THE WAR GENERAL FOCH'S APPOINTMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1918, Page 8

THE WAR

GENERAL FOCH'S APPOINTMENT.

I STATEMENT BY AIR. BONAR LAW.

MUNITIONS PRODUCTION. Reuter Service. Received April 13, 5.5 p.m. London, April 12. In the House of Commons, Mr. Bonar Law, replying to a question regarding Oeneral Koch, said the Versailles Council, so far as working out plans and details was concerned, was still going on. General Foeh, who, as chairman of the council, had been necessarily taken up with other work, was appointed With the full approval not merely of the Governments, hut of the generals concerned ivith the direct strategy of both armies. He was exercising the powers of generalissimo and directing strategy in the present battle. Mr. Kellaway (Parliamentary Secretary for Munitions) outlined the progress in the production of munitions. The increase in the first two months of 1918 compared with last year amounted in light guns to 30 per cent., medium guns to 57 per cent., heavy guns to 38 per cent., machine-guns to 06 per cent., shells to 83 per cent., tanks to 39 per cent., aeroplanes to 223 per cent. The average weekly production of aeroplanes in 1918 equalled the average production for two months of 1915, while one week's production of machine-guns equalled five months' in 1915. Over 100,000 men wore released for the army in 1917. The army was as well equipped to-day as when the German offensive began.

All the guns lost had been replaced. We were now actually stronger in ma-chine-guns than at the beginning of the battle, and nearly as strong, if not stronger, in tanks, those lost being replaced hy a superior model.