MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

THE RECENT AIR RAID. three gothas downed. Wellington, Aug. 24. The High Commissioner reports, under date London, August 23, 3 p.m.:— The Admiralty,' in -%m<plifying Lord Fre::sh'-i report, ftates that in addition to two Gothns brought down, a third Ws brought by our naval machines close at lAe const. Later Dunkirk reports state that another of our patrols engaged during the flight 25 enemy escorting- scouts. Five of tho enemy aircraft were Brought cown and probably more. M our machines returned safely. London, Aug. 23. The Press Bureau states that the total casualties Jm yesterday's aeroplane raid on Ramsavte and Dover were la killed and W5 injured. THE GENERAL SITUATION. A TOPEFUL VT3W. Received Aug. 24, 10 p.m. London, Aug. 24. General Mauriii states, that the recent British advances were a.ll eaarled ■out according to programme. The mud rendered the Langemarck advance unexpectedly difficult. Recent German reinforcements numbered twice ours, tat, owing to their losses and exhaustion, we are now right into Lens, south-west and. ftorth-west. J'h.. Italian great battle is proceeding satiaiai'tory. and there is a possibility of Very great and important consequences. liussia is making a stand south-west without present signs of :being fewed back. The prospect altogether is more hopeful. 'Che Germans claim that between tho l';.'th -julv and 18th August they captured (il.lHKf. 'J his is not surprising, for tho Russians are withdrawing in a state of mutiny, and only half of the'm are fight-* ing. Against those figures, the Allies have in three days taken 25,000, and in the .past twenty days ;i2,o©G. To maintain the peoplo's confidence, tho German communiques contain more and more fiction. 'i-Rcar railway traffic and rolling-stock are breaking down; coal is getting' short, and the public are beginning to feel tho pincii, and the tone of thek papers shows many anxieties. SENTENCE ON A PACIFIST. London, Aug. 23. Jolm P. F. Fletcher, formerly a pacifistiu Australia, and Ntsw Zealand, has been sentenced to two years' hard tabor for refusing to handle a rifle.