GENERAL WAR NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17968, 8 March 1917, Page 2

GENERAL WAR NEWS

EARLIER CABLES BRITISH PRO&RESS. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian & N.Z, Cable Association.) LONDON, March 6. The Petit Parisien states that the obstinate struggle in the Bucquoy salient has turned to the advantage of the British, who crossed the GommecourtPuisieux road in several places and stormed Rossignol Wood, a rectangular area four hundred yards long. They have reached the outskirts of Les Es-sarts-Bucquoy and are also within a few yards of Hill 154, and the evacuation of the salient is expected. Further south the British are occupying Mallasine Spur, outflanking St. Pierre Vaast Wood, the scene of sanguinary actions, The British are closing on Moislans, opening the road across Nord Canal to Mont St. Quentin, which dominates Peronne. The British are fighting with great vigour.

GERMANY'S UNAVAILING RESISTANCE.

PARIS, March 6,

French military critics consider there is a tendency in England to exaggerate the voluntary nature of the German retreat, and declare that the Germans have been forced from their positions by guns and men. La Liberte states that a fierce battle raged for forty-eight hours between Gommecourt and Irles. The Germans resisted desperately, hut unavailingly. It adds that German resistance increases daily, marked by a series of violent artillery' and infantry engagements. The British, with superb dash, drove out the Germans, who continue a harsh and slow retreat.

SNOW DELAYS THE RETREAT. LONDON, March 6. Reuter’s correspondent at Headquarters states that several inches of snow have fallen on the battlefield, delaying the German withdrawal and our forward movement, though the former is the worse affected. It appears that the German line between Puisieux-au-Mont and Le Transloy has accomplished the first stage of the withdrawal and is resting along a spur on Bapaume Ridge temporarily. North-west hereof the Germans are. still withdrawing. Our troops everywhere are following up. Reports of advance parties show that the enemy movement north-east of Gommecourt extended very considerably in the twentyfour hours preceding the snowfall. Later a heavy thaw set in. VERDUN FIGHTING. PARIS. March 6. Commentators are expectant of operations at Verdun. They ask whether the Crown Prince is resuming the offensive and claim that a counter-attack restored the French line at Courieres Wood.

M. Marcel Hutin states that the French seventy-five machine gun secured extraordinary slaughter throughout the action. FRENCH EEPOBT. LONDON, March 6. The French communique states : Counter-attacks smashed German attempts to drive us from positions in the trenches we recaptured yesterday, north of Courieres Wood. French airmen bombed the railway station and military establishment at Friborg, and the Crisgan mills at Kehl, near Strassburg. They also dropped three tons of bombs on an aerodrome at Varcnne, in the Oise district, seriously damaging the sheds. ITALIANS BEPULSE ATTACK. LONDON, March fi.

Italian official ; We repulsed repeated attacks at Costabella witli heavy losses. We renewed attacks in the south-east of Vertoeba, on the Julian front. ARMED NEUTRALITY BILL. AMERICAN PRESIDENT HANDCUPPED. WOSHINGTON, March 6. The Supreme Court unanimously sustained the British owners’ suit to regain possession of the Appam. Owing to the intensity of public anger against the filibustering Senators, they explain that they did not kill the Armed Neutrality Bill. Mr Lodge reintroduced the bill, but it was duled out on a point of order.

RUSSIAN SUCCESS. LONDON. March 6. A wireless Russian official says : In the Caucasus we are pursuing the Turks, who are withdrawing to Bltjarsonne. We occupied the villages of Husseitabad and Chariak. We attacked the summit of Asadabid, in the direction of Hamadan. South-eastward of Abzelake we are pursuing the Turks towards Dovletabad. Our airships bombed Baranovitchi. CHINA AND GERMANY. LONDON. March 6. In connection with the Pekin situation it is learned that the Allies are closely co-operating in advising China. Conversations are proceeding in connection with financial assistance in the event of a break with Germany. This will probably take the form of the postponement of the Boxer indemnity and the revision of the Customs tariff. The leading people of China favour a severance of relations but there are technical difficulties in the way which the President desires to overcome before assenting. The Cabinet has resigned and several Ministers have departed for Tientsin. Efforts are being made to effect a reconciliation. ROUT OF THE TUSKS. GERMAN EFFORT ANTICIPATED. LONDON, March 6. The rout of the Turkish army, the remnants whereof must now have reached Baghdad, is a most significant event in view of the profound political effect throughout the east. It is regarded as inconceivable that Germany wfill not attempt a counter-stroke, not only to save the Turks, but the German, regime in Turkey. It is recalled in this connection that German troops left Constantinople just before the recapture of Kut. It is believed that the report that they are going to the main eastern front is only designed as a cloak, and that they have been despatched to Baghdad. Developments arc eagerly awaited. Meanwhile it is pointed out that the urgency of the needs of Germany’s allies must be growing dally, and constitute an aspect of the war which cannot be overlooked. SINKING OF THE ATHOS. PARIS. March 6. A sterling narrative is published describing the sinking of the transport Athos on February 17, which was a second Birkenhead. After the torpedo struck the Athos the captain gave her ten minutes life. The chief engineer, Donzel, whose hand was blown off, went to the engine-room instantly to prevent an explosion. He knew he could never come up and he didn’t. The Athos carried a thousand Chinese coolies, going as labourers to France under Captain Silvestre, a dozen Interpreters and officers. All the coolies were saved, but Captain Silvestre and the interpreters went down. Tlie transport also carried three German spies caught In Indo-China and confined in separate cells. Sergeant M. Moujeau, who was responsible, went to the hold and unlocked two cells, the prisoners being saved. While unlocking the third the Athos sank and the spy and M. Moujeau were drowned. A battalion of Sengalese infantry under French officers could not be saved and sank with the Sengalese drawn up in line presenting arms, the officers at bead, saluting. Captain Dorise, commanding the transport, went down with the stiip, but came up and died on (he surface. Two men swam ashore with his dead body. CONSCRIPTION IN CANADA. OTTAWA, March 6. It is semi-offlcially announced that the Militia Act will be enforced in April calling out fifty thousand unmarried men from 20 to 47 years. An apportionment is proposed having regard to what the various provinces have contributed voluntarily. The first fifty thousand will be trained in eighteen months subject to service overseas if the war continues.

ROUHLANIA’S ENTBT. LONDON, March 6. In the House of Commons Mr John Dillon asked whether we impressed Roumania by pledges of assistance which we were unable to fulfill. He quoted an alleged letter from Lord Hardinge to Sir George Buchanan, apparently seized among the mails and published in Germany, stating that M. Bratiano (the Roumanian Premier) had always been "one of the most evasive fellows, and was even now endeavouring to wriggle out upon the pretence that our offensive at Salonika is not everything to be desired.”

Mr Macpherson (War Office Undersecretary) said Mr Dillon ought to read the doubtful letter with great hesitation. He asked whether Mr Dillon quoted the letter with Lord Hardinge’s permission.

POTATO SCARCITY. LONDON, March 6. Captain Bathurst said there was an unprecedented world-wide scarcity of potatoes. It was unlikely there would be sufficient in Britain for anybody late in the spring or early summer. There was no evidence that farmers were unreasonably withholding supplies. Mr Lambert said withdrawals of labour from agriculture were so great as to result in a serious diminution of food production. The people at the War Office apparently knew nothing about agriculture. Companies of soldiers as substitutes were unsatisfactory. Farming could not be done by numbers.

GENERAL ITEMS. ATHENS, March 6. The transport of arms to Peloponnesus is proceeding. Twenty thousand rifles have arrived at Patras and sixty thousand are cn route to Nauplia. The railwaymen in South-west Greece have struck, owing to insufficient wages and food. AMSTERDAM, March 6. Austria’s reply to President Wilson alleges that British violations of international law were the starting point of the unrestricted submarine policy which Austria-Hungary endorsed. WASHINGTON, March 6. After the first reading of the AustroHungarian Note members of the Government incline to interpret it as an effort to placate Washington and Berlin. Mr Wilson's attitude is not yet officially known but circles usually In his confidence think he will not break unless Austro-Hungary's submarines commit attack?. LONDON, March 6. The Bishop of London has announced that every clergyman in London has volunteered for national service. Sir George Cave announced that convictions pf women for drunkenness in the past four years hkd been 35.765, 37,308, 33,211, and 21,214. In the House of Comomns Mr Bonar Law said the Government would make a proposal regarding the cancellation of certificates of naturalisation when the Imperial Conference meets. The Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes on the 4th inst. dropped many heavy bombs on blast furnaces at Brebach.