BRITISH CONFIDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1917, Page 5

BRITISH CONFIDENCE.

■PERFECT ARTILLERY ORGANISATION. London, Oct. 7. Mr. Murdoch. writing from lu>atl(jnart«rs, an vh Ihat heavy fighting continues, but tho British liavo evorvwhero soliditied their position and await counter-at-tacks "\vitb confidence, Rain lias changed the battlefield into a vast sea. of imuldy ponds, bringing sore trouble to both sides, especially to ours, owing to the dillicnlty of oomunmicMion over the three miles of the eon(jiiired shell-hole zone. Our artillery organisation has reached such perfection that numerals heavy hateries fire at the identical moment at the same locality with awful demoralising and death-deai-iiijj; effect. The Germans generally fought gamely, but the attackers' dash on top of the barrage prevented in most eases the ma-chine-gunner* getting their guns f rom the redoubts in, time to fight. As the result of their preparations for an attack many thousands of Hermans were caught ill the trenches a»d shell holes, and remained throughout the barrage. The survivors fouzht to tile end. ENEMY ATTEMPT BROKEN. HEAVY -BARRAGE ON NEW FRONT. Aus. and X.7.. Cable Assoc. and Rcut-er. Received Oct. S, 7.30 p.m. London, Oct. S. The weather has been stormy, with heavy rain all day. An attempted enemy advance southward of Reutel was broken by our fire. The enemy, at dusk, heavily barraged the greater part of the front between Broodseinde and Zonnebeke, but no infantry actions followed. Our aviators eyntinuo bombing raids, despite the weather. GERMANS SQUIRMING AT LOSSES. THE LIE FACTORY AT WORK. TO ALLAY UNEASINESS.

United Service. Received Oct. 8, 3.5 p.m. London, Oct. 7. The German General Stall', in a communique, mtikes an attempt to allay German uneasiness by stating that there is a movement in Britain against tin; bloodiness of Sir Douglas war methods, as the result of a protest from Australia and New Zealand against the 'heavy losses of the Anzius in the recent fighting. The mitigating of the severity of the Flanders warfare, therefore, is to bo expected. To this the reply is that no such movement exists, that the Anzac looses are not disproportionate, and that complaints do not exist. ON THE FRENCH FRONT. VIOLENT ARTILLERY DUEL.

Alls, and N.Z. C:ible Assoc. and Router. Received Oct. !), 12j0 a.m London, Oct 8. A French communique states: There were 110 infantry attacks to-day, The artillery duel was sometimes violent in Belgium, on the Aisne and the right bank of the Meuse. WHAT THE GERMANS SAY. London, Oct. 7. A wireless German official report states: There is continuous destructive fire between Poelcapelle and Zandvoorde. Photographs show the great destruction at Dunkirk consequent on our air raids. FRENCH REPULSE RAIDERS. London, Oct. 7. A French communique states: There was artillery duelling in the Vauxaillon, Lali'aux and Hurt'ebise sector and on the left bank of the Meuse, notably north of Hill 3-14 and towards Bezonvaux. We repulsed a powerful raid against Navarin Farm, in Champagne. LENS TO BE EVACUATED. New York. Oct. 7. The Geneva correspondent of the New York Times reports that the German?, as the result of Tiritish victories in Flanders, are preparing to evacuate Lens, [which has lost importance as e strategical point. Uindenburg wilP take this step shortly. DEPUTY,.TRADING WITH ENEMY. Paris, Oct. 7. After evidence, the magistrate, ordered M. Tunnel's arrest. The prosecutor said that M. Turmol had given contradictory explanations of the £IOOO in Swiss banknotes found inliis cupboard at the Chamber of Deputies. It is understood he will be charged with trading with the enemy. FORCED LABOR ON DEFENCES. Amsterdam, Oct. 7. The populations of Konlers, Menin, Warneton anil Lens have been forced to labor on German defence works.