NOTES ON THE CABLES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16981, 18 April 1917, Page 5

NOTES ON THE CABLES.

By Shkapnel. THE MAIN BRITISH POSITIONS. Mu&ugue li-oni tlie iintisli trout to-uay indioato a stiort respite troiu the liea,vy lijjiiting , that Jiiis xuiicen places from the Oroisillos front to tho north ol Lons. Owing to tho extent of the progress tnat has been made round Lens, it is necessary to consolidate the positions gained and to reorganise the units mat wero employed , in thu great attack on that town. As soon as tho artillery is brougnt forward to the points of vantage and now observation posts nave been established, a systematic oiiorfc will bo set in motion to forco tho Germans out of tho country north and east of Lens. Until tho country cast of Loos, in tho direction of Hill 70, is cleared, or a further advance is made to tho east of Avion, Lens will be tenablo iby tho enemy. To attempt to force tho Germans out of Lens from tho west would provo costly, as it would necessitato the forcing of barricades in the streets, accompanied by house-to-houso lighting against onemy machine guns well protected and hidden in the buildings. By an operation round tho north and south ground would bo gained which in any case would have to bo won. By a push forward north and south of tho town the place could be rendered entirely untenable to tho enemy, and much loss and destruction could bo a-Toidcd. It is probable that Eomo such plan is now being worked out by the British Headquarters Staff. Tho recent heavy fighting at Lagnicourt, though about 18 miles , to the south-east of Lons, and 12 miles south-east of Arras, is closely connected wifh tho future operations m tho Lens locality. A line drawn from Lens to Marcoing, south of Cambrai, roughly indicates where the German centre which is opposing the British is , 'situated:. Tho occupation o£ Douai and Cambrai is of primary importance to tho Germans, and .the British are thrusting towards the Douai plain from three points—from Bapaume, Arras, and Lens. Now that the western defences of Douai, consisting of the Loos-Lens-Vimy-Thelns wall, have been broken by the British, and tho country over which they now look slopes gradually towards Douai, it is more than ever imperative for the' Germans that they should hold tho high ground north and oast of Croisillos. Along that high ground runs the ArrasCambrai road, which flanka the southern approaches towards Douai. Tho capture of Douai would imperil the positions of the Germans at Lens and Lq, Basseo, which are tho most difficult positions to take- on tho present British front.

At Croisilles the Germans are fighting desperately to hold the watersheds between the Cojeul, the Sensco, and the- Hirondelle. Those streams run down across the ArrasCambrai road towards Douai. The defenco of the Croisilles salient shows that the Germans believe tho British centre to be at Bapaumo, and that, if the Germans can hold the country between. Croisilles and the Bapaume-Cambrai road, they believe they can stop the British advance and still threaten Arras, which, they are afraid, will now ibo made the British centre. In the light of the successes which the British havo achieved on tho Vimy Heights and west of Lens, there is good reason for believing that Arras will bo made the focal centre from which the future attacks of the British will radiato. Bapaume will be tho auxiliary centre on the right, for the purpose of assisting operations towards Cambrai. Rapid changes along the front will be seen as soon as the Croisilles salient is smashed in. ,

An advance towards Halluch from Loos, north of Lens, and the possession of Hill 70 would also have a great effect on the German line of defence, but the area of country which it would be necessary to cover is, though small, most difficult to negotiate, since it is dotted with mines and villages. To clear the rise known as Hill 70, about two miles north of Lens, it would be necessary to wrest Halluch and the country round it from the enemy. Otherwise they could enfilade Hill 70 with artillery. As to an advance upon Douai. the positions at and around Lens and Croisilles are interdependent, and gToat progress at either centre will favourably affect the position of the British at either place. THE FRENCH OFFENSIVE INITIATED.

Along the Aisne, from Soissons to the north of Rheims, the French have begun a heavy offensive over a 25-milo front From German admissions thenabure of the fighting can be gauged. It is very severe, and is taking place over very difficult terrain. From fit. Quentin to Rlieims the country, which includes La Fere, Laon, and has been the scene of many historic battles,' and thS French General Staff, from tho study ot the contests in former wars, will bo able to weigh accurately the value of every position held by the enemy or taken by their own troops, and will vary their tactics accordingly.

By attacking along the Aisne front the French .ore continuing and extending the front of battle from St. Quentin, where the British right flank rests, and will, as they make progress, relieve the on the British front and centre. .Their attacks' in this region cannot, however, be their maximum effort. One wonders why they have not launched their mam attack either in the Champagne or along the Lorraine front Apart from immediately and closely assisting the Brit : sh, there must be a deeper purpose behind the present attack. Probably such a serious threat towards Laon is meant not only to draw the enemy strength from the front of the British, but also to cover a wide flanking movement somewhere to the east. One thins is certain, however, and that is that the extent of the Allied front and the intensity and magnitude of the present battle aro meant to drain the Germans of then- reserves. A rough estimate of the Germans' wastage since their retreat stopped can be formed if their, losses are put down moderately at an average rate of 300 men killed per hour. Tho daily loss of life on the battle front at that rate would be 7200 per day. In a month, on this basis, if it be taken as normal, and if the activity is normally continuous, the loss in killed alone will.be 216,000. We are told to-day that the French capture of prisoners exceeds 10,000, and that the Britsh have taken 14,000 prisoners. In other words, a division and a-lialf have been captured since the British offensive began. What the Germans have lost in wounded and by sickness and nervous breakdown cannot be estimated, but if it bo put down as two to one of tho killed—a low estimate— .tho total German loss must be- enormous. Judged from tho standpoint of losses, the present battle must bo considered to bo tho principal one of the war, and yet, as a part of tho general offensive, tho battle has just begun. If General Aloxieff could, or would, only begin a hoaivy offensive on his right flank, a complete overthrow of tho Germans might bo looked fof by the end of June. ' MESOPOTAMIA. o From Mesopotamia there is a message of a general naturo from Genera' Maude. The news, though not giving definite details, is assuring :n that it tells iis that tho offensive against the Turks between Bagdad and Khanikin continues, and that tho enemy is being driven back into tho Jebel Harm-in Range, which runs north-west for about 100 miles to the Tigris and is cut by that river between Fatha and Aber Alis 140 miles north of Bagdad. If the Turk's are now falling back into the hills at the end of the range, tho Russians must be across the Diala and operating in the direction of tho road junction at Kifri. Events in Russia must necessarily bo interfering with Russian activity in Armenia and Persia. These operations by the Russians are probably viewed with suspicion by tho Council of Workmen and Soldiers as attempts at territorial expansion, and are not being vigorously supported.