ZEEBRUGGE RAIDED

Taranaki Daily News, 22 March 1916, Page 5

ZEEBRUGGE RAIDED

RUMANIA BUSY PREPARING HOLLAND WANTS AN EXPLANATION By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.

IN n TELE WEST. - THE VERDUN BATTLE. 7 | ATTACK WANING. . Paris, March 20. .'A communique states that the Germans, westward of the Meuse, violently bombarded the region southward of Ualanßoart. A small German attack (istward of the Meuse against Pepper • Bill completely failed. Fifteen French aeroplanes successfully co-operated wiik Anglo-Belgians at 4 in the morning in bombinfc the aviation ground at Houliade. .The press is convinced that the- GeriuA strength ig steadily diminishing «K caimot repeat the fur/ of the first attack at 'Verdun. A semi-official bote says t|mt successive Waves of-assault, at leist a division Itronjf, assailed Mort Homme, but could not gate a footing on the hill. The fepvements of tvoops suggest that an at•yt*6k on the French right sing is impending, bl! t every day is bVing utilised tfi strengthen the positions. , ' JAN ATTACK REPULSED. 'yf,. Received March 21, 9.15 p.m. ' Paris, March 21. A communique, states: Our artillery a* Haute Ohevauehoe destroyed the German reservoirs, releasing clouds of sulphurous gas. A fresh German division, using flaming liquids, attempted to cx- . tend their front west of the Meuse, be- / Wwn AVoncourt and Melancourt, but W 'RUte broke up the attack, inflicting wavy lo«*es. • r -

terrible bleeding. Germany must be literally bled to death. She could not force our line a year ago, when she was relatively far stronger than Blie is today. She cannot do it now. Verdun will stand. It will be saved by its defending lines of trenches just as Ypres is saved, although Ypres is an open town without a single fort, and practically every brick in it has been powdered by German shells. And even if the French relinquished tl\£ site of Verdun the victory would now be an empty one, gained at appalling cost. WHY GERMAN ATTACK MUST FAIL. "Too much attention," continued Mr. Gullett, ''must not be given to the fact that a great attack, gains some ground. That is inevitable. Nothing can resist the prodigious flood of shells poured forth by either side, which results from a great concentration of artillery. The defence is smashed out of existence, and some country must be yielded. That has happened in every big fight. But it is of no real significance unless the breach goes clean through the whole of the first system of trenches in such strength and so quickly that the defending forces are . routed. The attack will fail if it is | arrested for even a few hours, no matter if it lias I'ooo,ooo men behind it. A few hours are sufficient to enable the defenders to complete the prepared reserve trnches, rush up the artillery fire to bear on the attacking force. As soon as the Germans at Verdun reached the territory from where they had shelled the French they came under tiie murderous annihilating fire of the French batteries. The French gunners would have every foot of that ground measured off, and, knowing the marvellous accuracy of the French artillerymen. I can imagine the delight with which they would hail the advent of the Germans, once it was clear that | the enemy had not succeeded in smasli- | ing right through in a few hours.

TO DEFEAT GERMAN MILITARISM. "The Verdun fight is just a repetition of every offensive by either side on the Western front. So far every single attack has been an unqualified failure. Few, very few, square miles of country are gained at a cost of so many gallant lives to the square yard. And in nearly every case the attacking side is rewarded with the possession of a hideous salient under precise measured fire from three sides, and a salient is a graveyard ever » filling with the dead of its defenders. The Allies ask nothing better tliau that the Germans will continue their Verdun attacks, and so hasten the arrival of the day when German militarism will be finished. Yea, there is possibly some association between the Verdun offensive and the Kaiser's health and the desirabilty of the Crown Prince retrieving his unfortunate reputation as martial heir-apparent. Where real military genius has failed so signally as it has against the' Western trenches we should not be in much danger from this cheerful, callous, Hohenzollern nonentity." ALLIES' GROWING ADVANTAGE. "If you arc so impresseed by the strength of the defensive on both sides, when do you think the war will end?" "Not for a long time yet," replied Mr. Gullett, promptly. "The Allies to-day unquestionably have a substantial and growing advantage in all the essentials of victory. But our advantage is not yet nearly great enough to carry us through, nor do I think we can get enough men and artillery ar.d munitions into the field to win the war until Germany is bled of much of the strength she still retains. In 1914 we hoped to win in the summer of 1915. Last year , we talked of victory this year. Soon, 1 ' expect, you will hear talk of our inevitable victory next year. * FRANCE'S SELF-SAORIFICE. "The war can have but one coneluson. We and our allies dare let it have no other. Our greatest weapon is time. We must try to look upon the struggle in the spirit of France. I was in Paris and with the French armies about Christmastime, and the spirit of the Republic and the magnificent efficiency of her army are profoundly impressive. The French people, men and women, take a solemn religious view that destiny has called upon the present generation for an unreserved self-sacrifice for the safety, honor, and glory, and the future of France. Nothing matters but France and her salvation. The length of the war is nothing. The cost in young life and worldly possessions is nothing. All that counts is that France must beat Germany, and ensure he* own entity and future. France opened the war nervously, 'nut now she is fighting grandly. The generalship of her leaders is the admiration of all Europe." . i

* AT VERDUN. ' > NO RftmSH FORCES ENGAGED. '*£} / ~ ■ Received March 21, 11.15 p.m. Paris, March 21. It is definitely confirmed that no British, Australians, -nor Canadians were fighting *t Verdun. ■f, ' ———— VIVE L' ENTENTE! , •* ') COMMANDERS EXCHANGE • MESSAGES. V ' Receive! March 21, 9.15 p.m. ; > . London, March 21. Geneife] Sir Douglas Haig telegraphed Jp General Joffre: "While deploring the IOM ol gallant Frenchmen in the great battle, army desires to assure _ you of their admiration of the performances of the French armv it Verdun, where Germany has chosen to break her strength in vain against , the unconquerable soldiers of France." General Joffre replied: "The French arjny is confident that it will obtain re•Milts from which all the Allies will reap advantage. It remembers that the rectal call upon the comradeship of the Irtish army met with an immediate and complete '.response. , SQUANDERING MEN. . ENEMY'S WALL OF BABYLON. - Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received March 21, 5.5 p.m. London, March 20. The Times correspondent at Paris report*. that the enemy continue# to equandcr men in further attempts to penetrate the French position in the neighborhood of Vaux, • and that these isolated attacks are difficult to reconcile with any comprehensive plan. , VERDUN WILL STAND. WHAT AN OFFENSIVE MEANS. - (BLEEDING GERMANY TO DEATH. JtfAR CORRESPONDENTS VIEW, . In the opinion of Mr. H. S. Gullett, wio during the past year was official Australian correspondent with the BritUh and French armies on the Western frost, and who has returned to Australia, ,V«dun will stand. Interviewed at Adelaide, he sad:— *Tlm great German push will be looked Upon By the French and British leaders M an unqualified piece of good fortune. Gernumy, although undoubtedly declining, js declining slowly. She is still full ■igf fight. Hie war must be won upon the Western front. Before we can advance, "Oaaqaff mjßt J>e ra&fegted to further