SUBMARINE ZONE EXTENDED.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16229, 27 March 1917, Page 7

SUBMARINE ZONE EXTENDED.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received 5.5 p.m., March 26bh. PARIS, March 25 Three hundred women and children, and aged men died'in consequence of hardship brutality and starvation immediately preceding and during.-the German retreat. There were 150 victims at Chauncy alone. '?■■■■ The destruction of ;property. in large towns lasted three weeks. Some Germans admitted that the 1 work sickened them, but they were carrying out Hindenburg's orders. ■ j {Reuter's Telegrams.) | Received 9.55 .p.m., March 26th. It is officially announced that France j is protesting to neutrals that the Germans unjustifiably and barbarously | devastated the evacuated territories,) with the aim of ruining for many years ; one of the most ■■■fertile' regions in. 'France. Neutral Governments are requested to warn hanks against dealing with securities stolen by the Germans from the recaptured districts, as the Allies will not recognise the validity of. such dealings. ACTIVITY ON BRITISH FRONT. MARSHAL HAIG' S REPORT. (Australian and N.Z.. Cable Assn. and Router.) Received 5.5 p.m.,' March 26th. LONDON; March 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports :■ —We improved -our position west of Croixelles. We entered enemy trenches north-east of Loos. and. ejected raiders who entered our trenches, west of Hulloch. ; There have been many air fights. Eight German machines were downed and four of ours are missing. FRENCH PURSUIT. OVERTAKES THE ENEMY. (Reuter's Telegrams). , A French headquarters correspondent says:—The enemy apparently miscalculated the rapidity of the French pursuit. Already it has cost them heavy loss. We forced the Germans to turn at bay and large masses of enemy infantry are now engaged on the whole front from St. Quentin to the Ailette. He describes the excellent commanding position the advance has established. BRITISH HARD AT WORK. ON recovered GROUND. A British headquarters correspondent comments on the growing resistance of-, the Germans, and adds, "Behind the recovered territory many thousands are toiling da;/ and night in restoring communications" and clearing' the ruination 'eft 'oy the Germans. Especially speedy work is being done by the Royal Engineers in building bridges sufficient for the heaviest transport." OFFICIAL FRENCH REPORT. ' DRIVING THE ENEMY. (High Commissioner's Cable.) LONDON, March 25 (11.15 p.m.) French official.—From the Somme to the Aisne we have continued the offensive. A bitter struggle has resulted from an energetic defence by the enemy but our soldiers are so exasperated by the enemy lavages everywhere that driving hack the enemy has been done with serious losses to the latter. On the Somme-Oise front we threw bade the enemy beyond".an important position at Cassies, near Essigny le Grand.' South of the Oise we hare penetrated several points at Coucy Forest, reaching to xhe outskirts of Folembray. North of Soissons our gains have been increased, and we repulsed counterattacks. Artillerying is active on the Craonne and Verdun £r&pi-

Pra» Association—By Tei—Copyyrieht.

> 9 , GERMANS IN RETREAT. ■ V' ' SHORT OF FOOD AND , MEDICINES. V---'V- < N ("The Grimes.") Received 8.50.p.m., March 26th. LONDON, ]\ larch 26. . j A lieadquarters.jcorrespondent '-riientions, as evidence that the retreating Germans are imderfedj that they are .eating cats and malting sausages of dogs. They, are also extremely short of medical and surgical necessities, and there-have been' numerous deaths from poisoned wounds; . LEAVING MUCH MATERIAL. An additional demonstration that tho Germans' were-forced to retreat is t-he fact that i\ho British are now pass-1 ing well built dugouts, trenches and gunpits, and. vast quantities of valuable materia,! have been found miles, behind the surrendered line. i . HEAVY FIGHTING. ■ • ■ ' <■-" 9 ■ BUT NO SET, BATTLE. • (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received 10.45 p.m., March 26fc]i. I LONDON, March 26. Latest messages from the British and Fiench fronts show that there was not tie least justification for the sensational messages .published to-day that a set battle has commenced. Heavy fighting .is however in progress. ° p FRENCH ADVANCE. The French advanced appreciably in the last twenty-four ; hours, and now have driven, the Germans' back to a line three miles southwest of St. I Quentin, where it is expected the enemy will try to hold the line through Grumes, Urvillers, Ceritzy and May. BRITISH OUTPOSTS. IN TOUCH WITH THE ENEMY. Received 1 a.m., March ' 27th. LONDON, March 26. .;'Morning: Post's'' correspondent at Untish headquarters writing on Monday states:—"Enemy ( detachments are holding a new outpost line of front from St. Quentin to Camtirai. German light artillery are mildly shelling a few ruined villages, which they thought were occupied by British cavalry. Our cavalry and cyclist patrols are constantly moving "towards villages in the St. Quentin region and are occasionally inviting contact with the Germans, but never continuing the engagement. Tho. British advance east and south of Bapaume has not brought the troops to the main German armies, though everywhere they'are within striking distance' of a fairly strong outpost line. The Germans are still unwilling to make a determined stand if severely pressed. The weather is ideal for cavalry work and the keen wind and bright sunshine make . exceptional facilities for air observation.