PERONNE CAPTURED.

Mataura Ensign, 19 March 1917, Page 4

PERONNE CAPTURED.

FOLLOWS TAKING OF BAPAUME. BIG BRITISH SWEEP. \ THE GERMAN MAIN ARMY FALLS BACK CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE. REVOLUTION IN NICK OF TIME. STOPS SEPARATE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. RUMORED SUICIDE OF EX-PREMIER. Per United Press Association. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) By Electric Telegraph Copyright. Received March 19, 8.40 a.m. .

LONDON, March IS. dL V- CZARINA’S INFLUENCE. CONSIDERED DANGEROUS. is . i Received March 19, 8.40 a.m. , e STOCKHOLM, March 17. L . The Swedish newspapers state that it the Czar and Czarina are not allowed lf> to liold communication with the Revolui. tionary Committee, which considers Jo that the Czarina’s influence is dangerl ous to its cause. d 1 „ MUTINOUS FINNISH GARRISON. hj IN STATE OF SIEGE. Received March 19, 8.40 a.m. COPENHAGEN, March 17. General Ignatieff in a proclamation requested the Finnish troops to join the revolution. All the garrisons complied with the exception of Sveahorg, which is mutinous and is now in a state of siege. d BLACK SEA FLEET. te ADHERES TO NEW GOVERNMENT. n hj Received March 19, 8.40 a.m. e PETROGRAD, March 17. The Black Sea Fleet has adhered to ° the new Government. V y AT MOSCOW. g SUPPORT FOR NEW REGIME. w y Received March 19, 8.40 a.m. e PETROGRAD, March 17. The Kremlin and arsena.l at Moscow are in possession of the revolution--4 aries. g The troops and the'officers’-corps, in response to the new Government’s instrucMons, have also joint'd the' movement. EX-PRIME MINISTER, REPORTED SUICIDE. Received March 19, 8.40 a.m. STOCKHOLM;, March 17. The ‘Social Domokatin’ states that e Prince Golitsin (ex-Prime Minister of n Russia) committed suicide yesterday. , Prince N. D. Golitsin was lately appointed President of the Council of 3 “ Ministers (Premier) without portfolio in place, of M. Trepoff. Born in 1850, he completed his education at the Alexander Lyceum in 1871 and entered the Ministry of the Interior. After occupying many provincial posts he was appointed Governor of Tver in 1897. His term in this office was distinguished by a reactionary policy and for notorious conflicts with the Zemstvo (provincial councils). He triumphed after a strugf gle in which the late Premier M. Sturmer took part. Prince Golitsin’s career e was undistinguished, but in due course he was appointed a Senator in 1907 and to the Imperial Council in November, J 1915. y IN THE NICK OF TIME. J | SEPARATE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. , Received March 19, 8.40 a.m. d COPENHAGEN, March 17. .. The ‘Aftenposten’ says: “The Rnsp sian revolution came in the nick of time. Negotiations had been carried on f at Stockholm for some time for a separ--1 fite peace between Russia and Gerr tofiny. The recent inactivity on the c Russian front was due to an agreement R with Germany.” PROTOPOPOFF’S NEGOTIATIONS. (Published in ‘The Times.’) Received March 19, 9.25 a.m. PETROGRAD, March 18. The revolution came in the nick of time as M. Protopopoff (ex-Minister for i the Interior) was already negotiating 7 for peace through Stockholm. 1 EMPRESS SENT TO KIEFF. i '(Published ip ‘The Times.’) i Received March 19. 9.45 a.m. COPENHAGEN, March IS. ’ The ‘Hagens Nyheter’ states, “The Czar is being taken to the Crimea in I order to recuperate.” > The ‘Nyadagligt’ says, “The Czar is I imprisoned in the Taurida Palace. The • impress has been sent to Kieff. The > S -Uowager Empress (sister of Queen Aloxi andra) has declared her sympathy with r.io revolutionaries.” FRENCH POLITICAL CRISIS. CABINET RESIGNS. 1 Received March 19. 9.15 a.m. LONDON, March 18. I The French Cabinet lias resigned. WITH THE ENEMY. i REPATRIATION OF BELGIANS. 1.‘1,000 OUT OF 65,000. Received March 19, 8.10 a.m. ‘ ROME, March 17. 1 The ‘Corriere d’ltalia’ says, “Gor- ‘ many is accenting the Pope’s request to * the extent ot repatriating 13,000 out of 65,000 Belgians but intimates that repatriations must now cease.” 100 PER CENT. DUTY ON SPIRITS. i Received March 19, 8.10 a.m. ! STOCKHOLM, March 17. I The Reichstag has imposed a. duty of , i 100 per cent, on the retail price of all l f spirits. jg

Peronne has been captured. The town of Peronne, with a popula- ; tion of 4000, lies on the right hank of the Somme at its confluence with the ’ Cologne, 35 miles north-east of Amiens ) by rail and 15 miles south-east of Albert. Peronne was the scene of fierce lighting from September to December, , 1914. 'The Germans first occupied it early in August, but after pillaging the town were forced by the flanking movements of General Castelnau’s army to ! evacuate it again on September 22. The enemy’s guns, however, prevented ’ the French from effectively occupying the town, and after a further French x’etirement of a few miles the Germans again took possession of it. , SHARP CONFLICT AT BAPAUME. ENEMY’S RAPID RETIREMENT. . ; (Router’s Telegrams.) Received March 19, 9.20 a.m. ; LONDON, March 18. Headquarters reports that the rapid , hardening of the ground and the fine • weather are responsible for activity on ’ the Somme and Ancre. There was much | figh ting to-day, our patrol pressing the ( enemy rearguards everywhere. There was the. sharpest conflict at Bapaume, I where the British fell upon the enemy before he could clear away his covering troops. The enemy began to withdraw immediately we advanced. . The rapidity of their retirement showed that the German main army has fallen back a considerable distance. The fall of Peronne is impending, the place being quite untenable by the enemy. IMPORTANT JUNCTION. EXPECTED CAPTURE. Received March 19, 9.20 a.m. PARIS, March 18. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig’s successes are considered to be a prelude to'the capture of the important junction of Croixelles. The Germans are expected to yield considerable ground in the Arras district. RUSSIA’S REVOLT. THE CZAR’S ABDICATION, NOT A VOLUNTARY MOVE. Received March 19, 9 a.m PETROGRAD, March IS. Many rumors regarding the story of the Czar’s abdication are afloat, but there is only one thing certain, that he did not abdicate absolutely and voluntarily in order to spare the country further trouble. Even the Grand Duke Nicholas’ and General Alexeieff’s (Chief of Staff) telegrams did not produce any effect. He consented to negotiate with the Provisional Government only when journeying to Petrograd he realised that while he was alowed to move seemingly freely he was really under guard and unable to communicate with anybody except bis closest entourage. He was chiefly anxious for sufficient guarantees .that his life and the lives of his family should be spared. General Russki, on hejialf of the army under his command, reassured- him that no harm would befall any member of his family. DETAILS OF ABDICATION. THE CZAR AND HIS SON. Received March 19, 9.20 a*m. PETROGRAD, March 18. Details of the abdication show that a deputation including General Russky waited on the Czar at Pskoff at midnight, described the latest events and advised him not to .send troops to Petrograd from the front because every soldier became a revolutionary when he approached tile capital. The Cza.r asked, “What do you want me to do?” “Abdicate,” was the reply. The Czar was momentarily silent and then remarked-, “It would pain mo to ho separated from my son and I will therefore abdicate in favor of my hrothei-.” He then signed the decree! of abdication which had already been drafted. LAST WORDsTb CZAR. Received March 19, 9.15 a.m. LONDON, March 18. It is reported that the Czar when he was not allowed to communicate with his wife, contemplated suicide, hut was eventually induced to take things calmly and submit to the inevitable. His Inst words as Czar were, “T have been betrayed by those I trusted most.” immediately the abdication was known people went with ladders to the Imperial Public Library and the Winter and Anifcteskoff Palaces and other (wildings ami removed the Imperial! arms. i. THE REPUBLICAN SPIRIT is rapidly spreading. It is believed | that if the National Assembly bar- j. chosen Prince Michael as head of the j State it will ho as President of a Re ! public after he renounces his Grand j Ducal rights. \ ■ESCORTED TO THE CRIMEA. 1 Received Mare!) 19. B.'lo a.m. COPENHAGEN, March 18. j The ‘National Tidende’ states. “Th»' j, Czar and certain.of his intimates amd hj members of hi,6 family were escorted to I j the Crimea by a military guard.”

I BRITISH NEWS. | ST. PATRICK’S DAY. | CELEBRATED QUIETLY. i (Reuter’s Telegrams.) j Deceived March 19, 9.45 a.m, [ DUBLIN, March 18. | St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated quietly. | CHINA AND GERMANY. I SEVERANCE OF RELATIONS. I HOLLAND AND HUNS’ INTERESTS. | Deceived March 19, 9.20 a.m. PEKIN, March 18 Holland has taken charge of German interests in China. Dutch soldiers disarmed the Legation. I guard. i Denmark will represent China in Gerj many. IN AUSTRALIA. OPERATIONS AND ENLISTMENT. Deceived March 19, 9.45 a.m. MELBOURNE, March 19. Senator Pearce (Minister for Defence) announced that men wiling to undergo surgical operations to enable them to enlist will be sent to the military hospitals.