FIGHTING UNDERGROUND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3977, 9 July 1915, Page 5

FIGHTING UNDERGROUND.

FEARFUL STRUGGLE AT THE LABYYRINTH. mmi imm gallant - DETEBMirftTION: POSITION CARRIED IHQH BY INCH. THE ALLIES’ CAMPAIGN. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.! LONDON, July 7. The war trenches are described as nothing compared to the struggle in the subterranean passages of The Labyrinth. The narrow galleries are feebly lighted with oil lamps, where the adversaries are separated by bags ot sand which they keep pushing towards one another. The moment there is an opening a terrihc fight ensues. The only weapons possible are hand grenades and bayonets, although the Gormans employ revolvers and long knives, and occasionally vitriol. The galleries are not longer than ten yards. The. walls ooze with water and the odor is insufferable. The French never had a chance to remove their dead and have pracOcaly lived among the bodies. It took thirteen days to win sixty yards of gallery. The Germans erected barricades at every step and built many ingenious traps. The French always risked falling upon the points of bayonets placed' in excavations covered with a thin layer of sand. During flic whole period they never saw daylight and never stopped lighting. Despite their sufferings, many of tlie wounded refused to leave the ranks. Eye-witness’ recount of the operations for five day: to -July 2nd slates that they were mainly _ confined to mining and counter-mining, wherein we destroyed portions of the enemy*s trendies at Cuincby, Xnivo Chapelß. and La Bassee. There were nurneroi-rj patrol skirmishes. imping :.ont;nued steadily - Our shells exploded a pov-or.ous gem cylinder near Hill GO, asphyxiating GO Germans. In some sections of the enemy’s front a number of men carry reservoirs of oxygon for reviving gasstricken soldiers. The Germans are adopting severe measures to force the inhabitants of occupied territory to monufaetim, war material. Proprietors are fined ana managers and workers imprisoned. Some strikers are kept in factories food less untili they submit. Whenever a strike occurs the inhabit, ants are ordered indoors at 7 o’clock arid lights out at 7.30. The casualties announced to-day total 22 officers and 1406 men. A French communique states: A night-long bombardment occurred north of Arras. Wo repulsed two feeble German attacks at Soucliez. Our fire stopped fresh evening attacks at Souvaux. The Germans, after a most- violent bombardment south-east of yt. Alihief took the offensive on a wide front-, but only at one point penetrated our first line of trenches for seven hundred metres. Elsewhere they were repulsed with heavy loss. At J3ois le Pretre we checked an attack preceded by a deluge of burning liquid. THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE. ALLIES AWAITING THE CLASH. LONDON, July 7. A correspondent in Northern Franco indicates that the Allies are awaiting the full fury of the German offensive. The enemy’s plan'seems, to beyo multiply the number of points of attack to prevent- the Allies knowing wheie the biggest effort will be made. A French staff officer states that- the Allied line is so strongly held and supported by such a formidable artillery barrier that any serious German offensive will cost the enemy terrible There are rumors that the French possess a new weapon, both for defence and attack. (Received Julv 8, 9.20 p.m.) Official: After a fight with grenades we recovered two hundred metres of trenches at Bois lc Pretre.

BRITASN’S PREPARATIONS. GETTING READY FOR EVENTUALITIES. THE FOOD SUPPLY PROBLEM. (Received July 8, 5.15 p.m.) ■ LONDON. July 8. In. tlie House of Lords. Lord Seaborne, in moving the second reading of the Maintenance- of Live Stock Bill, said it was of the utmost importance that the Government, should have power to preserve the live stock of the United Kingdom. German submarines were taking a steady toll of shipping, and the longer the war continued the more submarines would probably be engaged. It seemed likely that the German Admiralty was putting the whole of its shipbuilding strength into constructing submarines and it would not be the enemy’s fault if he failed to deal a mortal blow to our carrying trade. ANOTH ER HAIT-T RUTH. LORD HALDANE AND MR LLOYIJGEORGE. (Received July 8, 5.15 p.m.) LONDON, July S. Mr Lloyd-George has issued a statement with reference to Lord Haldane’s speech. He says Lord Haldane’s version of what occurred some months ago at a committee of the Cabinet on arms was incomplete and, in some material respects, inaccurate. At tlio proper time it will ho necessary, he says, to go more fully into the matter, though he hopes he will not be driven to do so at this stage. Nevertheless, lie'points out that plus conflict of memory having arisen shows the unwisdom of those partial unauthorised disclosures of the decisions of a highlV-conf identic. I committee. BRITISH CASUALTIES. new ZEALANDER KILLED IN FRANCE. (Received July 9, 12.5 a.in.) LONDON, July S. The British casualties total 46 ofacers and 745 men, including Lieut. William - Balcombe Brown, of the Field Artillery, eldest son of Mr Balcombe Brown, of Wellington, who was killed by a shell in France on June 1 29. ' BRITISH WAR LOAN. SUBSCRIPTIONS POURING IN. ~LONDON, July 8. The Imperial Tpbacco. Company has subscribed one million and the. Shell Transport Company half a million to the war loan. Among applications for a share m the war loan is one from the Australian Mutual Provident Association for £150,000, and also from the National Mutual Association of Australasia iov £50,000.