THE PROSPECT IN LIBYA
N spite of the intensity of the fighting on the Russian front Libya remains the centre of interest and concern for every British tudent of the conflict. Elsewhere, apart from the Battle of the Atlantic, regarding which official information is withheld, the war is of going ill. Despite Mr. Curtin's grave warning the Japanese rust to Australia grows no more imminent ; fuller knowledge of the sses inflicted on the Japanese navy in the Coral Sea and Midway sland sea-air engagements almost suggests the contrary. In Russia e Kharkov fighting is still taking place on ground which Timo- shenko gained in May, and the German attack has slackened before has obtained any appreciable success. Sevastopol holds out still face of an almost incredible concentration of assault. But in Libya e reverse sustained by General Ritchie is serious—at any rate for the moment. It is true that there are many alleviating featUres. The 0 bulk of the French garrison was got safely away from Bir Hacheim ; mmel's attempt to cut off a South African and a British division lit Gazala failed completely ; we still, as this is written, hold Acroma, tl Adem and Sidi Rezegh ; and a Mediterranean convoy, after sus- taining heavy and continued air-attack magnificently, has got supplies to Tobruk, though by no means all the supplies that were destined for that fortress. But Rommel has undeniably regained the initiative, and our heavy loss of tanks in the engagement of Monday leaves him almost certainly with a substantial advantage in armour, for his advance cuts us off from our damaged tanks and enables him to recover his. In such a battle positions are of secondary importance, and it looks as if we should abandon Acroma. Rommel no doubt aims still at capturing Tobruk, and, as a preliminary step, to cutting its communications with the east. But heat may impede his opera- tions, to our advantage.
