WESTERN FRONT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17935, 31 October 1918, Page 6

WESTERN FRONT.

TEE BRITISH LINES. .MINOR OPERATIONS. A. *nd N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter LONDON, October 29. Sir Douglas Haig reports I There is artillery activity and patrol encounters on different parts of the front. aerial activity. A. and N.Z. Cablo Association and Rteutcr. (Received October 30, 9 p.m.) LONDON, October 29. . Sir Douglas Haig reports:—There was increased aerial activity. We destroyed thirty-two machines and drove down ten out of control. Eight British machines are missing. J'RENCH AND AMERICANS. *“ COUNTER-ATTACK BEATEN. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. LONDON, October 29An American communique states:— On the Verdun front the operations are marked by heavy artillery fire. An enemy counter-attack on Belleu Wood was repulsed. French aviation observers report numerous fires near the Aisno and also in the valley of the Serre. A Hect of 200 machines copiously bombed enemy back areas in 'tho region of Chateau ]?orcien, making havoc of enemy communications and causing heavy losses. JL *nd N.Z. Cablo Association and Routs:. LONDON, October 29.1 An-Italian communique states:—The battle continued fiercely throughout the night, and fully developed during October 28. On the front of the Twelfth and Eighth Armies wo maintained and extended a bridgehead, despite very lively opposition. Eastward of /the Crave di Papadopoli the enemy gave way to attacks by the Fourteenth■ British and the Tenth Italian Army Corps. We, crossed through tho enemy lines and liberated Borgorna Lanotte, Te.zzo, Rai, S. Michele di Piave, Oimadolino, S. Polo di Piave, Orinellc, and entered S'. Lucia di Poave and Vazz;ola. Tho prisoners and guns captured arc still uncounted. x

FRENCH'CLOSING IN ON GUISE. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, October 29. A French communique states:— There is fierce fighting on the east bank of the Oise opposite Verly Jc Grand, where the enemy launched several counter-attacks. Further south the French pushed their lines as far as the approaches to Guise, capturing strong points north-west of Guise. Wo also progressed east of Peron and in the region north-east of Pargny Wood. The French are now in contact with the whole of the new enemy line between the Oise and the Serve. The French have advanced north of tjepiy and west of Chateau Portion. ADVANCE TOWARDS GUISE. A. and JT.Z. Cablo Aasooiatiou and Routor. LONDON, October 29 (4.5 p.m.) A French communique states: —Wo considerably advanced towards Guise, and carried hutments, surrounding a hospital and the first trench of the for-

tified works south of the castle. Further south we advanced beyond Louvry Farm. On the right bank pf the Peron we continued to progress east of Monceau le Nouf.

« LONG RANGE BOMBARDMENT. Reuter's Telegrams. (Received 'October 30, 7.'10 p.rn.) LONDON, October 29. Reuter’s correspondent at American headquarters states:—Long range guns of big calibre, more formidijblo Uian Big Bertha which bombarded Paris, have begun shelling in the direction of , Longuyon, Montmcdy, Sedan and the Mezieres railway, which is tire vital communication upon which the enemy depended for the quick transport of troops and supplies from one portion of the front to another. Observers report that the Germans have abandoned Clary le Grand already. A great section of Lorraine and part of Alsace have been formed into a huge entrenched camp by the Germans in a desperate effort te defend Metz and tho-pivot of the line northwards. '

ENTRY INTO LILLE. A GLITTERING PAGEANT. (Received October 30, 7.40 p.m.) LONDON, Octoiler 2k. Mr Perceval Phillips writes:—Lille Was made glad to-day by a pageant, which the populace had eagerly awaited since their liberation. British troops made a, formal, triumphant entry with hands playing the “ -Marseillaise ” and British tunes. They inarched through crowded streets, acclaimed by cheers and tears. _ For the first time in this war we saw infantry dressed and polished for a fete, carrying dowers and little tricolours. General Birdwood led the historic procession witli a glittering staff to the La Deesse column, where the Mayor and many dignitaries awaited. General Birdwood dismounted, and advanced with his red and black headquarters flag and asked the Mayor to accept the nag in Lille’s name. He expressed his admiration for the courage and devotion ol' its people. Anotlier flag, inscribed “ From the People oi Lille to Her Liberators,” was handed to General Birdwood. The troops and guns marched past tho people, who feasted their eyes on the seemingly endless procession. (Tlio La Dees so Column commemorates the defence of tho town against tlie Austrians in 1792.)

THE CAILLAUX CASE. COUNT MINOTTO’S EVIDENCE. NEW YORK, October 29. Count Minotto, who is interned in Germany, revealed an alleged plot to return M. Caillaux to power ,and obtain a separate peace between France £nd Germany, and then bring about an alliance between France, Italy and the Central Powers in a war against England and Russia. Minotto visited Count von Luxburg, a. former Gorman Minister in the Argentina, in Buenos Aires in the summer of 1915, and acted as agent between Luxburg and Caillaux

WASHINGTON, October 29. The Minotto revelations, which were made to the American authorities, with the evidence of Caillnux’s complicity, have been given to the French Embassy, and will be used against Caillaux at his coming trial for high treason. Minotto is a son-in-law of Louis F. Swift, the American millionaire meat packer. (M. Caillaux sailed for South America in November, 1914. going first to Brazil and then to Argentina. Something of a mystery was made of his trip. The general explanation was that lie had been entrusted with an economic mission, but. it was reported that tho French Government’s real purpose was to bring alxmt his removal from France, oh account of tho feeling against him in certain quarters. Count von Luxburg was dismissed as German Minister to Argentina after discovery of the fact that ho had been sending, through the Swedish Legation at Buenos Aires, dispatches to the Berlin Foreign Office respecting German propaganda in South America, and advising the “ sinking without trace” of Argentine merchant vessels. M. Caillaux’s arrest in Paris on January 15 was due principally to a cablebom from Mr Lansing, United States Hrotary of State, saying that in d 915 Caillaux had been in communication with the Berlin Foreign Office. Secretary Lansing’s cablegram stated that the American representative at Buenos Aires had been able to establish that M. Caillaux, during his visit to Argentine in 1915, had been in communication with the Berlin Foreign Office through Count von Luxburg, then German Minister to Argentina, with the object of concluding peace with Germany at any price.)