THE WAR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10330, 27 March 1916, Page 6

THE WAR.

GERMANY’S, CROWING ZEPPELSM FLEET.

ONE ADDED EVERY TEN DAYS.

(Bi Electric Teleoraph—Coptright.) Psa Prbbs Association.

LONDON, 'March 25. Mr George Pride, the well-known aeronautical expert, states that he inspected the Zeppelin destroyed at Devigny. Its number showed that at least 52 have been constructed in the last eighteen months. The Germans are now completing one in every ten days. The Zeppelin had live motors and propellers of metal, which were made of aluminium toughened with a slight alloy of copper and zinc, and tapered towards the stern, giving less resistance. Several corpses were carbonised, but apparently the crew numbered 23, and carried 1500 kilogrammes of bombs, composed of twenty projectiles each, placed in a special bomb-thrower. The bombs were fired by an electric current, controlled by a push button In a cabin. The Zeppelin carried six machine-guns, but no cannon. There was no trace of powerful searchlights. Nlr Pride adds; “Three forms of attack on Zeppelins arc possible ; firstly, gun-planes before they reach London or Paris; secondly, anti-aircraft guns while over cities; thirdly, light chasing aeroplanes, armed with machine-guns and incendiary rockets, which would attack them on the return journey at a high altitude. Germany has forty of these to-day, mostly patrols in the North Sea. The Zeppelins’ principal task is keeping up communicitiou with the fleet of submarines.” IH MESOPOTAMIA. TOWNSHENDLS FORCE DOMBAROED. LONDON, .March 25. It .is. officially slated, that General Townshend reports {hat enemy aircraft and gnus bombarded Ids camp at, Kut-el-Amara from March 21 to 23. Our, casualties were slight. The general situation is unchanged. The British on the right- bank of the Tigris .sururised and captured a Turkish post at Falaliaijoh. JOFFRE CONGRATULATES VERDUN’S DEFENDERS. PARIS, March 25. General Joffrc, in an order of the day to the Verdun army, states: —“For throe weeks you have been sustaining the most formidable assault the enemy has yet attempted. Expecting success, Germany had consecrated her host troops and most powerful artillery to an effort- that she thought would bo irresistible. She hoped that the fall of Verdun y would harden the courage of her Allies and convince neutrals of her superiority. Night and day, under an unprecedented bombardment, you have resisted attacks and maintained positions. Wo possess adequate munitions and reserves. Your indomitable courage lias barred the road to Verdun.” AMSTERDAM, March 26. A German communique says: Our artillery set lire io Verdun. PARIS, March 26. A communique states Somewhat violent artillery actions are reported in Argonnc. There is fairly great artillery activity against our second lines westward of the Meuse, and eastward in Inc Popper-hill-Douaumont region. MINOR BRITISH OPERATIONS. LONDON, March 26. Sir Douglas ITaig reports: The enemy on Friday night sprung a mine near Hohenzollern Redoubt. An entire trench was blown out.

Wg bombed trendies afc Boisbla.ncs,. bacily damaging a hundred, yards of the ’ enemy’s. The reply was feeble.

WILL GREECE LEARN WISDOM?

(Times and Sydney Sun Service.) LONDON. March 25,

M. Vinizrlos, in a letter to a friend in London, says that bo is absolutely convine ed that, flic Allies will finally win. “We hope that those governing us will loam wisdom even at tho last minute. Lot us "pray it will not come when it is too late.” GERMAN LOAN FULLY SUBSCRIBED. BERLIN, Marc), 25. Herr Ilolffericli (Finance Minister) has informed |ho Reichstag that £520,000,000. lias boon subscribed to the last German Joan. GERMANY SHOULD PAY TRIBUTE. LONDON, March 25. The Spectator, in advocating an Empire movement in conjunction with the Allies against. German trade, says that one of tho peace conditions ought to be a German tribute, which should ho paid by German commodities that are the most useful to us; for instance, flic potash mines in Saxony should he vested in a body representing the Allied Powers. GENERAL MAXWELL LEAVES EGYPT. LONDON, March 25. The War Cilice says that, owing to the satisfactory military position, in Egypt, and a .re-organisation of the forces being effected, Sir A. Murray has assumed the sole command, and General Maxwell is returning to England. TREMENDOUS UPROAR IN REICHSTAG. j SPLIT IN SOCIALIST PARTY. AMSTERDAM. March 25. The stormiest Reichstag silting on record lias taken place. In the, Budget debate, Haase, a Socialist,-created a tremendous uproar, by denouncing German ambition, expansion and world-power. Ho declared that no one could win .the war. There was a series of exciting scones, followed by members being frequently at the point of exchanging blows. It was noticeable that the majority of tho Socialists were , specially 'incensed against Haase. The party, later, by 50 to 33, repudiated II rase. Tho minority has since seceded. £1,000,000 FOR WAR PENSIONS. FIRST INSTALMENT OF BRITAIN’S LIABILITY. LONDON, March 25. Mr Hayes‘Fishes, in introducing the War i Pensions Bill In the House of Commons, j said that widows’ allowances would bo parfc;ly based on tho husband’s income. Tho j country would endeavour to make up the ! allowances of widows with children to 1 woj thirds of thoir income before tho \Va.r, but i tho pension would not exceed 40s , weekly, j An endeavour, will be made to give'orphans | tho same education as if tho father had I lived. Thcrb arc 46,000 widows am,l 30,255 'disabled soldiers already receiving pensions. ' Parliament is asked for a vote of £1,000,000 ' as a first instalment. AN IMPERIAL ORGANISATION. LONDON, March 26. A Bill to transfer the Imperial Institute ! from tho Board of Trade to the Colonial i Office provides for an executive council of ! twenty-five members, two each from tho | Board of Trade taiid India Ollico, one cadi [from the Board of Agriculture, the Governments of India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Newfoundland, and the remainder nominated by tho Colonial Secretary. They will hold ollico for throe years. VARIOTJ3 ITEMS. (Times and Sydney Sun Service.) Received March 27, 9 a.m. LONDON, March 26. Tho Minister for Munitions announces that after May Ist men whose occupations’ are starred for munitions work only will bo exempted from military services if actually engaged in war work. ROME, March 25. The Vatican has received reports stating that the Germans are requisitioning all! foodstuffs in Poland, and are starving the peasantry. They have ordered dogs to ho killed for food. There have boon numerous deaths from starvation, especially among women and children.