SECRET HISTORY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16824, 7 April 1915, Page 7

SECRET HISTORY.

$ BALKAN NEGOTIATIONS. WHY GREECE STOOD OUT OF WAR. RUSSIANS STILL ADVANCING IN CARPATHIANS FRENCH CLOSE IN ON ST MIHEL COMMUNICATIONS. AMERICAN VIEW OF BLOCKADE STATED. FRENCH PROGRESS. PARIS, April 6. —An official communique states that the French captured three successive lines of trenches south-east of St Mlhlel and gained a footing in the enemy's works north-east of Regnleville. A DESPERATE CONFLICT. LONDON, April B.—The "Dally Chronicle" states that there has been an almost continuous battle In the Champagne region for throe weeks, tho French taking the offensive. The fighting has been most violent north of MesnlMes-Hurlue. Nothing of Mesnll remains but a heap of ruins. A perfect tempest of fire has swept the ground for nearly a month and there is not a yard that has not been ploughed by shells. RUSSIAN SUCCESSES. PETROCRAD, April 6.—An official report states that there was fierce artillery and bayonet fighting north of Bartfeld, In Hungary. The Russians captured twenty officers and 1200 men. They also took two thousand prisoners on the Mezo Laborer-uzsok front. After desperate fighting north of Czernowitz the Russians captured a thousand Austrlans. THE BRITISH AIR RAID. PARIS, April 5. —Precise Information has been received that the British air raid on Antwerp on March 24 resulted In an airship being set on fire, an airship shed seriously damaged, two submarines destroyed and a third damaged. Forty Carman workmen were killed and sixty-two wounded. GERMAN ABSIBTANCE FOR AUSTRIANS. BERNE, Aprjl 5.—A German army corps has left Flanders to assist tho Austrians In the Carpathians. A largo number of troops have been withdrawn from tho Tyrol In the endeavour to stop the Russian advance. - AN AMERICAN TAUNT. \ NEW YORK, April 6.—American newspapers are asking whether the Germans have definitely 'abandoned naval warfare, inasmuch as their submarines are giving enemy warships a wide berth and hunting excursion vessels and fishing smacks. ITALY REJECTS PROPOSAL. :■' ROME, April 6. —Prince'von Bulow Is understood to have proposed as a solution of the Austro-ltallan difficulty that territory which Austria might cede to Italy should be occupied by Switzerland during the war. Italy rejected tho proposal. The exodus of Austrlans and Germans from Italy continues. THE BLOCKADE. LONDON, April 5. —The United States Ambassador has presented a Note to Sir Edward Grey stating that an unprecedented feature of the Allies' blockade Is tho way In which it bars many neutral ports as though they were the ports of Britain's enemies. The United States notes with gratification that wide discretion has been afforded prize courts, and It confidently expects that the powers given by tho Qrder-ln-Councll will be restricted by orders to the executive officers, which will modify In practical application those provisions which Interrupt neutral legitimate trade. THE BALKAN STATES. ATHENS, April 6. —M. Venezelos, former Creek Premier, has made an explanation of the attitude of the Balkan Powers. He states that Greece desired to take the field with Rumania in support of Serbia, but the Rumanian Government declined to move unless Bulgaria took action with them. A British offer of troops to protect Macedonia against the Bulgarians was considered Insufficient and the negotiations were dropped.