AND WAT AIR ACTIVITY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 213, 28 May 1918, Page 5

AND WAT AIR ACTIVITY

BUT STILL NO' MOVE BY THE - > GERMANS PROBLEM ■ OF. RUSSIA'S RESTORATION IRISH OPINION ON THE SINN - FEIN DISCLOSURES . 'Renter's correspondent on the British front describes to-day an intense bombardment by- the German guns, but there is yet no sign of the enemy's major stroke. The British airaen have,had a great day, the special greatness thereof being the fact that although eleven German war 'planes were accounted for, and extensive bombing operations carried, ont, not ft single British machino was lost. British supremacy in the aitis now; a marked feature of the situation, and.it is suggested that this • advantage, amongst other factors, has had a good deal to do with the protracted lull on the Gorman side of the battlefield. The Allies are now facing tho question of malting an attempt to restore the Russian situation to a semblance of order, and counter the influence of tho Gcrmans. It is pointed out'that the method of proceeding will be left for America to consider. The only new development of any import in the Irish situation is a highly inflammatory speech by an Irish M.P.

, 'INTENSE BOMBARDMENT IN THE WEST FOLLOWED BY A LULL NO SIGN YET OF THE GREAT OFFENSIVE By Tolegraph-Press Associations-Copyright. (Rec. May 27, 7.45 p.m.) ■ London, May 26. Router's correspondent at British Headquarters, under to-day's date, says: "Since last evening tho enemy's artillervAfiro has markedly increased at various slaces.5 laces. Villors Bretonneux, the Scarpe Valley, Aucieonvillers, Englebelmer, Mailly, lailet, and Martinsart have been bombarded with gas and high explosive shells. Thero has ! also been a prolonged outburst of .intense gunfire from Festubert to the Yser. During tho afternoon the uproar lulled., There is no reason to assume that the bombardments herald an imminent resumption of the German offensive."' Renter's correspondent at French Headquarters dwells on the difficulty of determining where the oneniy will attack, owing to his new method of employing assaulting troops, holding back heavy masses of reserves, and quickly moving them to the striking point. Tho number of enemy divisions to-day is approximately known, but tho density of the enemy front affords no clue to his intentions. Fortunately, with unity of command, masses of English, French, and American reserves will ho available for instant service wherever the front' is threatened.—Renter. WHY THE DELAY? TWO SUGGESTED REASONS. ,'-■-. London, May 26. It is now twenty-six days since tho Germans ceased attacking on the West front. Critics suggest that the reason why the offensive .is delayed is that tho Germans are awaiting Austrian help. In the meantime the Allied air superiority is so marked that tho Germans are experiencing the greatest difficulty in tho completion of their preparations—Aus.'N.Z. Cablo Assn. A GERMAN EXPLANATION. ' ; London, May 26. The semi-official German newspaper "Norddeutecher Zeituug" explains the ' pause in the offensive as duo to the training of storming divisions in. fighting methods with a view to diminishing the bloody losses hitherto experienced. Tho pause is not forced on tho Germans, but is the outcome of tho commanders' own plans.—Reuter. ... HINT OF NEW TACTICS \ " London, May 26. The "Echo de Paris" quotes a distinguished British leader as saying that the " 'Allies' superiority will soon enable them to indulge in new tactics, entirely isolating portions of the enemy's attacking troops and cutting off and outflankporaplote army corps.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. '■ . THE WAR IN THE AIR CASUALTY SCORE: GERMAN 'PLANES LOST, 11; BRITISH, . NIL. . v . (Rec. May 27, 9.40 p.m.) '...''' London, May 27. Sir Douglas.Haig, in his aviation report, states: "Flying was only possible during fine intervals ou May 25. We dropped over three hundred bombs on the enemy's billets in tho neighbourhood of Armentieres and Merville, an ammunition dump at Varssenaere, and tho' Bruges docks. We brought down nine machines and drove down two out of control. No British machines aro missing. Our nightfliers dropped over 6ix tons of bombs on Peronno,. Bapaumo, and Maricourt. All returned."—Ans.-N.Z. .Cablo Assn.-Reuter. "GERMAN AVIATION SMASHED FLAT" • HOW OUR AIR SUPREMACY IS TELLING. New York, May 26. The New York 'limes correspondent withitho French Army interviewed the commander of an important aviation unit, who paid: "German aviation issmash- ,, «1 fiat, and is devoid of energy. It is now hard to make the enemy fliers fight, and they avoid it whenever possiblo. Tho German bombers invite disaster wbej) they attempt to fly over our lines.by daylight, and now attempt only night attacks, while the French bombers enjoy almost complete immunity. We Womb certain concentration centres by day and night. I will not be surprised if the German aerial weakness is the chief cause of the delav in the offensive "— .Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assu. ■ ' <"«»»«• WHAT THE ENEMY MAY EXPECT. The London correspondent of the "Echo de Paris" learns on good authority that the Allies' aerial superiority will shortly reach such a scale that Allied aeroplanes will beMiblo to isolate considerable portions of tho enemy's armies during an attack, groups of aeroplanes acting as air cavalry in such numbers as to turn the flanks of wholodivi6ions..-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. NO SHORTAGE IN AEROPLANES • London, May 26 Lord Eeeborough has announced that 100,000 women have replaced male workers in the aeroplane factories. There is no shortngo of machines for the front or for home defence.—Aus.-N.Z-. Cable Assn. DESTRUCTIVE AIR RAID ON LIEGE (Rec. May 27, 7.10 p.m.) London, May 26. A recent' Allied air raid, on Liege destroyed tho German military works and railways. Twenty-six persons were killed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. RED CROSS TRICKEY. London, May 20. British airmen have photographed a German aerodrome at Thionville marked with a red cross as if to make it represent a hospital and induce British aviators to attaok the symbol, so as to justify the German bombardment of hospitals. — OaMa Assn.