New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-06

To begin with our own theatre Of war hrs''
n Flanders We have captured another usetu'
chunk Of the main ridge, and this morning
we have had news that the enemy has a'-
tempted a considerable counter attack upon
cur petitions which we have gained about
Passchendaele and has been completely
rcpulsed This is Of interest as showing
change in the enemy's methods. you may
re member that he began by holding ms front
line lightly. relying on his pill boxes ana
keeping his reserves behind, when ne used
70 counter attack in the very carly stages OF
the battle These counter attacks the enemy
found. were too costly, and caused him enor-
nous sacrifices, as the reserves came under
cur artillery barrage, and he gave them up.
In our October attacks he has gone back 20
his old method of holding his front line more
thickly and given up counter attacking. This
has also been very costly, as his trenches
rave been pounded 10 pieces and his men
killed.
Now he is trying third method-that is,
Of deliberately counter attacking one or two
days after our advance is over, which has
the advantage, from his point Of view, OF
allowing him more time to make his prepara-
tons. That, too. has failed. He subjected
our front TO heavy bombardment and put
up a heavy attack and gained no ground AT
all. There is nothing moro to be said about
the Western front.
told you some time ago that during the
cold weather, which is the maneuvrlng
period Of the Turk. we might expect that
there would be developments in our Eastern
theatres. What has happened there for the
last week has been of great interest Before
I talk about Palestine / will take the less
important operations at the moment in Meso-
potamia. Perhaps first of all. had better
remind you what the situation of the East
has been generally this summer General
Falkenhayn. the late chief Of the German
General staff has gone to Turkey. His head
quarters are at Aleppo and, as you know,
they have been advertising great prepare
tons for the recapture of Bagdad. The OBJ
icct of our operations is the defeat OF tnat
enterprise.
In Mesopotamia
Now, in Mesopo.amia, General Maude IS III
central position, from which he Is able TO
hit out right, left or centre, as opportunity
oTers and as the enemy comes within strlN-
ing distance OF hlU ne "euS w N"N
Euphrates few weeks ago and struck sue
cessful blow there. This time he has adj
vanced up the Tigris and has driven the
Turks from Tekrit, which was their advance
tase on the Tigris, destroying all their
stores. The enemy had two divisions there
and they have fallen back some fifty miles
20 the north General Maude, having driven
back these troops, removed the useful stores
and destroyed everything that was not Of
use. and is now coming back TO his original
position. There was no point in his staying
forward in an advanced position, merely pro-
longing his communications to no purpose.
In the mean time, on the other flank of the
Turkish line. General Alenby has been very
active | described TO YOU the initial stage
Of the battle last week; how we started in
with turning movement on Beersheba, and,
having got round the Turks, proceeded 70
turn their lines. gradually proceeding north
ward. The last news published III the papers
was that the enemy had fallen back TO 4
position or the Wadi Sukeir, some ten miles
north of Askalon. On the 18th General Al