DESPERATE STRUGGLES

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 35, 11 February 1916, Page 5

DESPERATE STRUGGLES

TRENCHES TAKEN AND RETAKEN IMPORTANT RUSSIAN ADVANCE AUSTRIAN POSITION UNTENABLE SENSATION AROUND ROUMANIA i " A NAVAL BATTLE A GERMAN RAIDER SUNK }'- ' CAPTAiN AND CREW CAPTURED The position in Roumania is becoming more tense, and the ituation is said to be developing in favour of intervention. Neurality is being maintained with, difficulty. The "Corriere Delia era" believes that Germany is preparing a sudden smash on R umania and urges that the Alliesmust be ready with ample assist ace. It is pleasant news, if true, coming by way of New York, of le sinking of the German armoured cruiser "Roon," that has' reently been doing some eminently effective raiding between eastern nd western continents. Captain Seagrave has gone some of the ray towards avenging the death of his old comrade Admiral Cradock, who went down with the Drake's sister ship. Good Hope, in waters not far distant from where the avenger has so effectively truck. Dutch correspondents report great activity at Kiel. They say lat marines Who have been doing garrison duty in Belgium have een withdrawn, and that sailors are arriving and recommencing aval work." •

• The Germans attach great significance to slight straighten:g of their line at La Folie, claiming that an important defensive Ivantage has been gained in case of an Allied offensive. The Siting was of a, desperate character and the Germans paid heav- | for their gain. This gain has been neutralised by a French at,ck driving the enemy out. The fight continues.

LORD FISHER'S RECALL AGITATED.

"MORNING POST'S" SCATHING IMPEACHMENT.

FISHER BOOMERS DESERVE PUNISHMENT

(Reed. 8.10 a.m.)

LONDON, February 10. The agitation in favour of Lord Fisher's recall to the Admiralty con.ues.

The Morning Post hotly attacks the proposal and 'asserts that Fisher's ethods were shown to be valueless. His scheme for the education of officers practically abolished. Lord Fisher was responsible for the abolition of ;ht cruisers and small craft, which the war has are greatly needed, is share in the Dardanelles episode shuts out definitely all further particiition in higher command, and the paper adds, an attempt to boom Fisher jserves to be punished.

GERMANS MAKE IMPORTANT GAINS.

BETTER DEFENSIVE POSITION SECURED.

THE COST OF THE GAINS WAS HEAVY.

THREE (WEEKS' FIGHTING ON WESTERN FRONT

LONDON, February 10

The significance of the German gain at La Folie is due to the proxiity of Vemy heights, which dominate the plain to Lens —one of the untamed objects of the French offensive in September. There lias been actically continuous fighting for three weeks, the Germans taking the Eensive usually by means of extensive heavily charged mines in front the French lines. The explosions were followed by a fierce struggle for e craters. The Germans were thus able to straighten out their front at veral points, though the cost was heavyGerman critics claim that the advance on the Arras-Lens road, near ?Qville, i s most important, shortening a line which was otherwise bowaped, and affording a better defensive position in case of an Allied tensive. AN IMPORTANT RUSSIAN ADVANCE. CROSSING TO WEST OF DNEISTER. AUSTRIAN POSITION RENDERED UNTENABLE. BEST LINE OF RUSSIAN PROGRESS. AUSTRO-GERMANS MAY BE OUTFLANKED. POSITION MAY HAVE TO BE ABANDONED. LONDON, February 10. Newspapers, in view of the German pressure on Roumania, give proinence to the Russian capture of Uscieczka, crossing to the west of e Dniester. The Russians have be3n a considerable time near the vil*e, which is forty 4ft*es north of 'Czernowitz. They frequently attackthe b?ssge-head on the north-east bank in vain. The ;"Morning Post's" military correspondent states that Russia's position of the Dneister will make the Austrian position in Bukowiua unliable. He adds: The valley of the Pru'th, owing to the absence of naral obstacles, offers the best line of advance. If the Russians break rough Bukcwina, the Austro-German defences in Galicia will be outnked and probably abandoned.

1 Petrpgrad telegraphs new s of yet another threat.: Imprisoned German ic'ers. state that important strengthening of the Riga and Bvina armies expected in preparation for a huge offensive in March. Leave bas been spended; >

A SUDDEN SMASH AT ROUMANIA. IN PREPARATION BY GERMANY. NEUTRALITY MAINTAIN ED WITH DIFFICULTY. SITUATION DEVELOPING TOWARDS INTERVENTION. THE ENTENTE TO C OUNTER GERMANY. ROUMANIA MUST HAVE ALLIED HELP. 1 LONDON, February 9. The "Echo de Paris" says latest Roumanian information shows that the situation is developing towards ; intervention. M. Bratiano is maintaining neutrality with cli-fficulty. ROME, February 9. The "Correire Delia Sera" believes that Germany is preparing a sudden blow at Roumania. There it is necessary for the Entente to counteract the German movement. Roumania must be able to reckon on Allied assistance. DETAILS OF WESTERN FIGHTING. FRENCH RECAPTURE LOST TRENCHES. HEAVY BOMBARDMENT GENERAL. DESPERATE ENEMY NIGHT ATTACKS. FRENCH CAPTURE PRISONERS AND GUNS. LONDON, February 10, 4.30 p.m. Fighting with grenades, the 'French were enabled to drive out the enemy from some of the trenches they occupied west of La Folie. The Germans during the night attacked positions on the road from Neuvi le to La Folie. The attacks were repulsed, the enemy only taking part of one crater they previously 'lost south of the Somme. 'ln the course of minor actions on Tuesday and Wednesday, the French captured 50 prisoners, 2 mitrailleuses and a larger piece. LONDON, February 10, 1.5 p.m. Bombardment continues general on the western front. South-west of Hill 140 the enemy attacked, but were repulsed. Between Soissons and Rheims the- enemy was forced to evacuate a small post.

CAPTURE OF GERMAN CRUISER ROON TAKEN BY THE DRAKE. AFTER THREE HOURS' FIGHT. OFF THE BERMUDAS.

NO OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION

NEW YORK, February 9

It is reported here that the British cruiser Drake captured the German cruiser Roon after a three hours' fight off the Bermudas.

Two merchantmen are reported to have been seized.

The British Embassy is unable to verify the report.

STORY OP THE FIGHT

DRAKE'S CAPTAIN AVENGING CRADDOCK.

BRITISH LOSE 18 MEN. CAPTURE 32 OFFICERS A,ND 719 MEN. NE WYORK, February St. Private advices from Bermuda appearing in the "New York Globe" circumstantially recount, that Captain Seagrave, commanding the Drake, announced his intention, when about to attack the Roon, of avenging Admiral Craddock, who went down in the Good Hope, with whom he formerly served. The British lost 18 men, but captured' 32 officers and 719 men aboard the Roon, land the two accompanying merchantmen.

• "LONG OVERDUE." STRONG APPEAL TO MINERS. (Reed. 8.10 a.m.) LONDON, February 10. Mr. Stanton, M.P., appealing to ""South Wales miners to supply more coal, said, "Keep working till you have driven 'all the Germans to heli, where . they are long overdue." RESTRICTION OF IMPORTS. ITS ATTENDANT DIFFICULTIES. (Reed. 8.10 a.m.) LONDON, February 10. A Government announcement says the restrictions on sugar has had the reverse effect to that desired, a general increase in wholesale and retail buying. Beer that was formerly twopence a glass is raised to 2|d, and newspapers forwarn the possibility of an increase to threepence owing to a possible restriction on the importation of barley . Spaniards threaten to stop the ship- ■ ment of ore pyrites to Britain if the orange trade is stopped.

EMPLOYMENT AFTER WAR

BRITAIN OPPOSES EMIGRATION

MEN WANTED AT" HOME.

SPECIAL PROPAGANDA PROPOSED

(Reed. 8.10 a.m.) LONDON, February 10

The Drake is an armoured cruiser of 14,100 tons, completed in 1902, at a cost of a little over £1,000,000. She is armed with two 9-2 in. guns, sixteen 6in. guns, and fifteen small quickfirers, while she has two torpedo tubes. Her armour belt is 111 feet wide by 400 feet long, and her best recorded speed is 24.6 knots, being a knot faster than the best speed achieved by her ill-fated sister ship, the Good Hope, which wag sunk in the Coronal fight with the German cruisers Scharhorst and Gneisenau. Other ships of the same class are the Leviathan and King Alfred, and the complement car. ried by these cruisers is 900 men of •all ranks. The Drake was for some time the flagship of the Australian station, in which capacity she visited Auckland on several occasions.

The Roon is a sister ship of the Yorck, which struck a mine when approaching Wilhelmshafen after participating in the Scarborough raid towards the end of 1914, and was sunk. She is an armoured cruiser of 9.050 tons, with a complement of 557. Her armament consists of four B.2in. guns, ten 6in. guns, fourteen 24-pounders, four machine-guns, 'and four torpedo tubes. Her speed is a little over 21 knots. GREAT ACTIVITY AT KIEL. MARINES RECALLED FOR BEL GTUM.

The Committee of the Board of Agri. culture report, whereof a summary was cabled en Sunday, comments on the Dominion schemes of immigration. For years m'any dominions have employed immigration agents in Britain, who have painted in glowing colours and attractive pictures the advantages their respective governments have to offer. No exception has been taken to this action, the British Government recognising gratefully the welcome the dominions have extended to immigrants, but it cannot look with equanimity on the prospect of losing the flower of its agricultural population, not even to the dominions. The report says: If our proposals for settlement in England are adopted we believe they will give ex-soldiers 'at least as good prospects as the dominions. The report recommends the Board of Agriculture to institute a propagandist campaign in the army and in the fleet to induce discharged men to take advantage of England's opportunities.

SERBIANS AT CORFU,

05,000 LANDED

TOTAL EXPECTED TO REACH

100,000

PARIS, February 10

LONDON, February 10.

Dutch ooirespor,dents report greist activity at Kiel. Marines who have been on garrison duty in Belgiam havo been withdrawn, and namerous sailors ar e arriving and recommencing naval v-o^-lr.

The Petit Parisien says 65,000 Serbians have landed on Corfu, and the total will reach 100,000 within a couple of days.. The evacuation of Albania will i'ien be completed, French detachments Have occupied the GrecS island of Fano north 01 Corfu.

ANOTHER RAID ON BRITAIN. GERMAN SEAPLANES ON KENTISH COAST. B'OMBS DROPPED ON RAMSGATE. THERE WERE NO CASUALTIES. LONDON, February 9. Two German seaplanes dropped three bombs on the outskirts of Ramsgate and four more near a school at Broadstairs. There were no casualties. ZEPPELIN DISASTERS. TWO MORE REPORTED GONE. PARIS RAIDER INCLUDED. AMSTERDAM, Fob. 9. According to the Echo Beige, rumours are current that Zeppelin was wrecked by French airmen near Hninault; also, on the night of January 29, the Zeppelin which raided Paris' was destroyed at Zigue. The engines caught in trees and the envelope collided with a block of houses, and was greatly damaged. The Germans are endeavouring to conceal the accident.

RAMSGATE AND BROADSTAIRS

BOMBED.

SLIGHT DAMAGE DONE

LONDON February 9

At 4 o'clock, two Taubes were seen off Ramsgate. W-hen over the town they separated, one going to Broadstairs. The whole affair lasted a very few minutes. Most of the bombs were dropped between the towns, falling on the roadway or in fields. One fell on Broadstairs near Girls' School. There was little excitement, and the damage done by the raid is said to be slight. I .

2 WOMEN AND A CHILD INJURED

LONDON/ February 10. Official: Two women and a child were injured in the raid. A number of aeroplanes ascended to attack the raiders, which retreated without fighting. ENEMY SUBMARINE DEPOTS AMONG GREEK ISLANDS. SUPPRESSED BY ALLIED FLEET. ROME, February 9. The allied fleets operating among the Greek islands have suppressed nu. m'erous provisioning stations for enemy submarines. AN ENEMY CONFERENCE. BULGARIA'S MILITARY SHARE. AMSTERDAM, February 9. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, accompanied by Dr. Radoslavcff and General Jekoff, have arrived at the German headquarters for a conference respecting Bulgaria's future militry activities. The German Chancellor, Herr yon Bethmann Hollwe&, 'and Herr von Jagow, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, will also attend the conference. AIR RAID PROTECTION. AGITATED FOR IN" BRITAIN. (Rec. 8.10 a.m.) LONDON, February 10. T.here are many public protests against insufficient air protection made in the Midlands. The Home Office notifies that Lord French is elaborating a system of warnings to police, factories, and others, in the event of an expected raid, but it insists that warnings must not be passed on to the public until, it is certain raiders are coming to a, particular district, otherwise it would interfere with munition work.

AERIAL PROTECTION

BRITAIN WAKING UP

AN AIR MINISTER WANTED

LONDON, February 10

The Pall Mall and Globe have joined the cry for an Air Minister. Numerous Parliamentarians have been interviewed as to the object of Sir Percy Scott's dismissal, pointing out that there has been no raid on London since he was appointed. They urge that Mr. Churchill' be given command of the air services.

The Midlands -have arranged a system of precautions independent of the War Office.

Manchester, Liverpool, the Potteries, Leeds, Leicester, Bedford, Worcester have changed the public warning by cutting off gas and electricity. A majority of the newspapers arc clamorous for urgent training and experimentation in the construction of aircraft to secure dominance in the air, pointing out that powerful offensives arc necessary. The German staff has warned Kiel

ENEMY NAVAL CHIEFS. TO MEET IN CONFERENCE. UNIFORM NAVAL ACTION. LONDON. February 10. Archduke Charles, chief of the Austrian Navy, -has arrived ill Berlin to discuss with Admiral Tirpitz unity of

naval action

OVERSEAS BATTALIONS.

DOMINION RESIDENTS IN BRITAIN.

LONDON. Februarv 10

The War Office has sanctioned the raising of two overseas battalions of the London Regiment for Dominion residents now in Britain.

The Lord Mayor has opened a fund to assist recruiting and equipment. He is appealing to cities and oversea bankers and merchants.

AUSTRALIA'S ARMY.

ORGANISING THREE DIVISIONS

OUT OF THE NEW 50.000

MOUNTED DIVISION FORMING

PROMOTING 1,000 "ANZACS

MELBOURNE. Feb. 10

After consultation with the War Office and with General Bird-wood, it has been decided to organise two divisions out of the new fifty thousand troops to be raised in Australia. They will be organised in Egypt, and will be designated the Fourt-b and Fifth Australian Divisions. Major-General McCay commands one, and the other command is still undecided. A third division will be formed here, while the whole of tho Light Horse Brigades now in Egypt, together with the New Zealand Brigades, will be formed into a mounted, division, commanded by Major-Gienersl Chauvel.

The units of these new divisions will be officered by promoting a thousand men who served in Gallipoli.

WOOD-PULP

SWEDEN SUPPLIES THE ALLIES. LONDON February 9.

A French wireless says Sweden per m'its the export of 5.000 tons of wood pulp to the Allies.

SETTLED

ANGLO-ITALAN FREIGHTS

LONDON, February 9

Th e Anglo-Italian freight question has been settled, lowering the rates to enable Italy to •obtain coal at reasonable' price. RESTRICTION OP IMPORTS. THE DOMINIONS' CLAIMS. LONDON. February 10. Tlie business committee r-.f the Unionist Party in the House of Commons privately discussed with Mr. Runciman problems arising from restrictions on imports. ~Mv. Runciman indicated that the War Office and thvj 'Admiralty's demands on 'hipping were so great that restriction was imperative. The deputation drew particular attention to the claims of the Dominions.

and Cologne to expect air raid repri