NIVELLE'S FAILURE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 250, 21 October 1919, Page 5

NIVELLE'S FAILURE.

' "WE HAVE NOTHING TO REGRET." ! LONDON, October 15. 1 Oolonefl Ropinjrton, writing in th< "iMorning Po?it" commenting on tlie Teve ' lationS in thelFripnch Chamber of Deputies 1 concerning the lt>l7 Champagne offensivi ■ and unified command expresses the opinion that the British High Command hai nothing to regret with regard to it; action when General Xivelle failed. irle urges the publication oif all docu merits to enlighten the French am British peoples.—(Renter.) A message received recently state< 1 that a debate in the French Chamber o ■ Deputies on October 11 led to sensationa ■ revelations regarding the failure of th. I French offensive in the Champagne ii ■ April, 1917. M. Painleve, who wasfhei i Minister for War, told the Chamber tha 1 the Germans discovered the Frencl 1 plans, with the result that the offensive was smashed before it reached the Gei man's eecond line. The French in tei days lost 34,000 killed and 30,00' wounded. The former Premier, M Briand, dramatically intervened in th debate, declaring that on the authorit; of the British and French Government 3 General Nivelle took command of tih f French and British armies in January 1 1917. and was entitled to give instriu . tiona to Field-Marshal Hnig. What the ha-ppened is wrapped in obscurity, but s Paris paper publishes a letter purporte - to have t>een written by M. Briand t S Mr. Lloyd George, complaining of th "tendencies of Haig to evade instm tions," thus rendering unity of comman impossible.