GENERAL WAR NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17707, 11 July 1917, Page 2

GENERAL WAR NEWS

EARLIER CABLES ANOTHER RUSSIAN BLOW. 7000 PRISONERS TAKEN. (By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 9. Russian official : Westward of Stanislau on Sunday, General Gentornloff captured several villages, 131 officers, 7000 men, 48 guns, including 12 heavy guns and many machine guns PETROGRAD, July 9. Seci-officlal: We heavily repulsed desperate German counter-attacks with the object of stopping General Bruslloffs enveloping movement upon Brzezany. We intercepted a German wireless admitting terrible losses. Three reserve divisions were cut up and many battalions were wiped out. The greatest Importance is attached to General Brusiloff’s advance. FRENCH VICTORY TOO COSTLY. PARIS, July 9. In the Chamber of Deputies M. Painleve, Minister for War, admitted that the price paid for the last offensive was too high for the results obtained. The chiefs responsible ahd been relieved of their commands. A policy of prudence not lacking energy, but with due regard to the limits of human achievements, was necessary Rash plans would not be attempted, but the forces would be conserved for the final battle. General Retain was an excellent leader of this policy. LONDON, July 9. The French communique states: An artillery struggle of the keenest nature is proceeding in the Panthoon-Froid-mont Farm district. We have occupied a trench element There are artillery actions at various points, especially towards the Hurtebise and Mont Haut sector. AIR RATO PROBLEM, LONDON, July 9. The newspapers are hotly debating means of countering air raids on London. All agree that the defences are lamentably wanting, and many demand active reprisals. The Rev. Bernard A. Snell, chairman of the Congregational Union, preaching at Brixton, advocated reprisals. The Daily Chronicle, in urging caution, says the unarguable objection to reprisals is geographical No German' towns of first or second rank are open to British aeroplane attack, but enemy aeroplanes cannot be permitted to hover over London picking targets. The defences must be strengthened, even at the deplorable cost of limiting Sir Douglas Haig’s reserves. The House of Commons holds a secret session to-night to discuss air defences. AMSTERDAM, July 9. Whereas twenty German aeroplanes went westward only ten were counted returning. FINLAND’S EMBARRASSING ATTITUDE. LONDON, July 9. The Daily Telegraph’s Petrograd correspondent says the Finns are causing grave embarrassment to the Provisional Government. They continue not to respond to the advances of the revolutionary Government and deny the right of the Russian Government to assume the place formerly occupied by the Czar in the Finninsh constitution. They demand that the right to sanction laws should belong to the Finnish Government responsible to the Diet. German agents In Finland are circulating false money for the purpose of depressing the rouble. The Russian Government are trying to raise a loan of 360,000,000 marks. The Finland Diet approves of the Finnish Socialists demand that Russia should pledge the telegraphs, railways and other property In Finland as security for the loan The' Finns state that they wish to plac themselves under international protection as they dread the Instability of the present Russian Government.

AMERICAN WAVY TABS DESTROYED SAN FRANCISCO, July 9. An explosion and fire destroyed Mare Island navy yard. Mare Island Is opposite Vallejo, a city in Solano County, California, and is the headquarters of the Pacific naval squadron of the United States, with a large navy yard, a naval arsenal, and two stone dry docks (one ?50ft. long). The navy yard was established in 1854, and recently has undergone considerable extension; WASHINGTON, July 9. A dozen were injured in the Mare Island explosion, but there were no fatalities. Windows were broken in all San Francisco Bay towns. SAN FRANCISCO, July 9. Six men were killed and thirty-one injured by the explosion in Mare Island navy yard. FIRST AMERICAN DRAFT. WASHINGTON, July 9. The War Department has announced the first draft of 68,700 men. The first draft of enrolments bring the Regulars and National Guard to war strength, and will provide half a million men for the new army to go to France. THE WHEAT EMBARGO. WASHINGTON, July 9. Mr Van Rappard, Dutch Minister to the United States, expresses grave apprehension as to the effect of the embargo on the export of wheat. He declares: “We are starving. The Dutch people are rationed and forced to depend on Germany for coal and America for grain. Holland is at America's mercy.” Advices from Argentina state that great alarm has been caused by President Wilson’s action owing to Argentine industries being dependent on North America for coal and other fuel. Winter wheat in 1917 is estimated to yield 402,000,000 bushels, against 482,000,000 in 1916. The spring yield is 276,000,000, compared with 158,000,000 last year. MUNITIONS OUTFIT?. LONDON, July 9. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions, in a speech, said that despite the enormous expenditure of shells production was more than keeping pace with it. This was an eloquent Justification of the dilution of labour. The Government’s proposals were to allow the dilution of labour on private work in order to bring a proportion of skilled men now engaged in private work to war work In shipyards, agricultural implement works, and aeroplane production. The interests of Labour would be fully safeguarded in the scheme. GENERAL ITEMS. LONDON, July 0. The names of six New Zealanders, who have received military medals, appear in vthe Gazette. ATHENS, July 9. A search of General Merkouris’s house revealed swords and important military material The search continues. THE SHEEP RETURNS DECREASE OF 34.826. The Government Statistician publishes in the June number of the "Abstract of Statistics,” an interim statement of the number of sheep in the dominion on April 30, showing a decrease of 34,826, as compared with the figures :for the previous year. The Auckland district shows an increase of 118,524, and Napier-Gisborne 160.367. All other districts show a decrease as follows: Wellington-West Coast, 16,903; Marlbor-ough-<Nelson-Westland, 29,619; Canter- 1 bury-Kaikoura, 120,936; Otago-South- ' land, 146,259. The net increase in the North Island is 261,988, and the decrease in the South Island 296,814. The i figures are as follows: — District. 1916. 1917. , Auckland 1,841,086 1,959,610 Napier-Gisborne . . 6,007,480 0.167,847 , Wellington-W. Coast 6,032,233 6,015,330 , Marlborough-Nelson. ( Westland 1,363,478 1,333,859 . Canterbury-Kalkoura 4,769,989 4,649,053 i Otago 4,773,884 4.627,625 ( Totals 24,788,160 24,763,324