WESTERN FRONT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 2 November 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT

THE ASSNE OFFENSIVE

11,157 PRISONERS AND 180 GUNS TAKEIN. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) {Rec. Nov. 2, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 1. A French communique reports : —Our offensive between 23rd and 27th inst yielded 11,157 prisoners, including 237 officers and j.BO guns. Between the Meuse and Bexonvaux there is a fairly lively bombardment. Our aeroplanes bombed railway stations at Thionville, Bettemburg. Maziefli, Longueville, Woippy and Luxemburg. All objectives were hit.

EXCfcLLEftT SHOOTING

BY ADMIRALTY AIR (SERVICE,

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Router.) LOND-QN, Nov. 1. The Admiralty Air Service on Monday night Taided ■ Sparappeltrock and Varsenaer* aerodromes. Tb» visibity was excellent, and the shooting accurst*. All the machines returned.

YPRFS-BTANOEN FIGHTING

BRITISH LINE FURTHER IMPROVED.

GERMAN TERRITORY (RAIDED,

LONDON, Nov. 1

Sir Douglas Haig reports : There "Was local fighting to-day in the neighbourof the Ypres-Standen railway. We slightly improved our line northeastward of Loos, inflicting losses. Our casualties were light. The artillery was active. There were a number of destructive bombardments of hostile positions and batteries by "bombing squadrons at night time. They dropped two tons of explosives on Roulers and; In<?<!&■ munster stations, mo-ying trains and billets. \ Our machines attacked the steel works and station at VolEiner, in Germany, with excellent results, several direct hits on the furnace of the power house -if* -vTlrain. Th® weather was brilliantly fine at the but turned later to x'ain and snow. One machine ha* not returned. FRENCH RAIDS. (Rec. Nov. 2. 1.20 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 1. A French communique 'says:—We raided lines in various districts, inflicting serious losses.

CENTRAL POWERS

GERMAN CHANCELLORSHIP

REPORTED REFUSAL BY HERTLING.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) AMSTERDAM, Oct. 31. The Pan-Germans are dissatisfied with Herr Hertling, particularly because as a Bavarian Catholic he sympathised with Austria, and opposed in'cTeased armaments before the war. The Reichstag was in no way consulted. Berlin reports state that Herr Hertling refused the Chancellorship because he was unable to secure a majority in the 'Reichstag. Other candidates are Prince Hatzfeldt, Count Brockdorff, Herr Kuehlmann, and Herr Posadowsky. i

PRUSSIAN HOUSE OF PEERS.

(Rec. Nov. 2, 11.50 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, No-?. 1. Herr Stegerwald has been made » member of the Prussian House of Peers, being the first Labour represen tative.

BRITISH FPBD SUPPLY

(Reuter's Telegrams.) LONDON, Oct. 31. iSpeaking in the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law stated that Lord Rhondda would unhesitatingly recommend compulsory rationing if it became nec-essai-y. meeting of tho wholesale meat trades at .Smithfield formed a central body to confer with the -Government departments and protect the interests of the trade. Mr Boys informed the meeting that, the organisation and administration would remain in the Government's hands, but executive action would be left to the present traders. * The nation required 40j000 tons of meat weekly-