New-York tribune., 1915-12-18
Salonica-Is Ii To Be Corunna or
Torres Vedras?

]
interesting questions: Is this city to prove
a Corunna, or will the Anglo-French force
be able to draw before it such lines as
Wellington drew at Torres Vedras before
Lisbon? In all respects the situation both
in Europe and in the immediate peninsula
battle ground suggests that of the cam
paign between 1908 and 1910.
Going back TO the Napoleonic episode,
it win be recalled that the year 1905
saw the great, Emperor actually at the
summit of his power. although his fort
unes were TO continue favorable for
several years to come. He had won
Austerlitz in 1905. Jena in 1906, Fried
land in 1907, and by these three vic
tories he had disposed Of Austria,
Prussia and Russia. At the Peace Of
Tilsit, in 1907, his supremacy in Western
Europe was acknowledged by his only
possible opponent, the Gar; Of all his
enemies only Great Britain remained
formidable.
In 1903 the British, having failed in
number of expeditions, sent an army to
Portugal. which was successful in effecting
a landing and in driving Junot out of the
Braganza Kingdom. To meet this menace
Napoleon crossed the Pyrenees with his
victorious armies and his most famous
marshals, swept before him the Spanish
resistance. entered Madrid, where he made
his brother King of Spain. At this point
the Austrian situation began to worsen,
and he was obliged to return to Paris to
organize the operation which ended in the
great triumph at Wagram year later
In Spain he lett, or subsequently sent
there, Massena, Marmont, Sout and other
less distinguished generals and marshals.
1t fell to the part of Soult to operate
against the British, and he took the field
against Sir John Moore, whose little army
had crossed the Spanish boundary. By
rapid retreat Sir John Moore reached the
coast at Corunna and saved his army by
putting them on transports. He was
killed in the operation. The result Of
this campaign was to leave the French
masters of Spain, save only for Cadi2
and Gibraltar. There remained in Portu-
gal only small British army near Lisbon.
But at this point Soult failed to act with
promptitude, possibly, as some historians
allege, because he was negotiating for the
Portuguese crown. In consequence. the
British had time to reorganize, and Well
ington returned to command the army he
had headed against JunOt. Defeating
Soult at Talavera. he pushed him out Of
Portugal and entered Spain.
But Napoleon had now won Wagram
and was able to send new troops to Spain.
His great marshal, Massena, hastened
south, organized a great drive, before
which Wellington had to retreat, as the
Anglo-British expedition is now retreating.
Driven out of Spain, Wellington finally
took up his position before Lisbon on the
narrow peninsula between the Tagus and
the sea, a position strongly recalling the
Chatalja lines before Constantinople.
Here Masstna was checked, and after
wasting many months before these lines,
which could not be stormed, he retired
into Spain. Subsequently, as the Moscow
campaign developed, Napoleon was COM
PEELED to recall troops from Spain, and as
his Spanish armies decreased in numbers
the British took the offensive and began
/ the campaign which ended with the Battle
of Toulouse in France, battle fought
after Napoleon had abdicated.
When the British returned to Spain the
whole country rose in rebellion agains,
The French. and Napoleon was confronted
by the first of the several national up
risings which ruined him. Now it is per-
fectly clear that what the British and
French have in mind at present is to turn
Salonica into another Lisbon. and the hills
before it and the narrow Chalcidice Pen
insula into a second Torres Nedras. The
Germans on their side are seeking to
drive the enemy out of the peninsula and
repeat Soults exploit at Corunna and
escape Massena's biunderings.
If the Allies can keep their foothold
in the Balkans they will compel the Ger
mans TO keep an army in front o. them
1t is possible that the Bulgars may bear
the brunt Of the fighting for the moment;
but Bulgar numbers are limited and there
is grave danger that Greek national ap-
prehensions may be reused by long con-
tinued occupation Of Greek soil by the
hereditary enemy. If fortune begins to
90 against the Germans, if they have to
draw off troops TO face the Russians or
the French then. if there is an Allied
army in the Balkans. it is possible that
there may be a change in the ssuation
Bulgaria may shift sides, Greece may en-
list. any advance into Serbia will pro-
woke "A Serbian rising.
7 What must be recognized is that IN,
Germans arc faced with the same danger,
that finally destroyed Napoleon. The
lC1cupv ororrnoue area Of couufprnl