Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-01

we're reverses and for several days the
Italians have been steadily driving the
Austrians from position after position
in the Trentino. The defense also OF
Verdun by the French, appears to have
stiffened and the balance OF battle in
that bitterly contested sector appears
recently to have swayed in favor OF
the defenders.
New Tactics Used.
The great offensive undertaken by
the British offers, according to reports
from the front and comments of mil
itary critics marks an absolutely new
departure in the tactics hitherto pur-
sued by the belligerents.
Contrary to the favorite tactics OF
the Germans the British did not at
tempt partial advance by massing
their artillery at a given point on the
line and following an intense lombard
ment by an infantry attack in serried
columns.
Enormous Number OF Guns.
Employing an enormous number or
guns the British maintained a contin-
uous and even bombardment of the
German lines along the entire 30 miles
of attack. They sought TO level the
German trenches and destroy the con-
crete fortifcations which sheltered the
German machine gun squads. Hurrt-
canes of shells were also directed
against the German barbed wire en-
tanglements. In the evenings follow
ing this daily artillery storm, raiding
parties dashed out from the British
lines to complete the destruction
wrought by the big guns. In this way
the British claim that many prisoners
were taken, machine guns destroyed
or captured and the entire defense or
the Germans demoraliZed. A French
officer who witnessed this plan OF OPP
erations described it as the last word
in scientific warfare"
Last Charge at LOOs.
The last considerable offensive un-
dertaken by the British was drive in
force at Loos in September, 1913 IN
conjunction with a similar French ef-
fort in the Champagne district The
British captured Loos and claimed TO
have taken 10000 German prisoners
and many guns. They were unable TO
press home their advantage, however
because, the British say, reserves
failed to arrive on time.
The British official losses In the
battle OF LoOS were 10000 men. EhaI
the British public is prepared 10 race
a roll of dead and wounded on an
even vaster scale is indicated by ths
of the British newspapers
in anticipating the present oHensiFe'
Political and military leaders haFe
warned the nation that the smashing
of the German lines could not posi-
bly be accomplished except at an APP 4
palling loss OF life. 1t has been as
serted. indeed, that the British author
tiles were prepared to face loss OF
some hundreds of thousands or SOL
dfers if they could drive the GerInans
from France and Belgium.
Balkans Only Quiet Front
The only front where comparative
quiet reigns today is in the Balkans
and the predictions OF an allied an
vance in that region have been at least
as numerous and circumstantial as
those regarding the British army IN
France. There have been some minor
OF porte ending activity in
the Balkans in the form of increased
artillery activity, aerial raids and ef-
forts by the Bulgarians to strengthen
their lines by the occupation OF fort
resses on the Greek side OF the from
tier.
100000 Troops at SalOniki.
Newspaper correspondents at Sa-
lOniki have estimated that the allies
have a total OF 100000 TO 100000 vet
eran soldiers concentrated on their
lines in that district The reorganized
Serbian army reported 10 De lDVtVVV
strong, was recently transported TO
from the island OF Corfu,
where they had been reequipped. The
British are said to have brought ZOO
900 men from Egypt in addition to
large numbers who were sent 10
Greece following the ill-fated Dardan-
Giles expedition. The balance of the
force is composed of French troops,
the majority also veterans OF the OAR
danelles. The highest estimate plac-
ed on the Bulgarian forces which
must oppose this great army has been
between 800, 600 and 900 men. A
from the Bulgarian front
stated recently that the German troops
who had been operating in the Bal
kans had been withdrawn TO other
fronts and that the brunt OF any at
tack must be borne by the BulgArians.