OFFICIAL NEWS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2260, 21 September 1914, Page 6

OFFICIAL NEWS

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLES "' — '■ —. '.' 1 BATTLE RAGING IN FRANCE The following messages have been received by "the Prime Minister from the High Commissioner :— London, September 18. Official.—According 'to Paris reports there has beon no important change in the position of the armies, although the enemy are giving way slightly, but are entrenching at Montfaucou, 13 miles north-west of Verdun. A battle is progressing along the whole line. The Allies repulsed coun-ter-attacks both during' the day and night.' Estimates of tho German losses are three thousand daily for the past fortnight. Rome reports that Germany is hastening troops to meet the advancing Russians, now nineteen miles from tho fortress of Przemysl, in Galicia. Russia's East Prussian columns aro also marching to Przemysl. London, September 18, 2.30 p.m. Official.—Parliament has prorogued. The King's Speech included the follbwr ing sentences: "I address you in circumstances that call for action rather tlian for speech. After every endeavour had been made by my Government to preserve tho peace of tho world, I was compelledj in the assertion of treaty obligations, deliberately set at naught, and for the protection of tho public law of Europe, and tho vital-in-terests of my Empire, to go to war. My Navy and Army have, with unccising vigilance, courago, and skill, sustained, in association with gallant and faithful allies, a* just and righteous ! cause From every part of my Empire there has been a sp.ontaueous and enthusiastic rally to our common flag. "Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I thank you for the liberality with which you have met a great emergency. "My Lords and Gentlemen, we are fighting for a worthy purpose, and we shall not lay down our arms until that purpose has been fully achieved. 1 rely with confidence upon tho loyal aud united efforts of all my subjects, and I pray that Almighty God may givo us His blessing." London, September 18, 8.35 p.m. Official.—There is no ' particular change in the situation. Thcro has been some activity by tho Allies' cavalry, without at present any definite result. On September 16, Commander-Samp-son, with a small armoured motor-car force attached to the. Naval Flying Corps, encountered a patrol of live Uhlans near Doullous, killing Four and wounding and capturing the fifth, .

Earl Kitchener was approached by tho Prince of Wales, who urgently desired to accompany the Grenadier Guards to the front. As he had not completed his military training, Lord Kitchener submitted to the King that for tho present it was undesirable for the Prince to proceed on active service. London, September 19, 10.20 p.m. A casualty list published to-day contains the names of twenty officers killed and forty wounded. Eighty wounded men have been admitted to the London Hospital. The officers killed include Lord Guernsey, Lord Hay, and Captain Lucas Tooth (of the Ninth Lancers), lato of New South Wales). Tho loss of tho Australian submarine has been officially announced, but thero are no details.