IN THE WEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1916, Page 5

IN THE WEST.

THE YPRES SALIENT. WANTED BY BOTH SIDES. BIG WORK BREWING. Received Feb, 20, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 19. The attack on Ypres occurred between the railway canal and Comines. Some military experts point out that if our position there is contracted much further, and if we lose as much ground there this year as last year, this will mean the abandonment of Ypres. The German success, therefore, should not be taken with indifference, and counterattacks, though expensive, are wortli the making. The intrinsic gain may be very small, but tile peril of the Ypres salient 13 important, as the German aim may damage our "springboard" for the next offensive. Long trains of artillery and infantry continue to go westward and southward from Belgium. Many German war councils are held in Louvain, and it is reported that the Crown Prince is commanding the best troops available, and that Germany has accumulated vast quantities of poison gas and munitions.

A GERMAN REPORT. Received Feb. 20, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, Feb. 10. A German communique says: The British again attempted to recapture the position south-east of Ypres, but were repulsed with heavy losses. FRENCH SUCCESSES. Beceived Feb. 20, 5.5 p.m. Pari?, Feb. 10. A communique states that in the Artois region, northward of Hill 140, we exploded a mine and seriously damaged a German trench. Another mine caused a huge crater between two trenches, and we occupied the southern edge. The German attempt to dislodge us was stopped dead by our fire. Our artillery, co-operating with the British ssutb of Frise, Taised a curtain of fire that rendered abortive the enemy's attack that was in preparation. The enemy, after an intense bombardment in upper Alsace, launched an attack- north of Largitzen and temporarily gained a footing in »ur trenches. A counter-attack immediately expelled them.

COMMANDER'S REPORTReceived Feb. 20, 5.5 p.m. London. Feb. 19. General Sir Douglas Hai,? reports that the artillery genrriUy i; active on both sides on the Ypres front. We bombarded the enemy position north of the La Bassee canal. GERMAN OFFENSIVE. '"aLLING TO PIECES. Paris, Feb. IS. XI. Marcel Rutin, in the Echo de Paris says : ''We have already regained several sections oE the COO yards of captured trenches. The British had been expecting an attempt to break through to Calais for some time, as the Germans were being largely reinforced and thousands of tons of munitions were being p:ovided. Seeing that only a few trenches were captured, while heavy losses were incurred, the offensive was virtually equivalent t» a failure." •M. Hutin adds that it is repoited tliat the Crown Prince has been promoted to be commander-in-chief in the Argonne, L»rraine, and Alsace, and is contemplating another attempt to capture Verdun.