HEAVY CANNONADE WEST OP THE MEUSE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2721, 16 March 1916, Page 5

HEAVY CANNONADE WEST OP THE MEUSE

POWERFUL ATTACK REPULSED

HUNS GAIN A FOOTING AT TWO POINTS IN

FRENCH TRENCHES

London, March 15, 2.5 a.m. The High Commissioner' reports• North of the Aisne the Germans thrice endeavoured to penetrate the French trenches north-west of the Bois des Buttes, but all their attempts were, unsuccessful..

West of the Meuse there has been heavy bombardment, with redoubled violence at Bethincourt andl Cumieres. The enemy made a powerful attack, which was repulsed with serious losses. They gained a footing at two points of the French trenches between Bethincourt and Morthomme.

,In the Vosges, in the Yallej* of Their, a. surprise attack on the enemytrenches enabled the French to capture sixty prisoners. Brieulles station was bombed by French aeroplanes.

MUCH MATERIAL CAPTURED BY THE FRENCH IN ALSACE,

(Rec. March 15, 9.35 p.m.) Paris, March 14,

■ A French communique says -.—The enemy's bombardment with heavy shells with redoubled violence against our positions from Betliincourt to Cumieres was continued. The Germans launched a very strong attack in'this sector which was repulsed on the whole front with heavy losses. The enemy, gained a at only two points of our trenches between Bethincourt and Mortma jj er j a i a surprise attack on the trenches at Voss-wihr-Carspach, in Alsace, without loss to ourselyfes. Three German aeroplanes were brought down in the German lines in the Verdun region, and another in the Cernay district.

1 ENEMY'S 'OOUP-DE-MAIN MET WITH A FURIOUS FUSILLADE i

London, March 14, 3.50 p.m

The High Commissioner reports:— •• , . , , .. West of the Meuse the cannonade was somewhat violent during the course of a strong German reconnaissance at Bois D'Haudromont was stopped by curtain fire.' _ . The' bombardment has continued in the region of Vaux, at Daualop, and in the Woeuvre district. The action ot the artillery on both sides is lively in the p re t re a German detachment, attempting _ a coup-de-main against our trenches at Croix desCarmes, received a furious fusillade, and dispersed, leaving doad .behind.

FOURTH DAY OF THE LULL AT VERDUN,

(Rec. March 15, 9.30 p.m.) London, March 14,

This is the fourth day of the lull at Verdun. German communiques do not oven mention this section of the battlefront. Nevertheless the, French staff are not being deceived, but are expecting a renewal of the attack and ar6 are absorbed in the doings of Fokker Pilots Immermann and Boelke, who brought down four more of the Allied aeroplanes, making the respective scores ten and eleven. DEFENCES OF VERDUN IMPREGNABLE. Fremantlo, March 15. Frederick Villiers, the veteran artist and l war correspondent, and the only English correspondent who has visited Verdun, states that the defences of the place are impregnable. There are over seventy miles of barbed wire entanglements outside the town. , mL r> -l- i_ -™ i Mr. Villiers thinks the war will last some time longer, Pho British l'leet will have to play a more important part to bring Germany to hor knees.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DEFENCES OF VERDUN. March 16, 0.20 a.m.) Fromantle, March 15. Mr Villiers does not hesitate to say that "the chancos of the Germans breaking the Allied line at Verdun are very remote; indeed, the defensive works are marvellously designed. There is a ring or forts, but those are not expected to play a very important part in the defensive operations, so that it one reads that a fort has fallen it should carry very little significance. The hiils are apparently bare, but as one approaches, lino upon lino of what at first glance-seem to bo supports for vines-can be seen, and the whole country for miles looks for all the world like an immense vineyard, the only rtiltercnco is that the supports are made of the very strongest barbed wire.. At the hich-pet-parts tlie mnchinc-'ums are hidden, and should the Germans succeed in destrovin" the entanglements by using up immense quantities of high explosiro shells lliev will find it a difficult mattar to gat t| W w Wwhrnß-ap?. It has been found that one is capable of holding up a battalion.

VERDUN FAILURE CAUSES DISTURBANCES IN GERMANY. Rome, March' 14. The "Corrioro delli Sera" states that the German failure at Verdun caused disturbances in Berlin, Dresden, and Frankfort. Machine-guns were used ill somo towns to quell the crowds. Amsterdam, March 14. There are depressing rumours at Munich of enormous Bavarian losses at M The War minister, in a speech in the Chamber, said the people must not lose confidence owing to small miscarriages at .Verdun, whero the development would require a long time.

IMPORTANT DECISION OF THE WAR. IMPENDING.

("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)

London, March 15

The "Vossische Zeitung" states 'that in tho Western theatre an important decision, perhaps the final decision of the war, is impending. Verdun represents only one piece on the board.

BULGARIA READY TO DESERT GERMANY.

Bucharest, March 14. It is reported that M. EadoslavoS (Premier of Bulgaria) declared to a group of Deputies: "The result at Verdun will ehow Aether God is for or 383 He* Mid he believed that Bulgarian .politicians would not hesitate to desert Germany if the attack fails. Berlin and Vienna were fully aware of this. ' *

DIVISION OF RESOURCES BETWEEN THE ARMY' AND THE HOME.

("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)

Loniion, March 14. Interesting notices are appearing in the German papers illustrating the economy'in men available for military; service and the division of resources >»"5 S; w-ii,;,«■■«.« wcultural labour Every large farm and every grour> of small farms mus be allowed! to retain one person in authority, with assistants capable o big the available labour. Employment of able-bodied men fit fm m htar> vice will be reduced to a minimum. AH men now on farms aie only nt fm- fr.irrison duties- will be retained until sowing time is over. Arrangements are being made for distributing among farms war prisoners and interned civilians. '

MANY PROTESTS AGAINST THE GAGGING OF THE GERMAN PRESS. .

Amsterdam, March 14. The German Foreign Affairs Committee, which assembles on Wednesday, is endeavouring to arrange an interview with the Impend Ohaneellor (Hei von Bethniann-Hollweg, to discuss the war Hen von as Chancellor, does not attend the committee's meetings, and thus liussia is^ are being made in the Reichstag against the gagging of PUW fUTr i the "Vossische," says the committee's meet, inc nw°be regarded' as a sign that the German States, except_ Prussia, de* J ?S +IpnnfJlpnnfJ with tho Chancellor. Attempts wore being made in influential f° ™7t t e conference -but it would give Herr BethmAnn-Hollweg to diSl mnours wldch were greyly alarming public opinion. It vns reported that the Government had taken a decision not meeting ttitb people's Srolal, and plain speakiing was necessary to explain to the ° h Tifuntod alluding to the submarine war, fare, Germany's war ambitions, and America.

LATEST FRENCH RECRUITS NOT USED AT VERDUN.

("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.;

(Rcc. March 15, 5.5 p.m.) ■ London, March 14. The "Times" correspondent in Paris'states that the 1916 classes of recruits were not used ut Verdun. . , ■ SUCCESSFUL BOMBARDMENT BY THE BRITISH (Rec. March 15, 9.35 p.m.) •' .. . .. London, March 14. oj,. T)nuelas Hate reports-.—The explosion of an enemy mine did some damage to a portion of a small salient of our trenches. We carried out a successful bombardment of trenches north of Ypies.