ATTACKED WITH LIQUID FIRE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2745, 14 April 1916, Page 5

ATTACKED WITH LIQUID FIRE

GERMANS REPULSED BY THE FRENCH

■" PARTICULARLY HIGH " GERMAN LOSSES

The High Commissioner reports :•—

• -• ' London, April 12. 7 10 pm A French official report says: "On the west bank of the Meuse' the Germans launched an attack this morning, using liquid fire, on our position at •Bois de Caillette, and between Mort Homme and Cumieres. The attack was completely repulsed. On the east bank there has been great" artillery activity between Douaumont and;Vaux, but the enemy has not renewed the attacks In y the.course of the night it was confirmed that there was-a very violent offensive action yesterday at 6 o'clock, which we repulsed. It cost the enemy partionlariy high losses. The night was relatively calm on the rest of the front"

■ FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. By TolcEraDh—Press .Association—OoDyrLitn (Rec. April 13, 11.55 p.m.) A Trench official communique' states: "Our artillery wrecked thltrenches west of Parvilhes, between the Somme and the Oise • weucnes _ "W exploded four mines at Lz Fille.Morte, Haute Chevauchee and Vauquois, and occupied, the southern tips of two of the craters _ "There has been violent continuous bombardment at Hill 304! Esnes and Mort Homme, and moderate artillery fighting east of the Meuse." NEWS FROM THE BRITISH FRONT - i • ■ TRIBUTE TO THE GALLANT CANADIANS. (Rec. April 13, 8.25 p.m.) o n»3e? oUg \ aS H f%-. T f° rts: ','Wo made a successful smair'railT'on' the enemy's trenches at Ricbebourg la Voue. "The enemy, on Tuesday, delivered three successive. attacks west of the Pilkem-Ypres Road. The. first gained a footing in our trenches/ but was quickly driven out. . The others were repulsed. q i. cl lk ™™ ?° v beei J e ! ta W ished ™ at bv tneir g aI1 »"t fighting the Canadians at St. Eloi, last week, inflicted heavy losses on the enemy." m * ai *™ • GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. A Berlin communique states: "The French fruitlessly attacked nortSeart of Avocourt. Three French counter-attacks, prepared by violent fire upon Pepper Hill,.resulted in heavy, onemy losses and were without result. Twicethe stom the entengl^nts.'-> Ur CHrtain ° f '- C ° llapEed * f « THE SLAUGHTER AT DOUAUMONT. The "Petit Journal," In its story of the latest fighting that there was a furious bombardment by heavy artillery during tho entire uornmg. Suddenly -it ceased, and the French troops took their places to await the German rush, but the bombardment was resumed with greater violence Asphyxiating and lachrymose'shells made it impossible to breathe. Two man attacking columns advanced simultaneously, and succeeded/by a vigorous rush, in reaching the battered .trenches at certain points. The French launched a counter-attack so vigorous that all the enemy forces were repulsed . It is estimated m well-informed quarters that the Germans lost* thirty thousand men at Douaumont during the last three days.__ BRITAIN'S HELP AT THE CRITICAL HOUR An article published in Paris, headed "Britain's Friendship"'' say" "Th'n blood of British subjects from tho United Kingdom is mingled everywhere in the west front with the blood of French men. At the beginning of tho Battle of Verdun, when Germany was collect™ g her best troops against France, our Ally relieved us of one of the most difficult sectors—namely, Artois. To-dav in the trenches at Ablain, St. Nassairc, Carency, and Souchez, and in every village of Artois, EngHsli. Scottish, Canadian, "Welsh, and Irish soldiers mount guard or prepare for the fray. ' WERE THE AUSTRALIANS AT VERDUN? (Rec. April 13, 8.25 p.m.) London, April 13. Mr. H. Warner Allen (the British accredited correspondent on the Western front) authoritatively denies the report that Australian artillory were fighting at Verdun. ■> . h. "WE HAVE BEEN VICTORIOUS" GERMAN WAR MINISTER* IN BOASTFUL VEIN. New Yorkj April 12.. A Berlin message, via Amsterdam, stated that tlia Minister for War (Lieu-[tenant-General Falkenhayii), in a speech in the-. Reichstap, said: "To

enable the nation to follow the satisfactory developments on all fronts, our nrmy.reports are phrased with military brevity, and, in contrast to those of our enemies, are always A victorious country need not make excuses. Wo havo been victorious, as a glance at tho map shows. Our enemies know this, hut will not admit it. We will be victorious throughout, until the glorious end. This is guaranteed by the heroism of tho army, tho united will of the people, and tho moral strength of the nation. AVo have an abundanco of all things necessary to carry on tho war."

Speaking of the Verdun offensive, the Minister said: "It is not. as our enemies pretend to believe, the last efforts of an exhausted nation, but the hammer blows of a. strong and! unconquerable people. Never lias warfare been carried on so criminally against women and children as EnglanJ is carrying it on, but tho resources at our disposal and the will of tho people are- too strong for England to make effective its plan of starvation. The co-operation of the Germans at home is a spectacle of gigantic historic importance. Supported by the spirit, of the army, _we will make every effort to secure that peace shall bo on terms in proportion to our sacrifices, and shall safeguard us in future against similar assaults. Until then we must have patience. Decisions are ripening slowly but surely for an inestimable and 'complete victory."-

' HUN TRICKERY WITH HOLLAND

ANTI-BRITISH PRESS CAMPAIGN.

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

(Rec. April 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 12. The German Press continues its scurrilous anti-British campaign regarding Holland. The "Frankfurter Zeitung" has'published the following Vienna message: "Tho 'Neue Freie Presso' learns from its special correspondent that the Paris Conference discussed the question of forcing the Scheldt with two hundred thousand men. Holland received tho news via London on March 30, and the Council of Ministers, with the approval of the Queen, immediately ordered tho fortifying of Flushing and the mobilisation of 350,000 troops." The Vienna journal, adds the "Frankfurter Zeitung," quotes Rotterdam's statement that England intends to pay Japan with the Dutch colonies. [This is apparently a mis-sending of tho namo of a Rotterdam newspaper, probably the "Rotterdamsch Courant" or the "Rotterdamsch Nieweblad."]

ANTI-GERMAN. MOVEMENT STARTED

(Rec. April 14, 0.55 a.m.) Amsterdam, April 13. % M. Dombla Menwenhuis, a Socialist, and formerly Democratic leader, is regaining his .popularity, and conducting an anti-German campaign against the exports of foodstuffs and other goods to Germany.