GENERAL WAR NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17920, 27 April 1917, Page 2

GENERAL WAR NEWS

EARLIER CABLES TEE ABBAS BATTLE. TESEIBLE ENCOUNTERS RAGING. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, April 25. Mr Beach Thomas reports: Terrible encounters rage across the bare, undulating country beyond Arras, the troops marching, charging, manoeuvring and fighting in the open. The Germans have never used a greater number of troops in counter-attacks. Monchy was the centre of the storm of Monday's counterattack. Sart Wood and Vert Wood were shattered and broken by terrific concentration of British heavy artillery. The miserable remnants of the Germans in Sart Wood did not dare to debouch, but the Germans in Vert Wood persisted despite tile bloodiest losses. They succeeded in driving us back a few hundred yards, but later we re-attacked and forced the German storming party from tlio most important places while the enemy emptied shells into Monchy, blowing up the village till only a few skeleton houses remained. We captured Gavrellc village after slight resistance. The Germans surrendered easily but immediately afterwards hurled away masses of fresh troops in vain attempts to recapture it. Two battalions, unable to face the shell fire, bolted across the open where the creeping barrage almost annihilated them. The sternest fighting took place at Guemappe. Fierce counter-at-tacks temporarily drove us back, but subsequently renewed battle restored the village to us. We found every cellar blown to pieces by shell fire The Germans had never lost more men since the battle of the Somme. Their shell fire fatalities were unusually high. Fighting continues fiercely, the Germans bringing the Prussian Guards and other picked troops, massing batteries, and pouring shells along the Scarpe River to arrest our advance. The battle fronts are without definition, and there are no straight continuous lines or regular trenches. The enemy is endeavouring to conceal losses by removing or concealing the dead. Orders found on captured men from Douaumont demanding more French civilian workers from German commandants of certain villages proves that slave labour is definitely incorporated in the German army system. FRENCH AND BRITISH PROGRESS, LONDON, April 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports : We captured the hamlet of Bilhem, north-cast of Trescault, during the night. Fighting occurred in the early morning along our front between the Cojeul and Scarpe rivers. We further progressed and secured the ground gained. We have taken 3029 prisoners, including forty-six officers, since April 23. The French communique states : We progressed south-east of Cerny-en-Laonnais, in the region of the Aisne, and took prisoners. Our lire stopped a German attack after a violent bombardment in the neighbourhood of Hurtebise and Vauclere Plateau. We also advanced near Mousanono, in the Champagne. Enemy raids near Tahure and Matsons de Champagne failed, leaving many dead in our wire entanglements. DIB BALFOUR IN AMERICA. WASHINGTON, April 25. Mr Balfour made a statement that the Allies did not desire to Induce the United States to enter an entangling alliance abroad. The United States of its own free will entered the struggle, not with any hope of gain, but because she was convinced that the Interests of mankind demanded it. There could be no more fallacious policy for the Allies than to base their actions upon such shallow considerations as territorial gain. FRENCH REPRESENTATIVES ARRIVE. WASHINGTON, April 25. General Joffre and M. Vivian! arrived aboard the Presidential yacht, and were greeted by bands and crowds. Mr Lansing met General Joffre on the deck of the Mayflower and the cordiality of the greeting was notable. The voyage was without event. Washington is preparing a cordial reception for General Joffre and his party. The cruiser whereon he came was met ‘by American destroyers. A member of the Commission says its purpose is to extend the principle of the Allies’ conferences which have been held in various capitals to America. It will consider military, economic and financial questions. The French Cabinet has such confidence in M. Vivian! that it did not give him written instructions. General Joffre Is prepared to explain the exact military situation presumably to indicate wherein America can best help. The Commission is prepared to discuss the question of an expeditionary force to Europe. Great emotion is manifested in the first democracy In the world wherewith France shares ideals. MONEY FOB BRITAIN. WASHINGTON, April 25. A Treasury warrant lending Britain £40,000,000 sterling, has been formally handed to Sir C. A. Spring-Rice, the British Ambassador. The United States will loan Britain 200.000. dollars immediately out of 250.000. just raised. It is expected that this will be the first issue of a loan of two billions, giving subscribers four months to pay the bond instalments. The Government is considering financial advances to Italy and Russia. GERMANY CLIMBING BOWK. LONDON, April 25. The Daily Chronicle’s Amsterdam correspondent states that the journal Vorwaerts, in an article, insists that Germany must strive towards a lasting peace by abandoning ideas of annexation and indemnities. It is noteworthy that Dr von Bethmann-Hollweg often used the Vorwaerts to forward his ideas, and it is therefore possible this article indicates, even if vaguely, that Germany is inclined to climb down further. GERMAN AEROPLANES DESTROYED. ROTTERDAM, April 25. Two German aeroplanes, twenty miles north of Zeebrugge, were brought down by a British airship. There were eight men in the car. SERBS REVOLT. BERNE. April 25. Twenty thousand Serbians revolted In the Nish, Kravia and Lekovatz districts against Bulgarian measures for compulsory recruiting. The leader, Kosta, escaped to the mountains with 4000 followers. The remainder of the insurgents were subsequently exterminated or imprisoned. FRO-GERMANS IN RUSSIA. NEW YORK. April 25. The New York World’s Petrograd correspondent states that a mob, led by a pro-German Socialist, who said America was the enemy of Socialism, threatened the American Embassy. Soldiers dispersed the crowd. German agents circulated a report among the Russian soldiers that their land was being distributed, causing a number to leave the front. Consequently M. Gutchkoff, War Minister, issued a denial reassuring the soldiers. CANADIAN BUDGET. OTTAWA, April 25. The Budget speech disclosed that Canada's revenue for the year ended March last was 230.000,000 dollars, compared with 170,000,000 the previous year. After meeting all capital expenditure, Interest, and pension charges, Canada will be able to pay £60,000,000 off the principle of war expenditure. During the war Canada has floated loans aggregating 350.000. dollars, besides furnishing 150.000. to the Imperial Treasury to meet commitments for munitions and supplies in Canada. CAMPAIGN AGAINST TURNS. LONDON, April 25. Russian official ; The Cossacks repelled the Kurds on April 21 near Selger in the Caucasus. Our cruiser destroyed harbour works at Kerasund. Our torpedo boat destroyed three Turkish schooners. Our submarine sank two schooners in the region of the Bosphorus.

BRITAIN'S POOD SUPPLY. LONDON, April 25. In the House of Commons the debate on the Corn Production Bill showed strong Liberal opposition to the proposal to guarantee minimum prices to the farmer. The Nationalists support the Government. Mr Runciman said national security would be better achieved by storing wheat in national granaries and holding three yeais' consumption. It is reported that the authorities are reducing the bread ration in the army owing to the shortage of wheat and flour. The meat ration has been correspondingly increased. Stocks of meat have recently been raised owing to the killing of cattle to save feed stuffs and the system of meatless days. SENEEAL ITEMS. LONDON, April 25. In the House of Lords the Earl of Derby said the prohibition of the Nation's foreign circulation was absolutely Justilied. The order would not be rescinded. Lord Calthorpe proposes that Allied aeroplanes should drop fire balls in the Rhine Valley and the Hungarian Plains to destroy the crops. These are like tinder when ripe. Apparatus for experiments must be made immediately, the rye harvest in Germany beginning in June. PETROGRAD, April 25. The Russian General Tchcrbatschcff has boon appointed second in command on the Roumanian front.