OFFICIAL NEWS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2254, 14 September 1914, Page 6

OFFICIAL NEWS

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLES STEADY GERMAN RETREAT London, September 12, 8 p.m. The withdrawal of the. Germans from Belgium has led to increased activity by tho Belgian field army, who are winning minor successes. The Belgian Government forbado Ghent to pay a 'war levy, and the city has been reoccupied by the Belgians. Tho Russians have been operating before Posen for the last two, days. The Servian capture of Semlin will end the bombardment of Belgrade.

London, September 13, 11.5 a.m- , In the centre and 'on the French right wing the Germans have evacuated several positions. The ,Germans gave way in the Argonne district, retreating north. In Lorraine tho French are making progress. The Germans have evacuated -the French town of Saint Die, ten miles from the frontier, in the Vosges. .. The Belgians have retaken Malines and Aerschot. ' There is a further movement of Germans to the east. London, September 11, 11.25 p.m. Official.—French troops' operating against the Germans on the right wing, with great assistance from the British, have inflicted further losses on the enemy. Violent fighting is also taking place near La Ferte, Gouclier, and Esternav, on the Grand Morin and Montmirail, on the Petit Morin. On the Allies' left the armie3 of Generals Von Kluck and Von Buelow are falling back before the Allies. Firing was heard in the North Sea to-day. No particulars are available. German cruisers in tihe Baltic are interfering with neutrahsteamers between the Finnish and Swedish coasts. A naval battle with. the Russians is -reported near Stockholm. Rumania, Bulgaria,-and Greece have agreed on common action should Turkey side with Germany.

London, September 11, 4 p.m. The War Office reports that the general retreat of the enemy continued yesterday. The British accounted for 1500 Germans (prisoners and wounded), besides several guns, Maxims, and a large quantity of transport. The enemy are retiring very rapidly east of Soissons, in some disorder. ■ '" ' A later dispatch from the War Office dtates that yesterday's .captures were higher than was reported. Considerable bodies of infantry have been found hiding in the woods, having been left behind owing to the rapid retirement of their forces. They surrendered at sight. This, together with' the rifling of villages and evidence of drunkenness point to the-demoralisation of the routed enomy. The pursuit is being vigorously pressed. London, September 12. General French reports that the British troops have crossed the Ourcq, and are moving this morning in rapid pursuit of tho enemy. Two hundred prisoners were captured. Tho Allies' cavalry were between Soissons and Fismcs last night. Tho enemy are retreating north of Vitry. Tho third French army captured all the artillery of one corps. Our aeroplanes report that the enemy are retreating very rapidly.

London, September 11. Mr. Winston' Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, at an immense meeting to : night said: "This war in which we are together, all parties, classes. States, principalities, dominions, and powers throughout the British Empire, will bo war to the very end." Ho urged the necessity of a generous and liberal settlement, which should, avoid inflicting on a great foe the humiliation she l\ad dealt out to others. Latest reports show that the enemy has fallen back 47 miles in four days. Mr. Kanisa.v Mac Donald says that incalculable social and ' political conscquenceß will follow victory, and victory Qiixh 10. Berio.ua iiada.iiaioa-

lets it was enough to say: "England has need of you. ' Mr. Poutsma, one of tho men deported from South Africa, declared Iris willingness to return, to help General Botha in raising a contingent. The Board of Trade returns show that unemployment in Great Britain has risen only 2 per cent, sineo the war began. TURN OF THE TIDE. WAR OFFICE SUMMARY. London, September 13, 12.5 p.m. The War Offico has issued the following reports on the operations of tho liritish and French armies during the last four days:— • On September 6 tlie southward advance of the German right reached its extreme point at Coulonmiers and' Proving, cavalry patrols having penetrated south to Nogent sur Seine (.32 miles south of tho Mamo). This movement was covered by a large flanking force west to tho line of the River Ourcq, watching the outer defences of Paris, and looking out for any Allied I'orcc that might issue from tliero southward. This movement- of tho enemy left his right wing in a dangerous position. The Allies attacked this exposed wing both in front and oil the flank on September 8. The covering force was assailed by the French army based upon the Paris defences, and brought to acLion on the line of Nanteuil-le-Hau-douin and Mcaux. The main portion of the enemy's riglit wing was attacked in front by tho British Army transferred from the north to tho east of Paris, and by a French corps advancing alongside of it on the line of Crecy, Coulonmiers, and Sezanne. The combined operations have up till tho present been completely successful. The German outer flank- was forced back to the line of the Ourcq, where it made a strong defence, and executed several vigorous counter-attacks, but ivas unable to beat off the prossurp of the French advance. The main body of the enemy's right .wing eventually endeavoured to defend the :ine of the Grand Morin River and then that of Petit Morin. Pressed back over both these rivers, and threatened _on its right owing to the defeat of tho coverins; force by the Allies' left, the German right'wing . retreated over the Marne. .

On September 10 the British, with a port-ion of tlio French forces on their right crossed this river below Cliauteau Thierry, a movement which obliged the enemy's .forces west of the Ourcq, already: assailed by tho French .Corps forming the extreme left of the Allies, to give way, and retreat north-east-wards in the direction of Soissons. Since September 10 the 1 -whole German right wing has fallen' back in considerable disorder, closely followed by the French and British.' On September 10, 6000 prisoners and 15 guns were taken. On September 11' the enemy continued their retirement rapidly over the Aisne, evacuating the Soissons region. The British cavalry were reported to-day at Fimcs, close to Reims. While the German right wing has thus been driven back and thrown into disorder, the French Armies further, to the east have been strongly engaged with the German .centre, which'had pushed forward to Vitry. Between Soptember 8 and 10 the Allies were unable to malco much impression west of Vitry. On September 11, however,. tliis portion of the German Army bfegan to give way, and eventually abandoned' Vitry, where tho »ncmy's lino of battle was forming a salient of .a hundred miles to tho French troops between tho Upper Marno and tlio Meuse. The French troops, folic,uing up tho enemy, are driving a portion of his forces northwards towards the Argonno Forest country. The Third French' Army reports that to-day it 'ha's' captured the entire' artillery of on© army corps, probably 160 Sl Tho enemy are .thus in t retreat;.. along tlio whole line west of .the Mouse, and have suffered gravely in. morale, besides encountering iieavy losses ill personnel and •