OFFICIAL MESSAGES.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13729, 18 March 1915, Page 5

OFFICIAL MESSAGES.

The Prime Minister has received the following by cable from the High Commissioner :—

London, March 16, 5.30 p.m. Paris reports that tihe Belgians havo consolidated results obtained during recent days. New progress has been made north-west of Souain.

At Bois-le-Pretre wo retook trenches captured yesterday morning .by a mine explosion.

Sir John French reports that since March 11th operations in the neighbourhood of Neuve-Chapelle have been continued. The line captured on the 10th and I.lth east of the village has been consolidated and held, despite repeated efforts to retake it. During the night of the 11th and the early morning of the 12th several counter-attacks were made east of Neuve-Chapelle. These were repulsed, and 60 prisoners captured.

On the same night a skilfully executed enterprise east of Armentieres resulted in our capture of the village oi: L'Epinette, with small loss. Possession of the village advances our line in this quarter.

On Friday a strong counter-attack was made by the Germans ; but in the afternoon it was repulsed, and 612 more prisoners taken.

Prisoners taken by us since March 10th number about 1700, including 30 officers.

Judging by the number of dead counted on the ground, the total German losses in operations from the 10th to the 13th on the Neuive-Chapelle front amounted to 17,000 or 18,000. Ihiring the evening of the 14th, the on oniy rushed some trenches south of St. Eloi; afterwards they were recaptured. Fighting in this area continues. The Royal Flying Corps has secured further successes during the last few days, although fog interfered materially with its operations at times. On Friday the railway junctions at Don and Douai were bombed and damaged. On Sunday a train at Don station was blown up. London March 17, 12.20 a.m. Army casualties are reported as follows :— Officers: Killed 30, wounded 54. Paris reports that on Monday night the enemy's attempt to recapture trenches lost at Notre Dame de Lorette was repulsed, and prisoners taken. In the Champagne region we made some progress north of Beausejour. In the Argonne a German counterattack was repulsed. ■ ! London, March 16, 3.50 a.m. Petrograd reports that on the left bank of the Niemen advanced parties of the enemy were dislodged from Kopciowo. The Russian offensive on both banks of the Orjec is progressing. German guns and fully 600 prisoners wfeiv taken, and two villages were stormed. The enemy's bombardment of fortifications on the Bzura is more active. The German offensive in the Pilitza region was fruitless. In the Carpathians, despite snow and severe cold, the Russians carried the last Austrian position in the Smolnik region, and took 2400 prisoners. In Eastern Galicia the Russians captured fortifications and took 2000 prisoners. At Przomysl the Russians' northern front carried heights within rifle shot of the* protecting forts.