France & Flanders

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 194, 25 January 1915, Page 5

France & Flanders

OPTIMISTIC FRENCH GENERALS. "GERMANS CAN DO NOTHING lAGAINST US." ENMJIY ALREADY BEATEN. COMMUNICATIONS IN ALSACE ' ENDANGERED. Paris, January 22. L'lntransigeaut publishes interviews with Generals Foch and Durbal. The former said: "The Germans can do nothing against us. We may expect real events soon." General Durbal declared that "The Hermans would never advance any further. We could break their line any time we wanted. They are beaten whenever and wherever wc attack." A correspondent says that the Germans' channel of communication with Mvtz is narrowed down to one road and the loss of this means the instant cutting off the enemy's force in that quarter and the defeat of h:s efforts to encircle Verdun.

GERMANS AGGRESIVE IN BELGIUM. VIOLENT BOMdAKDMENT OP NIEUPORT. Pari?, January 22. A communique says the enemy bombarded Nieuport with considerable violence. We slightly progressed eastward loi Lombacrtzyde causeway. Our artillery was effective between Ypres and the Oise," against earthworks and batteries. The enemy retook a portion of the trenches at Rois-le-Pretrc which we captured on Wednesday. German batteries at Schlucht were silenced. An extremely fierce infantry engagement, with hand to hand struggles, is being waged at Hartmann Sweilerkoff, in Alsace.

J CUNNING GERMAN TRICK. ORGANISING A PEACE PROPAGANDA. London, January 22. Reutcr'a Paris correspondent says that a French non-commissioned officer, taken prisoner at St. Mihiel, was furnished with a forged Belgian passport, civilian clothes, and a large sum •! money and was sent to France, via Switzerland to organise peace propaganda. The Socialistic leader, Ludekum, interviewed him and argued that France was wrong in serving Ureal .Britain's interests anrl it would be better for her to arrange for a separate understanding with Germany through the) action of Socialists in both countries. The possibility of fomenting revoluti' •> in Southern France was also contemplated. The officer is of opinion that other prisoners hive been repatriated on the same errand. FRENCH WAR FINANCES.

Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, January 22. M. Ribot, Prime Minister, is asking the French Treasury to issue £20,000,(>OO worth of war bonds. A BREACH OF NEUTRALITY. Received 25, 1.40 a.m. Amsterdam, January 24. The Vossische Zeitung reports that the Italian Vice-Consul at Liege was sentenced to two months' imprisonment for assisting communications between Belgian soldiers and their relatives. THE LINE OF TRENCHES IN FRANCE.

Received 24, 5.5 fM. Paris, January 23. A correspondent, describing the position, says that when the line of trenches leaves Argonne, it passes Villc Sur Tourbe, wliieh is in the German possession, thence thropuh Massiget. along an important ridge whereon stands the farm of Beauscscjour, overlooking a plateau stretching north to Vousicrs. The French occupied the side of the plateau, while the Germans held the crest, ur>til the French, by a night attack, gained a footing on the crest. The German coun-ter-attacks since have failed to dislodge them. THE AUGUST TKHROTt. SI.\C!:!ITF.!:i:i) CIVILIANS IN BW.cil'M. bisixtkkt;k!) ,\t i.o>'\ ux. I \ Tlim T. ! : ' -:<■ ii.;,: :l i. ; tUli-ll til" ('. 1~- ,' :■■...! t:,-,i. ....,•;. [<«»} P«.:.:: , !•.■•■ .- ,:■■. ,','(„