"THE BRITISH ARMY HAS SAVED ITSELF"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 163, 30 March 1918, Page 7

"THE BRITISH ARMY HAS SAVED ITSELF"

GERMAN EFFORT BREAKING DOWN. ; (Rcc. Maroh 29, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 28. '. Sir Douglas Haig's report, showing that the attackers are held at all points, is regarded as most cheerful coupled with tho German failure to enuni- i erate further captures of villages, prisoners, and guns. Tho "Daily Telegraph" points out that we aro over-inclined to measure : German success by the map, whereas it really should be measured by time. The enemy has already taken seven days to do work estimated to take- two. Tho "Morning Post" states:—"We believe the British Army has saved ; itself, and, saving itself, saved the Empire. The German effort is breaking . : down." . . . ' The "Morning Post" opines that tho Germans throughout havo only cap- '■ tured ten thousand unwounded prisoners. The rest claimed were wounded. ; Not one of tho brigade Headquarters Staffs has been captured.—Aus.-N.Z. ' Gable Assil. MESSAGES FROM SIR DOUGLAS HAIG. j London, Maroh 27. ! Sir Douglas Haig ( in a message to the Army dated prior to Sunday's attacks, says:—"The crisis of the war has now been reached. The Germans are trying to destroy the British armies, and are concentrating every divis.ion for that purpose. France is sending troops as quickly as possible to the support of the British." . ■ - Sir Douglas Haig has cabled to President Wilson:—"l am determined to , fight, not counting the cast, until the freedom of mankind is safe."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. THE CARNAGE IN THE GERMAN RANKS DESCRIPTIONS OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS. .: ; (Rec March 29, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 28. Wounded soldiers arriving in London give . thrilling descriptions of the German losses. ' A private fighting at St. Eloi, west of Le Catelet, narrates that we knew the date and time of the opening attack. "The bombardment was most terrific for six hours, and then two hours' gas shelling followed. At noon dense masses of men, followed by cavalry and transports, .■ swarmed across the opposite ridge. Our machine-guns and rifles, and bombs ; tore the vanguards to shreds. The Germaim fell in hundreds every few min- \ lutos, but the gaps were filled. AVe were able to rake two German columns i I with a hundred machine-guns. AVe did this throughout the day. The , ] enemy dead piled up hourly and long into the night, when the darkness was . broken by S.O.S. flashes. AVe were without food and water, as it was ; forbidden to touch our rations owing to tho risks of poisoning from gas. At dawn the German dead covered the ridge. Altogether ten German divi- : sions attacked our division. "At eleven o'clock on Friday morning the Ger- ; I mans threatened to take us in the flank, and we retreated, enfilading them, } ; fighting all the way. My company was now reduced to thirty or forty, and ' the captain divided us into four groups which took different routes. Aβ we ■ ] retired we heard our mines blowing up amid the Germans. Another divi- ; sion took up the rearguard action at Haulcourt. AVe marched to Peronne. j Other wounded soldiers state that the majority of-the German stormere i were young men. The enemy used dye gas. The shells stained the craters, , thus warning the Germans to'ket-;> clear. In some cases the British batteneß i fired until the Germans were -within two hundred yards, and still got their 1 guns away.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. j "GREAT KAISER BATTLE" IN FULL FORCE ! i GERMAN ADVANCE SLOWING DOWN. j London, March 27. |! What the German papers call "the Great Kaiser Battle" continues in full ■; force. • The Germans in five days have wiped out the results of the eight ■ months' Battle of the Somme, which cost ourselves and the Germans a mil-- '• lion and a quarter casualties. Nevertheless, the latest news shows that the *; German/advance is slowing down. Between the Scarpe and the. Cojeul ; Stream, Von Bulow failed to make the least impression on the British defence. Tuesday's advance was nowhere of great depth. There are indiea- .; tions that tho German infantry is getting ahead of the artillery, in spite : of the excellent weather making the task of moving the guns, comparatively : easy. So far the Germans have used about eighty-five divisions, compared : with thirty British and two French with i a few American corps.—Aub.N.Z. Cable Assn. . . ; AUSTRIAN ARTILLERY BEING TRANSFERRED FROM . RUSSIAN FRONT. Washington, March 27. Semi-official advices state that tho Austrians are transferring la-rge-cslibre artillery from the Russian front io the West front.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable , Assn, •- BULGARIAN REINFORCEMENTS EXPECTED. \ , .■•..-■ (Rec. March 29, 5.5 p.m.) • /'■■• Amsterdam, March 23. The Berlin.newspapers indicate that the .Bulgarians, aro expected largely to reinforce the Germans in the West.—-"The Times." RECALL OF SIR WILLIAM ROBERTSON DEMANDED RAISING OF MILITARY AGE URGED. ' London, March 27. The newspapers urge the necessity of seeing things steadily and seeing them whole, but insist, that the. public is ready to make any^acr ificcs that may be necessary. 'The "Morning Post" demands that Sir William Robert son shall be recalled to the War Office to help to reorganise the shattered divisions The War Cabinet must sink questions of amour propre. lie "Diilv Chronicle," in a leader, says that if legislation is necessary, 1 arharnent oiHit to reassemble to raise tho military age to forty-five. It seems ■ ; that theioreshadowed Man-power Bill lies at the bottom or. the present situation. Two prophets who have proved right arc Sir AYill.am Robertson and . Sir Auckland Geddes-tbc latter for his clear presentation or ..the .new po.si- , ; tion duo to Russia's collapse, and Sir William Robertson for his cons ant m- f ! sistence on the decisive character of the fighting on the Western front.- j Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . . . ■ . j OPINIONS OF THE AMERICAN PRESS \ "A TERRIFIC COUNTER-ATTACK WILL BE LAUNCHED" j Washington, March 27. The official attitude and the tone of the newspapers are full of confidence. It is' believed the German wedge will be menaced when .the German troops are .; exhausted, because a terrific counter-attack will be launohed. ■ . '■■ The ,! New York Tribune" says:—"The German advance is not equal to the rush on -Verdun. The Allies' reserves are not yet engagod. AAe may expect Petain to strike quickly, and. soon." ~„„,„„ j Mr Frauk Sinunonds, in an article in the "New \ork bun,, says:— "AVithin the next twenty-four hours the Germans will win a .decisive victory or be forced to halt. The British now hold high and advantageous ground,and the Germans' task of bringing up supplies is increasingly dimcult. it is absurd to regard the situation as desperate until the Allies Reserve Army takes part in the battle." .. ' ~ ~' ~ General AA'oort, who has returned from France, giving evidence belore the . Senate Military Committee, said he believed that Sir Douglas Haig was retiring in accordance with prearranged plans. .The Britishi willdeliver a smashing blow against the Germans from both sides.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. , AMERICANS HEAVILY SHELLING THE GERMAN POSITIONS. ' New York, March 27. American Headquarters reports that tho Americans are heavily shell- , in" the Germau positions, to prevent the Germans detaching troops to participate in the big offensive.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. : ■ AUSTRALIA'S CONFIDENCE AND DETERMINATION ! UNSHAKEN. ■ (Rec. March 29, 5.5 p.m.) , ; Sydney, March 29. ; The Governor-General, on behalf of the Commonwealth, has cabled to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, expressing high admiration of the. valour and heroism d the troops engaged in the titanic struggle, and confidence in their ■ Mr Hughes's message on behalf of the Government also affirms Aub- ■ tralia's' unshaken determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Em- • pire to the end—Press Assn. FURTHER WARNINGS TO THE GERMAN PUBLIC. (Rec. March 29, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, March 28. The Gorman newspapers show a remarkable increase in unanimity as to the growing difficulties ox the Gciman advance, and warn the nublic to ©s- j pect slowor results. Von Hindeuburg is said to remain confident.—"The Times." ■ ■ VALUE OF THE LONG-RANGE GUN ; BOMBARDMENT OF PARIS CONTINUED. New York, March 27. • Mr Hudson Maxim says it is possible to build a gun to shoot from Loudon to Paris; but ho doubts tho value of freak artillery. The editor of the "Scientific American" says tfiat the long range could be obtained by using a , gun 150 feet long, loaded with slow-burning powder; but the gun could not j fire moro than twenty-five accurate shots. ; London, March 28. The long-range bombardment of Paris continues.—Aus.-N.Z; Cable Assn TESTING GUNS DESTINED' TO"';BOMBARD LONDON!,, ' i * Copenhagen, March 27. i Austrian military experts are of opinion that the purposo of bombard- ■ ing Paris ie to test guns primarily designed to bombard London. A new and ! very strong oxplo.sivo has replaced th ordinary propellant.—"The Tiaas." ;