AIRMAN ATTEMPTS RAID ON LONDON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16744, 28 December 1914, Page 7

AIRMAN ATTEMPTS RAID ON LONDON.

progress of the allies. PARIS. December 25. —The official report records Intermittent artillery fighting in Belgium and progress by the Allies between the Lys and the Oise. Everywhere ground previously gained has been maintained. Further captures have been made north of Mesnil and the Allies now are in possession of the whole of the enemy’s first lino of defences in this region. The Allies have advanced in the Vosges, at Clrey, and in Alsace. BRITISH IN ACTION. PARIS, December 28.—0 n Thursday night the Germans attacked the British positions at La Bassee. At first they compelled the British to give ground, but three hours later this was recovered with heavy losses to the Germans. THE RUSSIAN CAMPAICN. PETROGRAD, December 26. —An official report states that the situation on the Vistula Is unchanged. All the Germans’ night and day attacks it< the Sochaczew district have been repulsed. Fighting continues on the banks of the Pilica. In the spurs of the Carpathians two infantry regiments crossed the Jasielka river and dislodged the Austrians. The German and Austrian prisoners in Russia number 4326 officers and 343,184 men. FIERCE STRUGGLE ON THE BZURA. LONDON, December 25.—The Warsaw correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle ” states that the battle of the Bzura, which is raging unceasingly, recalls that of the Yser by reason of the terrible slaughter. The Russians and Cermans are strongly entrenched on opposite sides of the river. The Cermans make Incessant attacks in close formation, seeking to crush the Russians by sheer weight of numbers, but so far their charges always have been driven back with heavy loss, and the Russians continue dashing counterattacks. A DESPERATE BATTLE. LONDON, December 26.—The Warsaw correspondent of the •• chronicle ” describing the desperate endeavour of the Germans to cross the Bzura, states that the attackers suffered Immense losses. Sometimes a whole battalion was blotted out in a quarter of an hour. On December 20 the Cermans succeeded In capturing the trenches of the First Siberians who two hours later retook them and drove the enemy into the river. Both sides were reinforced and there was desperate hand-to-hand fighting in the water. The river, which Is forty yards wide, was literally dammed with corpses. FALKLANDS ISLAND ENGAGEMENT. NEW YORK, December 25.—The captain of the Orissa reports that with the exception of one vessel outside on guard duty the British fleet was in harbour coaling. Admiral von Spee presuming that the guard vessel was alone tried to cut her off. She commenced action while the Germans were closing in. Meanwhile the enemy realising that ho was trapped, the Nurnberg and Dresden. were ordered to escape while the others formed a line of battle. While one t British cruiser engaged the Leipslg In a running fight and sank her, i the others attacked the Scharnhorst and Cneisenau. The former sank after a stubborn resistance lasting an hour. The Cneisenau made a desperate eflort to escape but was battered into a hopeless wreck and foundered in two hours. The Nurnberg was overtaken ninety miles from the scene of the engagement and quickly sent to the bottom. STORY OF NAVAL FIGHT. NEW YORK, December 26.—Details of the Falklands Island battle state that two British battlo cruisers lay in hiding until Admiral von Spee attacked the smaller ships. Then the battlo cruisers came tearing along and with the twelve inch guns tore gaping holes in the Cneisenau and Scharnhorst which burst Into flames, heeled over and sank. Most of the British casualties were caused by a shot fired from the Leipslg when she was sinking. BRITISH AVIATOR'S ACTIVITY. DUNKIRK, December 26.—Commander Samson, a British aviator, dropped bombs on German military posts at Ostend, Bruges, Ghent and Aiost and sot fire to a Zeppelin shed at Brussles. Guns were fired at him but he escaped unscathed. REPORTED RAID ON GERMAN POST. NEW YORK, December 26.—According to Reuter's Berlin correspondent the German Admiralty announces that eight British ships accompanied by hydro-aeroplanes dropping bombs, raided an unnamed Cerman bay on December 25. It is declared that the raiders were driven off and three of the ships were damaged. Apparently the raid was directed against Cuxhaven.