War News

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 July 1916, Page 2

War News

AMERICAN REPLY TO GERMANY. BRITISH COAST DEFENCE. (From Itecent London. N'crivspapers). Tlie enemy's new effort on the Verdun front lias so far brought him no important gain of ground, wlii/M it has added greatly to his casualty liet6. During Monday night he delivered tlrreo violent attacks in the region of Hill 304, to the west of tlie Me use. All these attacks were broken by the French lire, .and the Germans suffered very serious losses. To the east of tile Meuse the French in tlie course of the night drove the enemy from ground which he still occupied to the northwest of Thiaumont Farm. Mr Balfour, in a letter to the mayors of Yarmouth and Lowestoft, says it is his conviction that another raid on the cost of Norfolk (never a safe operation) wili be henceforth far more perilous to tlie aggressor than it has been in the past. Submarines and monitors, which form no portion of the Grand Fleet, are now available in growing numbers for coast, defence, and what is even" more important, the increase in the strength of the Grand Fleet, itself enables us (says Mr Balfour) to bring important forces to the fioutTi without in tlie least imperilling any navai preponderance elsewher®. In reply to the question why the last raid was made, Mr Balfour says the answer he conceives i 6 that the enemy having duped the Irish rebels to their destruction by promise of a serious attack up on Great Britain, made a show of fulfilling their engagement by bombarding Lowestoft and \armoutTi for thirty minutee.

The United States reply to the German Note on the subject of submarine warfare accepts the new instructions issued to the U boat commanders, and relies upon the "scrupulous execution" of Germany's declaration. At the same time it is declared that the United States camriot for a moment entertain, much less discuss, the suggestion that the new policy should be in the slightest degree contingent on the conduct of any other Govornmet as affecting the rights of neutrals and non-c-om-batants. Over 1000 wounded have now been evacuated from Ktit. A message from Mesopotamia describes the gallantry of, and the privations suffered by, tlie defenders of Kut which was held to the verge of starvation.