Evening star., 1917-03-11

suffered terrible LOSSES uuiihS 'he
earlier d g. y s
British Now Have OF the war war
Plenty of Big Guns. pitiful Ia c k
of heavy guns to coved its work. This
condition prevailed during a greater
part of 1915 and the shortage OF artli-
lery even was felt up until the time the
British began to move forward in their
offensive along the Somme last year.
Since that campaign started the BRUSH
have practically tripled the number
Of their larger guns, while the ratlo
of increase Of smaller field pieces Is
even larger. In the present connict
along the Ancre in the direction of
Bapaume the British have been able to
churn up the ground before and far
behind the German lines many rect In
depth. German front line trench sys-
TENS have been obliterated in q wink.
It is declared on most reliable author
ity that German soldiers fighting in the
front ranks in mud waist deep were
cut of as long as forty-eight hours
without food. They could not advance.
neither could they retreat because OF
the British curtains of fire. The In
terlocking and communicating trenches
of the Germans were absolutely value
less for the very simple reason that
they no longer remained. Germans at
tempting to succor those men In the
first and second line trenches are de-
clared to have been moved down by
British machine guns. In fact. the
whole German retirement ts declared
to have been due to the utter inability
their organization at the extreme
front because of the British artillery
fire. The work of the British infantry
has been made comparatively easy
through the constant activity of the
heavy guns.
With this condition in mind the most
logical viewpoint to take is that the
Germans. no matter how many systems
of trenches they may erect to their
rear. constantly are in danger of con-
tinued forced retirement because of the
work of the British "heavies"
If their lines ON the Ancre and
SOmme have been virtually eliminated
by British artillery. IN 1t not reason
ones before and to the rear of Bapaume
and Peronne also must crumble1
The conclusion that the Germans in
this particular section. as well as else
where, are in for bad time of it has
justification in fact.
While British activities in the imme-
diate vicinity of Bapaume and to west
ward of h s
Burden of Taking point naturally
Peronne on British. nos. 80 s s,.ant,on
at the present time. the British effort
to the west of Peronne in the vicinity
of Bouchavesnes is important The
French and British lines now join at
the Somme. according to official ad-
vices, and il this be true 1t leaves the
burden of capturing Peronne upon the
British. for it long has been realized in
military circles that Peronne must be
taken from the north and northwest
The British claim to have taken
mile of trenches in the vicinity of
Bouchavesnes. where long since the
allies got astride the Peronne-Bapaume
teries Of German communication on the
western front. The British have de-
livered several attacks. Berlin record
ing the repulse Of some of these. The
the salient running into German lines
to the northwest. thereby creeping
closer to Mount st. Quentin, which is
declared to be the chief defensive point
between the British and Peronne. Tn
questionably some of the most severe
fighting Of the war will come in this
region. for 1t is particularly adapted to
defensive operations and it may be ex-
peCteQ tnat the Germans Will do every
thing within their power to check the
British at this point. That the Ger
mans have no intention Of leaving
Peronne without a severe fight is in
dicated by the character Of counter-at-
tacks launched against the British at
their point Of gain. The Germans
massed their forces and large guns but
despite their terrific fire and strenuous
advance movement the British held firm
under the onslaught
When the co-ordinated offensive of
the allied armies in the west gets under
way the French undoubtedly will try
to close in on Peronne from the west
and from the southwest. They have
drawn their lines to point where Peronne
is well within the range of their 4O0s
but it generally is conceded that the
French infantry will have to make de-
cided gains to the south. thereby pock-
citing Peronne, before this strategical
point will fall
Opinion still seems to prevail that the
Germans have not yet abandoned their
idea Of pressing toward Paris through
the Champagne region and through the
Artois There have been severe artil-
lery engagements during the past week
between Rivers Disc and the Aisne
The French have made several success
full raids against German positions
Berlin records the repulse of the French
on the Aisne.