HOW LONG WILL THE BATTLE LAST?

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2714, 8 March 1916, Page 5

HOW LONG WILL THE BATTLE LAST?

SITUATION IN CONSTANTINOPLE

FRENCH CAN HOLD THEIR OWN

GERMANS GAIN MINOR SUCCESSES

GROWING UNREST I TURKEY'

POWERFUL PEACE MOVEMENT

LATEST ZEPPELIN RAID

POLITICAL CRISIS IMMINENT . IN GREECE

German, assaults on the front north and north-east of Verdun have died away for the time, but the enemy is reported to be now attacking on the Verdun front west of the River Meuse, and also in the.Argonno Forest and still further west, in the' Champagne district. The opinion is confidently expressed that the Germans have been definitely cheeked at Verdun, and as yet the new attacks reported do not seem to have attained anything like the magnitude of the great battle lately in progress. Full reports are given of tho latest Zeppelin raid on England. Prosocutin g their Armenian campaign, the Russians have effected a landing on the Black Sea Coast. Having captured Antina, GO miles east of T rebizond, they aro advancing towards the latter place. Several in teresting reports are afloat concerning Turkey and the Balkans. Mr. Donohoe and other correspondents report growing unrest and panic i n Turkey, and there is said to be a serious shortage of food in Asia M inor. An unexplained report declares that the Russians are advancing towards Bagdad. It is said that a political crisis is imminent i n Greece as the result of a reconciliation between King Constantino and M. Venizelos.

DURATION OF THE BATTLE OF VERDUN

CANNOT BE ESTIMATED GERMANS CANNOT DISLODGE THE FRENCH • •• By TelegrapTf—Press Association—Copyright ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Reo. March .7, 5.25 ,p.m.) t . . London, March 6. .Lord Nortbcliffe, writing from Vordun, says: "It is doubtful what sccret motives were underlying the German attempt to break the French line, whether it was financial in view of the coming war loan, whether it was dynastio or whether it was to influence doubting neutrals. ' "That the sufferings of the wounded lying between the trenches through the long night's icy winds would be intense was obvious, but the Crown Prince was not disturbed by the gruesome fact. The French found many Ger. man wounded frozen to death • ."I conversed with numerous prisoners. Horror and misery were plainly depicted on their countenances. "At a ; distanco of twenty-fire miles I counted two hundred different cannon voices, and as I dTew nearer I was astonished at the countless proofs of French efficiency and thoroughness, and the abundance of resorve stores was remarkable. "I saw Douaumont fort. The Germans' claim 'about it is on a par with the sinking of the Tiger or the Zoppelin bombardment of Liverpool. It was a newspaper victory. A few Brandenburgers climbed into the gunless fort, and aro still there, supplied vicariously with food at night-time. The Gormans' announcements evince the Kaiser's' great anxiety to magnify everything aboyt Verdun into a great event. "Personal contact with the miserable creatures forming the -bulk of the German prisoners was needed to convince me that such specimens of humanity really belonged to the German Army, and especially the corps d'elite. One ilifavoured youth, barely sft. 4in. high, narrow-chested, and better suited for an offico stool, was sent to Flanders after six weeks' training, and at the beginning of February was sent to Verdun. He said his companions were heartily glad to escape tho frightful English. The only good thmg about the prisoners is their footwear. They wear stout Bhioher boots, affording evidence of the necessity of tightening the blockade. It is impossible to estimate the duration of the battle. "It is not enough to say the French are confident of holding their own; they feel they have the measure of the enemy, both as regards men and material. Nothing justifies the belief that Germans have the spirit and stamina ejual to the task of dislodging the French from their present formidable positionu.'' , ENEMY HELD UP ON A FORMIDABLE LINE. Paris, March 6. The "Petit Parisian" states that the Germans have been held up on a formidable line, consisting of three linos of works, covering Verdun. Tho whole of our positions form practically a rectangle, about 4| miles across. The Germans at the beginninc of tho week attempted to drive in our centre between the Haudremont Wood and Douaumont. On Friday they believed we had stripped our wings to reinforce 'the centre, aud attempted a violent attack at Vaux and Damloup. Their troops wore caught by a rals ing firo from our guns of all calibres, and they left piles of dead. Our curtain fire prevented reinforcements coming up, but tho German High Command ordered them forward all the same. Regiment after regiment was sent to death. Some lost 40 and others 60 per cont. of their effectives before reaching our entanglements, where the remnants were mowed down by machine-gun _ and riflo fire. The Germans did not succeed in gaining a foot of ground. As the French right wing held firm, the enemy resumed tho attacks on the centre. "ONE THING IS CLEAR-WE HOLD HIM IN CHECK." Paris, March 6. M. Marcel Hutin, in the "Echo do Paris," says: "The enemy's efFort at Verdun is weakening. .Ho will probably attemnt a further advance after reorganisation on tho positions between Talon Hill and Fort Douaumont. One thing is clear—we hold him in check." OPINION OF THE FORMER COMMANDER OF VERDUN. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) w Athens, March 6. . General Sarrail, commanding the Allied troops at Salonika, is confident that tho Germans'offensive in the West will be entirely crushed. Tlioy aro flinging themselves at, a wall, behind which they can gain nothing. [Prior to assuming command of tile AngloFreneh forces in tho Balkans, General Sarrail was at Verdun, the defences of which ho organised.! GERMAN OFFENSIVE MAY LAST SOME DAYS. (Rcc. March 7, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, March 6. Newspapers predict that the German offensive may last some days. The ' Germans have accumulated three hundred thousand on a narrow sector. As | flic waves roll up and aro annihilated, more roll up, reinforcing the depleted ranks, It ia estimated that Uvo-lifths of the battalions massed against us have 1 already been gut out of action,

.VIOLENT ARTILLERY STRUGGLE NEAR THE MEUSE. (Rec. March 7, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, March 6. A French communique says: "There has been no infantry action during the night. It is reported from Verdun that there was a. violent struggle oil the left bank of the Meusc, also intermittent bombardmont of the sector west of Douaumont, while in the Woeuvre wc actively bombarded' the enemy's crossing points." A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. March 7, 10.10 p.m.) Amsterdam, March 6. A German communique says: "Minor English attacks were repulsed. Things generally are calmer. On tlio eastern banlc of the Meiise, in minor encounters during the last two days, we captured 14 officers and 934 men." ENEMY SECURES SOME SMALL SUCCESSES. , London, March 7, 3.45 a.m. The High Commissioner reports:— _ "111 the Champagne district the<enemy attacked between Montetie and Maison do Champagne. He was stopped on the right, but on the left he penetrated and did some small advance work. Between Haute Chevanchee and HHI 285 the enemy gained a footing on some points of our first tine, but. was ejected. "A strong enemy attack at Sortls, west of the Meuse, enabled him to carry the village, but our counter-attacks prevented him debouching on Hill Deloie, and drove him back to Forges. ' VILLAGE OF FORGES CAPTURED BY THE ENEMY. (Rec. March 7, 11.10 p.m.)' Paris, March 7. 'A French communique says: "The Germans, by fcsing liquid fire, penetrated our small advanced work at Unisons do Champagne. "The enemy, west of the Meuse, after a violent bombardment, strongly nttacked Forges, which was on our advanced line, and carried the village after a most violent encounter. His several attempts to debouoh oil Goosenill was stopped by our counter-attacks. There is intermittent artillery fighting east of the Meuse." DOGGED ENDURANCE OF THE FRENCH SOLDIER. . (Rec. March 8, 0.55 a.m.) Paris, March 7. Telegrams insist on the dogged endurance of the French soldier in the face of the German efforts to test every part of the salient.

VERY CRITICAL VALI OF SMYRNA HEADING A PEACE MOVEMENT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ' (Rec. March 7, 10.10 p.m.) London, March 6. Reports from several sources reveal a growing -unrest in Turkey. \ From Athens, Mr. Martin Donolioe reports that tho rank and file of the Turkish Army at Smyrna favour the Allies. A committee waited as a deputation on.the Vali of Smyrna, and requested peace. The news that the Russians have advanced towards Bagdad is causing a panic. The Turks on the Asia Minor littoral are short of food, wliile in Turkey thousands are starving. The "Daily Telegraph's" Rome correspondent states that the situation in Constantinople is most critical, and the military demoralisation is complete. The Vali of Smyrna is said to ho heading a powerful peace movement. / RUSSIANS CAPTURE TWO VILLAGES. London, March 7, 8.45 a.m. The High Commissioner reports: %: "Russians, effecting a landing in the Blaok Sea on Friday, captured Antina (60 miles east of Trebizond), taking prisoner 200, and on Saturday carried tho village of Mapavri." " RAPID MOVEMENTS OF RUSSIAN TROOPS. (Rec. March 7, 11.10 p.m.) ■ Petrograd, March 6. A Russian communique says: "Our troops, on the night of March i, nnder cover of the heaviest fire of the fleet, landed and occupied Antiiia, on. the Black Sea coast, oast of Trcbizond, and advancing so rapidly south, forced tho Turks to evacunto tho position. Continuing the pursuit, we occupied Mapavri, between Antina and Rizeh." HEAVY FIGHTING IN MESOPOTAMIA. '' By ToTegraph—Press Association—Oopyright Amsterdam, March 6. A telegram from Constantinople states that there has been heavy botween General Aylmor's force and the Turks near Nasiriyeh since February 21. Large British reinforcemonts have arrived. . TROOPS AND' HEAVY GUNS GOING TO ASIA MINOR. (Rec. March 8, 0.55 a.m.) Athens, March 7. People from Constantinople state tPat German troops are steadily arriving there, and that heavy Austrian guns 'are still going to Asia Minor, also froops from Chataldja and Gallipoli. The Turks are unable to provide uniforms, and arc utilising German, also Australian, from Anzac.