German Lines an Inferno.

Mataura Ensign, 18 April 1917, Page 4

German Lines an Inferno.

GREAT FRENCH OFFENSIVE, THE JEW POSITIONS OBOAHSSEB. WiDESPREAO STRIKE .'IN GERMANY.. .SUBMARINES OFF AMERICAN COAST. : t-'i-i > a- » FURTHER PROGRESS IN MESOPOTAMIA. ; . IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT EXTENSION.

■•'■■ Per United Press Association.' (Australian and N.Z, Cable Association.) ".' By Electric Telegraph Copyrignt.

THE FRENCH OFFENSIVE. ENEMY TERRIBLY BATTERED. GERMAN 'LINEB~AN INFERNO. Received April 18, 8.45 a.m. .PARTS, April 17. 'Le Petit Parisien' states that the .French offensive, ('followed a month's bombardment. General Miehelcr's attack swept everything away. v .lTnndreds of prisoners were arriving »t the depots half an lionr tifter. the. attack' was launched.' Eastward of Craonne the enemy was terribly battered, and retreated along his whole line in a panic. The entire first line was 'captured' by noon. Then She artillery resumed- and the German lines became an inferno. The French then advanced and seized the second line. '■ Westward of Crnonne the elite of the French troops, after several hours', terrific struggle, entered, the first line, which the enemy had boasted was impregnable, i In the course of an extraordinarily violent counter-attack which developed in the afternoon the enemy 'employed the greater part of his reserves. The "French advance, at some points exceeded four kilometres. NEW POSITIONS ORGANISED. COUNTER-ATTACKS" FAIL. Received April 18, 11.50 a.to. LONDON, April .17. . The French communique- reports:— '■ We organised the positions won between Soissons and Rheims. A strong German counter-attack on. our new line in the region of Tilles was broken with heavy losses by an artillery barrage and machine-gun lire. in the Coney, sector heavy attacks also failed. ' v . The weather continues very bad.. An artillery duel is progressing in ■ the sector west of Suberive, '.CERMAN GENERAL STRIKE„': TROOPS iCTeADSNESS. WOMEN IN~IviDENG£. Received Aprli 18, 8.45 a.m.'AMSTERDAM, April 17. Berlin advices officially admit- the strike which-....commenced on Monday, and state that troops are in readiness at the barracks and are concentrated at danger points. ■ ■■Women attended the workmen's meeting and discussed the food question and the political situation. the f RtipsiiTis\Dreading . COPENHAGEN, April. 17. The Berlin . correspondent of the 'Politiken' states that', workmen in all the,.-factories dropped their tools •■-at -.9 o'clock in the morning and demanded a general strike throughout Germany. Similar demonstrations are reported at Hamburg. ON THE WESTERN FRONT. TOMBOES FARM CAPTURED. / stotimFweather,.. (Australian and N.Z. Cable, Association and Router.) • Received April-18, 11:50 p:m. ! ,! LONDON, April 17.. Sir Douglas Haig reports that in the neighborhood of Epehy we captured Tom.bois Farm, on'the Le Manire-Vend Muile Road. We progressed along, the spur northeastward of Efvehy station-,- and a few of the enemy were taken p'risober: "" The ■weather continues stormy, with high winusi * s ' WAR~iin : Hi~AIR. /.'■ "I ATTACK ON FREIBURG. SATAN REPROVES STN.; (.Australian and N.Z. .Cable" Association and Renter.) '.Received April 18, 11.35 a.m. LONDON, April 17. A Berlin official message states that 23 aeroplanes attacked Freiburg ' on Saturday. .Eleven people won-' killed aiid 27 injured. The 'University, was considerably 'damaged, also "'the Municipal Theatre; and Institutes for the Infirm, which were in the areas attacked. ■ ..■Three British aeroplanes- were: brought down, and the leader of the attack, a British lieutenant-colonel, was taken prisoner. , ..According to his statements and fly sheet thrown flown the ■attack was a reprisal for torpedoing' the Gloucester Castle. . ~., , ' The message- in vigorous language combats such .justification and declares that Britain must take the* consequences of despising Germany's warning against the misuse of' hospital I ships. A revengeful attack upon an j ■ xien town wherein there, are.no im- | portnnfc military objects is-cheap glory, j Freiburg (83.000) is a city in the! 'Grand Duchy of Baden,-24 miles east !>y south of Cnlmar and some 14 miles frorii the Rhine. It is situated on the I>i< isnm River and has a fine eath'vlrai ENEMY MACHINES "DOWNED." ' A BIG TALLY. Received Aped IS."11.50 a.m. LONDON, April 17. Tlie French official communique states lhat in the Champagne sector nine- enemy aeroplanes were downed, including Captain Guyjttejuer's thil'tysixth,

AMERICA AND THE WAR. the balfour commission. :elaborate~pejbpabations. Reeeiped April 18, 8.45 a.m. NEW YORK, April 17. Elaborate patriotic preparations are being made to entertain Rt. Hon. A. J. Balfour and the other Commissioners. The Mayor,, of New York has ap-i pointed 'a' distinguished, committee, headed by Mr J. H. Choate, the wellknown diplomatist and noted afterdinner speaker. Beautiful private residences have been placed at. the disposal of t.he Commissioners at Washington, averting hoteLpublicity. ■ The Navy Department is particularly awaiting the arrival of the naval member of the Commission,. and intimates that there will be a discussion as to anti-submarine measures and speedingup food shipments for the Allies; THE MENACE. IN AMETtICAJsTWATERS. Received April 18, 9.30 a.m. ■ WASHINGTON,'ApriI 17. The Navy Department confirms the presence of German submarines in American waters. A SHOT THAT MTSSED. Received - April 18, 8.45 a.m. NEW YORK, April 17. An enemy submarine fired a torpedo at an American patrol craft, • but missed. COASTAL SHIPPING ALARMED. Received April 1.8, 11.20 a.m. WASHINGTON, April 17. A Boston telegram states that a German submarine of Eire Island attempted ■to torpedo the destroyer Smith, but missed' and disappeared, the destroyer being '"-unable to trace her assailant. American coastal .shipping is alarmed. BRITISH' M'SWS.' LIFE GF "PARLIAMENT. THE EXTENSION BILL. ' Received April 18. 11.20 .a.m. ■■'■:".•■•";■ LONDON-, April 17.. In moving the second reading of the Extension of Parliament Bill Rt. Hon.. A. Bonur Law (Leader of the House) said we wore at the most critical pha.«e of the war. Our success had exceeded expectation-*, antl p'-oved the quality ol the men, who with equipment and training were more than a match for their opponents. It would bo highly disadvantageous for the country to be plunged into the turmoil of an election, -which uouhl divorr iho energy of the nation Irom its supreme object. Rt. Ron. H. I-J. Asquith (ex-Premier) said " that rooenl by-elections showed that only oO to Go" per cent, of the electors on the register were available to vote. Ai) election under such conditions would be a larco and would result in a sham Parliament which would possess no authority. OPPOSED BY NATIONALISTS. Received April I<L 9.30 a.m. LONDON, April 17. At a meeting oi the Nationalist paity, before the sitting, it was decided lo oppose the second reading oi the Bill to extend the life ot Parliament. THE 'NATION' ARTICLES. DISCUSSION IN THR HOl T SB. , LONDON, April 17. \ Received April 18, 9.30 a.m v . | In the House o( Commons Mr W. M. R. Pringle, M.P., supported by a large number or member's, secured leave to move the adjournment of the House in order to discuss the prohibition oi the exportation oi the 'Nation.' Rt. Hon. A. Uonar Law (Leader ot the Mouse) ,s;xid Iho Government considered the articles in the 'Nation' calculated to help the enemy, who was widely' using them for propaganda purposes. The adjournment will • be discussed this evening. ' - ALLOCAT!rTG~WAIi~TnOPHIES. H(C«i>od Vpnl 18 9 '3O n m LONDOV, Vpnl 17 The W.it OIIk e is setting up a | hophies Committee to allor ate the t.ipjtmed gnus and tiopluos M in\ vill bo I sent to the home <uslii(ts ol the tioops huh ofniud Ui< i ipmres It is hoped tin <oiiiiuuU< wul secutc mam ttophn t A &013 US EXPLOSIVE. R vu\(d Vpnl I°, 9 <() ain LONDON, Apid 17 r lb< hnlakilt lnqun > his dosed, the imentoi nou li.itlui contesting the iCiowns alk Dillon th it the <\.>!osi\e i w is bo_,us K.NG REVIEWS AUSTRALIANS. \ 1 I\L SPKGI \CLP Jit u i\( d April IS 12 d") p m LONDON, Wil 17 Mis ~\\ u slv t 1 e I' in, i viewed <> higi lone ol Viisinlan tinning units on Sdsbim PI lui in the p c sent o ol nmn Vustialians 'I he maidi past the s luting hist occupied < n bom and visa fno spectacle The weathot wis bii< lit, though Iheie w is a lutrei wind When tlio King inspected the I.lllolls units he icifiM'd i <*icat (nation, tin In >ns (lieeruif i nthusnslic alh Belore the nuidi past the King in \ested 1 I olhceis tnd nun a\ ith deem i tions gimod it (itllmoli .W'd on the Somme He ron\eis<d i\ illi seven 1 men in lognd lo iln> dials wind gained them then distinctions