LATE WAR NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1916, Page 6

LATE WAR NEWS.

' (From' Australian Files). ■ MORE V.C.'s AWARDED. CAPTAIN AND PRIVATES. London, April 3. Tlie King has awarded the Victoria Cross to Captain Arthur Kirby, of -the South Staffordshire Regiment,' who led his men up to enemy wire entanglements under heavy machine-gun fire and amid showers of bombs. He was shot down and had a foot blown pff, but the captain continued to cheer his men on, and also used his rifle. He has been reported missing, and, it is presumed, has been killed. The honor has also been conferred on Temperary-Lieutenant Erie MeNair, of the Royal Sussex Regiment, *ho saved the day by leading up reinforcements to open ground under heavy fire. Another recipient is Sergeant Arthur Sanders, of the SufTold Regiment, who took charge of two machine-guns, though wounded, and remained while his battalion retired. . / Lance-Corporal Cotter', of the East Kent Regiment, has been granted the award. With his right leg blown oft" and wounds in both arms, he went fiO yards to a mine-crater, steadied the men who were holding the position, and stayed with them for two hours. Private Kenny, of tlie Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, has been given the Victoria Cross for rescuing six men, on different occasions, under heavy fire. Private William Young, of 'the East Lancashire Regiment, had hoth jaws shattered and a wounded chest, but nevertheless continued on his errand of rescue of another soldier, eventually bringing him in.

CARSON IN OPPOSITION, SACRIFICING HIS PRACTICE. London, April 4. Sir Edward Carson is definitely- regarded as an Opposition member, and it w not expected that he will re-enter the Government. He is still physically weak, and the doctors have warned him to take things easily. He is sacrificing his practice for his (Parliamentary duties. WAITING FOR FINE M'EATHER. MINES IN GULF OF RIGA. London, April 3. Pctrograd messages state that correspondents on the Russian front agree tjtat the period of mud and slush will terminate in a week, A most critical period will be when the ice breaks up in the Gulf of Riga, because the Germans think that their drifting mines will destroy or hamper Allied submarines. FRENCH AIRMAN'S FEAT. MAKING WORLD'S RECORDS. London. April 3. Tim French aviator, M. Poiree, who is attached to the Russian Army, and who has been visiting France to test a new machine, rose 12,000 ft with three passengers, 12,000 ft with four, and 9000 ft with five. The. two latter performances are world's records. GENERAL MAHON IN ATHENS. AUDIENCE WITH THE KING. London, March 31. The London Times' correspondent at Athens states that General Bryan Mahon, commanding the British forces at Salonika, arrived this morning. He expects to have an audience with the King. TORPEDOING OF THE SUSSEX. PROFESSOR BALDWIN'S STORY. London, April 4. The iParis Matin publishes, Professor Baldwin's story of the torpedoing of the Sussex. He says:— '•I was with my wife in the afterpart of the Sussex. There was a terrible shock, followed by an explosion We were knocked down. I ,vas not injured, but my wife was' cruised. "We rushed forward to seek our daughter. I put my wife into one of tin' .boats, and seizing bold of a rope, followed her. Imagine our joy on finding our daughted, lying in the boat! She was insensible, having been injured about the head. Subsequently we returned to the Sussex."

Captain Mouffet. who was suiTerinjr from injuries to the head and knee, said in the course ot an interview that he saw the torpedo when it was 200 yards away. He was.certain that the ship would float after lie had made an examination of it; and hogged everybody to remain on hoard. Had they' done so there would have been no fatalities, except those who were killed by the explosion. SINKING OF THE LIS. OFFICER AND HIS BKTDIS. London, April 4. When the LIS, th o Zeppelin recently sunk off the English coast, became seriously damaged, the commander tried to turn her liack towards home, but-she gradually fell. For half an hom the Zeppelin retained her buoyanc>, and then the framework began to collapse, and her altitude lessened, until she was riding in the sea. The crew discarded their clothing and all the weighty objects on board, but thi! Zeppelin's back was broken. I Sn officer named Kune told the rescuers that he had been married only eight days, and asked them to send a message to his young wife telling her that he was safe. DARING BRITISH AIRMAN". FLIGHT OVER FOE'S LINES. London, April 3. The correspondent of the London Times at British headquarters on the western front states that a British aeroplane 'recently crossed the enemy trenches at a height of between 1000 ft and 2000 ft. The flying man's daring drew a perfect hailstorm of enemy shells. The pilot disregarded the fusillade and circled around the enemy trenches, lingering over hostile territory for 10 minutes at a height never greater than 2000 ft. Returning home, he was greeted with a storm of cheers fer his gallantry,' "

EFFECTS OF THE BLOCKADE. MUCH ALREADY DONE. London, April 31. Lord Robert Cecil. Parliamentary Un-der-Secretary to the Foreign Office, slated, when interviewed by tlie Paris newspaper, Petit Journal. Unit tin. object of the blockade policy was to destroy German commerce and cut oil supplies absolutely. Much had already been done. Exports had been suppressed. Germany's credit was rapidly falling, and a great portion of her imports had been stopped. She was able to obtain supplies from neutrals only, but it was not possible completely to suppress imports because there would always be a "pertain amount of coastal traffic which it would he difficult to intercept. The high prices Germany '-offered, however, showed the effectiveness of the blockade STRIVING FOR PEACE. TURKEY TRIES AGAIN. London, April 3. Mr. Hamilton* Fyfe, correspondent of the Daily Mail in Russia, writes:—'! have been authentically informed (hat the Turks have made another effort to secure a separate peace. The Sultan's representatives in neutral States tried to induce Britain to enter into formal negotiations. The British Government and the other Allied Powers immediately and decisively refused."

HUNTING THE ENEMY. MEDITERRANEX SEARCHERS. London, March 31. Mr. .Teft'eries, the London Daily Mail's correspondent in the states that naval activity in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is marked. It includes submarine hunting and landings on the shore to search for patrols, and stores; also the examination of Austrian and German ships in the harbor. Several er.emy captains have been arrested.

PARIS CONFERENCE. ■ALLIES IX AGREEMENT. London, April 4. A Paris message states that the Matin quotes a participant in the AI1ih;I Conference as describing the gathering as quite unusual. "I have seen many conferences of statesmen an* diplomats,*' said the d"i>'Sate, "and usually one's impression is that each representative is carefully watching for an opportunity to turn to his own account the mistakes and weaknesses of the other delegates so as to obtain the maximum advantage for the Power he represents. There is nothing of that in the present conference. One breath of high purpose and resolve seei'i to pass over the historic assembly, and to touch us all deeply.

'•We felt at every moment that the work ifoi humanity was far greater than any national aspiration. This guided us towards a single end. The. image of the enemy we rnnr-.t reduce was ever before our eyes, and the ab-n----lute necessity for union and the making of sacrifices was echoed in every word. There is, indeed, in this conference an unforgettable grandeur for those having the honor to share in its deliberations." After the conference M. Briand, the French Premier, thanked the de'iegatefor their co-operation. He f.vd u tribute of admiration to the Allied soldiers, who, he said, were fighting heroically for the triumph of liberty and right. The conference endorsed these sentiments, all present bearing witness to absolute confidence in eventual victory.

M. Briaml also referred in term? of Ucen appreciation and praise to the easy settlement of tlie questions that had come up for discussion. Tlicy had deliberated, lie said, with happy results, and the first Allied Conference was a sure witness of usefulness. If new questions arose, necessitating further discussion, he certainly thought that the best way would he to meet again. Signor Tittoni. the Italian Ambassador in Paris, thanked Franc* for taking the initiative regarding the conference, and said the results could not fail to have a happy influence on the conclusion" of the war. fle also expressed gratitude to M. Briand, whose authoritative direction of the deliberations of the delegates had, he said, gained unanimous admiration and esteem. if. Briand returned thanks, and rendered homage to the lofty spirit that the delegates had adopted in the studying and settling of the important questions submitted. Signor Salandra, Premier of Italy, stated in an interview that he was >'itisfietl with the iParis conference, fl-liieli arrived at valuable concrete cmieltisions. Italv was in the fullest aceoH with the Allies, and was subscribing to a general future economic pact.