Feb. 1.
The quickness with which Demo in Libya has been captured must occasion very considerable. surprise, though it clearly shows how the British and Allied forces have taken advantage of the character of the terrain and followed closely upon the heels of the retreat ing Talians, What is even more surprising the fact that the Halians apparently made serious attempt 10 hold. the position, despite the fact that it was better fortified than either Tobruk or Bardia, for though it is stated that the Matians offered more re-stance than at any time during the present campaign the Brilish were able to occupy the town after a short but terrific. attack, That the Hallans were unable to put up a botter chow was in all probability due inferior numbers and poor moral. "Tt is. kely that the British forces will be able to progress towards "Benghazi, the capital Libya, at anything like the' speed they have been snaintaining ever since General Sir Archibald Wavell opened his campaign. The terrain which has now to be covered changes from the comparatively level wide spaces of desert into hills and ravines, which will oblige them to remain largely" on. the. main roads, while these same natural features may prove to be of some assistance to the Italians should they decide to make a stand, The distance from Demo to Benghazi as the crow flies is some 150 miles. By the roads it will be somewhat longer, and the speed of the British advance will depend to 4 great extent upon the rate at which the hills and ravines commanding the highways can be cleared of Italian troops who might otherwise threaten the Danks of the advancing columns. For that reason it would be unwise to expect any such spectacular developments have so quickly followed each other since the British and their Allies Taunched the original attack upon Sidi Barrani, for it may very well prove to be the ease that they are ju fact entering upon the hardest phase of the whole "campaign. That they will be greatly assisted by the very substantial reduction of the Tialian forees is true, but there is always a possibility that the Italians may fight more desperately the nearer they arg obliged to fall back upon the capital, In Albania the Italian counter-offensive. which General Ugo Cavallero hoped would retrieve his army's defeats at the hands of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.