New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-31

news of recent months, tremendous as nave
been the losses TO the forces engaged, they
have left tho battle lines hardly changed
and require no detailed examination
French Offen,ives (Jsnusry to JulO.
The main effort in the west has, OF
course, been made by the French. In the
past six months sustained attack mas peen
made in each sector. Thus in January the
first offensive broke out north Of the Alsne
and east of SCISSORS. Local advances were
made. but food carried away the Aisne
bridges and the French were obliged to
evacuate not only the ground gained, but
the ground held by the British in the early
DAYS of the general Allied advance after
the Battle of the Marine. This was the
one complete failure.
In February a new effort was made in
Alsace and French troops broke out Of the
Thur Valley below Than and touched the
Alsatian Plain. Their advance was
checked within sight Of Mulhausen and
Trey were crowded back to the hills. The
operation terminated with real gain to
the French, but they failed utterly to gain
foOthold on the plain.
A third effort in Champagne led TO
much more severe fighting and to terrific
losses on both sides. Not less than half a
million men fought for nearly month on
the narrow front between Rheims and the
Argonne, the French striving to get hold
of the railroad, which supplied the Ger
man front west of Vouziers. Slight prog
ress and actual failure to attain the OBJ
iect marked this effort. A fourth venture
about st. Mihiel brought back only insig-
nifcant profits.
The most successful French advance
was made in May, north of Arras, and re-
suited in the capture Of the Lorrette
heights and number Of villages west of
Lens. But once more the main objective
was not attained. The city Of Lens did
not fall and the German lines, thinned
to reinforce the eastern armies, were
not broken. In fact, the Germans were
able to organize a counter-offensive and
win back considerable lost ground. These
various offensives cost the ench not less
than 100000 in casualties and achieved no
material advantage.
British Failure November to July).
AS to the British efforts since the Bat
ties of Flanders, they may be compre-
hended in the simple statement that the
British army has been unable to accom-
plish any serious offensive result since the
middle of last November. The single am
bilious bid for success at Neuve Chapelle
in March ended in terribly expensive
local victory, but the gain here was offset
by loss of trenches in the Second Battle
of Ypres in April. A determined effort to
support the French operations about Arras
failed completely because of lack of am
muntion.
Since March the British, now number
ing perhaps half million, have held their
ground with little but trench fighting, in
which their losses have been heavy. Not
less than 100000 British have now been
killed, wounded or captured in the west
ern field. But the failure of the govern
ment to provide ammunition has halted
and still holds up, any British offensive.
All talk of Spring Drive" has proved
mere moonshine, and there remains some
doubt as to whether the British will be
able to undertake any serious offensive
before next Spring.
The Dardanelles February JULY.
Three circumstances produced the Allied
offensive designed to take Constantinope,
by forcing the Dardanelles. Turkeys
entrance into the war in November had
closed Russia's Black Sea ports. Winter
was sealing up the Arctic and Pacific
ports. Russia's need for munitioning was
plain. This was the chief circumstance.
Again, Turkish troops were undertaking
an offensive against Egypt which threat
ened British power at the very keystone
of the imperial arch. Finally, the fall of
was DOullu u SAtIClSe
profound influence upon Italy and the
Balkan States.
The first attempt was made by the
Anglo French fleet without land forces.
The operation began on February 10, was
marked by initial successes, and was COM
pletely checked by the sinking of three
battleships on March Is. What many
critics had foretold had now happened it
had again been demonstrated that naval
operation of this sort without the help of
landing forces could not succeed. 1t was
necessary to have recourse to a new ex-
petition; the Turks were warned in ad-
vance of what was coming and Allied
prestige in the Balkans was severely shat
tered. On the other hand, Italian partici-