May ji, 1917 
LAI\D & WATliK 
donia. But if we adtl up llic brigades, llie isolated battalions, 
the organised divisions, etc., we arrive, as I have said, at a 
total ot 130, in which much more than half, 76, are German. 
But there is more than this. Of the remainder, of the 74 
divisions which make up the balance^ only 34 are Austrian ! 
It is a singular proof at once of the exhaustion of Austria- 
Hungary and of the tremendous pressure which our Itahan 
Allies are successfully exercising. Those who have hesitated 
to accept tlie figures of Austrian concentration upon the 
Italian front might do worse than to correct theii' scepticisni 
by considering the order of battle on the east. 
There is more again. 
Of the non-German divisions upon tiie Eastern front, 
very nearly 40 per cent., jo out of 54, are 01 a sort that cannot 
be used elsewhere at all. They are 1 urkish and Bulgarian ; 
and when we consider that the Bulgarian divisions are very 
much larger than the rest we are sate in saying that at least 
half, and probably more than half of the non-German elements, 
are strictly confined to the Eastern front without possibility 
of mutation. The whole study of this front in its present 
condition, or at least in the condition which it showed upon 
the eve of the great Western offensive (and it cannot have very 
greatly changed) shows three main features : 
(i) The line is held by the least nmnber necessary for that 
task, given the existing political situation. 
(2) The main burden falls upon German shoulders. • 
(3) Austria, in ])articulur, is severely bufiering {rom the 
cxliaustion of the war. 
The Italian Victory 
Tlie fust thing to giasp with regard to the great success 
with which our Italian Allies have marked the second anni- 
versary of their entrance into the war is that it must be judged 
upon precisely the same lines as every other offensive con- 
ducted against the common enemy since the tide turned 
against hnn. It is to be measured, not by movements upon 
the map, but by the moral and the material effect of the blow 
delivered. The expense in men upon either side, the com- 
pulsion exercised upon the enemy to counter-attack, and to 
reinforce hurriedly as best he can ; the particular effect of 
exhaustion upon him and upon us. 
This being so we next note in connection with this victory, 
that it has been achieved by three elements of superiority, 
two of which, long present upon the Anglo-French front, are 
now happily present also upon the Italian ; while the thiid 
we may congratulate our Ally u])on having produced in an 
exceptional fashion which has been quite his own. 
The first two are (i) superiority in the air, and (2) superiority 
in artillery. Tlic third is an element of sui"prise in a degree 
greater than we have been able to compass elsewhere. 
The superiority in air work has been most striking. We 
have no full reports as yet, but tlie statistics given tell their 
.• own tale. Observation from, the air and the bombing of com- 
' munications has been thoroughly in the hands of the Allies 
since the 23rd of May, the date upon which this new attack 
&, began, while the weight of fire has equally clearly been with 
y the Italians and has been aided, as we have all been glad to 
■! note, by the presence of British batteries and British guns. 
The element of surprise is perhaps mere repiarkable. What 
was done could not have been done Imd not the enemy been 
deceived into believing that the maim effort would come on ■ 
the north, It wtis the blow against the Monte Santo Ridg;a 
beyond the Isonzo described in our last issue, which collected 
north of Gorizia most of the local reserves the Austrians 'nad 
in hand, and perjnitted the unexpected blow to the soi/th a 
lew days later to achieve so signal a success. ^ 
The battle is still continuing, and y/c can only anrilysc its 
details u\) to the- point of last Mondsiy night, to which the 
last despatch airiik'ed at the time of writing refers. 
The object of ooir Allies was to reac h and attack the main 
Austrian position -across the Carso and fnom the C^rso to the 
boa. They arc, a^the moment of writing, imraediately»iu front 
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