hanged, than there : was for the beheading of Charles Stuart. By insisting on the execution of the Kaiser the British people would be acting in a manner Worth# of their best traditions.: A nation that stands for righteousness must stand for the punishment of the unrighteous. That coroner’s court has given a very righteous verdict.

The libws from the Eastern front is good, inasmuch as the enemy’s reports of further advance in Galicia have ceased. The enemy has not, moreover, announced that he has occupied the Dukla Pass. - At the .same time the Russian communique announces the repulse of an assault on the Mezzo Laborec Pass—the pass next to the Dukla —and also the repulse of a German attempt to recover lost ground on the Lomnitza. The enemy’s great movement in Western Galicia has, there seems reason to believe, been definitely checked.

The latest news leaves no doubt on the point. It is Austrian and Russian. Both unite in describing the blow struck at the Russian line as tremendous, and the fighting as very fierce, and lasting a whole week. The Austrian report gives a fine account of the crossing of the. Eonajeo—a great feat of arms and a credit to the skill of the German engineering arm. The Russian, after giving ' some details of how General Korniloff brought off his division in the retreat, reports that the Russian line is once more straight, that it is the line of the Wislocka, and that the battle had no effect on the (Carpathian positions. It rturns out that the Grand Duke’s main line was not attacked at all, but that another line held by the army which had captured Przemysl, was driven back on the Grand, Duke’s. The attack has been received on a prepared screen, and all is serene once more, the Russian troops feeling a sense of victory.

On the West front, Berlin has suddenly concentrated attention on the attacks of the Allies in the central region, which Paris had mentioned yesterday as vigorous and decidedly successful. The enemy’s report . treats these as one great combined movement intended as a reply to his great movement against the Russian position in Western Galicia. He talks of four new army corps being hurled into the fight against him, and he admits the loss of several of his advanced trenches, which he says he is trying by counterattacks to recover. This is sufficiently startling, as an admission that the enemy finds himself crucially attacked and docs not like it.

Paris, corroborating, makes the thing still more startling. The report is of a grand advance on a front of five and twenty miles, aimed at piercing the German line, gaining possession of important railway junctions, and cutting the German communications with Belgium, driving the enemy into tho Ardenne country. This looks like tho first determined attempt to begin the spring campaign with decisive assault on the German positions. It has evidently been carefully prepared, and will probably carry the campaign into a new phase.

There is a very unpleasant story of the shooting and maltreatment of British prisoners by the Bavarian army, which is alleged to have .been ordered to take no British prisoners. We shall, of course, hear more of this, for the details are circumstantial, and two of the three witnesses are available. But they are deserters, as was a third witness who has disappeared. The origin of the story is not the best; inquiry will no doubt elicit the truth-