ITALIAN FRONT

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 88, 12 October 1915, Page 7

ITALIAN FRONT

OFFICIAL NEWS. ROME, 11th October. A communique states: Considerable enemy forces attacked our positions in the Plezzo Basin, in the Monte Nero region, at Dolje, in the Tolmino sector, and also at Pplava and Zagara. The enemy was everywhere a-epulsed with heavy losses. THE FRENCH NAVY COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF RESIGNS. (Received October 12, 11 a.m.) PARIS, 11th October. Admiral Boue de Lapeyrere resigned his position as Commander-in-Chief. Vice-Admiral Dv Fournet succeeds him. [Admiral Boue de Lapeyrere is 61 years of age, and has held the rank of

Commander-in-Chief of the French Navysince September, 1912. He has held commands in more waters than falls to the lot of most French officers — the Far East, Zeeland, the Atlantic, the Baltic, and the Mediterranean having been in turn the scenes of his service during the past thirty years. Writing in the Daily Mail Year Book of 1914, G. Ward Price says: — At the present time the Frencli fleet is passing 'through a period of reorganisation. A certain difference of opinion has been found to exist betveren the Naval General Staff and Admiral de Lapeyrere, the Commander-in-Chief, as to whether the naval squadrons should consist of six or eight ships, the Commander-in-Chief himself favouring the latter disposition. This question is still pending, and awaits the decision of M. Pierre Baudin, the Minister for Marine. Admiral Boue de Lapeyrere is a strong advocate of the system of personal control of a naval commander over his fleet, exercised from the fighting line itself. He takes his slacs in the con-

ning tower of his flagship when his ships clear for action in manoeuvres, and never leaves his post until -the engagement is over, watching each phase of the conflict as it develops around him, and taking his decisions undisturbed by the roar of the heavy guns and the quivering of his ship under the recoil. Here, again, the Admiral, who may be termed the Sir John Fisher of the French Navy, is at variance with the views of some of his staff. He follows the English naval tradition in remaining as close as possible to the operations of his fleet. The General Staff, on the contrary, favour the German custom of keeping the admiral commanding outside the actual fight, in an isolated ship," beyond the range of the enemy's fire, where he may work out his dispositions under less distracting circumstances. Energetic, popular with his subordinates, both officers and men, and a close student of the j lessons of modern naval warfare, Admiral Bone de Lapeyrere is a good example of the best qualities of the ' French sailor. Tt is never doubted in France that the leadership of the French Navy in case of war has been entrusted to good and capable hands.] GERMAN STEAMER SUNK BY BRITISH SUBMARINE. COPENHAGEN, 11th October. The crew of the German steamer Lulea landed at Falster, in Denmark. They reported that the British submarine No. 19 (El 9) torpedoed the vessel off Gjedser lighthouse, allowing sufficient time for the crew to take to the boats. EXPLOIT CAUSES A PANIC. (Received October 12, 9.30 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, 11th October. The exploit of El 9 has caused a panic among German shipping in the Baltic. IN THE BLACK SEA NINETEEN' TURKISH BOATS SUNK. (Received October 12, 9.15 a.m.) PETROGRAD, 11th* October. A communique states : Two of our torpedo boats on the Black Sea coast of Asiai Minor destroyed nineteen Turkish sailing boats, Avith cargoes destined, for Turkish troops. WEATHER AT GALLIPOLI WHAT IT IS REALLY LIKE. NO DANGER TO COMMUNICATIONS. ~" (TIMES ANB SIDNEY SHU' BEItYICEI.) LONDON, 11th October. Sir Edwin Pears, an authority on Turkey, writes: "The croakers who allege that the winter will cut off the communications of Gallipoli know nothing of the equinoctial gales. They aTe not serious, and are always followed by a beautiful Indian summer in October, November, and December, -with light southerly ■winds. "The weather breaks about Christmas week, becoming cold and severe, with snow, rain, and slush everywhere. For ten weeks big westerly seas break on Gallipoli; but we occupy Imbros, which is only twelve miles from Anzac, and there we have shelter for our ships,. whilst the Anzac headlands -will shelter our soldiers." DOGS TO FIND WOUNDED USED OX GALLIPOLI. LONDON, 11th October. The Spectator quotes a nursing sister's letter from the Dardanelles, stating that the Red Cross St. Bernard dogs are a great help in finding the wounded. The letter says : "It is remarkable how the dogs know the dead from the unconscious. When they find a living man, they give a low, mournful howl to fetch us. Sometimes we cannot see where the man has been found, and, if we do not go, the dogs come carrying the man's cap, by which we know whether he is a Turk or British. They then lead us to the spot." BRITISH CASUALTIES IN THE WEST. LONDON, 11th October. The British casualty list for eight days show 711 officers, whereof 268 were killed. The week-end lists contain 4100 men killed, wounded, and missing. SOLDIERS IN THE HOLY LAND TURKS ACTIVELY TRAINING. PARIS, 11th October. The Alexandria" correspondent of the Paris paper Le Temps states that all the convents in Jerusalem have been transformed into barracks. Thousands of recruits are drilling on the plains of Samaria and the Mount of Olives. Musketry butts have been erected at Golgotha, where German officers train the Turkish troops. All, the roads of the Holy Land are fnll of caravans with munitions and supplies. GERMAN NEW GUINEA NEW FORCE BEING RAISED. (Received October 12, 9 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. A new force is being raised for service in German New Guinea, consisting of three hundred men from thirty to fifty years of age. JAPANESE MUNITIONS METALS WILL REACH RECORD PRICES. (Received October 12, 8.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. : The Commercial Commissioner, in his last report, says that marked attention is being paid in Japan to the manufacture of munitions for the Allies. He predicts that in view of the large demands prices for lead, copper, zinc, and other metals will reach record figures. AUSTRALIAN SHELLS TENDERS ACCEPTED. (Received October 12, 9 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Senator Pearce (Minister for Defence) announces that tenders for the inansufacture of 18-pounder shells have been accepted from the New South Wales Government, the Queensland Railways, nine Victorian firms, the Newport workshops, the South Australian Government, the War Munitions. Company, Western Australia, and two other firmx. The earliest date for deliv^y is lpA -November.