Untitled

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 1658991, 18 July 1918, Page 4

The new blow of the Germans gives no cause for anxiety at the present stage. On the fronth south-west <r Rheims, after two days of fighting the enemy has nowhere advanced further than four miles. Ho seems to be well held where lie has crossed the river, and tho design of moving eastward • along it and cutting tho communications of tho French salient which has its apes at Rheims has liad small success so far. East of Rheims the offensive front extends across Champagne to the region of Perfchss-les-Hurlus and Massiges, not far from the western border of 'the Argonno Forest. On this front the enemy has not been able to get past the French" cover zone, penetrated by him to a: depth of two miles. Even this- progress has been sufficient, however, to accentuate which Rheims has formed sinco the Aisne offensive. Rheims may have to go,- but as General Maurice states, Rheims is no more than a name. i ■_■'■• The new phase seems to have hoen so far the least successful of all,' the main phases of the enemy's offensive. If it has been made by sixty divisious we can have small doubts of its being a main phase. According to the British Government's weekly reports iho first attacks on the Somme front were made by eighty-seven divisions, that being tho number used for the whole time which that effort lasted, nearly three weeks. In the Flanders operations, also lasting for throe weeks, ex- , eluding the attack on Kemmel, thirtyseven divisions were used. In the Aisne attacks between forty and fifty divisions were used during eight days. The assaults on the Montdidier-jNToyon front were a smaller affair. The enemy has flung in men this time on a maximum scale, and continued his assaults on a maximum front, .though! the pressure along the Marne is doubtless his ijaain movement. The fact that many of the divisions which the Crown Prince is employing have been recognised as units transferred from the reservo of Prince R-upprecht ,on the Amiens front makes it more improbable that tho present operations are a diversion only, intended-to draw French and British troops from the-. Somme region with a view -to swift transference of the blows ;to that arena. ( ' ' ■ It is too soon yet, however, to say that the offensive will not-bo. transferred, or Tvhat its next development will be. The Germans can . move troops more quickly than the- Allies owing to their command of the inner lines, and so they can choose or change their ground for fighting. They are not likely to draw Allied troops from before Amiens, ' first, because General Foek knows the supreme importance of that front, and secondly, because ho appears to have had ample forces' to meet the attacks that are being made. The French and Americans have r.ot been surprised. The enemy has-found no new methods. Tho only'' result that is promised so far by the resumed offensive is a new and- heavy .reduction of his reserves. But, whatever comes of this attempt, the Germans will attack again. An army which sees its strength, decreasing while now forces are being added all the time to the strength of its opponents must go on attacking so long as any reserves remain to it.