THE WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12406, 26 August 1918, Page 3

THE WAR.

drawn CABLES, i allied advance. I Evacuating noyon. 1 PARIS, August 23. Dur jg four days General Maugin’s ”'M C a eral Humbert’s armies have captui >' fifty-two towns mid villages, ine G are evacuating Noyon. 'l'l 0 OH EMIN DES DAMES. r LONDON, August. 24. The|“Daily Telegraph’s” Paris correspondent states that the enemy’s retreat op the French front is rapid. A great of trains have been seen hurrying northward. The Germans are hound (to lose tho Chcmin des Dame.v in consequence of the Allies’ gradual hut persistent pressure. In fact, General Mn'ngin has a good chance chance of tnrniijig the whole Chcmin Jos Dames positions. > PARTS, August 24. Genorivl Mangin continues to make important progress eastward of tho Disc. Wo nave outflanked tho enemy positions; on the Aisno and the Vosle. General Mangin’s army is now posted on the Cjhenun des Dames reefs. Tho enemy is parrying out a general retreat. FORTIFYING THE MEUSE LINE. ! LONDON, August 23. Tho "Badly Express” states that the Germans are fortifying tho line of tho Meuse. { AUSTRALIANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS. '■ LONDON, August 23, f ( Mr H. W. Nevinson states that Thursday’s attack was carried out by part of General Byng’s Third Army in the northern sector and part of General Rawiinson’s Fourth Army in the southern. He is now permitted to mention that tho Now Zealanders held a distinguished place in the Third Army and the Australians in tho Fourth. Both these in the last two or throe days have maintained their remarkable reputations for qualities which count in war. There is hardly anything to choose between them.' At tho same time, they must not forget tho silent, stolid battalions of the old British counties. Australian staff officers repeatedly praised tho brigade of a certain British division. They kept on saying that tho brigade did extraordinarily well, and praise from such a quarter is weighty and valuable. FIGHT FOR ALBERT. LONDON, August 23. The United Press correspondent says ;—Six thousand prisoners have been taken in three, days, during the course of the British advance. They include upwards of 3 thousand taken before noon to-day ard also a thousand on Thursday south of the Somme. The Germans were surprised at many points in the latter region by Sir Douglas Haig quickly securing the high ground in the south, including the towns Chuignes, Herlovillo and Chuignolles. The Gormans elsewhere wore only overpowered after fierce fighting. The British linos now reaoh Boyelles, Hamelincourt and Gomiocourt. Here many were captured in the first rush. A bitter battle preceded tho capture of Albert. Before victory was achieved it was necessary to wipe out a multitude of machine-gun emplacements, formed by the wreckage of houses. The famous church, from which figures of the Madonna and Child hung suspended for a long time, now forms a striking monument to the Huns’ destructiveness. The sight which greeted the Tommies pouring in on Thursday was the church levelled to the height of tho ether ruins round about. The Germans tenaciously clung to the position which cost so much to attain, and it was only given up after the dead littered the broken piles of brick and stono throughout tho city the prisoners here totalled 750, iiicKuhng a battalion commander and his s r: city was attacked o n two sulea While a brief haze in the mornmg lasted the infantry crossed tho Ancro to the south and took tip a postturn m the rear of the city. Then the iorces_ holding the railway, on the western edge, poured out striking tho city frontally. _ Shortly after ten the desperate resistance ended The divisions liirther south were able to use tanks advantageously, working up the exposed slope to take a hand after tho severe fighting in pushing the Germans out of the so-called Haimv Valiev Meanwhile ’ the British carried their new line around the northward of Bray, taking 200 prisoners from the hard fighting with tho Germans, brine, ing np the total for the first ten hours to 1500. There-was furious fighthm elsewhere. The Beauregard Dovecote changed hands five times.

PATROLS AT MORY. LONDON, August 24. Reutovs correspondent at British headquarters oaysThis morning wo captured Bray, which in an import-ant position, and also Ovillcrs. Wo have surrounded Thiepval. The Australians yesterday made a fine advance over the old Somme desert, taking 2000 prisoners from ton regiments. Tho Germans aro rushing up strong local reserves to oppose the British approach to BapauTuo. M e encountered strong opposition at Bihuconrt, where the enemy held the big sugar factory redoubt, Beyond Gommceourt our patrols were scon as far forward as Mory. (Mory is due north of Bnpaume.) MACEDONIAN CAMPAIGN. LONDON, August 24. A r rench Eastern communique says: —lhcro was active artillery fire on tho Serbian front. Enemy activity in Albania has revived. Their rcconnnissauces wore repulsed at various points. British aeroplanes, despite bad weather, bombed enemy depots in tho Struma valley. An Italian communique soys:—ln Albania tho enemy renewed his strong at--a 1 ? *1? khe lower Somoni to tho heights of Mali St Morrioe, hut was repulsed sanguinarily when he counter-attacked near Getovin, He slightly advanced north ot the head of the Bavalica and in the region of Height 11<50. Tho enemy losses were heavy. M TOffiZBIOS. ATHENS, August 23. M. Venezelos, while visiting the Salonika front, narrowly escaped death by shell-fire there. CHANGE OF BIG NAVAL FIGHT. Tho “New York Times” Paris correspondent, interviewed Mr Franklin Roosevelt, Assistant-Secretary of the United States Navy, regarding the possibility of a naval battle. Mr Roosevelt said;—“ Opinion is (prided whether the Germans will bring out tho fleet as a final, desperate, forlorn hope, or conserve the battle fleet intact as, a pawn in the peace negotiations. The Allies are more than ready if Germany brings out her fleet. The German fleet is not much stronger than in 1914, because Germa ny has'’devoted all her industrial energies to providing munitions for the army and to building submarines, rather than strengthening the navy. The submarines aro no longer a menace, but only an accidental danger ;to ocean traffic, The Allies effective devices have forced the U-boats to operate far at sea, instead of near harbours, and have thus decreased their efficiency. MOTOR-BOAT ATTACK. WASHINGTON, August 23. German motor-boats, attempting a, reconnaissance outside Dunkirk, wore driven off, losing on© boat. The Allies suffered no casualties.' SIBERIAN SITUATION. ALLIES FALL BACK. xr n LONDON, August 23. Air hj alk, cabling from Harbin, states that in heavy fighting on tho Ussuri British and French troops were engaged and suffered slight casualties. The Japanese also participated. The Cossacks and Czechs boro the brunt of the fighting. Tho Allies are withdrawing because they are outnumbered, but Japanese reinforcements are stemming the onset. The Bolsheviks’ monitors on Cake Khanka are worrying the Allies’ Jett flank. The Czechs destined forManchnna aro consequently dedtained. This object lesson is the result of the Allied P°”<7 sending troops in driblets. (i he U ssuri is a tributary of the Amur and is fed by Lake Khanka, over 100 miles north-west of Vladivostok.) RUSSKY AT VALDIVOSTOCK ■ mi « TT ■ , August 23. ihe Vossischo Zeitung” savs that General Russky, whoso whereabouts litiyc bOOU a mystery tor yctvr 3 iios «.itrived at Vladivostok and' lias offered his services to General Horrart. REPLY TO DR SOLF. A CHANGE IN TONE. LORD ROBERT CECIL’S COMMENT LONDON, August 23 bort Cecil, in a statement on Dr faolf s speech, says:—“Dr Soils remarkable utterances represent a considerable change, mainly directed to American opinion. It reflects tho trend of German opinion. Dr Solf has begun to realise .that tho Pan-German doctrine is disastrous, and refers to such principles as being hold only bv a small group without political or Government influence. Ho claims that the Government strongly combated Nevertheless, Lord Cecil adds, the 4 an-Gennans or Junkers have great nmuenco in Germany. Only a few

weeks ago they exhibited their power by securing yon Kuhlmann’a dismissal, because of his view that there was no likelihood of Germany being able to secure a military decision in her favour. Dr Self’s statement regarding Belgium undoubtedly represented a slop towards decency.' Ho says that Belgium would not bo any nation’s vassal, but von Hertling recently said the same thing with serious qualifications, notably Hint there would bo a close commercial connection with Germany. Honcq Dr Self’s statement is extremely unsatisfactory, especially as Dr Solf reminded his heavers of von Hertling’s promises. If Dr Solf wished to indicate Germany's willingness to liberate and restore Bcflgium, lot him say so plainly. Dr Self’s assertion that Germany, by tho Brest Litovsk treaty, inaugurated a 'number of small States which Germany, at their request, would protect temporarily, shows a change in policy. The people of Germany hitherto had regarded the Brest Litovsk treaty as the first fruits of victory. “ Dr Solf vaguely claims that the colonies shall revert to Germany. Ho particularly resents the suggestion that Germany has not given a good account of her stewardship of the coloured races. I believe Germany’s treatment of the coloured peoples has been brutal and repugnant. The Government intcnds < soon to publish a record of Germany’s colonial misrule. When Mr Baltour said, ‘The colonies will not ho restored,’ ho reflected tho consensus of ihc opinion of the world acquainted with Germany's colonial record.” Dr Self was wrong in saying that Britain claimed tho right to annex them. Mr Balfour had said that their "fate would he decided at the peace conference. What Mr Balfour ruled out was the suggestion that they should bo returned to Germany.Dr Self’s reference to tho war’s carnage, evils and miseries was only too true, and represented an entire change in German feeling, * oven since last April, when Hindenburg’s extravagant war aims were in the ascendant. Dr Solf claims to be the upholder of the League of Nations still. Dr Solf said that it would bo criminal not to achieve an international system which was hotter than the present system, but the Allies saw no hope of it unless tlio Hut-on to was victorious, and Germany acknowledged her whole system is a profound error. IMPERIAL PREFERENCE. LONDON, August 23. Sir Joseph Ward, in an interview in the ‘•Morning Post,” said:—“AVhile the oversea countries are absolutely at He disposal of the Motherland, after lliat wo will welcome closer commercial ties with. America. There must also be amiable preference in favour of our present Allies. Britain must recognise the-dominions’ claims. Wo naturally wish to give preference to our kith and kin. Reciprocity is .the sustenance 6f industry. Wo hold New Zealand in trust for Britain. Our products are at her disposal, and our manhood is hers already. Through the avenues of trade and commerce I believe the great links binding all together will become more farmly clasped.” DEALING IN MUNITIONS. LONDON, August 23. George Heyl was sentenced to four months in tho second division and Jacob Stoner was fined £IOO and costs, £lO5. (Heyl and Stoner were charged with dealing in munitions without a permit.) EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS. ' ROTTERDAM. August 24. Two hundred and fourteen wounded British from Germany have departed for England. THE, LIBERTY MOTOR. NEW YORK, August 23. Only four thousand Liberty motors so far have been delivered to the Allies. Tho motors are too heavy and too powerful for light fighting ’planes,-and aro imperfect in some degree. Still there is not a single American bail.e ’plane or heavy bombing ’plane yet on the American front. Up to August 1 only Dehivillands, numbering six hundred, had been sent to Franco. The expenditure of millions of dollars has been resultloss. lb is recorded that unfair preference has been given to certain manufacturers. AMERICA’S AID, EFFECT OF ARRIVAL OF TROOPS. OFI AW A, August 24. Sit Robert Borden, who is returning from tho Imperial Cabinet, states than the arrival of tlys United Status troops treed the Allied commanders from tho necessity of remaining .on the dofenfive. Tho victory of the last few weeks would have been impossible unless tho American reserves had been available

and unless there had boon the most effective harmonious co-operation between tlio United States, Britain ami Franco. The Canadians captured 10,000 prisoners in the recent advance and 150 cannon. The future of tlio world’s peace depended on the co-operation of the United States and Britain. Together they could ensure equality of opportunity for the smaller nationalities and backward races, thus giving much hope for the future League of Nations. The mastery of the air was rapidly passing to the Allies. . p HENRY FORD’S CONTRACT. NEW YORK, Aupust 24. The “New York Times''’ Detroit correspondent says that Henry J. Ford has been given a Government contract to build 1000 “whippet” tanks.