QUIET DAY ON THE BRITISH FRONT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2848, 12 August 1916, Page 9

QUIET DAY ON THE BRITISH FRONT

FRENCH PROGRESS AT HEM WOOD " LORD DERBY ON THE OUTLOOK The High.Commissioner reports: _ London, August 10,2.5 p.m Sir Douglas Haig' reports: "The niglifc was generally quiet, except for hostile shelling south-east of Troncs Wood. In: the region . north-west of' Pozieres we made further progress, gaining local objectives, which we are. now consolidating. Seventv-two: prisoners wore taken:• .South of Arras we. raided the .enemy's sap, inflicting.several casualties;" SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT. Australfon-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rcc. August'll, 8.15 p.m.) London, August 11. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The position is unchanged along the whole of the British front. Parties of the enemy advancing southwards: of Martinpuich were repulsed. Several of the enemy's aeroplanes were brought down." OBSTINATE STRUGGLE AT GUILLEMONT. (Rec. August 11, 8.15 p.m.) 'London, August 11/ - The "Morning Post's" correspondent at Headquarters writes: "At Ouillemont the struggle has been most obstinate, and, hitherto .indecisive,, The Anzacs added to their laurels by talcing a useful- slice of trench north-west of Pozieres. Officers, describing the experience .of a liqUid .fire attack—otherwise "devil's fire" —sav that it is a failure for practical purposes. A few cn6es of burning were recorded—"typical of Kultur." It is evident that the "Kaiser recently visited the Western front. An Order in a captured German's pocket at Pozieres expresses the Imperial gratitude to, the First Army for warding off the Anglo-French attacks on July 30. ' It is noteworthy that there is no longer any German flamboyant talk of victory. ' WITH THE FRENCH ON THE SOMME PROGRESS NORTH OF HEM WOOD. The High Commissioner reports:— , . .London, August 10,'2.55 p.m. "The French' official, report states that, north of the. Somme, during ...the ,night, we made ; progress, in the region northwards 'of' Horn' Wood, ; taking-I'OO prisoners and capturing six machine-guns. Rain a.nd _ fog, ..hindered the operations. South of the Sommo.a Germsui reconnais'sance,. accompanied by liquid flames', was dispersed by our fire westward of Vermand-Ovillers." FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE ' _ Austral f,, n-New'Zoaland Oablr» Association. (Rec. August 11, 8.15 p.m.) Paris, August 11. A French official communique states: "Anart from a lively cannonade northward of the Somme and at Thiaumont, the day has been quiet. The weather is unfavourable for operations." ' GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE London, August 10. A German official communique states: "There is intense artillery; fighting .between the Ancre.and the Somme. The 'Britisli 'u'nwoundeJ " prisoners taken since August 8 number' 13 officers and 500 men. .Between-Maurepas and the Somme, eiglit attacks, during the afternoon and night' failed." ■ . . . ' (Rec. August 12, 1.20 a.m.) London, August 11. The German official statement of.-casualties for July, discloses a total of 122,540. Over 21.000 were, either killed or died of wounds. The total losses for'the war is 3,'135;177. It is. reliably stated that the recent losses on the Som™e were much heavier than appear on the lists, averaging 50 per cent. Prisoners' letters reveal growing discouragement- \ and l a decline'' in morale. The traditional Bavarian dislike for the Prussians is strongly-reviv-ing, and thorp'is much German dissatisfaction at- the Austrians'inability to hold the Eastern line. ... ■ '" FIGHTING IN THE VOSGES The High Commissioner reports: London, August-10, 2.00 p.m. "In Vosces aji enemy coup-de-main,. preceded by bombardment; on our salient, lines north-west of Altkirch, was unsuccessful. The enemy sustained losses." .. • RING OF IRON CLOSING IN ON THE GERMANS ENEMY CANNOT SURVIVE THE PRESSURE.. _ Australian-New- Zealand Cable Association. New York, August 10. Lord Derby (Under-Secretary for War), in an interview with American correspondents, said: "The-Allies are drawing the iron ring around the enemy tighter every day,' The Germans will be pounded down until they break under the strain. The war must r^M»Uft-TK;kry.f'pr..BS 4 .. : .!Pb«..A1J?9s now have the Germans whero they can not swing men from one front to another. They liave been forced on'the defensive everywhere, and are endeavouring to keep their line intact. They have not a man'to ,-pare anywhere. The ground the Allies have gained will never be lost. We will keep tiring the Austrians and Germans, and; killing their men, until they are bound to givo up. All the portents show that the day is not far distant when Germany must crumble."' Her armies cannot survive the pressure. GERMAN MEASURES FOR A RETREAT.. . (Keuter's Telegram.) ' • London, August 10. A correspondent at British Headquarters in France writes: "We possess evidenco that the Germans prepared!plans for retreat in the middle of June. This apparently explains the sudden military measures taken by.Holland then, as the German's would possibly have retreated by'the shortest way—across the Dutch provinco of Limburg." / . WAR FINANCES AND MUNITIONS HOW BRITAIN HAS WEATHERED THE- STORM. • Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. August 11, 5.45 p.m.) London, August 10. Speaking in the House of Commous, Mr. M'Kehua (Chancellor of the Exchequer) stated that the estimated total indebtedness of Great Britain at the end of March next was £3,440,000 t OOO, from which-.might be. deducted, as advances to the Allies and the Dominions, £800,000,000. Our total indebtedness was about equal to one year's national income, while our -total , national wealth was estimated at £15,000,000,000. "We have a revenue .equivalent to 20 per cent, of our whole debt, and wo should be able to pay out of existing taxation, interest on'our debt, provide-a considerable sum for.the. Sinking Fund, and still leave a margin to reduco the taxes; Wo'have:every reason to bo proud of our financial position. British credit has stood_the strain." On the Treasury Estimates, several members adversely criticised the large issues of Treasury bills. The Chancbllor, they, said,. should have issued, a loan. Others objected to the raising of the. Bank-of England/rate. : Mr. M'Kenna, in reply, said that he entirely approved of the Bank of England raising the rate. _ .We wero consuming more goods thap,-\yer.p being produced, and had to obtain supplies froni. abroad. /Our .'task'was. lldt only, to make up our deficiency, but also tho' deficiency in- the. production of all our Allies, which was really a gigantic task. All questions of internal finance, important as they were, paled- into insignificance by comparison with the daily task of financing foreign supplies. Wo had to pay abroad certainly one miL-

lion, probably nearer two millions, daily.. TVe -were able to borrow abroad S cheaper tlian any belligerent. He was unable to say when he would issue an* j other loan. ] .VAST OUTPUT FROM FRENCH WAR FACTORIES. _ Paris, August 10. The French output of machine-guns is 135 times greater than in 1914. of rifles 300 times, of "seventy-fives" 27 times, of shells 28 times and or powder 16 times. i I ■ i ALLIES TO HAVE A COMMON MUNITIONS. FUND. j Rome, August 10. It .is reported that the Allies are about to institute a.common fund to < purchase munitions abroad and manufacture .munitions at Home.... j MORE RUSSIAN TROOPS FOR THE FRENCH FRONT.- .1 London, August. 10; : Another detachment of Russian troops has landed at. Brest". "" \ ■ I (GERMANY RAISING A FRESH LOAN I HUGE SUM TO BE ASKED,FOR. •. j .1 • Copenhagen, August 10. I The "Berliner Tageblatfc" states that the fifth German.War Loan will b§ J issued in September. The amount to be asked for. will ' probably' bft . ! £750,000,000 to £1,000,000,000. • . . .....- ; :v . v ... i ' GERMAN ACTIVE SERVICE AGE LIMIT RAISED.; j •New York, August 10. | The New York "Times'" correspondent at Berlin states that tbo active j eervice limit in Germany has been raised to fifty. - ' '.'-.j