THE WEEK'S SUMMARY.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 25 March 1915, Page 3

THE WEEK'S SUMMARY.

; FRIDAY Allied Successes—Fleet on Belgian Coast — Two Merchant Ships Sunk Operations in which artillery is playing an increasing important part are reported from many points on the Franco-German and Franco-Belgian lines. The French claim to have secured another position of considerable strategic value in the Champagne region, while the British and Belgians appear to have retained their positions and repulsed -♦determined couter attacks. lljfln prosecution of the Imperial Government's scheme of controlling the British industries responsible for the production of war material, a conference is being held between Mr Lloyd George, Mr Asquith, and representatives of the Admiralty, the War Office, and. the Labour organisations. The cruisers operating against the Dardanelles have succeeded in silencing a number of batteries which were harassing the trawlers engaged in mine-sweeping. A report from Copenhagen says that the German cruiser Karlsruhe was sunk by an explosion off the coast of America at the end of 1914 Two more small steamers have been torpedoed by submarines. A German aeroplane attempted to drop bombs on a collier off the coast of Kent. SATURDAY Dangers in Dardanelles — Turks Concentrating—German Plots in Persia — Zeppelin at Calais— The Karlsruhe Mystery There appears to be a lull in the operations against Smyrna. * It is stated that the warships are about to venture further into the Dardanelles, and that the '" danger stage " of the operations is approaching. Particulars of a German plot to gain possession of Pesia, and to create disloyalty in the Indian army, have Mem made.public. Beports from Copenhagen insist that the German cruiser Karlsruhe was lost in December. The men were landed in Germany and sworn to secrecy. A Zeppelin flew over Calais at midnight, and dropped bombs which killed a number of railway men.' The allies have maintained their positions in France and Belgium, and made slight progress.

MONDAY Three Warships Sunk — Mined in Dardanelles — Crews of Two Ships Saved — Russian Fleet Nearing Bosphorus The operations against the forts in the Narrows of the Dardanelles have involved the loss of the British battleships Irresistible and Ocean, and the French battleship Bouvet. The ships struck drifting mines, and sank in deep water. The British battleships floated for some time, and consequently the loss of life is small; but the Bouvet sank in less than three minutes, and only 68 of the crew of 620 were rescued. The French battleship Gaulois was slightly, and the British battle-cruiser Inflexible more seriously, damaged by gunfire. It is reported that tremendous explosions took place in the forts j at Chanak and Kilid Bahr, on opposite sides of the Narrows, and that when darkness fell on the 17th the forts were on fire. « Russian Black Sea fleet proaching the Bosphorus, an. ~ uhere is a panic in Constantinople. Indications of the forthcoming spiing campaign are noticeable in the United Kingdom, where very extensive hospital accommodation is being arranged. German aeroplanes dropped bombs 'on Peal Harbour, Kent, but no damage was done to shippingThe British Admiralty gives credence to the report that the German cruiser Karlsruhe was .sunk in November. •Jhe Germans are said to have spread devastation in Poland destroying 92 towns and 4500 hamlets, representing a value oi £100,000,000. The Russians continue their forward movement, and have entered Memei, in the north of Bast Prussia,

TUESDAY The Dardanelles — Bombardment Interrupted — Bombs dropped on Paris — Soissons Cathedral Shelled Tne Admiralty, in an official announcement, says that bad weather has interrupted the bombardment of the Dardanelles forts. The damage done to the forts by the operations last week has not been ascertained; but the artillery fire of the warships is held to have been proved superior to that of the forts. It is stated that the Russian troop's from the Caucasus are advancing westward through Asia Minor. Zeppelins dropped bombs on Paris at night, but were driven off. They did very little damage. The Russians entering Memel, in East Prussia, were attacked by the inhabitants, whereupon they retired, and subjected the town to a short bombardment before finally occupying it. The Russians continue to make progress on the Vistula-Niemen front in North Poland, and on the East Prussian - Russian frontier. Reports from France indicate that the Germans have again bombarded Soissons Cathedral. WEDNESDAY Fall of Przemysl—German Loss in the Carpathians—Allied Success in France The Austrian fortress of Przemysl, in Galicia, has capitulated to the Russians after a siege of six months. The capture of an adjacent hill on Friday enabled the Russian guns to dominate the town. The garrison made a desperate sortie, but was too depleted to make a successful resistance, and the fall of the fortress quickly followed. In the neighbourhood of the Dukla and Lupkow Passes, in the Carpathians, leading into Hungary, furious fighting is proceeding in favour of the Russians, The Russian irruption in East Prussia, and the occupation of Memel, has caused consternation in North-eastern Germany. The allies have inflicted two serious reverses on the Germans in the Argonne.

THURSDAY How Przemysl Fell—Unconditional Surrender — Turkish Raid on Suez Canal Further details of the fall of Przemysl show that the Austrian commandant surrendered with his garrison unconditionally. The Austrians, after the failure of their last sortie, blew up their ammunition stores. Many of the garrison were so exhausted that they were unable to leave the trenches after the announcement of surrender. Among the prisoners_were 20,000 wounded. A Germen supply column with great supplies of food was captured in the Suwalki district, on the East Prussian frontier. In Carpathians the Russians report further progress, 3900 prisoners and several guns having been captured. There has been a recurrence of fighting on the Suez Canal. The advance of a Turkish force, estimated at 1000 men, towards the town of Suez, was detected by a British air patrol. The Turks were engaged by a British force. They are now reported to be in full flight.