THE WAR

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 December 1915, Page 3

THE WAR

[kLKCXIUO j ELBliliAi'U —COI'YIUGHT.J [I'ER 1-HESB ASSOCIATION^. COASJivFIPi k&UE IN" GREAT BMfMiY. Loudon, Dec. 'J.i. The poliotioal situation is rapiuly usBuiuiug the aspect ol a A se tion ot the Cabinet is demanding fortnight's extension of juoiU Deruy's scheme, hoping that the unenlisted un-. married men will then be a negligible quantity. It in believed that the anti : conscriptiouists include iiir Edward Urey, Lord Crewe, Mr Kunciumn, SniStanley Buckmastor, Air McKenna, Sit ,J. A. Simon, Mr Birrell, Jlr Wood, Mr Haicourt arid Mr Henderson. Tlie couscriptionists are Mr Bouar Law, Mr Lloyd George, Curzon and Lord Solbomo. Mr Balfour is undecided. Mr Bonaw Lay has declared 1 that n general election is unthinkable, but a large scction are definitely working for an appeal to the country, arguing that ifc would educate the public on the. war situation, -and bring in sufficvKt now uion to break down the corrupt party system. G>lonel Ropington says:—'''When Mr Asquith announce*. the results of Lord Derby's scheme, and defines the Government's policy thereon, wo will know whether the Cabinet proposes to win c,r lose the war. Lord Derby's pledge to the married men and the long li;; of rtvrcrvedi trades and occupations makes it doubtful whether even compulsion will giro us the needed men. London, Dee. 28. The Daily Mail states:—Mr LloydGeorgo insists on the compulsion of un married men and threatens to resign unless Mr Asquith's pledge is renewed to the married men. OX THE WEST F.RONT.

London, Dec. 28. In Belgium the enemy's parapets •were destroyed and' a .blockhouse bky,vn up. Yesterday we exploded a mine tH Hill 140 and the enemy was unable wj occupy a crater. lu the Champagne district the enemy's attack was repulsed. lu iiie Yosges north of Hinge the casemate of an enemy battery was destroyed. HEAVY FIGHTING IN MESOPOTAMIA. London, Dec. 27. General Townshend reports:—" The enemy heavily 'shelled a fort on the north side of the Kut Peninsula on the morning of Friday and entered t?ie fort They .were driven out leaving '200 dead behind. Fieice figjiting for the possession of the fort commenced at midnight. The enemy l , occupied a bastion and "we retired to our trenches. On Christinas morning the garrison, who •were in excellent spirits, reoccupied the- whole of the ground taken by fclio enemy. The division which attacked lis lost 700 men. Our losses "were "90 men.

UULGAjRS withdraw. Salonika, Dec. 2S. It is reported that the Bulgarians liave withdrawn four miles between Gevghelli and Doiran, and are fortifying a lino in a strong natural position. The Anglo-French fortifications have been facilitated 'by fine weather, and are being energetically pushed forward. GERMAN'S JUBILANT. London, Dec. 27. The Gorman press is jubilantly commenting on the withdrawn! from .'rDardanelles, adopting the Turkish version that the troops were driven in ho the sea. The North German Gazette congratulates the Turks and .says that tin: Empire will be rebuilt on a secure, moral and material foundation. Count Reventlow points out that Gallip** is not really evacuated, but hop >s that the strengthening of the Turkish airtillo' - .rill make the British reteu tion of Seddel Bahr impossible. The most important work remains before up gays this writer and adds:—Gallipoli and the entrance to the Dardanelles must he cleared of the enemy, and/ the sooner this is done the more valuable will be the result. Military writers insist upon the necessity of prompt action nt Salonika. Major Moralit says"Tt is a strategical necessity to cut off and attack tho Anglo-French base, otherwise there is no permanent safety for the Gorman conVmunications between Beljriade and Constantinople." He argues that Anglo-French position cannot be held, since the fortifications at Salonika can not resist modern gun fire.