RUSSIANS ON FRENCH FRONT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14047, 18 July 1916, Page 3

RUSSIANS ON FRENCH FRONT.

RECEIVE BAPTISM OF FIRE. BENCHES CAPTURED BY FRENCH AND RU,SSIAN PATROLS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) ' PARIS, July 17. ' Oui" ' . Russnui Allies received their baptism of fire on the French front on Saturday. ' i ' After a French a rtillel-y 1 preparation the Russian companies entered the German trenches and secured prisoners. A French communique reports great activity. French and ■ Russian patrols on the Champagne front, after a lively bomhardment of Chattancourt, carried some trench elements east of Hill 304. ' The German newspaper's have poured contempt upon the announcement of the arrival of the Russdan.«tropps m France. It is spoken of as "a comedy, the wretchedness of which is too transparent to produce any sort of uneasiness." One or at the most two shiploads of mcii is suggested as the extreme number sent, and the Berlin Lokal Anzeigfer remarks that "The Russians are at present totally incapable of giving serious support to France since they have large armies tied down not only on the German, AustroHungarian. and Bessarajbian fronts, ' v* ' also m the Caucasus and m Persia. The fact that the French and their Allies \ welcome this . sham support with such enthusiasm only proves how bad the _ state of things must' be m France.'' 'These German newspapers', said an Australian writer two months ago, know probably no more about the numbers of the Russian troops m France than we do ; but if they know even as much they must be aware that they are talking nonsense. For, though the actual total of^ troops sent or to be sent to Marseilles has not: been announced, there is evidence that it is much greater than the enemy press would have people believe that it believes. There have been foui*^contingents so far ; one on April 25, a second on April 28, a third on May 2, and a fourth two days later, There may be more to follow. And though there is perhaps nothing n the suggestion, published m America, that the number to be sent altogether amounts to no fewer than a quarter of a million, it is noteworthy* that accounts of the arrival of the contingents, at Marseille.*; have mention m each case, "a great flotilla of transports." One report, m the New York Times, of April 21, speaks of "35 British. French, and Japanese transports," ' which were supposed to have been waiting to carry the whole or part of the force. A hundred Russian officers are said to have preceded tlie arrival of the first' contingent, and gone on to Paris to arrange for the reception of the troops. All this looks as though it was a case of more than a thousand or two.