WON BACK

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 147, 21 June 1917, Page 5

WON BACK

THE LOST POST AT MONCHY THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN 457 SHIPS SUNK IN FOUR MONTHS

The advanced post lost by the British at Monchy le Preux has been recaptured. Strong counter-attacks in the Souchez Valley, following heavy bomhardments. failed. Slight gains were also made south of the Cojeul, and north of the Souchez River. During the past week the German submarines accounted for 27 merchant vessels over 1,600 tons. In four months of intensified piiacy they have sunk 322 British vessels of over 1,60 d tons and 135 under that tonnage, a total of a million and three-quarter tons being sunk. Three hundred vessels have been unsuccessfully attacked. The ex-King of Greece has reached Switzerland. The Allies have now occupied all that portion of Thessaly which they intend to hold, and have taken steps to combat Royalist tendencies in the army, which is at present in the southern area of Greece. The Russian crisis is maturing, and, according to German belief, the next fortnight will reveal with whom the ProGermans or the Provisional Government—the real power lies A Polish army is being prepared to fight Germany, to which" Poles now in America will contribute a reinforcement of

BRITISH REGAIN LOST POSTS AT MONCHY. COUNTER-ATTACKS NORTH OF SOUCHEZ REPULSED. .(Received S a.m.); LONDON, Juno ,_. General Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The post eastward of Monchy-Ic-Preux, where we were compelled to withdraw on Monday, when the enemy attacked Infantry Hill, has been re-established. Northwards of Souchez the enemy heavily bombarded us, and thrice counter-attacked positions captured yesterday. In each case he completely failed.— (High Commissioners Cable.)

STILL NIBBLING ON FLANDERS FRONT. LONDON, June 20. A report from Sir Douglas Haig states:—We advanced slightly'south of the Cojeul River and north of the Souchez River. We captured four field guns east of Messines on Thursday night in addition to those already reported. Our aeroplanes did valuable work, despite the unsettled weather. We bombed an enemy dump, causing an explosion. Our airmen brought down six enemy aeroplanes. Three of ours are missing. Advices from Munich state that as a result of a visit of the Kaiser and General Hindenburg to the Western front, a commission is being appointed to investigate the apparent aerial supremacy of the Allies. Replying to a question in the House of Commons. Mr. J. I. Macpherson, tiider-Secretary for War, said that an air pilot reported that after the recent raid on East London he attacked and drove down an enemy aeroplane over the sea. Clouds prevented him seeing whether the enemy fell into the water (A. and y.Z. Cable.) -Mr. Bonar Law stated in the House of Commons that the Government was considering tbe question of pensioning the dependents of victims of the air raids.— (Router.)

URATES' INCREASING TOLL OF BRITISH SHIPS. TWENTY-SEVEN SUNK LAST WEEK. (Received 11.30 a.m.); LONDON, June 20. Tlie. submarine losses during last week were twenty-seven vessels of over 1,600 tons.—i.A. and N.Z. Cable.) The toll of the pirates for tho week closing 3 p.m. Sunday la.->t is the heaviest recorded for some weeks.. Their heaviest total was 40 vessels over -he l,fioo ton limit early in May. but subsequently it dropped to about 15. The week before last the total sinkings were 15, while last week they rc_ to 22.

FOUR MONTHS OF INTENSIFIED PIRACY. TOTAL SINKINGS ESTIMATED AT 7,750,000 TONS. WASHINGTON, June 20. The submarine toll for the past four months has included 322 British Vessels over 1.600 tons, and 133 under 1,600 tons. During the same period 300 vessels have been attacked unsuccessfully. The arrivals at and sailings from British ports averaged 2,500 weekly. The total loss is unofficially computed at 1.750,000 tons.—(Renter.)

HOW SARRAIL WAS HAMPERED BY EX-KING CONSTANTINE. POSSIBLE INCLUSION OF VENIZELIST IN THE CABINET. LONDON, June 20. A French communique states that the Allies have reached the southern limit of the territory they desired to occupy in Tliessaly, and have taken over centre! of important points. The inhabitants have handed over a considerable quantity of arms and munitions. British detachments are participating in the occupation of Thessalv and Piraeus, the port of Athens. The Allies are taking steps against General Papoulas and other officers in Peloponnesus—the southern portion of Greece, where the army is interned —who are opposing the change in the regime. The French commander has notified Greek troops not supporting the national movement that they may leave for their homes. The Greek Cabinet has empowered the lYemier to discuss the tion of the Cabinet with Venizelist adherents, with a view to the inclusion 'of at least one Venizelist. A <;,-eck correspondent of the newspaper "Petit Parisien" states that Ocneral Sarrail admitted, in 1915, to a friend that his army was in a most painful situation. It was impossible to attack, and a check would mean r.tn-at into the sea. He said. 'Rid mc of O.tstantim- ami I will take care ot the rest." The correspondent confirms the statement that Constantine had the protection of the Russian Court. Constantine has arrived at Lugano, on Lake Lugano, in the south of wiUerland.—lA. and _[._. Cable.^