THE HONG KONG TELEGRAPH.
SOME WAR REFLECTIONS.
AN INTERESTING ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION,
Submarine, Aggression: an American View.
" I. New Horizons.
EXTRA
HONGKONG, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1915,
[Balow we give an article possible for the foe even at the which recently appeared in the expense of neutrale. American Review of Reviews. This policy, too, was of utmost under the beading" The War's interest to Americans, because it Now Alignments.' The was, after all, aimed chiefly at author is Mr. Frank It. S- Americno ships, likely to be the monte,whose commentarios os hearera of supplies to the British the war bavo sccured world Islands. What Germany actually wide notice]
sought was not to shut off Amer ican ships from Bagland, but by Viewed from the military side, threat to compel Americans to February was for Germany the urge Great Britain to remove its most brilliantly successful moзth embargo va food for Germany since October, when she took carried in neatral bottoms, and, Antwerp and approached the very this request were refused, to pro walls of Warsaw. Eastward her hibit the shipping of arms and victores over the Russians were supplies to the Allies. By this as complete in Bakovina as in time the campaign of German East Prussia, and her armies Americans to have the American brought new life to Austro-Han- Congrass prohibit the exportation garian efforts in the Carpathians of arms and ammunition to balad succeeded. Only the defeat of a naval raid directed at the British coast and the loss of the Blucher gave Ber: lin cause for regret.
if
ligeronte had failed, and the quan. tity of ammunition flowing from she United States to the allied and particularly Eagland, had become enormous.
YG
critics was the fact that the ǝ had besa allowed to Germany, RO many montha to fortify his linen behind ber front that monthe, and even nevaral years, might pass before, there could be any real hope that Lille, St. Quentin, Maubeuge would be freed from the invader by military operation.
when this is written, their retreat fest and the summile in the threatened with siege. Soob, bad rashed overwhelming forces has balted at the Seroth River, a eastern monatsina paas 6,000, the briefly, is Germin achievement into East Prassis, beaten the Rus few miles south and west of Czor-elevation of the central depression in defence, of Hungary, an sian flanking force between the nowitz and the Russian frontier, is well below 2,000 and through achievement in which Austro- Nismen and the Augerapp and more than two-thirds of Bukovina soveral gaps the main roads and Hungarian troops shared largely, completely redeemed Esat Prussia, hes been reconquered and the railways from Hungary into but for which the chief credit save for a little corner about Germans have interposed a wall Eastern Galicia find their way. must go to the German.
Lyok. of troops between the Czar and Three of these passos have been IV. East Prussia is Redeemed. On February 17 Gorman troops his prospective Roumanian allies in the nawe of the war ever since To answer the Austro-German were advancing eastward all
In the same time there came the Russians entered Lamberg. thrust through Bukovina and over along the front from the Vistula What was in the minds of all from Budapest new rumours of These are, from west to east, the the Carpathians the Russians to the Niemen, were across the observers was the prospect: that" Russian disaster, of the suicide of Dukla Pass, through which goes chose to strike at Esat Frassia. Russian frontier in many places, the defeat of Germany, if it were a Russian communder, and the the main highway from Hungary Strategically such a move was and were still driving the Russians to be achieved in advance of the ospture of the General stiff of the to Galicia, that reaches the Galician advantageoua becane it meant back toward their fortresses of slow and terrible attrition of years defeated army. These romura Plain southeast of Tarnow moving troops a for aborter diat Kovno, Grodno, Bielatok, and of conflict, must come from the were properly discounted, but the Lupkow Pass, through which | ance away from Warsaw, which Ostrolanka; that is, behind the use of naval power and not by there remained the solid fact that rana the railroad from Budapest remained the centre of military Niemen and the Narew. Seven any spectacular or immediate Bukovina had been reconquered, to Preemyal, which joins the operations in the whole eastern months after the war had broken military operation. In September the invitation to Roamanis to southern Galician trunk line at front. Praotically could Eat out German soil was practically the French and English had participate in the war had beon Sanok; and the Uzsok Pass, Prussia be overran, the Russian free of Russians, and from the attempted to torn the Germane abruptly cancelled by German through which goes the main front would be straightened, a Roumanian frontier to the Baltic, out of France by a flank move to arms and from Buaharest there railway between Vioans and great provinos, a source of food German troops, with the support Belgium. This had failed. In came as more reports of the in- Lemberg and also an important supply to Germany, would be of their Austro-Hungarian allies, December and January a second torvention of the Latin state with military highway. South of the conquered, and ultimately the were advancing. It was then, effort by a general offensive from out delay. On the contrary, there Uz sok is the Verecake Pass, German position between the small wonder, that the Kaiser Switzerland to the sea had failed were credible reports of the re- through which another trunk Bzura and the Nida in Russian himself should congratulate his had resulted in a loss of territory, lease of vast stores of grain proline goes from Vienna ty Lom Poland would be exposed to attack armies on achievements which, no insignificant but humiliating, in viously purchased by Germany berg, orossing the southera in the flink and rear.
he justly said, exceeded all ex- a loss of life all official reports and Austria, tomporarily held up Galicia line at Stryj, as the Uziok Thus, while the main Russian pectation.
concealed. by the Roumanian Government, line does at Sambour.
and German armies faced each In this situation it was con- Military men paid full tribute but now permitted to go north.
By there passes Russian raiding other west of Warsaw on the lines ceivable that a German drive at to the strength and efficiency of the Patently a military campaign forces defcended into the Elan-they had taken when Hinden Warsaw from the north, defeated French army. Whatever its state waged for obvious political ends, gerian Plain along the Theiss barg's great offensive against the by weather rather than Russian in August, it was in February fit itiver in December, spread dea Pulish capital had been balted in arms in December, might be for any possible task. Bu antil Nor did the quieting of traction and compelled the recal! December, new armies were dir resumed. But as the Polish England's new million had come Rumania end the success of of the Austrian army corps which coted against the German pc-spring approached and the roads there was small hope for the German policy. A German loan at that moment were on the point sitions north of the Vistula and became impassable, military French of clearing their own soil to Balgaria again stimulated of crushing the Servian army about south of the Niemen, on a front authorities began to forecast a and there was no mistaking the rumour that Ferdinand and his Valievo. It was over these four, from Tilsit toJohannisburg, while new German effort in the West, fact that the month brought with Bulgarian subjects were con passes that the Austrisne in another foras moved down the where spring would bring good is a depression not equalled since templating an entrance into the
north bank of the Vistula toward war on the German side
Taora. were planning to retake Mace
Again it is necessary to glance donia, to strike at Servia and
at the map to grasp the operations. Greece, and, by cutting the Orient
At the westernmost point of faşide the englern frontier of East Railway, shut off the Slav state their advance the
Itusaiana Prussia some fifty miles there from Silonios and forsiga sup- penetrated Hungary to the en extends from north to south be-
For the Allies February was a plies, and by invading the Valley virons of the city of Kassa, 170 tween Insterburg and Johannis
month comparable with the year. of the Morava open a road be- miles from the Hungarian capital, burg that intricate tangle of water V. Still the Deadlock in the West 1882 in the Civil War, when the tween Berlin and Constantinople and in January vast throngs of known as the Manrian Lakes, out
While Russia had met with American people first began to supply the salient detail of the add thus unite the central or fagitives brought to Budapest of which flows the Angerapp complete failure in the East, while inke measure of the meaning of war in February and these will be Oontinental nations. This ramar evidence of Russian incursion. If River, which joins the Inster at Germany had multiplied armies on war and the North began to com discussed briefly after the pro was perhaps idle, but it is inter dungarian loyalty to the Austro- Interbarg to make the Pregel, a the whole front from the Baltic to prehend the extent of its tank. grees of the operations East and eating to note, as it indiostes the German alliance were to be stream West has been reviewed.
that enters the sea at the Prath, and won notable tri Yet by commercial treaties, br change in a month from the Janu-maintained it was meossary for Koenigsberg, In this region Ren- amphe, she had displayed no mutual loans, by the general ary gossip of Roumanian attack Germany to intervene in the nenkamft had suffered his grest weakness on the West. Not only schenie of pooling resources and upon Hungary.
Carpathians as in Bakovina. Once disaster in September at Tannen had ahe beaten down all that was efforts, Allied statesmen gave new Finally, from Albania o me a more Germany's resources in men berg. To this obstacle the Rus left of the much-heralded French promise of enduring, and Potro- the marches of the Drina, directed fresh incursion into Servia along and material were adeqaste.sians had returned in October offensive in Alanse, realise be the new lasing dress cours Thus, while in January the after defeating a German invasion ground won along the Aisne be the determination of Paris in early at Prierend and the territory still battle reports epoke of towns in of Sawalki Province at the Bastle fore Soissons and about Rheims, September, to continue until populated by Albanians but ceded the valleys of the Latorse, the of Augustovo.
and beld off the British attack victory was achieved, Treaty of London. Here was new of the Theiss on the Hungarian German forces had faced such Rheims, about Souls, who had to Servia and Montenegro by the Ung and the Inboro, tributaries For three months Russian and upon La Bassee, but eastward of a prize Germany, still holding
VI. Germany's Food Problem. Belgium, Northern France, passed the central and eastern work for the Servian army oal-side of the mountains, by Febru. other in this region with little or on the confession of French official Western Poland, in February Carpathian passes other forces
It now remini to discus, the culated to keep it occupied south ary even the Russian bulletins no change of position. Now the statements, overwhelmed a French struck at England with the pro. swept Bukovina and approached of the Dagube and away from began to concede ths, pressies of Russians undertook to turn the detachment and made good her olamation that the waters about Transylvania,
The occupation Benis until Germany had dealt Austro-German forces in the up- Germans out of their strong triumph.
February was revealed by German the British Islands were a war vitation to Roumanis to join the with Russian activity in the south per valleys of the Wislocka, the position behind the Maurian In a word, the deadlock in the
action to be the chief concern
be exposed to attack and destrac- conflict on the Russian side and were the purpose and achieve the Galician side of the range. By north and south; that is, by com-und nowhere was there the slight perhaps best to approach this
east. Such, briefly summarised, San, and the Dacister; that is, on Lakes by attacking from the West was unbroken in February receive Bukovina as a bribe and ment of German arms in Bukovi- February 17 the Russians conceding in on the flanks. At the oat est indication that the Allies were point of view and then to refer to Transylvania as a reward for par
DR, Thus promptly and comed that they had yielded in all set this move met with apparent now making progress, even by the meagre guidance given by ticipation.
letely hard the Kaiser answered four of the pastes and had taken solid ground be seen the Niaman French coil deports of the ar- Intern Coralla, the first months
success, Coming west on the inchse, toward the liberation of weeks before; thus had he justi Carpathians on the Galician side and the Angerapp rivers, the rival of British reinforcements of the war had settled one thing. fed the affection and esteem in and along the southern Galician Russians approached Tilsit, took continued, but military observers, which he had long besa held by the Hungarians and silenced the whispers of discontent in Badap-
Yet the solid and splendid triumphs of German arma bad for "A discussion of the American the world lees meaning than the policy as revealed in the note to official declarations which by Germany and the similar note lo their very defiance of internation- Creat Britain, evoked by the use al practice and neutral rights of the American Rag by British "guemed to emphasies how serious passenger steamships, is outside for Germany had become the the field of this review. But the question of her food supply and condition of the German mind how terrible was the advantage of and the canses for the Grman sea power poseresed by her most action are of obvious pertinence, relentless and most hated enemy, England.
Napoleon, having corquered at Austerlitz and Jena and become temporarily master of Europe, had sought to crush British com marce by his famous Berlin and Milan decrees, the first of which proclaimed that the British Isles were in a state of blockade; the second declared that any ship which touched a British port was liable to be seized and treated as
zone in which neutral ships would
tion by German submarines with
East.
11. Politics and Strategy to the In December and early January second time given the world second time given the world reason to believe that a collapse of the Dail Empire might change the whole face, of the conflict, While Russian armies again
of the crownland was a fair ing
est.
out the formality of search.
To her foos such a doctoration
For Germany the problem was could only mean that Germany forosaw the coming of a time when promptly, eat to protect Hungary, her own food supplies would fail. grown impatient through disaster This view was further oanfirmed and anxious because of impending by an earlier official decree which attack from Servis, from Galicia placed all grain supplies in Ger- and Bakovina, and because of the many ender the control of the possibility of Koumanian hostility. The resignation of Barohtold and together government. Taken
the selection of Burian were. these two sets were accopted 68 confession that Germany feared de- evidences that within the Empice feat by starvation unless she could ungarian apprehensions were break the iron ring about her. To recognised. The visit of Counting of Transylvania that Hungary do this she must compel the 11:21 to the Kaiser was a sign Britisk to raise the embargo on
that Germany bad been warneir food supplies, and her only weapo
Tala warning Germany received was the submarine, by which she with all possible attention and act might hope to intercept food ships edupon with amazing promptness. bound for Britain and by compel. Thus in January, while the Rus ling the English to suffer fron sian occupation of Transylvania food shortage, force the abolition was being discussed, German troops were brought south and
purpose, it was duly an
of the food blockade.
November had come to the relief of Premysl in the campaign which ended in disaster along the Jan.
trunk line, which crosses the lines coming through the passes at Stryj, Sambour, Sanok, and
Pilkallen, began to talk again of a siege of Kosnigaberg. At the same time, to the south of the Maurian region, between the East Prussian frontier and the Vistula, they made head way toward Thorn.
roads. At the least Germany could not now choose, and in the E at the initiative was her. I Russia had, on the whole, done more than had been expected of her, she had so far failed to har- vast decisive results, and was at
standstill.
a
the Battle of the Maras, a copros sios not revealed in any desire to make pesos, but in a new under- standing of the terrible sacrifices that were to come, must come be- fore there could be hope of peace,
problem of foot'sapply, which in
of the Kaiser's ministers. It is
question first from the German
international
measuring the strength of the 4 has often been pointed out in British army by the front it still occupied, maintained that as yet there were not more than 220,000 troops of all arma and of all races under the British colours on the Oontinent.
iron mines of Bries, the
this magazine, the chance to conquer Europe vanished at the Marne. The problem that re Kraeno.
mained was whether Europe could III. The Battle for the
In the meantime Freemysl still Carpathians, ... held out, and by February 15,
conquer Germany either by mili- It was not merely for the say while Garman bulletins promised
tary effort or by using eespower to starve the civilian populations In the frat week in February,
That the French and English of Germany and her Austrian ally. the deliverance of the gallant gar preated to the Kaiser; even rison of this town, now reduced however, Hindenburg countered had been able to manufacture Six months of effort to conquer more serious was the menice to horsement, but promising to with ferrific force. The first sign heavy artillery to match the Cer-Germany earned for the Allies: which a Russian advance across cat shoe leather before they was a tonowal of the German man was conceded on the sidee, little of real value. In February and Lemberg han for the Magyar mente grudgingly admitted that along the Bzura-kawa front. On guns was claimed in official state- pied practically all of Belgium, the Carpathians south of Preemyal yielded, Raseian official state offensive south of the Vistula and and superiority for new British as in September Germany con to explain the cam the garrison was showing new this line the Germans began a ments. That sufficient ammu- much of Northern France, and of series of desperate assaults which nition was in their hands was Western Poland. The fory paiga i ia necessary briefly to activity.
At the moment these lines are were announced as a new drive suggested by German statements regions of the province of lain- describe the military importance of the Carpathians and of the written the Austro German cam at Warsaw. Petrograd proclaim of the discovery of American ault and of the Department of the A to English ships, Admiral concentrated in lower Hungary Northern Hungery.
preses which connect Galicia with paign seems momentarily pansing ed the slaughter in these fights supplies among the captures. In Nord, the coal deposits of Lens, von Tirpitz had, in January, Their
At the foot of the passes on the the greatest in the whole war, and arms and ammunition the gap the frankly proclaimed a policy of nounced from Vienni and Berlin, Looking at the map, it will be Galician side. If the offensive there were circumstantial reporte between Germany and her oppon- richest industrial regions in "on- submarine aggression which on-was a new invasion of victorions to that the Carpathian range can be pushed home along the that the Kaiser himself had been ents had plainly been permanenttinental Europe, outarde
atretches in a wide Lalf circle from roads and railways now partially shocked by the sacrifice of life inly bridged. In numbers it was Germany, remained in the bot stricken Sarvis. Yet a few the southernmost corner of Ger occupied, the deliverance of a foclern undertaking. templated sinking ships and
stated by many, whose views de- Kaiser's hande. To defenó kís stews and thus condnot a reign weeks later, these troops appeared man. Silesia to the frontier of Galicia, held since September 1, By the second week in this serve credence, that the Germans frontiers on alien soil was still
in Transylvanie Roumanian and moved east
Roumania. On a relief map it must follow. But already the month, however, the truth became bad now less than 1,000,000 on possible. frontier, as a warning to the is pierced almost at the centre Carpathians from the Ronmanian
will be noted that this great circle, whole Russian offensive along the apparent. The German attacke the western front, were outnum- ohenzollern king of this siste that to take Transylvania he must by a wide depression, due south frontier to the Tatra has been at the very mouth of the Mersey and setting their crews ashore, fight the head of the Hohenzol of ysl and Lemberg. West halted, thrown back, and cleared Such a ovarse most and did pro-
lern house. S
of this depression the Carpathians out of the important passes. The form three separate folds or invasion of Baugary is no longer voko Gofavourable ⠀⠀ criticism Undor the pressure of these ridges, from north to south the discussed, the reamquest of smong the neatrals, but to extend troops Lussian armiesin Bukovins Western Beskide, the High Tatra Galicia is the question of the this policy to neutral ships was speedily began to give ground. and the Low Tairal East of 1 hour. to open now horizon, was a frank Step by step they were driven the range spreads out with high While the Russians have thus confession that the German eim- from before the Borgo and Kirili- summits known as the Eastern been driven ons of the Car paign to win sympathy abroad babs passes, they were cleared Borkids and the Forest Moon-pathians, they have been checked had given way to a stern negers out of the foothills of the Caretain While the High Tatra about Tarrow, fifty tiles east of ity to make war as terrible as Pinne, and on February 17, reach en elevation of nearly 9,000 Cracow, which is at looger
of terror on the high seas. In February the campaign opened not by sinking crow and shi
but by torpedoing several
parallel
(To be Continued)
of
bad keen mere soreening move bored at least two to one; yet ments to cover the withdrawal of such was the use they made of troops from this front to East captured railways that their nam Prussia and very soon Petrograd bora remuined wholly adequate
Lord Rosebery's Tutor began to concede defeat and re- for their task. treat in East Prussia, while Ber. In February, too, militery of vice-chancellor of the University Principal Sir James Donaldson lin announced a second Tannen servers commented freely upon of St. Andrews, died a St. A Russians. In any event it was task. There was no real belief barg and the capture of 40,000 the growing dificulty of the Allied draws, Ho spoceeded P no pal clear that by the use of antoms that Germany could again sweep in 1907. He was an fulimate Tallochin 1890 and was knighted biles, by again employing the south, no notion that her so friend of Lord Rosebery, whose strategic railways along the East es could be more than local what Prussian frontier, the Germans wag in the minde of
sutor he had been,