MESOPOTAMIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1917, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA.

BRITISH SUCCESSES. ■ COKTEOL OP MOUTH OF THE HAI SECURED. London, Feb. 5. A Mesopotamia official message says that on the night of Friday the cavalry readied a point on the right bank of. the Tigris, 25 miles east of Kwt el Amaru mill opposite the Turkish advanced base. On Saturday, west of the Jlai and the Tigris junction, we captured three successive lines of trenches with a (150 yards flout and to a depth of 400 yards, indicting heavy losses. We now control the. mouth of the 1-lai opposite Kut el Amaru. A TURKISH REPORT. London, February 4. A Turkish communique asserts that the British assault, cabled on the 3rd, suffered the heaviest losses hitherto sustained in Mesopotamia, 2000 being killed. WESTERN ATTACK. ANOTHER BRITISH ADVANCE. COUNTER ATTACKS REPULSED. FREM'H BOMB GERMAN WORKS. London, February 5. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports:—We. drove oil' an attack <at Rancourt, and advanced slightly westward of Le Tronsloy. Wo pushed forward eastward of Beaucourt last night on a front of three-quarters, of a, mile to a depth of 500 yards. We heavily repulsed two counter-attacks on Sunday, and twice entered the German trendies south-east of Souchez and bombed, the dug-outs. A French communique states:—Cerman works in various parts were effectively bombed, notably the sector Hill 304. ENEMY REPULSED BY FRENCH. I AIR RAID IN GERMANY. London, Feb. 5. A French communique says: An enemy coup-de-main in the regiou of Barleux, south of the Somme, was repulsed. We made several raids on the enemy's lines and Chambrettes Farm, near Verdui:, and north of Pont-a-Mousson. A French air squadron bombed the aerodrome at Colmar, Alsace, military factories at Rombach, and railway stations at, Chauny, Ham and Appilly.

BRITISH ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. Paris, February, 4. La Liberte states that artillery activity is now extended along tlie whole of the British front. SUCCESSFUL AIR RAIDS. London, February 4. A French communique states:—Our aeroplanes heavily bombarded cantonments and railways at Appily and Termers and munition works at Thionville. CIVILIAN MOBILISATION'. v Paris, February 4. Tiie Government is considering a Bill to mobilise all civilians between* It! and 00. .' .A GERMAN REPORT. London, February 4. A German official' report says: —English attacks northward of Beaucourt broke down, but detachments penetrated our front trenches near the north bank of the Ancre. SPAIN TAKES OVER BELGIAN RELIEF. Paris, ?eb. u. Mr. Harp, the American Ambassador, understands that the United States lias arranged with the Spanish Government to take over the provisioning of invaded Belgium when America discontinues the work. THE INVINCIBLE itUN. London. Feb. 7i, A German official message says: An attack against the English regained the greater part of the lost trenches east of Beaucourt. A strong English attack north of Beaucourt failed. Strong enemy forces repeatedly assaulted from the east of Grandeourt to the south of Pys. Fighting is proceeding on the road from Beaucourt to Gundeeourt. . GREECE. ~ RAISING THE BLOCKADE. Athens, February -1. Sir Francis Elliott and M. Guilleniau conferred with the Foreign Minister and permitted maize to be landed. The European ,mail has been delivered) and this is regarded as the beginning of the raising of the blockade. SURRENDER OF ARMS ORDERED. Athens, Feb. 5. The Minister of War has ordered persons to surrender arms used by the Greek or any other army. Heavy penalties will be imposed for non-complianeq.