AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 July 1917, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

OFFICIAL REPORT. SEVERE FIGHTING IN RIGA PROVINCES. Received July 25, 3.5 p.m. London, July 24. A wireless German ollicial " report states: There is an incessant artillery duel in l 1 landers of unprecedented intensity, and the enemies' thrusts are increasing. The French re-attacked unsuccessfully at Chemin des Dailies. We have repulsed twenty-une French attacks during the pact "few days and have ■ penetrated Courierea wood, where 'We inI dieted heavy losses. 1 There has been bitter fighting in our favor over the whole East trout, from the Baltic to the Black Sea. The Russians twice vainly attacked on a wide front near Jacobstadt, and nix Russian divisions five times attacked south went of Dvinsk, where, after tough hand-to-j hand fighting, the Russians withdrew : ■with terrible losses. Renewed Russian attacks failed on a wide front at Krevo, which we again hold. Eight Russian divisions attacked soutkvards of .Smorgon, but only the remnants returned. The strategical effect of our operation in east Galkia is becoming powerful, and the enemy is retreating from the northern Carpathian frontier. Pressing forward on a front of 250 kilometres from the Sereth to the wooded Carpathian*. we forced a crossing of the Sereth, south-vest of Tarncpol, and repulsed ! desperate Russian mass attacks. Near ' PrnnboTla we advanced beyond Pohetjee and Solotwinska. The booty 1.j.5 J cot yet beeu ascertained. .Several division* report having captured three thousand prisoners each. We have also captured many heavy guns and railway trurks filled with foodstuffs, .proving 'the n • my'a precipitate retreat. The Archduke Joseph's north wing joined in the movement. The Ruseo-liovimanian3 attempted to advance on a wide sector, between the Trotus and Putna valley, but were driven back. Fresh fights have developed. General von Mackensen broke down the Russo-Roumanians' attack along the Putna to the Sereth.

COUNTER STROKE TO ALLIES. PROJECTED MID-EUROPEAN ALLIANCE.

Received July 25, 9.10 p.m. Amsterdam. July 24. A series of conferences have begun ct Vienna, headed by Austro -German Ainbasadors. with the object of constituting a middle-European alliance, including Bulgaria and Turkey, on the lines of the Allies' Paris Conference resolutions.

Amsterdam, July 24. The eijport of coal from Germany to Holland has been stopped. A scries of economic conferences have begun at Vienna between German, Austrian, and Hungarian delegates to devise m isures with the assistance of Turkey and Bulgaria to oppose t'ac Entente's Paris economic scheme. The conferences are regarded as tiie first step towards the creation of Middle Europe.