NOTES ON THE WAR CABLES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17132, 11 October 1917, Page 5

NOTES ON THE WAR CABLES.

» By Shrapnel.

THE PRESSURE AT YPRES. Not much timo is being now allowed to run to waste by Sir Dougus iiaig. He rel>orfcs that the- .British atUueked at 5.20 a.m. on Tuesday on a wide irout north-eastward of Ypres. Tlio attack was in-ado in conjunction with tho French, on tho loft—that is, north of Ypres. The results of the fighting are- that tho Allies have- made satistactory progress all along tho line. The United Prosa correspondent at tho British Headquarters gives certain details of tho attack. Ho says that tho British advanced more than a milo in some places, and that all reached their objectives in good order. ''In good ardor" means up to time and without seve.ro losses. Evidently the rapid reorganisation of tho Britisn alter their last attack has boon a surprise to tho Germans, who will hayo expected that tho nature of tho country and tho inclement weather would interfere with tho advance of tho guns and munitions. Engineers must be doing- magnilicent work behind tho British lines to enable the Commander-in-Chief to deliver a fresh blow after such a brief interval. Prisoners are reported to havo arrived behind tho lines in largo numbers, and, if tho attack is earned forward a couple of miles, tho number oi prisoners should .reach a goodly total. There can bo httlo douibt that tho British arc making the most of tho disorganisation produced by last week's attack and aro giving the Germans no timo to mako good tho rents in their ranks. The Germans must bo not a little surprised at tho rapidity with which the British strokes aro following each other. It is good tactics to pile Ossa on Polion as soon as tho enemy's weakness is discovered. To widen out tho front beforo tho enemy 'receives largo reinforcements, as well as to kill and capture his forces, is the right way to make confusion worse confounded. When tho enemy does get reinforcements they will necessarily be thinned out to hold tho longer line. If not, a weak spot may bo left, through which tho cavalry can bo sent with comparative safety, and that would produce a debacle, as tho kind of warfare that tho Germans have been maintaining on tho west front has not only unfitted them for cavalry warfare, but has made it -difficult for them to release themselves from their positions to meet cavalry. Rapidity of action on tho Ypres front at tho present juncturo is exactly what is required in order that tho benefits of the battlo that was begun at Messines may bo reaped. Germany has either to bring troops from Russia and throw them into the lines' without delay or to withdraw from tho French front.' A.s tho Ypres front widens out quickly tho fresh troops will bo absorbed in tho lino as quickly as Germany can 'bring them forward, thus leaving the German command without reserves either to manoeuvre or to counter-attack at points where the line appears to be yielding. Marshal von Hindenburg must therefore shorten his lines cither in Russia or in France to obtain depth and strength. .It may safely bo said that Sir Douglas Haig and tlio French command havo tho Germans very much hipped, and that they are not only defeating Germany, but aro saving Russia and wliat is left of Rumania. THE POSITIONS. ; Tho front of the new attack appears to havo been about eight miles long, extending from a point on tho St. Jean River, West of Dreibanic, to a point south of Broodseynde, where the Australians are operating eastward and northward. North of Bixschoote, across the Kortebeek, a tributary of the St. Jean, tho French are moving northwards from Presbank and Wydendreft towards Houthulst Forest, the largest compact forest in West Flanders. Wydendreft is north of Lan.gemarck, and an advanco of a mile would bring tho French to tho southern edge of tie forest. If the Germans are not too demoralised they should be able to hold the forest for a time and inflict heavy losses on tho attackers. It should, in fact, prove a costly business to work through the forest, as it is miles square. As an alternative to an operation of this nature, it may be decided to pass tho forest on the right and endeavour to.surround it, as tho Australians did at Daisy Wood, north of Broodseynde, and then turn the guns on it. All that is required for that purpose is superiority ia numbers, and as tho Allies havo nearly twice as many men as the Germans have, they can afford to " contain" certain small positions. Poelcapello, to tho north-east of Langemarck, has been reached and passed by tho British. Their advanco flanks both the German position in the Houthulst Forest and that at Passchendaele. The French 'and British, west of Passchendaele, are operating over level ground, averaging between 60 and 70 feet above sea level. This ground very gradually rises to the north and east. To the north it culminates in tho Clercken Ridge, which is north of Houthulst, and is about 125 feet above sea level. To the cast its highest elevation is tho Passchendaele, averaging about 160 feet in height. The Allies, therefore, in this sector aro advancing to higher and drier ground than that of the Yser banks. Eastward the New Zealanders and Australians aro working across a small dip in the high ground between Zonnebeke and Passchendaele. They aro carrying out a flanking movement astride the YpresRoulers railway towards Moorslcde, south of Roulers and each of Passchendaele. South of the Australians, the British are leisurely , clearing the country towards Gheluvelt, on the Ypres, through bush country. Apparently they can take Gheluvelt and Beccelaire when they like, but thoso objectives being now under observation and under tho British guns, have lost their value, the capture of the Wytscbacte-Messines - Ridge having rendered the positions of minor value either to the British or Germans. As Gheluvelt is on tho Ypres-Menin road, and as Menin is not one of the important objectives, tho Germans aro welcome to the claim if they still boast of holding Gheluvelt. ANOTHER PEACE WRIGGLE. • Tho Tages'Zcitung, the organ of the panGermanists, states that Austria and Germany have agreed to make a pcaco offer on tlio basis of no territorial aggrandisement, the surrender of Belgium and French territories (which they are no longer strong enough to hold), and no indemnity on either side. Germany has already levied all the indemnities sho could levy in Belgium and France, even carrying off furniture, linen, and household utensils, besides bleeding the occupied territories of every coin and stealing tho bullion and securities in tho banks. Sho has fed upon tho peoples and ill-used them, enslaved them, beaten them, shot them down on tho slightest pretext, and wrecked the health of tho strong and caused death and disease among young children. Sho has forced them to harvest their fields and stolen tho fruits of their labours, and has taken the young women away to work as slaves. If Germany is treated as sho deserves every pfennig would be wrung from her and sho would be left with nothing but her eyes to weep with, as sho has left Serbia and would have left Franco and Britain. Sho has plenty of gold of her own, and much of that has been stolen. Ae she was worth £1,700,000,000 before tho war, sho should be able to pay for all tho outrages sho has committed.