London, May 17.
The news of the recapture of Sol-lum encouraging. Sollum itself means nothing, and General Wavell may just as easily decide to withdraw his men as exploit present success by a further advance. He has shown himself such a master of desert warfare that it would be presumptuous to predict his plans. He seems to have nipped off the head of the German advance very success fully, and it will probably be found that the enemy losses were substantial, Meanwhile, his forces at Tobruk have been keeping the enemy fully occupied by attacks with stronely armoured raiding parties, and British planes have been making life uncomfortable for all the columns bringing up supplies and reinforcements, The moral effect of this success will be most wholesome in Eevot, and especially in Syria. but its chief imtrance lies in the fact that the Germans will have to put forth much greater efforts if they are to maine on the Egyptian eater efforts at the end of ne of communications stretching across the desert from Tripoli and Benehazi, not to mention the Medi. terranean crossing British submarines and aircraft have recently been taking a heavier toll of the transports trying to run the gauntlet.; These leaks in the plyes must be more appreciable in their effect the nearer one gets the front. and the more summer vances. Even the German resolu must feel the strain especially new effort is now to be made t Syria and Iraq.
They have shown such extraordinary efficiency in making the best use of their air that it would be uni to assume that they will prove unequal to the strain but if General Wavell is able to take due toll of their transport planes. his military tasks will be much easier.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.