The War News.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 16 March 1916, Page 3

The War News.

THE WEEK'S

FRIDAY

Germany's Foes — Declaration of War Against Portugal.— Enemy's Fierce Attacks Repulsed

Germany has declared war on Portugal, as "a result of the Portuguese seizure of German ■shipping in their ports.

The French have won back some of the ground which they lost on the western bank of the

Meuse, and they are now organ-

ising this area. Further to the the enemy endeavoured .^p> atone for Wednesday's failures Jpy fierce attacks on the French line. These were preceded by intense artillery fire, but when the, infantry endeavoured to leave their trenches they were immediately held up by the French curtain of fire, suffering heavy losses.

The New Zealand official war correspondent states that our army has been re-organised, and is now quite ready to take the field again. The mounted men have been doing useful patrol work. He states that the Suez Canal is now in a position of defence against any possible attack, a possibility which grows more remote as the Russians progress in Erzeroum.

The German fleet which Dutch correspondents reported sighting in the North Sea has returned to its base. It is suggested that the ships were engaged in minelaying.

Austria has completed the construction of two Dreadnoughts at Pola, and it is asserted that Turkey is clearing the Dardanelles of mines so that these vessels may make a dash for the Sea of Marmora. «

Germany has formally declared war on Portugal.

SATURDAY - ■; Fight for Fort Vaux — Fierce ] German Assaults — Advance on Kut-el-Amara The. French* have recaptured the greater portion of the wood of Corbeatix, west of the Meuse, between Bethincourt and Forges, where the Germans recently made an important advance. Along the northern front, between Forts Douaumont and Vaux, the Germans have made a number of assaults, including a particularly violent massed attack on Vaux. ] The French state that all these ' attacks were repulsed with enormous losses. The ' British troops which, under General Aylmer, are advancing up the Tigris to the relief of General Townshend's force at Kut-el-Amara, in Mespotamia, are reported to be within seven miles of that town. MONDAY Battle of Verdun— Enemy Losing 10,000 Men a Day French Still Hold Fort Vaux — Destroyer and Torpedo-boat Sunk The situation at Verdun is still considered excellent. The Germans have sacrificed great numbers of troops in assaults on various parts of the line, and the French claim that the enemy's losses are out of all proportion ,to their gains. The Germans .have again captured the wood of Cordeaux, west of the Mouse, and have launched two strong but unsuccessful attacks on Bethincourt, in the same region. They gained a footing in the village of Vaux, but the French still hold the fort. There has been lively artillery fighting on the British front in .;,. France, and at certain points on *\ the Franco-Belgian front north "^ Roumania has seized half of the 100,000 waggons of wheat she recently sold to Germany. She says that she requires it for her own army. The Suez Canal defences are said to be immeasurably stronger than they were a year ago, and an attack by the Turks is not considered likely. Two small British warships, a destroyer and a torpedo-boat were sunk by mines off the east coast of England. The Russians are reported to be within 27 miles of Trebizond, the Turkish Black Sea port. Ispalian, in Persia, has been evacuated by the troops beinj? led' there by Germans, and the Persian tribes are surrendering to the Russians. TUESDAY BattJe of Verdun— Heavy Avilliery Fighting—Reported Attacks on Roumanians - Fresh Activity on Italian Front Latest reports indicate ihnt during Sunday tho attack on Verdun was continued oy artillery alone. There is nothing to

SUMMAiY.

show that the Germans have abandoned their attempt to take the fortress ; but reports from various sources, emphasising the huge losses suffered by the enemy, and the increasing confidence of the French, hint at a growing belief that the French front is impregnable.

The French continue to claim that portions of the German communiques are false —as, for instance, the statement that the Germans had captured Fort Vaux.

The Daily Mail correspondent at Odessa reports that Bulgarians fired on a Roumanian vessel on the Danube, and that an Austrian gunboat used her machine-guvs on. Roumanian troops, who replied, there being numerous casualties on both sides. After a long period of quiescence the Italians, during 24 hours, violently bombarded the Austrian positions along the Isonzo River, WEDNESDAY No Change—Artillery Still ActiveGermany's Peace Terms—British Success in East Africa , There has been practically no change in the position at Verdun The communiques indicate that there has been an intense bombardment of the French positions near Bethincourt, west of the Meuse, and to the front north of Verdun. There have been no infantry attacks. Reports tell of appalling German losses. Colonel House, who recently visited Germany an behalf of the American Goverment, has reported to President Wilson the terms on which Germany will make peace. Colonel House reports that the allies are not prepared to consider peace at present.