LATE CABLES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLII, Issue 12821, 17 April 1916, Page 4

LATE CABLES.

By Electbio Telegbath— Copyright.] Peb Press Association. AUSTRALIANS IN ACTION. Received April 17, at 0.55 p.m. London, April 10. Official.—The Commander-in-Chief in Egypt reports that on the 13th the A.nstraliaus made a successful reconnaissance at JiJaffa, where they attacked and occupied the enemy's camp. There was a brisk fight in which the known enemy casualties were six. killed and five wounded. An Austrian lieutenant and 33 Turks were made prisoners. Only two mounted men escaped. The Australian casualties were a Jion-com. killed. _ The Australians occupied the Katia oasis.

AIR DEFENCE. London, April 1(5. Mr Billing, M.P., in a lecture, prophesied that within a few years the Royal Navy would take second place, to the British air fleet. He anticipated that the war would be decided in the air within twenty months. The . development of aeronautics, he said, would be the forerunner of universal peace. Britain or Nanother nation would possess within ten or twenty years over a hundred thousand airships, divided into a hundred squadrons, capable of devastating the principal cities of an enemy country in a single night. ENEMY SUBJECTS. Received April 17, at 9.25 a.m. Sydney, April 17. In reply to persistent criticisms, Mr Hohnan points.out that the State leads the Empire in matters of disfranchising and purging the public service of enemy subjects. DEATH OF VICTORIAN CRICKETER, Received April 17, at 9.25 a.m. Melbourne, April 17. Obituary—Thomas Horan, the cricketer. NO NEED FOR- AMERICAN MUNITIONS. New York, April 3.5. A representative of .-Pierpont Morgan's firm, after a visit- to Britain, declares that the immense supplies of munitions ordered early in the war will not be continued, because England and France are now manufacturing on sucli a- scale that they are independenet of the United States. The traveller adds that the European countries themselves will do the reconstruction work after tile war. converting the munition factories for that purpose. THE ATTACK ON VERDUN. Paris. April 16. A communique says a vigorous attack on the positions southward of Douaumont on Saturday night enabled us to occupy some elements of the enemy trendies.

CONSTANTINOPLE RAIDED. Amsterdam, April 16. A Turkish' communique says two aeroplanes ascending at the Dardanelles' on Friday night flew over Constantinople at a considerable height and dropped incendiary bombs on two villages harmlessly. Our guns drove them off. AIR. RAID IN TURKEY. Received April 17, at 2.45 p.m. London, April 16. The Press Bureau states that three naval aeroplanes on Friday evening raided Constantinople and dropped bombs on the Zeitonlik powder factory and aeroplane hangars. Another' bombed the railway station at Adrianople. Squadron-Commander SmythPiggott and Flight-Lieutenants Savory, Dickinson, and Barnatto participated in the raids. All returned safely. The flight to Constantinople and back was over 300 miles. Fine, weather prevailed at the start, but adverse conditions supervened, rain, wind, and thunderstorms being experienced. A GERMAN REPORT. Received April 17, at 2.45 p.m. London, April 16. A German communique states thatviolent mine-firing and artillery practice took place ou both banks of the La "Bassee Canal. Our mines destroyed 60 yards of the British positions at Vermilles. Violent was developed eastward ol the Mouse on Saturday evening, en the front .between the fortress of Douaumont and tho ravine at Vaux. The French, alter a strong artillery preparation, .attacked in considerable force, but were repulsed with heavy losses. Amsterdam, April 16. German newspapers hint at the abandonment of the attempt on Verdun, declaring that the German move was intended merely to forestall a tremendous French offensive against Metz planned for yesterday. The papers say that the French calculation of German losses is absurd. They do not give the current figures, but- state that.9o per cent, of the Germans wounded at "Verdun are. able to return to the front.