WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 21 June 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

STRONG GERMAN ATTACKS. BROKEN BY FRENCH FIRE. ' LONDON, June 19. A French official report states: “Between Mont Blond and Mont Cornillet, in the Champagne, a strong German counter-attack against positions wo had conquered was broken by our fire, with serious losses to the enemy. Some prisoners were taken.” BRITISH REPORT. LONDON, June 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We advanced slightly southward of the Cojoul river and northward of the Souehez river. We captured four field guns eastward of Mcssincs on Thursday night, in addition to those previously reported. Our aeroplanes did valuable work despite unsettled weather. They bombed an enemy dump, causing an explosion. We downed six enemy machines. Three of ours are missing. AUSTRIAN AFFAIRS. CABINET RESIGNS. AMSTERDAM, June 20. The Austrian Cabinet has resigned owing to the hostility of the powerful Polish party, which has completely broken off relations with the Government. The Emperor is hastening to Vienna. Received 11.20. LONDON, June 20. It is reported that a revolution has broken out in Bohemia. (Bohemia is an Ausro-Hungarian of 20,000 square miles, and a population of 6,500,000. The capital is Prague.) . , E USSIA THE GERMAN OFFER TO RUSSIA. HOFFMANN’S PITIABLE EXPLANATION. ~J * GENEVA, June 19. The “Tribune” characterises as pitiable and deplorable Kerr H6ffmann’s explanation that he acted as a private individual in making a peace offer to Russia. Latest Berne reports definitely announce that Herr Hoffmann has resigned. Herr Hoffnltfnn and Herr Grimm are of German origin. Herr Hoffmann, as head of the political department, is virtually Foreign Minister and has been notoriously pro-Aer-man since the outbreak. •' G HOFFMANN RESIGNS. * • " - BERNE, Junq iV 2O. The Hoffmann incident has created a sensation. Special Council meetings heatedly discussed the situation., Hoffmann admitted the • facts as allqged, claiming that he was solely responsible for sending the message to Russia. Hoffmann’s letter of resignation; -jyas -road in the Foreign Assembly, staging that he had not consulted his colleagues and now recognises that his ■ action would produce disastrous consequences for Switzerland unless ho resigned. M. Schulthess, President of the Republic read the statement on behalf of the Council. RUSSIA’S RECOVERY. WILL PIGPIT IN A FEW WEEKS. COPENHAGEN, June 19. M. Thomas, French Commissiflher to Russia, has arrived from Petrograd. Interviewed, he said that in a few weeks Germany would no longer be able to reckon on the present quiet Russian front. M. Thomas predicts that Russia after the Wr will be divided into Federal States, in order to fulfil the difference in racial desires. ' $ i » INCIDENTS Of THE WAR, MR. BALFOUR’S MISSION. LONDON, June 1%. Mr. Balfour declined to makq' a statement regarding his mission to America on the ground that it, was not customary to do so. • ■’.f GERMANS SHORT OF COPPER. v ‘ t USING IRON FOR CARTRIDGE CASES. Received 9.15 a.ia. LONDON, June 20. A French correspondent at headquarters mentions the recent capture of an important confidential army order signed by the Prussian War Minister, which warns commanders that the lack of copper imposes the necessity of resorting as rapidly as possible to the use of iron cases for infantry cartridges. The correspondent adds that only better need induces the Prussians to tamper with munitions In war time.