The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-23
THE WAR LAST WEEK
EXPERT REVIEWS FIGHTING IN
WAR ON FOUR FRONTS
DARDANELLES IMPORTANT

Show Gains on Tip OF Gallipoli-Rus-
slams Retreat Toward Frontier in
East-Frcnch Fighting to DoIni-
nate Lateral Railway in West
Italian Advance Slows Down.
The military expert Of the New
York Times reviews the war last
week as follows:
The most serious problem con-
fronting the allied troops in any Of
the war theatres is that Of dominat-
ing the Gallipoii peninsula and so
forcing the passage of the Darda-
nelles.
Official news is conspicuous by its
scarcity. Reports are made on an
average of only one or twice week,
and are even then so meagre in de-
tails that it is difficult to discover
just what the troops are doing. In
fact, it is seldom that the official re-
ports even mention the names of
places.
The most singular thing, however,
is the fact that in none of the COM
muniQueS has any reference been
made to the contributions of the navy
| toward the general operations. Never
thelesS, we can, from the reports that
have reached US, from a general idea
of the location of the principal line of
the Allies and fairly definite idea
of the problem with which this line
is confronted.
That the Allies have made material
advance ssince they. first effected a
| landing can not for moment be
doubted. But the war in Gallpoli has
taken on exactly the same character
| as the war on the western front,
where advances are only for a few
yards at a time and are extremely
slow. 1t will, therefore, take some
| months. at least, for the Allies to
reach their objective.
In what has been done, however.
| the armies of the west have shown
! vast superiority to that of the east
Although outnumbered (the ratio is
not known but can not be less than
! three to one and is probably greater),
and of necessity on the offensive
against fixed and permanent works.
| the Allies have not only advanced
but have inflicted on their opponents
a loss equal in numbers to at least
| fifty per cent of the Allies own
strength.
1t is also reported. though unoffi-
cially, that all of the permanent
| works that have been opposing the
Allies advance have been destroyed
and that only the mobile artillery
now remains effective. The imme-
date object Of the Allies attack is
| Krithia and the ridge to the east Of
that place, called the ridge of Achi-
baba. The town of Krithia lies in
| comparative hollow which, toward
| the Turkish lines, looks out on
tumble of irregular hills of varying
height. The Turkish line rests as
hsown, one flank on the Aegean and
the other on the Dardanelles. There
are additional guards to these flanks
| that can not be shown on a small
scale map.
These are two deep ravines, one in
| front of either flank, that break in
! from the coast. These ravines have
almost perpendicular walls and there
fore protect from direct assault any
line formed behind. The Turkish
| line runs behind both ravines and
follows the general line ef the highest
of the hills between the Aegean and
| the Dardanelles.
1t is evident that the defensive
position of the Turks is one of great
strength. Krithia, while not really
within the Turkish line, is still oc-
| cupied, as far as we know, by the
| Sultan's troops. 1t can not be eX-
pected, however, that the town could
be held against the advancing Allies
were it really part Of the Turkish
| defense. But it is not.
The entire basin in which it is
Ilocated is entirely controlled by two
| dominating hill positions in the main
| line of defense. These two points
are absolutely essential to the Allies
advance although on the
| only road to Maidos, the Turkish
base, is more than useless unless the
positions which control it are either
occupied or rendered untenable by ar
tillery fire.
The first problem, therefore, to be
solved by the Allies is:to reduce these
points. An advance that does not
contribute to this end, while it may
inflicr punishment on their adver-
saries, can not be regarded as being a
step toward the eventual solution Of
the Allies problem.
| r.
reduction of the summit or range OF
Pasha Dogh, which includes the fort
ress of kilid Bahr, and from there
the Turkish base at Maidos. This
presents problems of it's own, and to
discuss them would be ill-timed and
premature. The problem involved in
| the capture of krithia is of sufficient
| difficulty to engage the attention Of
| the allied forces for some time to
come, and it is enough for the pres
ent to understand the general nature
iof the problem and the most impor-
tant elements which constitute 1t.
The Fight in Galicia.
In Russian Poland and Galicia the
past week has seen even greater ac-
tivity than the week previous on the
part Of the Teuton allies along the
entire lire from the Gulf of Riga to
the BeSSarabian frontier. The fight
ing around the Gulf Of Riga and at
Shawl has received scant attention
in these articles largely because it is,
| as far as can be seen. without any
military meaning. There are no
troops of any moment in that sec
ton and the fighting has been inde-
terminate and without permanent ad-
| vantage to one side or the other.
As matter Of fact. Germany's OBJ
ject in starting an engagement could
have been nothing more than either
to create diversion from other fields
or to make a small addition to her
agriculture in order to augment her
food supplyl. The situation is cap
able OF no military benefit.
Although the line from the Niemen
N Rawa on the upDer RaWka, which