Allies and help for Greece

Russians are holding their own

FROM all quarters the news this morning continues to be of a most encouraging character.

In the East (as shown later on) the Russians are more than holding their own and their captures of men and material can only be described as prodigious.

The semi-official Army Messenger states that on the Styr between Luzk and Kremenetz in the week September 14 to 22, there were captured two cannon, 72 machine guns and 26,400 prisoners.

Further figures given by the same paper show that on the two following days the tale of prisoners on this section was increased by 12,000 while a telegram from Kieff states that during the last fortnight about 60,000 rank and file of Austro-German prisoners and 1,500 officers have passed that town on their way to the interior.

Then, with regard to the Balkans, Mr George Renwick, the Daily Chronicle Athens correspondent, sends the welcome tidings that in Greece matters are now “in order”, a phrase explained in proceeding paragraphs.

On Sunday night, he says, the Ministers of the Allied Powers informed the Greek Government that the countries were ready, in case of attack on Serbia and Greece, or either, to land immediately a force amply equipped with artillery and other services.

“That force will be kept up to strength and reinforced as circumstances dictate.

“The Ministers of the Allied nations also informed the Greek Government that the Allies will furnish all necessary financial assistance immediately.”

The significance of this news cannot be overestimated for its connotes both a perfect understanding with Greece and a preparation by the Allies which must come as a great surprise to the enemy, if not to the world at large.

If Romania is hesitating she should now be able to make up her mind and indeed it is difficult to believe that at this stage she will yield to German pressure and allow troops and munitions to go through to Bulgaria and thence to Turkey.

All the same, nothing must yet be taken for granted and for a time we must be content with a situation which has certainly very much improved since the Greek mobilisation order was issued.

It is, however, the Western front which mainly occupies our attention today.

Another despatch from Sir John French, issued from the General Headquarters last night, continues the good news circulated on Sunday.

From this it appears that east of Loos the British offensive is still progressing while North-west of Hulluch a number of German counter-Attacks have been repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy.

Sir John French reports that the number of prisoners taken by our troops now amounts to 63 officers and 2,800 men, together with 18 field guns and 32 machine guns.

Equally satisfactory is the communiqué issued from Paris, from which it appears that none of the positions gained on Saturday and Sunday have been lost, but on the contrary several points occupied by the parties of the enemy which had been passed by the French in their forward rush, were captured; while in Artois all the trenches gained were held against attack.