THE WAR.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 29 March 1917, Page 3

THE WAR.

MONDAY. The Allied Advance — Russian Progress in Persia — French Battleship Torpedoed. The advance of the French in the great angle of the line in the west continues. Between the Sorume and the Oise Rivers they drove the enemy bacK on a wide front a distance vary^ ing up to two miles and a half. Progress has also been made north of the Aisne opposite Soissons. The British are now six miles ea^t and north of Bapaume. Pitiful tales come from the French villages which the allies have re-occupied. The Germans gave their last days over to an orgy of bestiality and brutality. The Russians who are marching '""^rough Persia to effect a junction Ath the British forces in Mesopohave occupied Kerind, 165 miles from Bagdad, and an important -" point on the caravan route. ■The French battleship Danton, classified as a semi-Dreadnought, and of 18,400 tons, -was struck by two torpedoes in the Mediterranean, and same m half-an-hour. Out of a ''<-, complement of ) 006, 296 men weie drowned.

TUESDAY Rapid French Pursuit — Enemy Still Yielding Ground —American National Guard Called Out. . The rapidity of the French pursuit has apparently upset the enemy's calculations, and large masses of German infantry have been compelled to stand their ground and fight, 'lhe French bold a command-* ing position, and are driving the eneny back ■with heavy losses. The French Government intends to lay evidence of the German bar-, baiities before neutrals. The story of the final battle for Bagdad shows that the forcing of the passage of the Diala River, a tributary of the Tigris, was marked by gullantry of the highest degree. Fourteen regiments of the American National.Guard have been called out to protect munition plants and bridges. Several German newspapers declare that if an American steamor fixes at a German submarine it will mean -war. America has ordered all her relief "workers to leave Belgium, considering that the German promise to respect them cannot be relied upon.

WEDNESDAY Germans on New Ground—French Threaten St. Quentin — British Seizing Higher Groimd—American Liner Runs Blockade. Mr Phillip Gibbs states that the Germans have been driven back to line chosen hy General Hindenburg, which, he says, runs from Arras, past Cambrai and St. Quentin, to Laon, 18 miles north-east of Soissons. The French are threatening the Jine to St. Quentin, and, despite strong opposition, the British advance along the Bapaume-Cambrai road is winning high ground oveiiooicing the Germans' main defences. The .Bntish have captured Lagnicourt, a little over six miles from Bapanme Two German attacks on the eastern front have been repulsed— one, a gas attack near Postavy, 50 south of Dvinsk, and the other east of Baranovich, near the centre of the Hnssian line. The St. Louis, the first armed American liner to run the submarine '• blockade," has reached England. It is reported that the Germans are organising an army of 150,000 to take control of Mexico, side with the strongest faction there, and make war on the United States.

Advance — Several Attack on fortified Line—Hospital Ship Torpedoed— Admitted German Outrage. The British have gamed ground of the line between Oambrai aT i L ": Quentin, capturing the 'of Longavesnes, six miles st of Peronne, Equancurt, r^ ->les south-east of Bapaume. : i-al others. > - preach progress has been /'•:.•"-■.' "rally between the Oise and thn C' where the Germans nppear to «ing ()n a fortified line between ./rivers. British hospital shin Asti'.ri .s, ,qq tons, foiM4^i:ly belonging to J^l IViVil Backet Company has ( -jsunk without warning by a | Agaan subonntie. Thirty-one I were lost, twelve are missmg, ■BjKnolading a nu se and a steward ss, B^and 39 vvera injured. Whon tor1^ pedoei, the As f.imns had all her Red Cross signs brilliantly illuiuiuata 1. liw Germans abait the- torpedoing-.