WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

GENERALISSIMO FOR THE WEST. FAVORED BY AMERICA. PROHIBITIVE POLITICAL REASONS. i London, Feb. 3. The O'/wrver's military correspondent States' that the British General Staff and higher command recognise the value of the Versailles (fouiicil, with which they are working 'harmoniously. M. Clnmeneeau and the majority of French [strategists favor the appointment of a generalissimo for the West front, but there has not yet been an official proposal for audi an appointment. It is understood that America supports French opinion, lvut is unlikely to come to a definite decision without further experience. It is generally agreed that there are prohibitive politic ;'! reasons-against an inter-allied commander. CIRCULATING WILSON'S SPEECH. BEHIND GERMAN LINES. London, Feb. 3. British aviators dropped many copies of President Wilson's speech behind the German lines. There is growing indignation over the sentences imposed on Seholtze and Woolltv,

STRENGTH OF GERMAN FORCES. i FORMIDABLE NUMBERS. New York, Feb. 3. The United Press correspondent on ,th<? French front states that- the German strength on the West front is 180 to 100 divisions, comprising 115 in the trenches and the balance in reserve. These forces are ready for the German offensive. • The armistice with Russia has enabled the Germans to increase iheir forces on the West from from 115 divisions. Germany now has CO divisions on the Russian front, consisting mainly of worn-out and decimated units. (Putting a division at 20,000 this would mean that the Germans have nearly four million men on the West front. The Germans have, it is said, reduced divisions to 12,000, which would give something under '2J millions of men.) ENEMY ARTILLERY ACTIVE. London, Feb. 3. Sir Douglas Haig reports that hostile artillery is active at Epehy and Ypres. AEROPLANES ATTACK. Received Feb. 4, 8.35 p.m. .London, Feb. 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We drove off raiders with loss east of Polygon Wood. Hostile artillery is active south-east of Ephey, in the neighborhood of Arras— Cambrai road, and south of Armentieres —Ypres sector. Aeroplanes dropped four tons upon various targets, including the railway station at Valenciennes, and bombed the enemy's aerodromes and billets yesternight. We downed ten enemy machines. I One of ours is missing. j ENEMY COUPS FAIL. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Feb, 4, 7.19 p.m. London, Feb. 3. A French communique reports marked reciprocal artillerying north of the Aisnc. 1 Enemy coups-de-main south of Lombartzyde, north of Hill 344, north of Bures I Lorraine and the Rhone—Rhine cana l ., and in the region of Alsace, failed. A RAID REPULSED. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Feb. 4, 7.40 p.m. London, Feb. 3. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We repulsed a rak'. at Poeleapelle, and carried out a successful raid southward of Lens. There has been hostile artillerying at Lavacquerie, southward of Lens.