PROGRESS OF THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9090, 8 July 1915, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Sir lan Hamilton’s report ■will take its place in tie history of the war with' Sir John French’s reports, and will compare favourably with them. It makes very interesting reading, and not the least of the interest is due to the light it throws on the struggle for secrecy maintained throughout. For example, it turns out from the report that Sir lan was at the Dardanelles and saw the great action in which the three battleships were sunk by floating mines. He was then Com-mander-in-Chief of the.land forces detailed to act with the fleet, though his name had not been mentioned, and no hint of any kind given that he would he appointed for service in that quarter. General d’Amade had been heard of, and was regarded as the Chief. But Sir lan was in command, as may bo seen from his statement that he made up his mind, after reconnaissance, that he would require the whole of his forces, and went back with what ho had to Egypt to work out the plan, of campaign. But his appointment as Commander-in-Ohief was not announced until April 22nd, at all events in the papers of the Dominion in their cable news.

A very interesting point in this connection regards the information possessed by the enemy of the movements of the expeditionary force so carefully guarded. For example, the return of the expedition, as mentioned in Sir lan’s report, was announced, albeit some weeks later, from Berlin, and that was the first public announcement in Europe. But when the expedition returned with its plans complete, Berlin was more promptly informed. Turning to our files, wo find that on April 21st Berlin announced that 35,000 Anglo-French troops had arrived at Mudros, in the island of Lemnos, with intent to attack the Gallipoli Peninsula. This was just two days before the troops left Mudros for the landing on the beaches. It was the first announce-

ment made in Europe. Athens, the next day, said that there was great activity at Mudros, and reported that the most successful part of the activity was displayed by the censor. It was a score for Berlin.

Berlin, however, was not so well-in-formed about another matter; was, in fact, rather taken in- Sir lan, in his report, says that he had arranged to land his men on certain beaches, and to distract the enemy's attention by making feints' elsewhere of landings. The cables of the time announced landings at Eilos, Bulair, and another place, before there was any mention of the real landings- Berlin got hold of the first, promptly announced that 20,000 men had been landed there, and the next day added that fugitives from the district had confirmed the report. But atl that time, we see from Sir lan’s report, the main landings were being effected. Berlin that time did not score. The two reports throw an interesting light on the German spy system, which cannot always bo correct. The cunning of the British General foiled it with the landing, but failed to prevent it from discovering the arrival of the expedition and getting a fair estimate of its numbers.

It was on April 21st that the transport Menem was torpedoed by the Turkish destroyer not far from Lemnos, the very day that Berlin announced the arrival of the transports at Mudros. It is clear, therefore, that the expedition had been discovered by the enemy- One shudders to think what might have happened if the German submarine had reached the Aegean at that time. She might have added some transports full of troops to her hag, as our submarines are doing from time to time in the Sea of Marmora and in the vicinity of the Golden Horn itself.

The spy system showed another flaw here, for it reported the return to Alexandria of the expedition to Gallijioli after it had got back with larger numbers to Mudros. This reading of the information shows that the first expedition was missed from the time of its start to its return, being only heard of later, in time to confuse it with the second.

But the chief value of the report is in the grasp it gives us of the whole of the operations, showing us tie extraordinary difficulties of the country, the difficulties of the weather, the difficulties of transport, the difficulties of artillery work, and medical work. From first to last the story is amazing, and one wonders more and more at the success attained. Instead of complaining at the small progress made on the Gallipoli Peninsula, we ought to be very agreeably surprised that the Allies have established themselves so solidly, inflicted those tremendous losses on the enemy, and got such a command over his strong positions in face of his superior numbers and fine equipment. When the Turkish commanders called upon their men to throw the invaders into the sea, they were not talking at random. They knew the sea to be very near, and they understood the extreme difficulty of supply and communication. They expected the Allies to be short of everything, including water, and unable to offer any resistance -worthy of the quality of their troops. The character of that resistance was probably the surprise of their lives for the German leaders on the Turkish side. • • • Now the position is more than safe. After all the troubles, the narrow escape of the landings, the desperate fighting for the positions, the lung endurance of precarious communications, the tremendous assaults of the enemy’s works, and the immense losses, our troops are not only in good heart, but improving daily their ascendancy over the enemy. With powerful reinforcements, they could clear the Turks out of the lower part of the Peninsula, the part that matters, for it dominates the Narrows, with a single brilliant advance. Now the reinforcements are getting near. We happen to know that they have passed Malta. And any day may see them swarming on the beaches, which bir lan Hamilton’s brave men have made their own, free from all possible disturbance by the enemy. The first phase of the Dardanelles land fight is past. We can look forward with comfortable assurance to the second.

Sir lan’s despatch is described as nobly worded. We can easily believe it, though the summary has not done justice to the style, for the General has considerable literary skill, as readers of the hook he wrote—“ The Diary of a Staff Officer," if wo remember aright the name—when with the armies of Japan in the great war with Russia, know full well. It -is a most fascinating book, and it gives evidence of the highest military talent. The Press Bureau adds one important detail which the summarisers missed, namely, that the landing places selected by the General for the attack on the Gallipoli Peninsula are the only landing places available. Bulair was thought by the public to be the proper place—the dear, delightful public, that likes to direct all campaigns from an armchair, with the aid of a map and a dozen little fiags—but the cliffs there proved far too formidable. Of the only two landing places available, one -wad» possible for heavy artillery, and one was not. Both were very difficult for landing. But the landed force could he supported at one, whereas at the other the force would have to hang on by its eyelids. The latter, the post of honour, was given to the Australasians, and the other was assigned to the main army. It was a splendid compliment, which asked the sons of Australasia to do the impossible, and our splendid men did it, forcing a position from which their co-operation has been invaluable to the main body. The boldness of /the General’s conception found its justification in the extraordinary daring of the grand troops which the Dominion and the Commonwealth have sent to the help of the Empire.

The Eastern campaign is assuming a better complexion. There is little to-day about the Bussian retreat. Vienna claims to have pierced the Russian line at Krasnik, but Petrograd tells another story, claiming that at this place the Russian army has caught the invaders on the flank and stopped their advance with an important reverse. The Russians proceed to claim that von Mackensen’s armies—the main attacking force headed for Warsaw —have been held up from the Vistula east to the Bug, at both Erylow and Sokal on the latter river. With the battle at Opatow, reported yesterday, and the battle of Krasnik, reported to-day, the Russians appear to have shaken the German advance, if

not stopped it entirely. They are nearing their bases of Warsaw and Brest Litov.ski, well served by their railways, and they appear to be supplied with munitions enough for something like equal battle. The enemy is, on the other hand, drawing further from his base, and the reports show that the Russian aviators arc raiding the supply trains in his rear. There is on the whole something that looks like the turn of the tide. At all events the flow is checked. Whether the ebb can be forced is another matter. We want more information, but we can watch the struggle with some sparks of hope.

A horrible story, vouched for by the Russian journal “ Novoe Vremya,” reaches us of German barbarity. It is that in pursuing the Russians through Galicia the Germans came across great numbers of wounded left behind with doctors in attendance, housed in a commodious building; that, finding a number of infectious cases among them, they took them out, built wooden huts for them, closed them up with their doctors, paraffined the buildings, and burnt every soul alive. Nay, more than that, they issued proclamations that the Russians must learn that they must not leave cases of infection behind them to spread disease. But if these wounded had been carried on they would have spread disease worse than if left behind. That makes one indisposed to believe the story. It would be difficult to imagine suoh 'fiendish cruelty, had not the Germans shown themselves so brutal and barbarous throughout this war. They have proved themselves quite capable of even this thing narrated by the Russian newspaper. The men who deliberately drown innocent non-combatants, and have murdered and ravished their way through Belgium, are quite capable of burning alive wounded soldiers. Against the indictment they can plead that they have treated .wounded soldiers of the enemy well in hospital,, both in France and Belgium. But against that, again, it has been proved tjiat they have repeatedly murdered wounded soldiers and the doctors attending them. This indictment is made by reputable, responsible authority, and the statement that the accused have admitted it stands uncontradicted- It is a charge of deliberate cruelty to avoid tha trouble which humanity imposes on every army..

From the West fronts we have the usual activities; minor so far as the strategy of breaking lines is concerned, but costly and of hard fighting. They are mostly due to the German initiative, which is said by one Paris journal to be a sort of preparation of restlessness for a great master-stroke. Amsterdam keeps up the note by reporting that immense German reinforcements are expected from the eastern fronts. But there is nothing, as we have seen, on the eastern front to warrant a large withdrawal of German troops. The great blow of the Huge concentrations in that quarter has not yet reduced the Russians to any condition of inability. While such battles as Opatow are in the power of Russia, the Germans are hardly likely to weaken their forces. However, the time has not come for certainties. We must even take the Amsterdam prediction for what it is worth.

The Gerpian officers swaggering about Brussels are reported to be declaring that Calais is to be taken at any cost. Once more it is “Calais!” The Germans are. bound to do something to stave off the punishment preparing for them, and it may as well be “Calais.” But those who think this way seem to forget that “Calais” has hitherto meant the loss of several hundred thousand men to the Germans, say, in the aggregate, half a million; while the road to Calais is now more strongly barred than ever. The Paris “Matin” accepts the prediction with the picturesque addition that these astonishing Germans have made up their minds to bombard Dover from Calais with their greatest guns, while they send an army over the Silver Streak in aluminium boats to invade Britain. Why aluminium boats ? Will they perchance b© invisible in the Silver Streak ? Why not rafts made by stringing together the pails the Belgian population has been ordered to line the roads with for the horses of the German cavalry ? It would be just as feasible a proposition.

However, it is useless to consider thpse chimeras. There seems to be a general agreement that the Germans intend to do something, if only by way of desperation. Whatever it is, we may he sure will not advertise it. When they made their first “Calais” attack nobody expected it. The British General, of course, thought it possible that his line would be attacked about Ypres, because it was the weakest part of the whole line, its occupation not having been completed- The Germans struck there, sure enough, but when they did no on© knew their strength or their intention. They only knew the blow was coming: when the aviator sank exhausted, after a rapid flight to the lines, and described the roaels and the fields as covered with great masses of men he had seen from his height like swarms of grey ants, solid as far as the eye could see. That was the only advertisement the first “Calais” got. From the fact that it is so much advertised, we conclude this “Calais” to he a myth. But it may materialise under some other place name. Wherever it does the assault will he met.

Another Paris journal publishes the statement of a French general made to his soldiery, calling for the truth to he told, which is that tEe right thing to So now is to make munitions in great quantities, and prepare for a winter campaign, in the certain knowledge that time is against Germany. Is this true? We shall see. For the moment it is not too reassuring.

However patriotic 'the young Maoris may be (says a Gisborne correspondent), it is not always an easy matter for them to carry out their wishes, as some parents have strong objections to their children going to the front. At Nuhaka. last week one parent spent over £1 in telegrams in trying to stop her son. Eventually she thought she had prevailed upon him to remain at home, but to make doubly sure she clutched his coat-tails as he was assisting to launch a boat that was to take the other troopers away. At the right moment the young man slipped out of his coat and left the old lady still clinging to it. Nothing daunted, she waded into the water right up to her neck, but the son was too quick, and was soon on his wjjy to JNapier. Whether ho will eventually get away with the contingent remains to he seen.