In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 78, 31 July 1915, Page 5

In the West.

AN EMPIRE OF RIGHT. THE POPE AND PEACE. LETTER TO BELLIGERENTS. 1 scr.i) Vhpss Association. ( Reeeived 10.J5 a.in.) Home, July MO. The Pope, in a letter to the belligerents. expresses his determination to devote every activity to effect a reconciliation of the peoples engaged in the fraetieidal struggle. He adjures them to put awav their mutual desire for destruction, and to reflect that nations do not die. If humiliated and oppressed, they prepare to retaliate by transmitting from generation to generation hatred and a desire lor revenge. He suggests a direct nr indirect exchange of views, in an endeavour, if possible, to arrange aspirations so that all will be contented.

“We invite all the friends of Peace to unite with ns in the desire to terminate the war and to re-establish the Empire of Eight, resolving henceforth to solve our differences not by the sword hut by Equity and Justice,”

TOMMY ATKINS IN FRANCE ASSISTING PEASANTRY IN HARVEST. (Received 9.55 a.m.) Paris, July 30. The newspapers pay a tribute to the efforts of the British Military Authorities to preserve the good feeling among the soldiers with the French peasantry. The British Armv is careful not to harm property, but to assist the peasants and farmers in gathering the harvest by lending troops and horses for the woik.

FRENCH PROGRESS REPORT.

(Received 8.45 a.m.) Paris, July 30

A communique states :— Throughout the night there was a grenade and petard struggle from trench to trench in the labrintb. The fighting at Barrankopfe continued into the middle of,the night with great fierceness. We repulsed a fresh German counter-at-tack. and our curtains of lire inflicted heavy losses.

PRINCE OSCAR’S BOOK. TERRIBLE EFFECT OF FRENCH FIRE. GREAT REGARD FOR HIS TROOPS (Received 9.55 a.m.) Amsterdam,' July 30. The Kaiser’s son Oscar lias published a book , about the lighting in Champagne. He goes into rhapsodies regarding bis troops superhuman performances amPin doing the impossible. He describes the French artilleiy as terrific, and says that within a comparatively small space the French tired a hundred thousand shells in one day. The rapidity of the lire resembled a machine-gun. The effect was terrible, and the wire entanglements were swept away and the trenches transformed into shallow cavities. Only German discipline, loyalty, and heroism could have held out.

SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT

London, July 29

The Press Jlnrean states that Sn John French reports active mining operations on both sides during the last few days, with intermittent artillery engagements, and no infantry attacks. The enemy exploded three mines in the neighborhood of St. Eloi and one near Givenchy, hut only one did slight damage. We exploded a mine on the 28th, north of Oomteleen, and destroyed twenty yards of the enemy’s parapet. One. ot our aeroplanes, on the 25th, shot down a iGermau machine, which fell within our lines east of Zillebeke. VALOR OF FRENCH TROOPS. London. Jnlv 30.

The success achieved by the French at Handesapt has had considerable moral, as well as material, value. A number of French, comparatively small, were called upon to act against superior numbers of picked men. after a period of particularly trying operations, which might have been expected to leave them suffering from tlie effects of fatigue. That a victory was achieved is definite proof of French ascendancy over the enemy. A leading French military critic says : “It is proof/ that our soldiers are always in form, and a guarantee that when the operation is repeated simultaneously at various points on the front the German resistance will be broken.”

ZEEBRUCCE AGAIN RAIDED. Rotterdam, July 30. Allied airmen raided /eehrugge Knocke on Thursday, and considerably damaged the mole and the bridge over the maritime canal at /eehrugge. WILDING’S SPORTING CHANCE. London, July 30. Officers state that Captain Wilding was in charge of a three-pounder, and directed the bring from early morning till the middle of tne afternoon, when he entered a dugont and was killed an hour later. The official report spoke highly of his work. Wilding’s last letter was written on the day [he was killed. In it he said; “For the first time in 7\ months J have

•i job. It is likely In end >" •>>v glinmyself, si lid the whole outfit being blown to hell. Flow over, it is a sporting chiuino. It wo succeed it will iclji our infantry no end.”

A lONC IN TEARS. THE WURTEMCERC'S LOSSEC. United Press Association, (Received I 'Add p.ui.) (IeIHUI. July 30. The Germans suite rod tornhlo losses : n the Recht Viilloy. Colmar ;\nd tlu surrounding villages wore tilled "'it'' wounded. Ihe King ot Wurtemburg

visited the Wurtembergs in the Arginine. Flo turned away and wept when lie saw his crack regiment depleted to one third of its strength.