THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 302, 10 September 1918, Page 5

THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

.SIR DOUGLAS lIAIG'S DISPATCHES

London, September 8. Sir Douglas Maig reports: "I3y nightfall yesterday wo had taken Villeveque and St. Emilie,' and gained possession of tho greater part of llavrinconrfc Wood. There was local fighting yesterday evening and at night cast nl Hermies, and in the. sector west of Ar'nientieres, without material ehango in the situation. West of La Bassco our patrols made further progress in the enemy's positions."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Venter.

BACK ON THE OLD LINE,

(Rec. September 9, 7.30 p.m.)

London, September 8,11 p.m. Sir .Douglas Haig reports: "On tho southern portion of the battlefield we have now entered the area of the defensive system ivo had constructed prior to the German March offensive. Tho enemy is offering increased resistance along the prepared defences, and sharp fighting occurred to-day at a number of points. We gained ground in the direction of Vermand, Heshnscourt, and Epehy. We. repulsed local attacks south-west of Ploegsteert, and eastward of Wulverghcm. The British have no\V taken 19,000 prisoners since the beginning of September. Clouds, rain, and storms 'hindered air work on Saturday. We dropped thirteen tons of bombs. All our night-bombers returned." — Aus.-N.Z. Cahle Assu.-R'euter. i FRESH PROGRESS BY THE FRENCH London, September 8. A French communique states: "North of tho Oise wo captured 31annessis (four miles north-west of La. Fere), and reached tho bank' of the St. Quentin Canal. South of the Oise we advanced to the outskirts of Servais. In the region of Laffaux and north of Cellcs-sur-Aisne wo ' maintained our positions against counter-attacks." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. i DESPERATE FIGHTING. (Bee. September 9, 11,50 p.m.) ' London, September 9,1.45 a.m. A French communique states: "To-day we made further progress north of the Somnso and carried Vaux, Fluquieres, Happencourt, and Hamel. South of the Somme the enemy's resistance was mo.st stubborn, and violent fighting raged north and cast of St. Simeon. The Germans attacked and partly retook Avosnes, after which, as the result of a desperate encounter, wo regained the position. We captured Ar temps, north-east of St. Simeon, and gained ground on both sides of tho Ooise, eastwards of Fragniers on tho outskirts of La Fere, and westwards of Servais."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. THE ENEMY'S REPORT (Rec. September 9, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 8, 8.30 p.m. A wireless Gormanofficial message states: "Everywhere on the battlefront we are in our now positions. South of tho Peronne-Cambrai road tho enemy attempted' to approach them. Our rearguards yielded, fighting, to a- numerically superior enemy. We repulsed violent attacks westward of Gouncaucourt, Epehy, and Templeaux. Southward of the Ailette the enemy readied our line eastward of, Vauxaillon."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

COMMENT ON THE I SITUATION

VALUE OF RECENT SUCCESSES,

■ London, September 8, 9 p.m. The most important feature of the operations is the crossing of the Crozat Canal. It was .regarded as a strong defensive line for St. Quentin against tanks, and might have been used as a bastion for the Hindenburg liiie. This is now impossible. The British capture of Roisel is important, as it is the junction or two railway lines to St. Quontin and Cambrai, and it will before long be of considerable value for us in bringing up supplies. We hold all of. Havrincourt Wood except the north-eastern spur, and when we pass it Khali render uncomfortable what remains of the German line beforo the Canal du Nord. Tho French between the- Ailette and the Oise aro along the old line of 1917 facing the Albrecht line, the continuation of the .south-east part of tho Hindenburg line'; —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. VICTORY STILL IN PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT. Paris,. September 8. M. Clemenceau's paper, "L'Hommo Libre," writes that the degree cf General iFoch's victory will only becomo known after fresh attacks, which tho American' reserves now make possible.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

"SITUATION HIGHLY SATISFACTORY"

(Rcc. September 9, 8.40 p.m.)

Washington, September 7. General March (United States Chief of Staff) states that the situation 011 the Western front is highly satisfactory. At no point are the Allies more than twelve miles from the Hindenbiirg line. Because of tho_ gradual withdrawn} of the American troop 9 who were brigaded with the British and French armies, only one American division is now engaged in the actual fighting. The number of Americans brigaded with the British forces did not exceed at any time ton thousand. The enemy was now more than sixty miles distant from l'aris at his nearest point.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

70,000 DESERTERS IN BERLIN

BAD FOR CIVILIAN MORAL.

Amsterdam, September 8

Evidence accumulates of the decline in the moral of the German Army. At least seventy thousand deserters arc hiding in Berlin and other large cities. Leave from the front has been practically stopped, owing to the men failing to return to duty. It is no common sight in Berlin to see deserters rounded up and handcuffed. Sometimes they endeavour to escape,_ and innocent bystanders are shot. These incidents accentuate the collapsing civilian moral.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

HINDENBURG'S MANIFESTO

RECEIVED WITH MIXED FEELINGS IN GERMANY.

Amsterdam, September 8,

The Hindenburg manifesto urging the nation to keep up its spirits is an extraordinary document. It does not comment 011 the military , situation, which is the real cause of tho anxiety in Germany, but instead occupies two solid columns complaining of the so-called Entente poison and dastardly sowing of division and distrust among the Germans. Tho climax of Hindenburg s denunciation is an angry wail that the Allies have attempted to stir up tho Bavarians against the North Germans, in order to destroy the Empire and plunge Germanv into the helplessness of a Thirty Years War. The manifesto" is not likelv to assist the re-establishment of the Field-Marshal's tarnished popularity. A daring newspaper has been prosecuted for nicknaming Hindenburg '"Marshal Biiokwnrts," which is a play upon Blucher's name of "Marshal Vorwarts."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

THE ENEMY'S STRENGTH ANALYSED. London, September 8. The enomy has now engaged 107 divisions since August-8, of which three arc dismounted cavalry divisions. Thirty-two divisions were engaged twice, and three wore engaged thrice. Wo have counted, muchly, 142 divisions north and south of the Sommc, representing approximately 6000 rifles to a division. Thus there arc 1,250,000 between Switzerland and the sea. Germany sfull strength is probably less than 2,500,000 on tho whole of her fronts. Hieir Eastern forces have'boon combcd out and it is believed there will no no tresli divisions from tho Bast for the Western front, either Gorman or Kussian.— Renter.