LULL ON THE BRITISH FRONT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3023, 9 March 1917, Page 5

LULL ON THE BRITISH FRONT

GERMAN BATTERIES SILENCED ACTIVITY ON THE VERDUN FRONT By Telegraph-Press lasociatiott.-ConyriEht (Rec. March S, 8.20 p.m.) London, Alarch 7 ■ Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The situation is unchanged. We silenced the batteries that were shelling lpres, and bombarded the enemy's trenches westward of Hessines and Auch. Successftd aerial reconnaissance and artillcrv work was also accomplished."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

THE BRITISH LINE IN FRANCE (ftec. March S, 8.20 p,m.) Estimates of the British line on the West front vary, owing to Its not being publicly known how far it extends Beyond Roye. A French writer da' clares that the total length is over 150 miles.—Renter.

STRATEGICAL RIDDLE OF THE RETREAT ' ■ 7 i' SOME INTERESTING COMMENT.■D i, > j 'i j. tt i London, March 7. Router's correspondent at Headquarters.states that driving snow hampered operations on the Ancre yesterday, a thaw at noon badly affecting iL roads. The enemy continues his slow retirement, hut the straterical riddle of the movomeiit is not clear. He is now right hack on the lino of defence in front ■ of Bapaume. The next problem of the British is to discover whether ho intends to strongly defend this lino or retire till quite clear of the salient shortening his front by thirty miles. —Router. " An eye-witness, describing the evaouated ground in the Bapauino rerfon 85 , Ifc I s impossible to doubt the reason for the retreat-it is simply l M 1S .too terrible. Our gunfire is unendurable; the borrow of the field are indescribable. I can vouch that our losses during the winter were nothing remotely resembling those of .the Germans."— Cable Assn. The "Times" correspondent at the British Headquarters says the British are confronted with double the number of German divisions compared with a year ago, including what remains of the 1 flower of the German corps —The"Times." ENEMY CLOSES THE BELGIAN FACTORIES DESPERATE OUTLOOK FOR WORKERS. London, March 7 The Germans have ordered all factories in Belgium to close owing to lack of coal and the difficulties of transport. The majority of the Belgians will be unemployed, and their outlook is desperate. A fire at Hasselt destroyed twenty thousand kilogrammes of coffee belonging to the Belgian Relief Committee.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. COUP ON THE FRENCH FRONT A HAUL OF PRISONERS. , , ~■ , ■ London, March 7. A French omcial communique states: "We executed a coup de main at Guennevieres, between the Oise and the Asine, and brought back prisoners The enemy attempted a coup de main north-west of Pliroy, at the Bois Bouchot, north of St. Jiihiel, and in the direction of Ammertzwiller. Our barrage stopped him and inflioted losses.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Roc. March 8, 11.55 p.m.) , m. , ■ . ± , London, March 8. A French ofhwal communique states:—"On tho Verdun front our batteries caught enemy detachments on tho northern outskirts of Malaucourt Wood. German organisations in Les Eparges Wood was effectively bombarded. There has been lively artillery fighting at Maison do Champa"no and Emhernil."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. GERMAN REPORT. London, March 7. Wireless, per Admiralty Press.—A German official report states: "AVe repulsed ITrench attacks on our new positions in tho Oauriores Wood, Wo brought down fifteen aeroplanes."