The War News.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 25 February 1915, Page 3

The War News.

THE WEEK'S SUMMARY.

FRIDAY The United States Government has been notified from Berlin that strained relations exist between Germany and America. Mr Wilson is determined to prevent war at all costs. Italy has asked for a clear declaration of Germany's attitude regarding the submarine " blockade," An American report attributes Germany's action to the fact that she has reached a point where Can no l°n&er feed her German submarines have sunk two steamers of the allies off the north-west coast of France. The British collier Dulwich was • torpedoed without notic.e, and the crew owed their lives to a French cruiser. The Russians are bringing up reinforcements for the defence of . Czernowitz, the capital of the Austrian province of Bukovina. Berlin messages claim that the Russians lost heavily in their retreat in East Prussia, and that only remnants of the Tenth Army escaped. SATURDAY Detailed accounts of the recent fighting in Egypt, in which the New Zealanders were engaged, show it to have been a serious attempt by the Turks to capture the Suez ©anal. The victory of the British was complete, and the enemy's losses heavy. German resentment against the United States is expressing, itself in insults to Americans in Germany, In a message to the United States Government Germany presents her statement for the proposed submarine "blockade " of British ports. The threatened " blockade" has roused feeling in Norway, which threatens to stop trade with Germany. It is reported that 5,000,000 civilians are to be ordered out of Germany in order to conserve the food supply. Austria is concentrating troops ten days' march from the Italian frontier, and posting artillery to command the passes. The Russian defence of Czernowitz, the capital of Austrian province of Bukovina, has been successful, and the Austro- - sv. German forces are retiring. In France the allies have had minor successes in siege warfare, and have repulsed German attacks.

MONDAY The Turkish forts at the entrance of the Dardanelles have been bombarded by a strong Franco-British fleet, first at long range and then at closer range. The British Admiralty states that the forts on the European side were apparently silenced, and only one fort on the Asiatic side was firing when operations were interrupted by the failing light. German submarines have turned their attention to neutral shipping. A Norwegian tank steamer was torpedoed in the English Channel, hut able to make the Kent coast. A French steamer was torpedoed without notice, but she also reached port. Two British steamers have fallen victims to submarines, and a Norwegian coal steamer struck a mine and sank. Belgrade is under heavy bombardment. The Servians replied by bombarding Semlin, on the Austrian side of the Danube. The allies have established themselves on the heights in the Vosges, despite efforts of the Germans to dislodge them. The enemy's attacks east of Ypres have been repulsed. The German losses in the Champagne district during the past few days have been considerable.

TUESDAY German aeroplanes have flown over Essex, England, and dropped bombs on unfortified towns. As far as is flisclose^ by the cables the raid was devoid-of militaryeffect, and no casualties are reported, though civilian propertywas destroyed. The armed German liner Kronprinz Wilhelm has appeared in the Atlantic, and has sunk three British steamers and two sailing vessels. The mine continues to take its tol) of'neutral shipping. An American1 steamer ' has' been sunk: off the North Sea coast of JGrermany, and a Norwegian gle.a'f^er"' in' the Baltic, A frlejnja'i). submarine sank tije :itiish !lsteaH)er Downshire 'off Jhe Calf of Man. '

The Austro-German forces in' the Carpathians, which are nowvery large, have been showing considerable activity, without success. After repulsing a German attack in the Champagne district, the allies took the offensive and captured some of the enemy's trenches. Good progress has been made north of Mesnil, where 100 prisoners were captured. In the Ypres region the Belgians re-took a section of trenches, inflicting considerable losses on the enemy. WEDNESDAY , Two German submarines of the largest type are reported to be missing. Britain and France have taken all measures necessary to meet the submarine war, and the French Minister of Marine prophesies that more than one under-water vessel will not return to Germany. Russian successes in the Carpathians, in Eastern Galicia, and in North Poland are reported Five bombs have been dropped on Calais by a Zeppelin. Five townspeople were killed, and several houses wrecked. The Turks took severe reprisals on the inhabitants of Russian Armenia, men being massacred and women carried into captivity THURSDAY German submarines unsuccessfully attacked a passenger steamer near Boulonge, and torpedoed a British Government collier, whose crew were saved, off Beachy Head. Another Norwegian steamer was torpedoed off Dover. A French warship reports having struck a German submarine. The British Admiralty, as a precautionary measure, has closed the Irish Channel to navigation between sunset and sunrise. The German Government is issuing a weekly bread ration of four pounds weight. The latest bombardment of Rheims was very heavy. More damage was done to the Cathedral.