BRITISH BET PEACE WILL COME IN 1918.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1918, Page 5

BRITISH BET PEACE WILL COME IN 1918.

COLONEL OFFERS 3 TO 1 WAR WILL END NEXT MONTH. They're betting in London ones more on the dates \for the war to end. It is a great game at the clubs. Some of the wagers are rather alarming. "I'll lay you three to one that the war will end bv April," declared a colonel, who ha s seen a lot of service "out there." He was submerged with takers inside two minutes: and he kept his nerve* and booked 'em all. "Looks to me like robbing you; but if I don't take it somebody else will,'' observed one civil servant, booking an arrangement that involves f 10. "Don't worry," replied the military man, confidently; "I know things that I can't (ell you; but I'll win." Tho optimists—those who expect a comparatively early end, and are sure that it will bo marked by a military victory—are commonly tha soldier#, "Some time in 1919" is the favorite formula. It is so generally accepted, in fact, that one must give long odds and find somebody with a particularly insistent. theory in order to find takers on this proposition. Two to one was recently 'bet against peace by July of this year. In a sweepstakes in a big club, where people ought to lie pretty well informed, even money was offered n considerable sums, and taken, that there will be a cessation of hostilities in December next. In fact, the theory of peace coming in the weeks immediately before Christmas gains support all the time. The people who have paid big losings because that theory proved inapplicable in 1!)17 are setting out to recoup themselves by making new bets for 1918 as the year. Four to one was bet against in three months from January 10. The people who make "analytical dope" generally figure that peace will either come in late spring—just when Germany runs out of food —or else immediately before Christmas, as the Kaiser's "Christmas gift to the world."

OFFICIAL REPORTS.

THE OPERATIONS DETAILED. ENEMY'S OBJECT DEFEATM By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. • His Excellency the Governor-General has received the following telegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated London, April 13, 1018: Ofliuial news of operations for the week ending April 11. The fighting for Amiens and the railway to St. Just resulted in very little change, the chief alteration on. this front being further east, where the French re- . tired from an awkward salient south l [ward of La Fere made by the old end' of the new lines, but north of Arras the enemy advanced appreciably. On April 8 a violent bombardment of our line between La Bassee and Armentieres seemed to indicate an attack/ but it did not develop. On April 9/ however, an attack was launched on a 15,000 yards front, aiming at the Portuguese division in the centre with a British division on either side. The wings at Givenchy and! Fleurbaix held; but the enemy, assisted by a thick mist, forced his way through the centre and penetrated beyond the Rivers Lys and La we. Givenchy was taken on April 10, and later retaken by the 55th Division, with 750 German prisoners. A further attack, was inade north of Armentieres, between a point east of that town and Garde Dieu, north, of Messines.

■On the Messincs front the enemy was checked, but further south he penetrated the British lines, capturing Ploegsteert Wood. Salients, therefore, were driven in on both flanks of Armentieres, which made the retention of that ruined town' inadvisable, so a withdrawal to conform with the line north and south was ordered, resulting in one large salient, approximately 20' miles long and four deep. To destroy the British Army is clearly his aim, but he failed to separate the artnies of the Allies, and failed to take Ainiens, while the solid wall of the Arras front made it imperative for him to find a weaker spot. ! Vimy is the stronghold whieh more than any other blocks his way west, and since Arras holds firm, he has tried to win his way to the rear of the Vimy Ridge, through Givenchy, thence to Bethune. s.

Although there was no sign of the) Cessation of the enemy's offensive againsti Amiens, which he renewed in due course,! it is clear his main effort was checked,! and his second effort, north of the Somme, defeated. His fierce, though brief, attack south of the Somme was also com-i pletely repulsed. He is now diverting attention from the main front, to which he will ultimately return' with all the force available.

The rapid rotation of the enemy's derisions is calculated to allow him to keep in reserve a greater number of fresh ones. The more quickly he can reform* them, the more, temporarily, he has available. Such a system obviously has drawbacks, and can only be carried out for a limited time. It,is one more sign of Germany's determination, to win the war in this battle, and risk all jn doing so. The destruction of the British Army is his object. There is, therefore, satisfaction in noting that, so far/ the destruction of his own army has proceeded more rapidly.

Though the situation is still serious, to i British Army has been attacked by double its number of enemy divisions, supported by an enormous masß o£ men and artillery of all natures. In these circumstances it is not surprising that the enemy gained an undeniable success,] but at a great price.

ON OTHER FRONTS. On the other fronts there have been no operations of importance. In Italy an attack is expected to develop in due'course, and will, no doubt, coincide as nearly as possible with the maximum German pressure in France and Flanders. In Palestine, Kerak, east of the Dead Sea, was occupied by the Arabs. A successful raid on the Hedjaz railway was magnified into an enemy victory; nevertheless, the British made further advances on a five-mile front, capturing villages. AERIAL OPERATION'S. There lias been less activity in the air this week on the Western front, owing to the broken weather. Raids on hostile troops have been productive of satisfactory results. Air fighting has been less intense owing to the unfavorable state of the weather, but scouts have engaged the enemy on every possible occasion, bringing down S3 and driving down 31 hostile machines out of control. Luxembourg has again been raided, and a ton of bombs dropped. In Palestine our aircraft successfully co-operated in operations against the Hedjaz railway, bombing an important station on the Amman railway, and destroying trains and other important enemy material.

In Home waters, in the Adriatic, Aegean and Mediterranean, seaplanes and airships continue successful co-operation with the naval forces on an ever-increas-ing scale.

' GERMAN ACCOUNT. ■SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS CLAIMED. Beceived April 16. 9.5 p.m. _ London, April 15 (12.25 a.m.J. German official: On the battlefield of Lys we gained ground. We penetrated the enemy position south-west of Wulverghem. We stormed and captured Nieuwekerke, after a desperate struggle with the English counter-attacking troops. eli We took .possession of the height westward of iVieuwekerke. Fighting took place with variable results near Bailleul. We captured Merris and Vieuxberquin. Enemy forces pushing forward towards the battlefield sustained heavy losses. The attack by several French battalions aganst Hainvillers sanguinarily collapsed. Wc took many prisoners. We carried out a successful thrust against the Americans north of Mihiel, inflicting heaVy losses. We brought hack prisoners.

We shot down 37 enemy aeroplanes during the last few days.

SITUATION! LOCAL. - FRENCH RESERVES WIU, AlfflS#, 1 ' "*' tf* •' ' Received April 15, 5.5 p an. , Paris, April 14', ' M- Barres, writing in tlic Echo do Paris, warns the public aganst unduly , judging the situation, which is local, and adds: "French intervention ia ready, hut not yet manifested. Wiifci St.? is, we will se,o the news will be i&Lcli? better. General Foch possesses the abvor/ lute confidence of the armies and <pecpl»l who have entrusted their destinies to' hunt" THE AMERICAN POSITfQNS,, ATTACKED BY EHE Received sAprl IS, 10.30 pjii. > London, April 'W, ■ » The United Press correspondent on ttse ! American front says the Germans oil j Saturday made a terrific artflLay sgA gas shell attack, upon them, and fato • fierce assaults upon the American- poflfc*,/' tions in the Apremont Forest. nortib*3"i of Toul. ; The Americans repulsed all the attacks. The German casualties wece »**">*■' *•' than 300. » i*.'