THE BALKANS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16261, 11 July 1918, Page 7

THE BALKANS.

ITALIAN ADVANCE IN ALBANIA,

GROWING DISCONTENT IN GERMANY.

FOURTH YEAR—344th DAY,

THE WEST FRONT.

LOCAL ALLIED GAINS

(By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.) (AnstriUiftit and N.Z. Cablo Association.) (Beuter'a Telegrams.)

LONDON, July 9Sir Douglas Haig states: — "There is nothing to report beyond

local encounters ' "Hazy weather has interfered "With the air work. We dropped 16 tons of bombs in the daytime and tho following night, the principal targets attacked being Ostend docks and railways, Tournai, and Courtrai." (Received July loth, 6.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— "The Londoners made a successful raid eastward of Arras. "Enemy artillery is active agains* the positions we recently captured southward of the Somine." , LONDON, July 9. Mr George Perris writes: "The balance of forces on the West front is now practically level, Every day finds several new American battalions ready for the fields Time is working steadily for •us. A surprise is Ludendorff's only hope. "German espionage lias been extended on daring and scientific lines* compelling the Allies to gradually improve their information services, but it is impossible to refer to what has been done in this direction " AMSTERDAM, July 9. A Berlin semi-official message refers to uhe frequent Allied patrol attacks, and significantly alludes to the appearance of big American detachments on several parts of tho front. It has evidently been deemed advisable to break the news to the people of the appearance of the Americans.

SUCCESSFUL FRENOH ATTACKS.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

(Reuter'a Telegrams.) (Received July 10th, 8.15 p.nO

LONDON, July 9

A French communique states: —

"Botween Montdidier andtheOisewo carried out at 3.30 this morning a local operation west of Antheuil on a front of 2J miles, supported by tanks. "We penetrated the enemy lines and carried Porto Farm and Des Loges Farm. "We advanced over a mile at certain i points. "An enemy counter-attack at Des Loges Farm was repulsed, and we maintained all our gains. "Our prisoners so far number 460, Including 14 officers. "South of the Aisne the artillery duel continued«actively during the night in the Chavigny Farm region, where we again made progress, taking several prisoners. "There is reciprocal artillery firo west and'north of Chateau Thierry, especially in the neighbourhood of Hill 204."

(Received July 10th, 10.40 p.m.)

LONDON, July 10

A French communique states:—

"South of the Aisne • the enemy counter-attacked against the position which we captured in the region of Chavigny Farm, but his effort failed.

"We took 630 prisoners in this morning's attack west of Antheuil and captured 30 machine-guns." v LONDON, July 9.

A French communique reports:— "South of the Aisne we attacked this morning tho German positions and approaches to the Renz Forest,' northwest of Longpont, on a front of three kilometres. ""We advanced 1200 yards, and captared Chavignv Farm and the ridges north and south of the farm."

PRAISE FOR THE AUSTRALIANS,

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received July 10th, 8.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, July 9. The New York newspapers give great prominence in principal cross-page headings to the Australian advance on the Somme and the capture of trenches at Hazebrouck. Correspondents pay tribute to the Australians' valour and their success as aggressive fighters. The "New York World's" correspondent on the British front says that a remarkable spirit of camaraderie has grown up between tho Australians and tho Americans. (Renter** Telegrams.) (Received July 10th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 9. Renter's correspondent at British Headquarters says: "The dry weat^or broke on the night of July Bth, violent thunderstorms being followed by terrific hail. "Prisoners captured in the Austra- ! lian sector pay tribute to the weight i and accuracy of the Australians' shell fire in consequence of which thev were without rations for two days and the moral of the troops was sensibly lowered. ... "It is so difficult to ration the outpost line, the correspondent says, that the enemy is forced to use aeroplanes for this purpose. A box of bully baef and biscuits was dropped by mi state from a hostile low-flying plane on one of our forward posts. This is the first time, ho adds, that such a practice i.as been adopted on the Western front.'

LUDENDORFF'S PLANS

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) {Received July 10th, 5.5 p.m.) 1 PARIS, July 0. Military writers distrust the circumstantial rumours that LudcndorfiF is abandoning the German offensive in the West, in favour of a tremendous thrust on the Italian front.

BELGIUM'S MARTYRDOM

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received July 10th, 11.50 p.m.)

WASHINGTON, July 9. Tho Belgian Minister has issued a

statement to the effect that the deportations and forced labour of Belgians by the Germans continue. In the military zones the Belgians aro compelled to work behind the Gorman front under the Allied fire.