ANOTHER GREAT BATTLE BEGUN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3062, 25 April 1917, Page 5

ANOTHER GREAT BATTLE BEGUN

, SECOND PHASE OF THE BATTLE OF ARRAS SUCCESSFUL ATTACK LAUNCHED BY THE BRITISH ■ ; ' ' ,' i (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). The High Commissioner reports: _ London, April 23, 1.10 p.m. • Sir Douglas Haig reports :—"We attacked at dawn on a wide front on both sides of tho River Scarpe. Tho attack is proceeding, and satisfactory progress is being made. Southwards of the Bapaume-Cambrai road we captured the remainder of the village of Trescault during the night, and gained the greater part of Havrincourt Wood," j ■• , London, April 23, 4.10 p.m. ' "Between Lens and St. Qu en tin there have'' been important'advances numerous points. Prisoners to the number of fully 1000 already reported, as well as quantity of booty. Guemappe (south of the Scarpe) and Gavrelle (north of the Scarpe) are understood to have fallen to the British. '

HEAVY FIGHTING ALL DAY IMPORTANT POSITIONS GAINED (Rec. April. 24, 6.45 p.m.) . London, April 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "There has been heavy and continuous fighting all day on both banks of tho Scarpe. Important positions have been gained. A marked feature of the operations has been the frequency and violence of the German counter-attacks,.in which there wore very heavy enemy losses. We captured Gavrelle village-, and two and a half miles of defences to the south of the village, as far as the Roeux cemetery. We fought our way forward on the right bank of the Scarpe on a wide front south-east, of Mou'chy-le-Preux, and captured Guemappe. We took prisoner considerably over one thousand men, and also made progress south-west of Lens. "There was great aerial .activity on Sunday. Fifteen German machines and also four kite balloons were brought down. Four British machines aro missing."—Aus.-N.Z.. Cable Assn.-Reuter. ' • THE CONFLICT ON THE FRENCH FRONT ALL ATTEMPTS BY THE ENEMY SUPPRESSED. • , London, April 23. * A French official communique states: "There was great reciprocal artillery'action during the. night'south of St. Quentin and between Soissons.and Reims Our batteries 'effectively beat down a. violent enemy bombardment past of Craonnc, preparatory to an' attack, which did not occur. Our, artillerv and machine-gun fire broke an attack yesterday evening m the salient north-east of High Mount, in the Champagne The enemy renewed the attempt at night on crests we hold at Moronvillers massif,. where the struggle was keen.at certain points, but which resulted everywhere to our advantage.". —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Asbn.-Reuter. (Rec. April 24, 11 p.m.) '\ London, April 24. A French official communique states: "We completely repulsed several attacks at various points in Belgium. Between the Somme and_ the Oise our batteries directed a destructive fire against tho German organisations. Between the Aisno and! Cliemin-des-Dames we made progress. North of Sancy tho artillery duel is particularly severe in the sector of ITurtbise farm. There has been much successful aerial'fighting."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE GERMAN REPORT d f BRITISH SUCCESS AT LENS* ADMITTED. London, April 23. Admiralty, per Wireless Press.—A German official message' states: "The English on Sunday penetrated our first line north-west of Lens on a 500-yards front A counter-attack drove hack the infantry. Tho fighting recommenced this morning on a wide front. A strong French-attack north-west of La Villo-aux-Bois was heavily repulsed. Wo brought down eleven aeroplanes."— Aus.-N.Z.. Cable Assn. -~.,'.„.. (Rec. April 24, 6.40 p.m.) London, April 23. 'A German wireless official report states: "The now English assault at Arras broke down with heavy enemy losses."—Aus.-N.Z. • Cable ftSsn.Beuter. OPENING STAGES DESCRIBED A HARD BATTLE TO BE WON. (Rec. April 24, 6.5 p.m.)' London, April 23. Mr Philip Gibbs writes: "The battle of Arras: has entered upon tho second ijhase which is harder than the battle of April 9. This morning, before, fivo o'clock, the English, Scotch, and Welsh attacked eastwards of Arras between Gavrelle, Guemappo, Fontaine, and Oroisilles, which is the last switch lino in this vicinitv between us and tho mam Hindenbnrg line. So far tho dav has been in our favour. We have gamed important ground, inflicted creat losses and takon ono thousand prisoners in the neighbourhood of Fontaine Everywhere there has been hard fighting, as the enemy was aware that he would be attacked, and soon bad his guns moved up. The Germans were told to hold on at all co-a, s . and brought, up many new batteries, and massed their machine-guns in the villages and trenches covorm2 the hue of our ndvonc". Fighting is'in progress at all points. Sometimes our men aro beaten back, thon, rc-attacking, go forward. Gavrelle certainly is ours, k which breaks the so-called Oppy lyas, northward of tne Scarpe. We are now

beyond Guemappe, southwards of tlio Scarpe, though tho fighting is proceeding around tho village on tho extremo right. The enemy suffered disaster northward of Croisilles, where wo took prisoner and killed many. Ai the outset tho enemy resisted fiercely. Last night was terribly nold. Our men lay in tho shell holes and shallow trenches, and suffered severely."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. \ Hurricane Fira and Furnace Blast, "Tho British bombardment, which was steady throughout tho night, broke out in a hurricane of firo at dawn. Tho artillery barrage was brilliantly successful, directly tho attack commenced, but'tho British troops had hardly risen from their shell-holes and ditches before the German counter"barrage started liko a, furnaco-blast, w'hile a machine-gun fire from two small woods in front of Monchy and Guemappe also commenced, Tho enemy's trenches below Monchy were defended by enfilade fire from redoubts along the Cambrai Road. When the British troops swept down the Germans quickly fled to the cover of the wood of Boisausart. The British elsewhere along the Scarpe were held up for some time by an intense machine-gun fire, and had to await tho arrival of a tank. Still further north, the' Scottish battalions quickly advanced towards Roeux, passing a fortified farm and chemical works, where tho enemy lost very heavily in trying to escape from the ruins. Tho capture of Gavrelle was tho most brilliant episode of the left-side attack. The Germausliad sset great store by Guemappe, now a heap of bricks and dobrls, for the importance of its position upon the Cam-' brai Road. The Third Bavarian Division held tho village, where deadly hand-to-hand fighting occurred. The 101 st Pomeranian Regiment was in the neighbourhood of Fontaine-loz-Croisilles. Tho Pomeranians for several days had been heavily bombarded, and their nerves wero so shaken that tbey came out of their dug-outs—five hundred of them—and surrendered without attempting to fight. Between tho Cojeul and Sensee Rivers, where the British advanced ulong a curved line following the shape of the rising ground, wo took at least twelve hundred' prisoners and a battery of field guns." BETWEEN TWO CURTAINS OF FIRE (Rec. April 24, 6.15 p.m.) '. London, April 23. Mr. Beach: Thomas, describing the now British offensive, refers to a great concentration of now German reserves and batteries on,'both, sides of tho Soarpo to meet the renewed attack. "One officer," ho says, describing tho attack "rushed his men past tho Gorman curtain of fir© and tfieirparaded them up close to his own barrage. The moment the curtain lifted the men were in the enemy's trenches.. They bayoneted the whole garrison save a handful of prisoners. Tho Germans fought to tho death. Oho group, nearly surrounded, held up their hands, but as tho British roso from tho shell holes the manchme-gunners behind, pretending to surrender, opened fire in all direotions."—United Service. .■„'.-., ' . "I uovor met British • troops coming from battlo with such passionate i words of fury. Much air fighting prefaced tho battle, and six of the GerI man machines wore brought down."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. NEW CONDITIONS FACED (Rec. April 25; 0.50 a.m.) . I . London, April 24. Correspondents at British headquarters state that three days' fine weather preceded the Scarpe attack, which occupied a front of twelve thousand yards. At least two thousand prisoners were taken. The attack was considerably less important than that delivored on April 9, because there 'was no definite objective like tho old German first line. Instead Of a continuous trench system, the British were facing rolling country dotted with many isolated posts, and short lengths of tronches. Such country offered the artillery no defined target or object of attack. Many of the Germans in the second lines fought stubbornly, and there was considerable bayonet fighting. It is evident that tho Germans are making every effort to delay our advance in order to gain time to 'complete the defences in rear.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. REPRISAL FOR BOMBARDING CATHEDRALS London, April 23. The "Daily Mail" states that unless an ultimatum is sent to the Germans to stop their bombardment of Laon Cathedral, the edifice will be destroyed in ten day's. It proposes that Germany should bo informed that Cologne Cathedral will be destroyed as a reprisal.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. OUR SUPREMACY IN "TANKS" \ * London, April 23. The "Morning Post's" correspondent declares that German exports jpent the winter devising ways to combat tho tanks,.which are still unconquered. During the Arras advance they roamed around and smashed redoubts. When put out of action tho tanks' usefulness was not finished, for one crew continued to kill Germans long after the craft was helpless. The commandor and another man-then took a Lewis gun and opened fire on and killed a wholo detachment of twenty-one Bavarians who were-besieging them. Both returned unhurt. Another tank scoured the Scayal marshes for two days. After it had exhausted its ammunition it amused itself in smashing concrete shelters, and then returned.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

CONSCRIPTION IN AMERICA

BILL DEBATED IN CONGRESS GREAT WAR LOAN BILL PASSED Washington, April 23. The debate has opened on the Con scription Bill. Varying reports from committees were presented recommending the volunteer against the Presidential plan. . During the dehate in the Senate on conscription Senator Williams asserted that the United States fully intended to dispatch an army to Europe, "if ever wo get it drilled and equipped." An. amendment was introduced permitting Mr. Roosevelt to raise a volunteer army for service in France. _ ' ; The Administration is bringing pressure to bear on members to induce support for conscription, which is now likely to pass in the House of Representatives. Its passage is practically assured in the Senate.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. .. .'■ THE ALLIES' IMMEDIATE WANT-FOOD 1 . . Washington, April 23. The Allies' immediate demands on the United States are for food alone.. The dispatch of an expeditionary army to Europe is unnecessary in tho imMr David Houston (Secretary for Agriculture) has asked the Agricultural Committee of the Senate-for powers to make a complete food survey in the United States, with a view of conservation initio interests of the Allies. ■ —Aus.-N.Z: Cable Assn. * ' THOUSAND MILLION BOND BILL PASSED Washington, April 23. The Bond Bill lias passed the conferences of House and Senate, and awaits the President's signature.-Au s.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■_■.-■ TThe Bond Bill gives the Government authority to! raise a loan of •PI (MO 000 000 Of; this sum £600,000,000 is designed for the purchase of Entente waTbonds'bearing interest at 3* per cent, while £400,000,000 will be used for war purposes.] j WELCOME TO THE BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER GREAT PUBLIC OVATION TO MR. BALFOUR. Washington, April 23. 4 wonderful wave of spontaneous enthusiasm greeted Mr. Balfour and his partv Thousands of people lined the streets. , Mr. Balfour, accompanied bv his suite, drove to the' State Department, to call on Mr. Lansing (Secretarv for State). The British Ambassador (Sir Cecil Sprmg-R.ice) presented Mr Balfour to Mr. Lansing. Afterwards Mr, Lansing and Mr. Balfour called "on President Wilson, Mr. Balfour smiling as ho noticed the Siiffragette .pickets on either side of mite House entrance The-meeting of the President and Mr. Balfour was simple, but extremely cordial. Meetings of the naval and-military members of tho entourage and tho American Departmental heads wero also held.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AMERICA'S FIGHTING SHIPS NEW ELECTRICALLY-DRIVEN BATTLESHIP. ' New' York, April 23. The super-Dreadnought New Mexico, the first electrically-driven battleship, has been launched at Brooklyn—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. _ TTho electrical drive, which is being used for the first time in a- largo warship in the New Mexico, is a device to secure greater efficiency and.handiness than is the case with turbines coupled direct to the propeller-shafts or through mechanical gearing. Tho turbines drive largo dynamos, which are designed to allow tho turbines to run at tho most economical speed, rpgardless°of the speed of the vessel. Tho dynamos supply current for electric motors which drive the propellers, and these motors aro wound to run at tho comparative low speeds at which screw propellers aro most effective. It is expected that tho'gain in efficiency will bo particularly noticed at "cruising speeds at which turbines, eithor direct-driving or geared, aro at a disadvantage 'Tho electrically-driven vessel can be started, stopped, or rovorsed without manipulating tho turbines, by tho use of electrical controls similar in principle to those used on street cars. Tho battle-cruisers which the United States has upon its current building programme have been designed, for olectrical transmission.] PARIS HONOURS AMERICA Paris, April 23. There were great demonstrations on Sunday in honour of America's intervention Crowds gavo an ovation to the American Ambassador (Mr. W. G. Sharx)).—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. PRO-ALLY DEMONSTRATION AT BUENOS AIRES

! Buenos Aires, April 23. Fifty thousaaid people made a demonstration iu tho streets, and sang tho patriotio of America and tie Alios..—Aue.-N.K. CVals Aasa,