RUSSIA WORN OUT

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1164, 3 November 1917, Page 7

RUSSIA WORN OUT

ALLIES SHOULD BEAR BURDEN

IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY KERENSKY

STRAIN TOO HEAVY TO BE BORNE By Cable. — Fr(*s Association. — Copyright. (Router.) (Bee. Nov. 3, 8.50 a.m.) PETEOGEAD, Nov. 2. M. Kerensky (Prime Minister) is reported to have said that Russia entered the war early, and is now worn out by the strain. Russia claimed that the other Allies ought to shoulder the burden of the war.

LANSING SAYS RUMOURS UNTRUE.

(A. k N.Z.) (Bee. Nov. 3, 8.50 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Nov. 2. Mr Robert Lansing (Secretary of State), commenting on the Russian rumours, says:— "Any statement that Russia will quit the war is entirely unfounded."

NO IDEA OF SEPARATE PEACE.

(A. & N.Z.) (Bee. Nov. 3, 9.20 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Nov. 2. The Russian Embassy states that Russia will adhere to the Allies, and will not conclude a separate peace.

AIR ACTIVITY ON WESTERN FRONT.

BRITISH AVIATORS' SUCCESSFUL WORK. (A. & N.Z. & Reuter.) (Rcc. Nov. 3, 8.50 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—Taking advantage of a change in the weather on Wednesday, our and the enemy's aeroplanes were in the air all day. Visibility was not very good hindering artillery work, but many photographs were taken and much bombing done Vy our machines. The aeroplanes co-operated successfully in an infantry raid lorth-eastward of Loos, firing several thousand machine-gun rounds and bombing troops and communication trenches. Five tons of bomhs were dropped on Roulers. causing fires and an explosion, and on many billets further on. Five tons aud a-half were dropped in the night on aerodromes in the neighbourhood of the Courtrai aerodrome, and at Gontrode, and on the railway stations at Roulers, Tliourout, and Courtrai.

MARKED SUPERIORITY OF ALLIES.

/'Times" Service.) (Bee. Nov. 3, 11.10 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Nov. 2. Returns reveal that 274 German and 109 Allied aeroplanes were brought down on the Western front in October. LOCAL FIGHTING FAVOURS THE BRITISH. (A. & N.Z. & Reuter.) (Ree, Nov. 3, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—We slightly improved our position southward and westward of Passchendaele and south-east-ward of Poelcapelle. The Lineolnshires and Lancashire's successfully raided eastward of Vermelles and eastward of Shrewsbury Forest. There has been great activity of hostile artillery eastward of Ypres.

GOOD RESULTS AT BEERSHEBA.

CAPTURE EFFECTED WITH LITTLE LOSS. (A. 4 N.Z. &. Reuter.) (Ree. Nov. 3, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 2. An Egypt official report states:—Eighteen hundred prisoners and nine guns were captured at Beersheba. The British losses were slight, as compared with the results. We hold a position northward of Beersheba. We successfully raided another portion of the front, killing a large number of the enemy.

BLOCKING LOOPHOLES.

| AN AUSTRALIAN REGULATION. MELBOURNE, November 2. A war precautions regulation reI quires New Zealanders entering the Commonwealth, who have under- ! taken to return, to do so when requested by the authorities. Failure to comply will lead to arrest and deportation. New Zealanders liable to military service who have left without permission may be required to return. THE CHANCELLORSHIP. VON HERTLING ACCEPTS. (A. & N.Z.) AMSTERDAM, Nov. 1 | The "Cologne Gazette" states that Baron von Hertling, yielding to the ; Kaiser s pressure, conferred with the Reichstag party leaders and reached an understanding. He has decided to accept Hie Chancellorship and the Prussian Premiership. The "Vossische Zeitung" states that Baron von Hertling accepted the ! Reichstag leaders' conditions, which i were prompt suffrage reform in Prussia, mitigation of the political censorship and the state of siege, ;anrl the adoption of a foreign policy j in accordance with Germany's reply to the Pope's Peace Note. Baron •von Hertling will have an audience with the Kaiser, who, it is underj stood, favours the Prussian suffrage : project. WELSH COAL STRIKE. TROUBLE OVER EXAMINERS. (A. & N.Z.I LONDON. Nov. 1. Owing to an examiners' strike over .XII per cent, of (lie Welsh pits jare idle. The examiners refused the owners' conditional offer to recogInisc the Examiners' Union. Early ! returns of the miners' ballot in i South Wales indicate an overwhelming majority against the strike over j combing-out proposals.

FLANDERS BATTLE LINE.;

CAPTURES IN OCTOBER. A. 4 N.Z. 4 Reuter) LONDON, Nov. 1. | Sir Douglas Haig reports:—We dis-1 Sersed a concentration in the neigh-; ourhood of Passchendaele. Hostile ' artillery has shown considerable ac-.! livitv east and north of Ypres. Our artillery carried out concentrated bombardments of positions in thej battle area. Our captures in France in October numbered 9125, including! 242 officers, fifteen guns, 431 ma-chine-guns and 42 trench mortars. ACTIVE. A. aitd X.Z. Cahlt Atioeiation and Reuter. (R.-c. Nov. 3, 10.50) LONDON, Not. 2. A Belgian communique states:— There is a violent artillery struggle. especially before Dixmudc. We se-j cured several direct hits on enemy batteries and works. A Trench communique slates: — There has been a .somewhat violent artillery duel north of the Aisne,; in the region of Maisons de ChamJiagne, and on the right bank of the ifeuse, to the north or Bezonvaux. ! SHIPPING DISPUTES. BOARD OF CONCILIATION. | A. ond 5.7.. C'«»/- Attoeiatinn and Rrutir. j (Rec. Nov. 3, 9.20) LONDON, Nov. 2. The Press Bureau reports that a : National Board of Seamen's Wages has now been established. The Shipping Controller (Sir Joseph ! Maclay) will appoint the chairman, i [A message from London on October A ' stated:— The Shipping Controller has cstab-; lished a Conciliation Committee, at whose Invitation representatives of the shipowners : and stamen have heen discussing the possibility of standard national rates being adopted for wages mid machinery, and hi | regulate the supply and conditions of emftloyment. The Ministry is satisfied regard- | UK the expediency of national rates, and i is prepared to create the necessary machinery, and confidently hopes that an agree- ' nient between all parties will lie reached.' and that there will h<- the fullest co-opera tioii on all matters.]

GREAT THRUST AGAINST ITALY.

TEUTONS RISK ALL FOR COMPLETE ROUT. TO ANTICIPATE ARRIVAL OF ALLIES. (United Service.) (Hee. Nov. 3, 11.10 a.m.) ROME, Nov. 2. The Austro-Germans are risking everything upon completing the Italian rout before the Allies arrive, A great battle is impending upon the plains, perhaps deciding the whole war.

HOW THE GERMANS BROKE THROUGH.

GAP LEFT IN TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT. (A. & N.Z.) (Roc. Nov. 3, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 2. War correspondents pay a tribute to the courage and tenacity of the Italian Third Army. During the retreat the rearguard performed prodigies of valour. Despite persistent enemy shelling, it covered the withdrawal of the guns by repeatedly charging the advancing Austrians, five times driving them hack into Vallone. When the Austrians were likely to occupy positions commanding the Jsonzo bridges, the troops on the Carso bravely resisted, while the artillery, by a superhuman effort, man-handled the guns over the Isonzo. The Bersaglieri and Alpini specially distinguished themselves. The Alpini, at Monte Nero, appear to have fought until they were exhausted, and were still resisting on Saturday, three days after the Germans had burst through, living all the time on one day's rations. Aviators last saw them bravely holding their positions, and dropped bread upon their lines. A wounded officer who managed to escape from Monte Nero states that the appearance of Germans on their rear was an almost overwhelming surprise. It transpires that the Germans cleverly deluded the Italians by leaving themselves a clear passage in one small sector, while they rained shells on the remainder of the front. The bombardment was so terrific that the Italians were utterly helpless. While it lasted they could only shelter in caverns and dug-outs. The gas shells were particularly effective. When the tornado ceased the mischief had already been done, because during the drumfire, and amid the thick clouds of smoke and gas, the Italians had been unable to observe that a small sector was being left unshelled. The Germans meanwhile broke through in this sector, and when the Italians prepared to meet the oncoming foe they found themselves cut off in the rear.

FIGHTING STARTS ON TAGLIAMENTO

(A. & N.Z. & Renter.) (Eee. Nov. 3, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 2. An Italian official report states:—There has been reciprocal artillery activity on the Tagliainento. Our machine-gun fire repulsed enemy patrols which advanced to tlie river bank. (A. & N.Z.) (Ree. Nov. 3, 10.50 a.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 2. Cables from Rome state that 30*000 Germans, including two divisional generals, were killed on the Bainsizza Plateau. British and French reinforcements have arrived on the Tagliainento.

Ed particularly, but other British convoys were continually passing up and down across the North Sea. The losses in connection with them had been proportionately less. The enemy cruisers made the passage at night time. Owing to the circumstances mentioned they were unmolested in daytime and slipped back again at night time. Sir Eric Geddes paid a tribute to the gallantry and devotion of the odicers and men escorting the convoy. Referring to the output of merchant tonnage in the first nine months of 1917 he said that it was 123 per cent, higher than the output in the corresponding period of last year and very considerably higher than the output for the whole of 1015. The standard vessels now , ordered represented nearly 1,000.000 gross tons of shipping. Over half of these were already being constructed, and the remainder would be taken in hand as soon as the vessels now on the stocks were launched. A limited number of standard vessels had been completed and commissioned, but the whole of the yards suitable for building standard ships could not yet be entirely devoted to the work, because the stocks were already occupied by other craft. The programme of warship construction now in hand was infinitely larger than any undertaken before the war. The output of naval craft in the last twelve months was from three to four times as great as the annual average output for a few years preceding the war. THE FUTURE HOPEFUL. COMING TRIAL OF STRENGTH. 1 and Tf.Z. CWle, Astsorintion anil Ptuter. (Roe. Nov. 3, 9.20) LONDON, Nov. 2. Sir Eric Geddes, continuing his speech, said that the Germans claimed to have sunk 808,000 tons of shipping of all nationalities last August. They sank little more than one-third of that amount, and the British tonnage sunk was little more than half of that of all nationalities. The German September figures were 072,000 tons, but they sank far less than one-third of that amount, and the British loss comprised less than half of those of all nationalities. The net reduction of tonnage in the last four months is to-day 30 per cent, less than was estimated early in July; and the total net reduction since the beginning of the war from al! causes in British ships over' 1600 tons is under 2.500,000 tons gross, or 14 per cent. After summarising the progress made for combating submarinism. Sir Eric Geddes referred to the fact that the Germans were building submarines faster than hitherto. They had not yet attained their maximum strentrfh. Submarine warfare was therefore becoming a test of determination, grit and ingenuity between the two contending forces. He concluded: "Submarine warfare at present is going well for us. One is justified in regarding the future with courage and confidence." He recalled that the German mercantile marine before the war totalled 5.000,0(10 tons. To-day nearly half had been sunk or in the Entente's hands. The cabled news in this issue accredited to "The Times" has appeared in that Journal, but only where expressly stated is such news the editorial opinion of "The Times."

NAVAL SITUATION.

ANTI-SUBMARINE RESULTS. THE CONVOY SYSTEM. (A. & N.Z. & Router) LONDON, Nov. 1. In the House of Commons Sir Eric Geddes, First Lord of the Admiralty, reviewed the naval situation. He explained the measures taken to increase the power and strengthen the control of the naval staff. He said that he anticipated a great advantage from the fact that the naval staff would he increased in personnel and in touch with the Grand Fleet, and other naval commands. He justified the non-publication of the British tonnage sunk, because it would afford the enemy information which the enemy would "very much like to obtain. He was able, however, to supplement Mr Lloyd George's information showing that Britain was making reasonably satisfactory progress in overcoming the submarine menace. Since the beginning of the war from forty to fifty per cent, of the enemy submarines operating in the North Sea, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans had been sunk. The enemy during the last quarter lost as many submarines as during the whole of 1916. "Regarding criticism of the Admiralty on two recent occasions," he said, "I believe that the criticism was hased upon and caused by incomplete information. Taking the first— ■ the Scandinavian convoy on Octoher 16, the destroyers Strongbow and Mary Rose, with three small armed vessels, only one of which was fitted with wireless, escorted a convoy of twelve ships hound to the Shetiands from Norway. During the night one of the smaller of the armed vessels which was fitted with wireless dropped hack to screen one ship of the convoy which stopped, owing to shifting cargo. The convoy was then accompanied by the Strongbow and Mary Rose, both of which had wireless, as well as by fhe two other small craft without wireless. Ahout six in the morning of October 17, at f'aybrcak, the Strongbow sighted two ships to the south, which were closing fast. Visihility was about two miles. The Strongbow challenged, and received an unsatisfactory answer. She immediately ordered action stations. The enemy's first shot wrecked the wireless room and did other damage. Despite the trreaf gallantry with which she was fought by her captain, officers and crew, she was sunk. The Mary Rose w;is immediately attacked by the two Germans, and blown u» by a shot in the magazine. The enemy vessels, which were of a very fast cruiser rhiss, then attacked the convoy, sinking nine.

"Owing to the fast escort vessel, which \v;is fitted with wireless, being detached to screen the ship whose cargo had shifted, and owing to the Mary Hose being sunk immediately and the Stronpbow's wireless being put out of action bv the first shot, no message reached the Admiral Commanding at the Orkneys, the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet, or the Admiralty that the convov was attacked until the surviving shins arrived at Berwick. The Admiralty did not receive information until seven o'clock in the evening." Sir Fric f.eddes asked the House to recollect that the area of the North Sea was 140,000 square miles, besides which the const subject to attack was 5G6 miles, whereas the area of vision of a light cruiser smiariron micht be under five square miles. The Scandinavia convoy system started in April. 1917, and'more than 4500 vessels had been convened. This was the first occasion on which a single ship had been lost by surface attack on the Scandinavian convoy. This convoy was mention-