IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM

ARTILLERY DUELS. THE STRUGGLE AT SOISSONS. PARIS, January 13. A communique states: Bad weather has impeded operations along the whole front. Wβ maintained our positions on the -west of Spur 132 (near Soissons), but gave ground on the east. Our artillery caused explosions in the enemy's batteries in the Champagne district. Violent artillery duels are proceeding from Rheims to the Argonne. We still hold the salient of Beau Sejour redoubt. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. SEVERAL SUCCESES CLAIMED. AMSTERDAM, January 13. A German communique states: After a heavy artillery battle we captured the trenches at Palingabrug, a suburb of Nieuport. We finally repulsed attacks on the canal at La Baseee, also at La Boiselle and Nouvron. Our counter-attack at Crouy (across the Aisne from Soissons) completely defeated the French, who evacuated the heights north of Crouy and north-east of Cuffies, which is north of Soissons. We repulsed French tappers' attacks near St. Mihiel, and occupied the heights north-east of Nomeny. HUNS AND BARBARIANS. VON KLUCK FEELS HONOURED. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, January 13. Von Kluck's headquarters on the Aisne are a veritable fortress, surrounded by trenches defended by massed batteries and machine guns. Von Kluck told a journalist: " They call "us Huns and barbarians. This honours us, because it proves that our strength was under-estimated." GERMAN AVIATOR CAPTURED. AFTER AN HOUR'S CHASE. PARIS, January 13. The German aeroplane captured by a French aviator at Amiens early in the week was brought down after an hour's pursuit. Its pilot -was only wounded, the observer being killed. The latter was a son of General Von Falkenhayn, Von Moltke's successor. GERMAN PHOSPHORUS SHELLS. POISONOUS WOUNDS. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, January 13. The Germans are using shells containing a> certain amount of phosphorus, the smoke enabling the gunner to note where the missile falls. The wounds caused by these shells are poisonous, and are untreatable. AFTER BATTLE OF YSER. GERMAN DESERTIONS. PARIS, January 13. Le Matin says that after the battle of the Yser many Germans deserted. No fewer than 11,000 deserted at Bruges, between November 15 and December 15. This accounts for the strict watch the Germans are keeping on the Dutch'frontier. GENERAL JOFFRE'S' ASSISTANTS. TWO RIGHT-HAND MEN. (Times and Sydney N Sun Services.) LONDON, January 13. General Joffre's Tight-hand men are Generals Foch and De Mandhny. General Foch in July was merely the commandant of an army corps. He is a man of the greatest simplicity and directness. General De Mandhuy was a plain brigadier. He was originally a Royalist. He has spent much of his life in garrison towns on the eastern frontier. He is a dark, agile little man, always ready for quick and long marches. IMPROVISED HELMETS. LONDON, January 13. Some Frenchmen in the look-out trenches are using improvised helmets similar to Ned Kelly's. FRENCH FRONTIER VILLAGES. GERMAN REQUISITIONS. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, January 13. The inhabitants of the French frontier villages, who hitherto thought themselves immune from German oppression, are startled to find Germans billeted on them. They find the requisition for cattle feed Terv rigorous. Numbers are fleeing to Holland, bat the Germans am attempting to head them a?

INVASION OF ENGLAND. WAITING FOR THREE MONTHS. LONDON, January 13. A corporal, describing the Christmas truce, states that the Saxons said their regiments had previously been in Kiel Harbour for three months waiting to go to England. AVIATOR MISINFORMED. PARIS, January 13. (Received Jan. 14, at 8 p.m.) The German aviator who flew over Dunkirk was evidently misinformed as to the time of M. Poincare's arrival. He threw a weighted streamer -with the inscription " Good afternoon, M. Poincare." GERMAN TROOPS MOVING. MILITARY ATTACHES GO EAST. AMSTERDAM, January 13. (Received Jan. 14, at 8.20 p.m.) The German railways are practically reserved until the 18th inst. for the transport of troops. Foreign military attaches with the Germans on the western front have gone to the eastern. COPPER HELMETS SACRIFICED. PARIS, January 13. Some German Tegiments with copper helmets and spikes are sending them to Germany. JAPANESE SURGICAL ASSISTANCE LONDON, January 13. Japan is sending Red Cross contingents to England and France. FRENCH DEPUTIES FIGHTING. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, January ]3 There are 125 members of the French Chamber of Deputies serving at the trent who will attend the opening of the Chamber on Tuesday. COAL FOR GERMANY. BELGIAN MINERS EMPLOYED. AMSTERDAM, January 13. The Telegraaf states that the Germans are employing 40,000 miners in tJie collieries at Mons, Liege, and Charleroi, and sending the coal to Germany; also timber from Namur, Brabant, and Hainauit. WORK IN THE TRENCHES. KING ALBERT'S PRACTICAL SYMPATHY. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, January 13. King Albert, while inspecting the lelgian lines with his staff officers <n Sunday, saw some men digging trenches. They were looking very tired, and he inquired how long they had been working. On being informed that they had done 14 hours, he sent them away to rest, while ho and his staff officers continued digging to relieve them. SURE TO BE DENIED. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 13. It is denied that the Egyptian expedition has been abandoned. TURKS OCCUPY TABRIZ. LONDON, January 13. Reuter's correspondent at Petrograd reports that a Turkish advance guard has occupied Tabriz. IN SOUTHERN SYRIA. TURKISH OFFICERS HANG BACK. LONDON, January 13. Reuter's Cairo correspondent says that the Turkish officers commanding in Southern Syria do not show any desire to advance southwards, demanding that Con stantinople send more trained soldiers. News of the Turkish defeat in the Caucasus is disheartening the Turkish recruits mustering at Hebron. The German officers are chiefly the impelling factor. THE BATTLE OF SOISSONS. FRENCH COMMUNIQUE. PARIS, January 13. (Received Jan. 14, at 8.20 p.m.) Official: Our counterattack slightly progressed between Cuffies and Croy, but we were unable to debouch at Croy. Our troops fell baek slightly near the village of Moncel. GERMAN CONFIDENCE WANING. MUCH VIRTUE IN AN " IF." LONDON, January 14. (Received Jan. 14, at 10.50 p.m.) Amsterdam newspapers report that a German officer said that if the German troops had to retire from their present positions Belgium would be devastated, because the men had got beyond control.