SOME GERMAN REPORTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 265, 19 April 1915, Page 5

SOME GERMAN REPORTS.

FRENCH POSITIONS STORMED. Received April (8, 5.5 p.m. Berlin, April 17. Official: The British at Ypres are using shells emitting asphyxiating gases. We-stormed a group of French fortifications at Perthes after extensive mining operations. GERMAN TRENCHES MINED. KNKMY OFFICERS AS STAVEDRIVERS. Lo niton, April lfl. "Eyewitness" states:—We exploded a large mine on the 9th near Armentieres. The timber and debris were hurled 200 ft. in the air, and an enormous crater was formed. The mine blasted, the enemy's line, of which a large portion was destroyed. The loss of life must have been considerable. A deserter states that the men go in positive terror of their officers, who are more like slave-drivers than leaders.

BELGIUM'S BURDEN. ENORMOUS REQUISITIONS CONTINUE. Rcceircd April 18, fi.s p.m. > Amsterdam April 17. M. Castclcin, president of the Antwerp Chamber of Commerce, in a report on the treatment of Antwerp, says the Germans requisitioned forty thousand tons of cheese, eighteen thousand tons of maize, forty thousand tohs of Barley, nitrate ' worth £IOO,OOO, oil worth £1211,000, rubber worth £400,000, copper worth £SOO,©OO, wool worth £240,000, horse hair wort'.i £460,000; of a total value of £3,400,000, whereof £BOO,OOO has -been paid. It is semi-offieially estimated that the total requisitions are over twelve millions sterling. iWhen the Germans increased Belgium's monthlyj tribute to £1,800,000 in December., it was stipulated that the requisitions must cease. The Governor-General promised prompt payment, but the requisitions were unaltered, though the tribute was paid regularly. The German military authorities ordered the Brussels municipality to reconstruct the Brussels highroad. The municipality appealed to the German civil authority, on the ground that the road was not a municipal work. The appeal was upheld, but the military overruled the decision, fined the city £20,000 and ordered it to carry out the work forthwith.