NOTES ON THE CABLES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16963, 27 March 1917, Page 5

NOTES ON THE CABLES.

Bγ Shkapnel,

BETWEEN THE AISNE AND ST. QUENTIN.

The Germans did not contemplate that tho French would attack them forcibly and tenaciously along the difficult country north of tho Aisno, and they possibly expected that tho British -would incautiously follow, up tho retreat in tho centre between the Oise south of Peronrte and Bapaume. They have now been caught in the trap they were preparing for any comparatively large British forces that might advance injudiciously towards Oambrai, or beyond the Cam-brai-St Quentin line. The French lost no time' when they heard of tho withdrawals from the Arras salient, and on the abandonment of Roye and Noyon chey judged tho timo and conditions suitable for flank attacks along the Aisno and north of it as far as Vailly, 10 miles north-east of Soissons. These attacks on the- Aisne flank, it was pointed out a, few days ago, disconcerted the Germans and enabled the French to catch up tho retreat from Eoye and Noyon. and to maintain a fairly good contact, which increased definitely as tho Germans fell back upon Lμ. Fere and the Ailette.

Most of tho villages mentioned in the French messages during the last few days are between St. Quentin and the north of fc-oissons. The Crozat Canal follows 1 the lino of the Somme, which flows south past La Fere. Ham and St Quentin are connected by means of that canal Eight miles to the east of tho Sommo and St. Quentin is the Oise, flowing parallel to the Somme. Moy is situated- on tho Somme about half-way between St. Quentin and La Fere. In their official report in to-day's messages the French mention several small villages which are to be found between a point on the Crozat Canal, two miles southwest of St. Quentin, and Moy. The line which the French expect tho Germans to defend runs south eastward be-,-tween that point and Moy. As the ground along that small sector begins to; rise from the. 100 ft level to the 200 ft level, the French believe tho Germans will fight determinedly to prevent them from obtaining a footing on the higher ground around St. Quentin end eastward of Moy. North-west of St. Quentin is Roisel, on tho lower level, but quito close to Roisel tho country rises 100 ft to the 200 ft level.

In the recent messages it has been apparent that very revere fighting has taken place from Roisel to the Aisne. All the German efforts to hold the line have been defeated, but the progress is slow, owingjo the nature of the country and the purposes of tho. Germans rendering an obstinate defence necessary.

South of La Fere, across the Ailetto, half way between La Fere and Soissons are the villages of Folembray and Coney, on the edge of the Gobain Forest. These villages having been takea -by the French, give them .an opening into the forest area as well as a partial command of a railway running from Chauny to Laon.

That the Germans were unable to prevent the ;Frencli from capturing "points a'appui" to the high land east and north of St. Quentin and the roughly circular plateau of St. Gobain. as well as tho high ground north of Soissons, may be taken as a good omen, indicating that the defence \>f which is> unexpected on the part of the Germans, will not, last long if.it is attempted. When the Germans attempt to settle down on the St. Quentin-La Fere-Laon line, the British will be pounding them to pieces between St. Quentin and Arras. As soon as the British guns are brought into position, the Germans will again announce a retreat " according to plan."

ATTRITION TACTIOS, As far north of Arras as Tpres, strong raids are being made by the British, more especially between Arras and La Basse In this sort of warfare the British seem to have the ascendancy over the Germans and that may bo taken* as a measure of tho morale of the Germans, whose picked positions are amply girded with entanglements. The British raids are generally successful, while the few which the Germans attempt generally meet with a severe check. This method of attrition is so continuous and so general that in the aggregate the losses of the Germans must by now be equal to those that would result from a battle of considerable magnitude.

From Soissons t(,'Verdun severe artillery bombardments 'are taking place, iolUjwed by attacks and counterattacks'. Consequently along those sectors the German losses must also be very considerable. Attacks and counter-attacks aro also taking place south of Lorraine and in Alsace. On the whole line in the west, therefore, the Germans must be kept very busy replacing losses, and still the general offensive in full strength by the Allies awaits them. The west front is not a happy plaoe for Germans.

PERSIA AND MESOPOTAMIA,

In Persia the Russians are still pursuing tho Turk s , and from Kermanshah have driven them past Kerina, which is 50 miles from Khanikin, before which place it is expected the Turks will make a stand to prevent the Russians from effecting a junction with the British on the other sjde of the great Baktiari mountain border. As that junction will a very serious matter for the Turks and the Germans, it is fairly certain that reinforcements are being rushed down from Mosul by tho German taskmasters of the Turks. Those forces will be placed in jeopardy, but that will be the misfortune of the' Turks. With tho Germans it is a case of desperate' diseases requiring desperate cures, and any respite they can-gain in Mosul and Mesopotamia from attacks by the British and Russians will be used in Berlin to buoy up the hopes of the German people. > There is no further news of General Maude's progress up the Diala, but there can be little doubt that he is pushing northward to attack the communications of the Turks who aro opposing the Russians east of Khanikin. Some news of his operations should soon be forthcoming.