THE PELORUS GUARDIAN and Miners’ Advocate. FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 1917. NOTES ON THE WAR.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 48, 22 June 1917, Page 4

THE PELORUS GUARDIAN and Miners’ Advocate. FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 1917. NOTES ON THE WAR.

A German official message admits that the British have advanced their positions in glanders and maintaining them against a vigorous counterattack. “No annexations—-no indemnities,” is the keynote at peace proposals said to have been indirectly submitted to Russia by Germany. The New Zealand troops continue to advance at Messines. When last in action they advanced 1000 yards in the direction of Warneton. The Allies have decided to defend Greece against all aggression. Steps are being taken to prevent intrigues such as led to the massacre of the Allies ’ soldiers in December. An official German message states that King Constantine will proceed to Germany, via Switzerland, and lead an expedition against the Allies through Bulgaria. Describing the recent fighting at Messines the official reporter with the Australian forces says:—“The whole attack went on more precisely and more mathematically to programme than any ever made by Germans or British as far as known.” A strong enemy attack has been delivered eastward of Monchy and Preux. Three Austrian munition depots were destroyed at Steinfcld, a suburb of Vienna, as a result of a severe explosion.

A message from Salonika states that the British air service successfully bombed the Tumba railway.

Throughout Russia bataiions of women have been formed and are drilling hard. The women intend to proceed to the front and shame the men.

Prince Alexander, the new King of Greece, has expressed the intention of following the lines of his father’s brilliant career.

Arrangements have been concluded with Sweden to allow British vessels to freely leave the Baltic. General Smuts is to stay in England and is to act as military adviser to the War Cabinet.

Subscriptions to the Indian War Loan exceed £24,000,000. An ambassador from London has arrived at Madrid and conferred with the Minister for State.

A Japanese note to America states that Japan declines to interfere with the Chinese political class. In the recent air raid on London the Germans used a new type of bomb filled with shrapnel. A girl was killed fifty yards away by fragments which had passed through two intervening houses.

America’s shipbuilding programme provides for the completion of 25 steel vessels, each over 1600 tons, per week. f The Italians successfully stormed Cornokaverto, a height of 10,000 feet, overcoming enormous difficulties. The capture gives an overlooking position. It is stated that facts have come to light showing that the Swedish Government has been acting as an intermediary between Germany and Russia in promoting aims for peace. Since July 1916, the British have captured 434 guns on the Western front, and 600 square miles of territory have been regained. Since the beginning of the war 76,067 prisoners have been taken. .

During the war the Germans have submarined 562 Norwegian ships aggregating 800,000 tons. The men and women killed number 581. There has been another remarkable fall in the value of the German mark. The Germans have been forced to admit that the commercial submarine Bremen has been lost. It is estimated that the American Liberty Loan has been £250,000,000 over-subscribed. The country of Spain is said te be opposing a revolution. German interests alone are served by the present attacks on the Monarchy. Russia’s position is unchanged. It is expected that the attitude of the Cossacks will probably have considerable influence on future events There were disorderly scenes in the House of Commons when the question of air reprisals was mentioned. In attempting to move the adjournment Mr Billing was escorted outside. The cause of the explosion at AshtonUnder Lyne, as the result of which one hundred and fifty people were injured, is believed to have been due to the fusing of electric wires. German delegates to the Stockholm conference are said to have expressed their readiness to join a Socialistic peace conference. The chances of the conference meeting, however, appear to he remote.

After a determined enemy counterattack the British were compelled to fall back from the advanced posts established before the main new position on Infantry Hill, which is still firmly held.

New Zealanders who were wounded at Messines,,and who are now arriving at the London hospitals, have been visited by Sir Thomas Mackenzie, who found that they were progressing excellently.

M. Thomas,' the French Minister, who has returned from a visit to Russia, states that he has seen nothing to shake his confidence in our Eastern Ally. He is convinced that the anarchists’ efforts will be crushed.

Sir Douglas Haig reports that the British troops have crossed the YpresGonines Canal. Successful operations have also been carried out eastward of Monchy de Preux- —Allied troops have advanced from 500 to 1000 yards between Warneton and Klein Zilbeluke, over a distance of seven miles.

The Allies are steadily bombarding the new positions occupied by the enemy at Messines. ’ British troops now occupy the German front line trenches from Ploegsturt Wood to the Banks of the river Lys, nearly midway to Armontieres.

It is feared that the internal situation in Spain is becoming serious, A telegram from Barcelona states that employees in the (government Departments are organising a defence committee and that revolutionary propaganda is active among the rank and file of the army. The King is being made the scapegoat for tho errors of past organisations.