Late War News

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 December 1916, Page 3

Late War News

ft Received This Day 10.5 a.m. A SET-BACK AT BUCHAREST. London, Dec. 5. The situation before Bucharest is bkick indeed. If the German claims are accepted, a decisive battle was fought at Argesn on Sunday, when the Russo-Rumouians were defeated, the Germans also recovering the ground lost south-west of Bucharest.. where they were driven back on Saturday by the Kumani'nn offensive. The Germans now n;re within range of Bucharest's big guns. .Uackensen has assumed the chief command. He claim that the Rum avians suffered blcody losses 011 their advance to the plain; also that he has simplified tho commissariat problem. Ihe greater part of the maize crop has been captured. in addition to large stocks of •wheat, petrol, wood ,metal and salt, much of which was in loaded carts. The German advance on Targovista brings them to the outskirts of the oil area, the richest oilfield of Phahona Valley (between Ploesti-Predeal pass) being in tlie area. During 1915 Rumania exported 429,000 tons of refined oil products, practically all to Gernuuiy and Austria, but only 3 per cent of this was petrol, which the Rumanians treated as contraband. The present stock of petrol in Buma>nia is about one million tons. If Rumania is able to demolish ""the wells and machinery it will be sis months before the Germans will be able to extract oil. The only redeeming feature of the news is in the Fact that the Russian Army has effected a junction with the Rumanians before Bucharest. It must 'be hoped that the Russians will be able to throw in further reinforcements at the danger Doints.