FRANCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 74, 17 August 1914, Page 5

FRANCE

A FRENCH FEAT OF ARMS. GERMAN FORCE REPULSED. THE IXVADEIIS RETREATING. GERMAN OFFICERS AS SPIES. SHARP-SHOOTING RKGIME7NT FROM. ALGIERS. THE YOSGES PASSES STILL HELD BY FRANCE. Paris, August 14. Two French battalions, at Spineourt (Department of the Meuse) on t!he J River Chain, on Tuesday afternoon susl tained an attack 'by a considerably | larger German force and were compelled |to retreat. They were reinforced during I the night by infantry and artillery and the French counter-attacked and won a ] brilliant success, the Germans abandoning a battery of three mitrailleuses and several ammunition waggons, leaving many wounded behind them. A French battery on Thursday surprised some dragoons and took a' thousand prisoners who had been wounded on the day before, including nine ollicer.s The Gorman column in that region is now retreating. Rothschild Bros, have given 1,000,000 francs to the national fund. A hundred large calibre shells, each weighing 'lOfl kilogrammes, containing a heavy charge of pic-rite, fell at Pont-a-Mousson, fired from some kilometres east of the town. The bombardment did small damage. Four were killed and ten wounded. Official advice states that numerous German patrols have taken refuge in Switzerland. This morning the Cabinet decided to grant the wives of soldiers 1% francs (12'/j;d) daily and fifty centimes (ad) for each child below' sixteen since the .first days of mobilisation. General Joffrc, Commander-in-Chief, covered a thousand miles in a motorcar, visiting various points. His chauffeur is the famous racing motorist Boillot. An official in the War Office interrogated German prisoners and found that tihey were ill-fed and that their morale was mediocre. None appeared to know why they were mobilised. One replied. "It is not the people's war, it is the officers' war," General'Joffro lias decorated with the Legion of Honor Lieut. Bruyant, who, at the head of suven dragoons charged thirty Uhlans, killing ;the officer and putting the Uhlans to flight, with serious losses. , Two German officers, disguised as tourists, in a costly motor-car/were arrested at Tours in possession of melinite, supposed to be for the purpose of. blowing up She biggest bridge in France. The occupants were immediately shot. The French are bringing ar army corps from Algeria, making 22 army' corps, which with the. three army corps of the Belgians, makes IjOOO.OOO men on the frontier, compared witlh 25 German arniv corps and two Austrian. The Algerian's | include the famous Turcos sharpshootjcrg. who will be remembered for their : reckless bayonet charges in Upper Alsace in 1870. London, August It. I lhe Press Bureau states ' that the I-ronch still hold the Boiihonimc and St Maris Passes. Tihey have also occupied tiie Sale Pass, commanding the Bruehe valley. There were numerous Germm desertions at Sale. Many prisoners and some machine guns were captured. THE MULIIAUSEN BATTLE. BIGGER THAN REPORTED. "INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF WOUNDED." _,, , Faris, Aurrnst 14. the latest estimates place the Gcrncm losses at Mulhauscn at ten thousand. Hospital facilities were utterly inadequate to bouse the incredible number of wounded. ALLIED ARMIES UNITE.

FRENCH OPERATIONS IX ALSACE. A GREAT .STRUGGLE. A ZEPPELIX DESTROYED. Received If. 5.5 p.m. Paris, August 15. 1.1 ih ollicialty notified that the junction of the French and Belgian armies lifts been completed. Three French atnir oilicers are attached to the Belgian headquarters, and two Belgians with the Kronen. A great straggle 13 expected, in «Upper Alsace, where the French have every interest to assume tihe offensive and sweep the province clear of Germans .preparatory to co-operatin» ft'it.i the central army opposite Metis and (Luxembourg. Received 1(1, 5.5 p.m. Paris, August 15 (morning). Perrm. aviating from Xancv. crossed the frontier and sighted a' Zcimolin. ivhich he completely destroyed with two Dombs at Chateau Salins. It is officially stated that the French in considerable strength are advancing on Gembloux. via Charleroi (35 mi'os south-east of Brussels). XE WS FOR FRENCH SOLDIERS. A DAILY BULLETIN". deceived l(i. 5.5 p.m. Paris, August 15. If. Messimy lias nrrjinged with ,\f. Viviaiii (Prime Mmistov) personally to issue a daily bulletin of news for circulation anions the troops to enable them to judge fhe importance of their individual efforts in relation to the national struggle. "YrVE LA FRAXCE!" DEATH OF A SWISS HEROIXE. Becoived ]«, 3.5 ;;-•„ .. i>»:;rTa' August 15 (morning), •ir.e Germans court-martialled and shot Madame Favre Scwim,, a Swiss «irl, the wife of one of the richest Alsatians living at Lorraeh. The,- accused her of attempting to blow up a tunnel. In the last moments she cried, "Vive hi France!" Keened 27. 12.5 a.m. „,, , Paris, August 15. Hie Miwartz story is untrue. The Indy is safe at Basel.