The war news this week is not of the brightest, the trouble in the Balkans having accentuated the difficulties of the Allies. As Lord Lansdowne said in the House of Lords on Tuesday, the progress of the campaign in the north rendered it highly improbable that the Servian army would be able to withstand for any great length of time the double attack.
He hinted that the larger Allied force on its way will not arrive in time to prevent the junction of the Austro-German and Bulgarian armies. It would be employed to counter the movements of the Central Powers across Bulgaria .
THE ENEMY GOING SOUTH.
Austro-German official information regarding the Balkans war is of some further progress southward from the Drina, Save, and Danube . Austrian cavalry detachments have, it is stated, entered Valievo, on the west bank of the Kolubara, some 30 miles from the northern frontier.
The Germans do not seem to be making much headway from the Danube , but stat that they have taken heights and some 960 prisoners during the fighting of the past three days.
THE RUSSIAN FRONT.
Regarding operations on the Russian front, the German Headquarters reports re-crossing of the Ilukst, north of Dvinsk, that Russian attacks at the centre have been repulsed, and that in the Styr region some positions have been taken and 1,450 Russians captured.
Russian official news is that the enemy offensive in the north has sustained severe check after furious fighting particularly in the Dvinsk sector, whilst in the south the Austro-German forces attempted to advance without success, and
have had enormous losses.
FRENCH SUCCESS.
In the Western theatre of war the chief event is the consolidation by the French of their captures in the Champagne at the enemy salient of “La Courtine.” The success is of great importance, straightening the French line and preparing the way for a further advance.
The Germans, however, claim that some part of “La Courtine” was retaken.
BRITISH TRANSPORT SUNK.
The War Office announces that the British transport Marquette has been torpedoed in the AEgean Sea . It is understood that only 99 of the personnel are unaccounted for. No further details have as yet been received.
GERMAN GUNS IN TUMULUS.
A Russian giant aeroplane has dropped bombs on a village to the south of Barinovitchy occupied by the staff of a German infantry division and German supply columns. Squadrons of four and five Albatross aeroplanes respectively attempted to fly over Minsk , but were driven off by Russian artillery.
They dropped a dozen incendiary bombs on the outskirts of the town. One Albatross aeroplane was brought down. Near Czartorysk the Russians found 30 enemy guns in good condition in a newly heaped tumulus resembling a common grave.
LATEST POSITION.
The Austro-German armies have, after twenty-one days fighting, got into touch with the Bulgarians. Up to now it is only a frail connection – a meeting of patrols on the banks of the Danube at Brza Palanka, south of Orsova. The gallant Serbians, who have made a pathetic appeal to England to hasten to their aid, are still, however, maintaining a wedge some 40 miles wide between the left wing of the German main front and the Bulgarian right wing. The Orsova force is much nearer, but it is a small separate body only concerned in opening up the Danube .
The Serbians have re-taken Veles, which gives a gleam of hope that the enemy's surrounding plan may be frustrated. British troops in Greece are co-operating with our French Allies on the Greco-Serbian frontier. The Italian artillery has for two days past been pounding the hostile lines again, probably the prelude to a fresh onslaught.
On the Dvina and Styr a hard struggle continues.
