BRILLIANT STROKE OF GREAT STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2930, 16 November 1916, Page 5

BRILLIANT STROKE OF GREAT STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE

("The Times.") ' , .... London, November 14. The new advance was a brilliant success of great strategic importance. It is accomplishing tho sccond portion of the work begun in July, when we smashed the lines south-east of the Ancre, but failed to penetrate northwest of the river. The subsequent successes to the south-east enabled us to oarry out yesterday's work of completion. It was a magnificent victory, won under most unfavourable conditions, in a roadless morass of treacherous mudholes. It is a striking tribute to General Haig and liis glorious army that they captured villages which include the strongest points in the elaborate system of fortifications,_ points more powerful than most of tho famous former fortresses, and are bringing nearer Germany's final defeat. Yesterday's victory strategically wipes out the Beaucourf salient, and enables us to continue operations on. a- fairly wide front. The Germans' Resources. Colonel Repington estimates that tho German forces in tho field now number four and one-third millions, ana tho roserves two millions, which will supply the existing units till the autumn of 1917. The Allies can-overmatch their principal enemy's final effort. Tho man-power of military ago still available in Britain is betweeii three and four millions, not counting tho Dominions or tho Fleet. MAN-POWER OF THE COLONIEB. London, November 14. In the House of Commons, Mr. Bouar Law (Secretary of State for the Colonies) assured Sir. J. C. Wedgwood that the influence of the Colonial Office was being directed towards securing the largest possible man-power from the Crown colonies. ON THE FRENCH FRONT Cable Assn. and Renter.) , . ■ ..„ Paris, Novomber 14. A communique states: Jhe artillery is lively at Prcssoir (south of tho Somme). An enemy attack west of Auberive, in the Champagne, was repulsed. It is calm elsewhere." Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. November 15, 10.50 p.m.) . _ ~ _. , i : Paris, November 14. A French official communique states: "North of tho Somme tie enemy's artillery,; to which ours vigorously i-eplied, violently bombarded the rerion of Hessoiro and tho Biaches-La-Maisonette. In the Argonne wo occupied the erator of a Germau mine. In the front at Verdun there is intermittent cannonading in tho region of Douaumont and Vaux." CROWN PRINCE SENT 1 TO ALSACE (Rec. November 15, 9 p.m.) ... . _. „ . , „ t . London, November 14. ■ It is officially announced from Berlin that the Crown Prince is leaving Verdun and taking over tho command in Alsace. .INCESSANT BATTLES IN RUMANIA HEAVY PRESSURE ON RUMANIAN LEFT WING SERBS AND BULGARS IN DESPERATE COMBATS i (Auet.—N.2. o<tblo Assn. aad Rcuter.) , „ ! - a- . , . , x „ , London, November 14. A Rumanian official communique states • that incessant attacks by the enemy between the Uzul valley snd the Cabino valley since September 29 have'been. sanguinarily repulsed. Our left wing a-t Dragoslavele was compelled to give way, and we were also forced to withdraw .south of Bumbeshti on the right bank of tho Alt. Our flotilla bombarded tho enemy's left flank at Soilmenimari, north of Cernavoda. ■ < ■ BUSBIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. Atnlrkliao-New Zealand Cable Association. a u • «• T • , x P et « , B rat ,. November 14, A Russian official communique states: "Tho enemy's attacks in the wooded Carpathians and m tie Trotus, Oitus, andTirgului valleys were repelled. The Rumanians were forced back slightly in the Alt Valley. The enemy has occupied tb© villaee of Bumoesliti, in the Jiul valley." I CONSTANZA ON FIRJS.' to. iid.j.'x n • • ii , , Paris, November 14. ■ ™ Petit Pari6i_en states that tho Russians twice bombarded Coilstanza on Monday, aiming at the forts and the oil tanks. Flaming benzine spread in the streets, and the wind drove the flames through the oitv, destroying the docks, munition depots, barrack* and tho enemy's staff offices The firo lasted for two days. The officers drove the 'soldiers to fi E ht tho flames, but the Rumanians, bad removed the firo engines and other apparatus. coastal and aerial defences fought the fleet unavailingly. SANGUINARY COMBATS ON THE CERNA BULGARS AND GERMANS WORSTED BY THE SERBS. ■ The High Commissioner reports: act.- rr ■ i i. i , ~v' v Lo " t,on ' November 14, 7.20 p.m. A Serbian ofiioial report states: "V esterday we fought sanguinary combats against the Bulnars and Germans ou tho Coma. Tho action is not yet finished. The enemy obstinately defended certain trenches which pas'sek in -succession from, hand to' hand. At the end of the day we definitely Sept a. very important enemy position which was captured near Trepavici In addition to enormous enemy losses, 1000 prisoners were taken, the majority of them being Germans." , ' FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. Auefxaliac-Tfew Zpaland Cable Association. (Rec. November 15, 10.50 p.m.) a '-it ua: • i . . •i i , November 14. A French official communique states: "There is a very lively artillery action between the Cerna and Presba Lake. The French and Serbians ca> tured, between November' 10 and 12, twenty-five pins, of which eieht were heavy guns, and much other material, together with 1447 prisoners "

THE SITUATION IN GREECE VE,NIZELOS'S AUTHORITY DEFINED: Lord; Robert Cecil, rathe House of Commons^lyinjf'to^Mr. 1- Ashley said that, roughly, Venizelist authority exists over New Greece and the Islands, where the Allies have treated M Vemzelos as the de facto authority fho Athens Government had jurisdiction over Old Greece.