THE WESTERN FRONT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4141, 19 January 1916, Page 5

THE WESTERN FRONT.

PROGRESS OF WINTER CAMPAIGN.

WEAKENING THE GERMANS.

ENEMY’S HEAVY LOSSES

(Times and Sydney Sun Services. - ) (Received Jan. 18. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 18. Correspondents with British Headquarters in France agree that the winter warfare is ceaselessly reducing the enemy’s strength. Our “cutting out” expeditions are mostly bombing parties led by numerous very keen subalterns anxious to lead the restive men across the dead ground. The Canadians are specially good, perhaps because they are trained trappers. The Germans, dread these parties, lighting up the moonless nights with flares and star shells. Sinco the battle of Loos the Germans have suffered casualties! equal to those of several battles, through the superiority of our shelling and the adventurousness of our men.

EFFECTIVE BRITISH BOMBARDMENT.

(Received Jan. 18, 11.5 p.m.). LONDON, Jan. 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports : “Our bombardment of Freelmghaine and Zwartleen, north of Ypres, was effective. A large fire was caused north of Ypres behind the enemy’s lines.”

FRENCH REPORT

(Received Jan. 19. 12.5 a.m.) PARIS, Jan. 18. A communique says:— Our long-range artillery shelled the enemy gathering at Middlekerkq with appreciable losses, and also caused ia fire in. the enemy’s stores southward of Bricz. eastward of the Meuse heights.

THE GALLIPOLI WITH-

ORAWAL.

ENVER*¥ASHA’S BOAST. LONDON, Jan. 17. Enver Pasha, the Turkish Minister of Wai% is using the evacuation of Gallipoli to holster up his personal reputation. ,He delivered speeches of triumph in both Turkish Chambers, asserting that after driving back the British to the beaches, he thought it profitable to draw on the enemy, m the hope that while great battles were being fought in the Carpathians, together with the Anglo-French offensive in the West, he would? be able to detach part of the enemy’s forces and relieve Turkey’s Allies. The hopes were realised, and they _ gradually drew to tho Dardanelles 500,000 An-glo-French. He was grateful to the English for wasting their strength there. The retreat from Gallipoli was extraordinarily favored by circumstances. Referring to the offensive against Egypt, Enver Pasha said lie was convinced tbov would prevent the enemy continuing to defile the territories he has torn from us.

RUSSIA’S DECISION.

NO MORE TRADE WITH GERMANY. ' FREMANTLE, Jan. 18. Passengers by the Khyher Include the president of the Russian Export Chamber, who is touring Allied countries reporting on economical and business matters. He stated: ‘ With commissions given to Germany hitherto we have built wharves at Hamburg, built Germany’? fleet, and paid for secret agents throughout the world. We propose to do it no longer. The commercial treaty with Germany ends in 1916. Russia intends to form new commercial treaties with the Allies. Russia is now equipping and is prepared to put two million fresh troops in the field every year. Hie troops who made the recent drive were an entirely new army.

THE ENEMY IU WAR TIME.

A STRIKING ARTICLE,

SCENES IN AUSTRO-GERMANY.

(Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, Jan. 17.

“The Times,” in the first of a series of articles, by neutral travellers, publishes a graphic picture of AustroGermauy; The great numbers of wounded in trains, at the stations and in the towns is impressive. Every village has a hospital. Middle-aged men ar6 entirely absent. Women, children, and old men are carrying on fieldwork. He saw no gold com. Th«=> Deutsche Bank has called up medals, promising replicas after the war. The soldiers have agreed that thenmost respected enemies were the French artillery and British infantry. People were talking everywhere about the projected-march on Constantinople and thence to the Suez Canal, yet there is a general undercurrent of pessimism. Such sayings as “How long?” and “God knows how it will end” have replaced the old certainty of victory. Restaurant tariffs are continually raised. A traveller gets, miserably little dinner for five shillings. Beer has deteriorated in quality, and the price has advanced forty per cent. Bread cards gave the right to 175 grammes, being five miniature loaves the size of a crown piece. In Vienna, where there were four thousand taxicars in peace time, one hundred remain. The street illumination is pitiful. Women are doing the hardest navvy work and street cleaning. The theatres are crowdea and there is little mourning. In Hungaiv butter is at 5s 2d per I'b, and lard /s 6d : dinner at a%uol <y sts 7s 6d. Russian prisoners are working es navvies everywhere. Rubber t'iv» arti stripped olf vehicles.- and a • torcars. are using vooden tyres. (be quality of • oetro has been ted: cot) cbmffeurs itui.og their os.? with benzine specially carried in t:r.y hitties Stores announce than ibex have r," string with which to He pa' C'J". The “hurrah” feeling _ has disappeared in Northern Prussia. Everywhere there is a desire to end the war, and wailing for the many dead. There is much suffering due to the high cost of living, and no doubt a great part of the working classes are suffering from hunger. Austro-Ger-manv recognises that victories are unavailing, and that the situation is becoming critical.