WAR NEWS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 7 March 1918, Page 3

WAR NEWS.

MONDAY.

German Attacks—All West Front Active—French Engaged at Many Points—Americans in Sharp Fight —Southern Russia Invaded. Aggressive tactics have been developed by the Germans at many points on the French front. The German artillery has been active from the Chemin dcs 3#*Dames to the MeuSe. 4# A strong attack was made on American troops in the St. Mihiel region, the infantry being preceded by gas waves,. The Germans were repulsed and pursued into No Man's'1; Land, their ranks being decimated by machine-gun fire. On the British front there has been great raiding activity, with an' attack in force against the Portuguese north ■of Neuve Chapelle. The Belgians successfully resisted an attempt to force a passage of the Yser north of Dixmude. People are pouring into Petrograd and organising elaborate defences, including several miles of entrenchments. The speed of the enemy advance has slackened Duo, an important junction on the Riga-Petrograd railway, which fell into the hands of the Germans a few days, has been re captured.

TUESDAY Terms Accepted—Bolsheviks Sign Treaty—Use of Aaland IslandsSweden Resents German ActionMinor Operations in West, * The' Germans state that owing to the signing of a peace treatyall military movements in Great Russia have ceased. A Russian message admits signing a treaty embodying even mare stringent terms than those previously propounded. Russia is required to hand over the districts of Kars, Batoum, and Erivan,. adjoining Turkish territory in j^sia Minor. Germany has officially informed Sweden that she is sending troops to Finland to suppress the l evolution, and will use the Aaland Islands, at the entrance of the Gulf of Bothnia, as a halting place. Sweden vigorously protests against the island being brought into the sphere of war operations. Opinions in Paris incline to the belief that the widely-dis-tributed enemy actions of the week-end amounted to no more than vast reconnoitring operations. Another view is that, given fair conditions, the allies are likely to take the offensive and anticipate the enemy.

Patrol encounters north-east of Polygon Wood, on the Ypres sector, and a successful raid south-east of Armentieres are reported by Sir Douglas Haig.

WEDNESDAY Text of Peace Treaty—Vast Annexations Conceded—Armistice with Roumania — French Attack at Verdun—Palestine Advance. The text of the peace treatysigned by the Bolsheviks involves the surrender of Western and Caucasian districts, and complete demobilisation of Russia's forces. Petrograd is enthusiastically in •favour of forcible opposition to German aggression and regards the peace treaty as a " scrap of paper." A meeting of soldiers, peasants and Cossacks has been summoned to meet at Moscow to decide whether the peace shall be ratified or rejected. Roumania has decided to enter upon peace negotiations with the Central Powers. A conference will commence at Bucharest shortly. The French launched a vigor- . ous attack on the Verdun sector, east of the Meuse. They penetrated the enemy lines to a depth of 650 yards at some points on a - front of 1300 yards. The French also repulsed enemy attacks, and raids on their lines in AlsaceLorraine. The British forces in Palestine have advanced north of Jerusalem to a depth of 3000 yards on a 12 mile front. Little opposition was encountered.

THURSDAY l Allied Naval Unity—Mediterranean <•'' Operations — Seeadler's Crew in Chili—Russian Hostility to Treaty .i^iealing with the submarine JflSfestion, Sir Eric Geddes stated /in the House of Commons that il the menace was being held, but *• was not yet mastered. Since the formation of the Allied War Council a notable improvement in co-operative effect had been achieved. Anti-submarine work was being vigorously prosecuted in the Mediterranean with increasing success. A party of 58 castaways landed on the Chilian coast includesthe remaining officers and'crew of the German raider Seeadler, Despite the order for cessation of hostilities, the Germans are reported to be continuing their advance into Russia,