THE WAR.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 January 1915, Page 2

THE WAR.

LeLBCHIIO TEIiKGItAPH—COPTBIOHT ]

I.PJSE I'REBS ABSOLUTION.]

THE TAKING OF STEINBACH.

Paris, Jan. 6. Tho German. commander of Stein bach replying to a French Parliamentaire on the 31st said lie did not regard 1 -himself as surrounded as the Cernay road was sidll open, juid it was possiblo to retreat and in any case the Emperor's troops might be killed, but they would' not surrender. The French approached tho village in open column at noon. A mitrailleuse in tho church tower swept the edge of the wood where a farm was approached by cross roads. It was necessary to capture this point d'appui at all costs. Tho enemy used civilians a.5 a shield, including a woman with hair waving and her hands tied behind her back. This sight inflamed tho French, who with bayonets captured the farm despite a heavy fire. Veii l - -- tilation holes in the granary wall form-j, ed perfect loopholes from which craSr* •shots picked off the Prussian gunneis*? enabling the principal line a new advance. Infantry tried to take the fallen gunners' places, but through lack of knowledge lost valuable time and at the end of the afternoon the French column turned the enemy's right along the brook. The enemy's desperate counter-attack north of the village failed completely. The cavalry who coun-,er-attacked on foot, were-thrown into the stream and a number of wounded were drowned. The battle continued till the evening. Every lane was an ambuscade, every cottage a, fortress, and possession of a wall or door became the object of & furious hand to hand fight. The exasperation on both sidles

0 .increased tfll night terminated the J battle. A French volunteer, taking his life into his hands ignited a stable where the Germans were sheltering, iind tile flames enabled the mitrailleuses bo be used with deadly effect on the flying Germans. The tatter's inoen--0 diary bombs blew up their ammunition 1 reserve. v weather"dm^ays~fighting. u 0 Official.—We captured a quarry on B .Monday night near the junction of 3 liouvras Saint Mihiel-Marzey roads, also trenches in the vicinity. There 1 was no fighting elsewhere as the wea--1 (her is bad. t FIGHT AT A FARM. i Forty Germans held a farm at an important point at - St. Georges, al- ' most surrounded by floods. The AIlies were unable to shell it for fear of ' hitting their own troops. Three Belgians and a Frenchman on Saturday ; night swam, waded and crept to' the farmhouse and choked the three seu- ' tries. The rest of the Germans were asleep. A Belgian company rushed the farm a ndi two .sleepers were'bayonetj ted and the rest (surrendered. TREACHERY DISCOVERED. ' The mystery surttoiundiiig Several bombardments of Fournes when exalted personages visited the town has ' been explained on the arrest of rail«a.v officials whose signals were detected in connection with the recent aeroplane raid on Dunkirk. The traitors 'iave been shot. I ON mE~VISTULA. Penograd, <L,n. 6. A communique state**: Artillery and rifle fire continues on the left bank of the Vistula. There have been isolated accounters near Bolinoff. IN GALICIZ 'lhe position in Galicia is unchanged l . Our cavalry fell on the rear of the retreating Austi-Lans who were making their way along mountain paths in deep snow in the Uzok Pass. We took two office ins and 450 men prisoners. TURKS FIGHT BRAVELY. • The Turks fought bravely and held .Surykamish resolutely. The made frequent desperate bayonet sorties and even the wounded continued firing after they were struck down. Their tenacity was due to the desire to enablo the lurks in Ardagan and Olty districts to retire. TURKS IN TROUBLE. I'lie Russians hold the main roads and have almost surrounded the Turks fleeing to Ardagan. The enemy are frantically striving to find an outlet but the passes are deep in snow. TURKISH DEFEAT OOMLPETE. Official.—The Turkish defeat at Sarykamysh is complete. The Turkish 9th Army Corps was annihilated. Commander Iskham over a hundred officers and a large number of men, guns, machine guns and ammunition supply column were captured. The Russians are pursuing the remnants oi the lOtli Army Corps. ' When capturing Ardagan the Siberians sabred two Turkish companies. The r J .'urks are falling back in ell di- - rections. ~ « PRIZE STEAMERS SOLD. j London, Jan. 6. Five German steajnens were auctioned, aggregating £130,725. GERM"IS~OiriMS. Amsterdam, Jan. 6. A Berlin comunmiquo claims minor successes north of Arras, that the I'Yench attacks in Argonne were repulsed, that the position is unchanged in East Prussia and North Poland and progress is being made oil Bzura-Rawka 1 but unfavourable weather is impeding the movements.