MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1918, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

FRENCH COMMAND'S OPTIMISM. LONDON March 26. The “Daily Chronicle’s” correspondent, with the French Armies says the /French! Ijigher Command is satisfied and even optimistic in regard to the position.' The correspondent adds that it may he taken that w now know the worst. The enemy’s utmost possible strength lias been put in the first blow. The French are holding strongly in the Oise Valley, and are in safe liaison with the British on the Somme.

AN OPINION

LONDON March 2G

Tlie ‘Daily Chronicle’s’ corresnondent added—lt is in the nature of the ease that one cannot state the grounds for the French Higher Command’s optimism. On third of. the German forces on the Western front, is engaged on one eight of the front’s extent. . Possible .a secondary offensive may he declared but Judging by the result of the first blow there is nothingresembling a hroa.-. through.

GOOD FRIDAY YEWS. Received, tKs day at 8.45 n.m. LONDON March 27

Many -London have decided in view of the importance ol t liebattle to publish on Friday ,but it is unlikely that many country newspapers will publish. The Premier has decided to post up General Haig’s communiques at every post office on Friday and, also on Sunday.

ENGINEERING CRISIS (Received, This Dav at 8.50 / . LONDON March 2/. The Engineering crisis is less critical. Many delegates at the Manchester Conference, cabled on the 24tli, states the resolution misrepresented the intention of the delegates who only wanted to test the feeling to the shop districts, regarding the strike. They realise .that the present is no time to force a decision’.

Remarkable scenes occurred in connection with a. strike of skilled engineers at Leeds idling three shell factories. A meeting of wounded soldiers protested against the strike at a City Square gathering. An Army Chaplain -aid the strike was damnable and conemptible at this hour of national trial. The wounded then went in procession to Trade Hall, but were not allowed to enter the strikers meeting, but later a ' decision was reached to return to work immediately, and work in the Easter holidays to make up for lost time.

APPEAL TO WOIIKF.RB. TO HELP THE ARMY. 'Received, This Dav at 8.50. a> m.) ■ LONDON March 27.

The Press Bureau states Hon. W. Churchill appeals to munition workers t 0 make their best efforts promptly to replace the serious losses of guns, machine guns, ammunition, with a view to maintaining the armament and equip ment of the fighting troops at the highest level. Our resources fortunately are sufficient to accomplish this up to the present in every class of munitions. It is necessary to speed up the completion of important parts of the work in hand. There are a certain class of guns and shells especially useful now, Which can be released in largely increased numbers in the next few weeks. Mr Churchill gratefully acknowledges Vhie spontaneous assurances received from many districts that will be no cessation in the output during the Easter holidays.

WHEN HAIG STRIKES. (Received. This Dav at 8.50. a.nA NEW YORK, March 2/.

General Wood has returned from Franco. Giving evidence before the Senate Military Committee, he said he believed General Haig was retiring in accordance with the pre-arranged plans. The British will deliver a smashing Mow on the Germans from both sides. .

GREAT KAISER BATTLE. ADVANCE SLOWING DOWN,' \ (Received. This Dav nt 8.50. a.m.) LONDON, March 27. What the German papers call the “ Great Kaiser Battle,’’ continues in full force. The Germans, in five days, have wiped out the results of the eight months’' Battle of the Sonpne, which cost ourselves and the Germans a million and a quarter of casualties. Nevertheless, the latest news shows the German advance is slowing down between the Scarpe and Coieul stream. General von Bulow failed to make the least impression on the British defence on Tuesday. The advance now here has benched a great depth, and there arc indications that the German infantry are getting ahead of the artillery, definite excellent weather making the task of moving guns comparatively easy.

Thus far the Germans have used about eighty-five divisions, compared with thirty .British and two French, with a few American corps.

PRESS COMMENT. (Received This Dav at 10.15. a.m.) LONDON, March 27.

The newspapers urge the necessity ol seeing, things steadily, and seeing them ns a whole but insist the public must be ready to make any sacrifice necessary.

The “Morning Post” demands General Robertson be recalled to the War Office to help to reorganise the battered divisions. The War ,Cnbinet must sink questions of “amour, propre.”

A NOTH EE COMMENT. < Received This Dav at. 10 ’6. a.-i / LONDON, March 27.

The “ Daily Chronicle ” says,,.editori■dly, if legislation is jjecessary Parliament ought to reassemble for raising the military age to forty-five. It seems to he foreshadowed that man-power lies nt the bottom of the oresent situation. Two prooliets, who proved to fie right, nro General Robertson and Kir Auckland Geddes. The latter for a clear m e sentatioii of new position due to Russia’s collapse and Robertson for hi® constant i/isistence on the decisive character of the fighting on the Western front.

AMERICA’S PART. 'Received Tin® Dav a+ m Ift • •" WASHINGTON March 26. General Wood urges that America put. fiVe million men into training, and send two and a half million (<> the front without delay.

DRIVE FOR A MIEN'S. (Received this day at L3O y.m.) LONDON' March 27

General Hindenburg’s most desperate efforts to push on to Amiens are meeting with stubborn resistance. Airmen are bombing Amiens nightly.

AN ENEMY FEAR. (Received This Dav at 10.15. a.m > AMSTERDAM March 2.. The “Vorwaert’s” war correspondent says the enemy hold strong reserves southward of the penetrated front, and will make a flanking attack northward.

WHEN THE TIME COMES. (Received This' Dav at 11.26. n.m.> LONDON, March 2/tli. When the British and French reserves enter the battle, the whole complexion should be changed. The sternest German efforts arc now against Rove, where twelve enemy west divisions including fresh Brandeburgs, are pressing on heavily. Other Germans are pushing steadily against Albert, where the latest message state the British line is still hold. A REPORTED WIN,

(Received This Dav at '1 25 ) LONDON. March 27. Lord Morris, a Newfoundlander, speaking at the Overseas Club, said,lie h a d heard from official sources, straight from front headquarters, that of four Gorman divisions numbering eighty thousand, who broke our old Somme line, not one escaped. All were killed or captured.

THE LATEST POSITIONS,

A. GERMAN CLAIM

(Received This Day at noon.L LONDON March 27

Thp Germans claim that the .British have -retreated on both sides of the Somme, and that the French have retir., ed slightly, west of Roye. A renewal of the German attacks, north of Albert, is momentarily expected. North of the Somme the Germans have have been checked lor the time

being. - South of the Somme, French reserves are arriving. The British counter attacked ancl drove the Germans across the Anere and the British recaptured Proyart.

A. FRENCH DECLARATION. (Received Ibis Day at noon.) PARIS Mhneh 2i. M. Clemenceau declares if the Germans can bo held for another fortyeight hours, their offensive will be checked. RESERVES ARRIVING. (Received this day at 1.30 p.m.) PARIS March 27. The Secretary for War states powerfid British, reserves arc arriving on the field. Only a few French divisions are engaged. THE ENEMY HEIJ). / LONDON March 27. A French communique states the enemy are everywhere held. A FRENCH CLAIM, (Received this day at 1.30 p.m A PARTS March 27.

A French war correspondent states two fresh German divisions proceeding to the front on the 25th were almost totally annihilated, before they fired a shot, by machine-gun fire and bombs from a hundred French aeroplanes.

I ludendorff INTERVIEWED. PREPARED FOR 3 MONTHS. (United Service Telegrams). , (Received this day at 1.30 p.m.) AMSTERDAM March 27 A German correspondent interviewed General Ludendorff, who said lie was prepared to battle strenuously for three months. Things were going exactly as planned. The troops show great elan. The warfare movement, has now replaced the warfare position. Although the Germans were handicapped by the enemy, who had the advantage of pov ei ful defensive works, the British were strong and determined, guns, posted at every skill, machine guns, posted at places that the German artillery was unable to reach. He added that the devastation had deeply impressed the Kaiser who declared that we should he glad that our country had escaped the terrible things. Why did we succeed in keeping the fighting, outside our frontier? Because before the war Wo always insisted on armaments corresponding to the utmos requirements of the times., AUSTRIAN OPINION. COPENHAGEN March 27. , Austrian military experts are of opinion that the, purpose of bombarding Paris is to toit the guns, primarily designed to bonJbard London. A new and very strong explosive has replaced the | ordinary prohellant. • i ——— I

GERMAN WOPNDED. COPENHAGEN March 27. A Hague correspondent states in order to conceal the extent ol the casualties from the people, the enemy wounded are not- sent to Germany, but are ke»t in Belgium, mostly out of sight of main lines of communications. Hosnita Itrains arc arriving continuous lv at Ghent.