Fighting In France

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 113, 6 October 1914, Page 5

Fighting In France

SIGNIFICANT WORDS. INDICATIONS THAT VICTORY HAS COMH. MINISTERS GO TO THE FRONT. TO CONGRATULATE FRENCH TROOPS. Received 3, 8.30 p.m. Paris, October 4. Latest advicea indicate that if the French left continues unchecked, it avKI 'ok unnecessary to take, the German entrenchments north of the Aisna by assault. The Bavarians were bo severely defeated at Roye that they are demoralised; if not actually decimated. MM. Poincore, Rivani, and Millerand have gone to the front to congratulate the troops. THE LEFT STILL OCCUPIED. ' RESISTANCE LESS VIOLENT. ALLIES REPORT PROGRESS MADE. Received 5, 10 p.m. Paris, October 4 (midnight). Official.—"On the left a battle is in full progress, and so far no result has reached us. The fighting is less violent. "We have made progress at Soiseons, where the enemy's trenches were captured. "Wc have also progressed at WocTrc." THE BATTLE OF ROYE. FRENCHMEN TRICK A GERMAN FORCE. EIGHT HUNDRED PRISONERS TAKEN. Received 5, 10 p.m. Paris, October 5. At the Battle of Roye a body of French dragoons occupying a village retired, drawing the enemy into a wood, where batteries with infantry and shell fire decimated them. The Germans fled, leaving 800 prisoners, including a colonel and ten officers. CHIP OF THE GERMAN BLOCK. CROWN PRINCE'S WRECKING TACTICS. Received 5, 10 p.m. Paris, October 5.

Le Gaulois slates that the Crawn Prince, before evacuating, ordered Cler mont° and Nargonne to be burned. Even the old men's almshouses, maintained by the little Sisters of the Poor, were burned, though the Mother Superior on her knees implored him to spare these. FRENCH FEAT OF ARMS. GERMAN POSITION STORMED AND TAKEN. Paris, October 4.

A fino feat is reported to have been accomplished by the French left on Thursday. The Germans held a village on a hill, strongly entrenched by Jager infantry with guns. The French infan'try stormed the position. The first attempt was repelled, but they returned to the charge and defeated the. Germans with heavy lobh. During the fight French doctors and five ambulance* were captured while picking up the wounded. The German prisoners declare that ambulances and doctors ara wanted for the German wounded, «s the latter are without medical aid.

THH MAN BEHIND THE GUN. TRIUMPHS OVER THE MACHINE. BRITISH LESSONS FROM BATTLE. "THE MACHINES HAVE NO REPLY." Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 6, 6.5 p.m. , London, October 5., The Times' Paris correspondent declares that "Every Englishman holds the instinctive faith that moro important than the gun is the man behind it. ■Among many lessons taught in the battle of the Aisne, none is greater than that the machine, no matter how powerful, is insecure against man's two hands. Every battle in the last issue is won by tho bayonet. The British soldiers have put tho doclrino of the machine to great shame. They have made charges which were impossible by tho rules of tie game, and wrested victory from the very tenth of defeat." A soldier, describing a bayonet charge after an artillery duel, says:--"With nerves a-jingle, and tempers on edge, the men rush at the foe. Cold steel at last! It is man to man. Suddenly the sound of loud and continuous laughter is heard from a soldier who h:u passed the borders of restraint. It is no longer dull courage, but a blaze of anger tiiat sweeps along the ranks like fire, striking' terror by its very native ferocity. The machines have no reply to such zeal of passion." IiATTIjEFiKL-n STORIES. HIGH DICGREH OK IMPOSSIBILITY. London, October i. Cologne is suffering from a spy fever. Twenty-one were shot in one day. During Ike lighting oil the .Manic a boy, named Clmtau, surprised seven Germans sleeping in a house. lie fixed his hayomet and demanded their surrender, which was readily acceded to. Chatau and a sergeant wore the only survivors of a reconnoitring party. X'batau carried the wounded sergeant to safety. Three Fronih dragoons niado a sudden onslaught on fifty Germans garrisoning Lixy. The dragoons killed several, null the remainder broke their rilh-i and surrendered, A RING OF STEEL. BBLCIAN, FRKXCII AND BRITISH FORCES LINKED UP. Amsterdam, October 4. The Nieuwc Kotterdahsoh Courant says that the British, French and Belgian troops arc now lined up, enclosing the Germans in a ring of steel. Lille is bee oi the enemy, but Valenciennes is Btill.i? German hands.

GERMAN DEMORALISATION.

OSTENSIBLE AND CONFESSED. SHOCKING INSANITATION IN THE TRENCHES. Received 5, 11.50 p.m. Paris, October 5. Where the Germans retired along the Kheims line they abandoned many motor lorries, apparently from shortage of petrol, and the framework of 12 has been found' burned, apparently destroyed in their hurried retreat. The German demoralisation has now become ostensible and confessed. Prisoners state that the trenches were too deep, and the removal of the dead impracticable, with the result that the trenches became horribly insanitary.

DEADLY TURPENTINE BOMBS.

Received 5, 11.50 p.m.

London. October n.

The Times' correspondent in France has received trustworthy conlirmation of the deadly effects of the turpentine shells. The statement is unconfirmed ollicially.

BETTER FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

Paris, October 4,

M. Ribot, Minister of Finance, states that the financial situation is favorable. The gold reserve in the Bank of France is 165 millions sterling and the silver reserve 12,760,000 sterling. M. Ribot hopes to re-open the Bourse conjointly with the re-opening of the London Stock Exchange.