THE WAR.
THE BATTLE IN THE WEST.
MAY EXTEND THROUGHOUT SUMMER
NAVAL OPERATION AT OSTEND AND ZEEBRUGGE.
INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF HAZARDOUS UNDERTAKING.
GERMANO-DUTCH AGREEMENT.
Franco-Gelgian Front.
LATEST CABLES. {THROTON REUNIRE'S AQINOY.') BRITISH FRONT. SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT.
Loxpos, April 23rd.
2.15 p.m Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, in a supplementary report, states: The nu ber of divisions, employed' against the British alone since the opening of the offensive on March 91st is already, 102, of which many have been used twice and thrice. In rexisting the heavy blows resulting from such concentration alli anks and arms of the Services have behaved with a gallantry, courage, and resolution for which no praise can be too high- Besides the Divisions already mentioned for conduct of outstanding gallantry many others have greatly dis. tinguished themselves, The Guards Division, after five days of heavy fight ang at Boiry-Becquerell, completely re pulsed attacks delivered in great strength on March 28th, and again on March 30th inflicting heavy lossen.
THE HONGKUNG DAILY PRESS,
The Thirty-fourth Division; after severe fighting in the neighbour. bood Cof Croisilies. at the com-
nenecment of the battle, took over the Armentieres acctor. It was in line on April 9th and maintained the positions intact on the first two days of the Lys battle, and when the enemy's advance on either Bank necessitated the evacuation of Armentieres it withdrew from the town on the night of April 10th deliberately and in good order. Since then it has been
en continuously engaged and has fought throughout with the greatest gallantry, yielding ground reluctantly and counter-attacking fre *quently,
The 42nd East Lancashire and 02nd
West Riding Divisions were in the fierce fighting at the end of March and early April around Buequoy and Ablainzeville, They beat off many attacks and contri- buted greatly to the successful mainten
ance of the line.
The
We dropped over 23 tons of bombs, on Thourout railway station, Medin, Arinen- tieres and Chaulnes, and on other targets. our low-fliers fired thousands of rounds. Enemy machines were out in great mumbers, hat they were not aggressive. We brought down 13 and drove down
x uncontrollable. Five of ours ard.
missing.
The pilot of one of the enemy machines brought down was Baron Richthofen.
Our night fliers dropped 8 tons of bombs on Peronne, Armentieres?" and Bapaume, alsy on the railway junction at Chaulnes. All returned.
LATENT CABLES.
WE HOLD INITIATIVE,
LONDON, April 23rd. Renter's Correspondentat British Headquarters, telegraphing today, states:There was considerable gas shelling during the night at Poperinghe, Ypres and other places in the back areas of the northern battlefield. We appar- ently hold the initiative for the time being.
Attacking at night south of Avelluy Wood, on a front of a thousand cards, wo advanced our tine to an average depth of 260 yards, improving the post- tion, inflicting heavy casualties and capturing 30 prisoners,
BRAVE SOUTH AFRICANS.
LONDON, April 23rd.
0.35 p.m.
Referring to the South Africans fight ing at Messines, the Divisional General in congratulating them, said he could not find words adequate enough to what it had done,
THURSDAY, APRIL 25TH, 1918.
NO UNEASINESS EXISTS.
PARIS, April 3rd.
M Clemenscan has returned from the Front, He stated that the best proof) that no uneasiness existed was that the French soldiers were again receiving lease, which had been suspended since the Germadi
FARMER CABLES.
NOTHING UNUSUAL.
PARIS, April 23rd,
GERMANO DUTCH
MENT
AGREE
The submarines, which were filled with
explosives, were to be blown up against the pilowork, destroying or damaging
AMSTERDAM, April 23rd. the pilework connection in order to cut The Handelsblad, referring to the off the Mole from the shore.
* | Daily Telegraphi's statenient of Holland's situation, as cabled yesterday, soya, that At Ostend the operation was more Germano-Dutch agreement has been. simple. Two block-ships were to be reached regarding Dutch concessions the port. The difficulties of this part gravel and the transport of various neces- grom,fed and blown up at the entrance concerning the transit of sand and
of the undertaking – were considerably sities not intended militarily by rail increased by mist, rain and low visibility, | through Limburg, and a settlement - ro- and the consequent absence of effective garding the Rhing river traffic. aerial co-operation.
At Zeebrugge two blockships out of STRAINED RELATIONS. three attained their objectives and have The Daily Fewn learns that relations been sunk and blown up in the entrance between Germany and Holland are very to the canal, The third block ship strained, chiefly owing to the subject of ▲ communique states:There was grounded in the passage. A cer the sand and gravel situation, which is nothing except a somewhat lively artif sent unknown..
tain amount of damage, THE Pre-regarded with anxiety in obicial and
was donie by
diplomatic circles. lery action in the Montdidier-Noyon gunfire and torpedo attack upon it was runtoured last evening that enemy destroyers and other craft lying something of the muture of a German Begiven the 20th and 22nd inst. avenlongside the Mole. A coastal motor boat ultimatum had been delivered to Holland.
reports torpedoing an cnany' destroyer penge chemy aeroplanes and two captive bullons trying to escape to the gun, ALTERED CIRCUMSTANCES. were brought down. Sixteen were telled Uno of the two old submarines attained
THE HAGUE, April Sird in their own lines badly damaged, its objective and was blown up, the ex- Our machines dropped 40,000 kilo plosion destroying the piling leading to
· Vaderland' staves that the friction grammes of proj
projectiles on railway stathe Mole. Storming parties from the between Germany and Holland is due to tions, camps and aerodromes at 86 Quen Zindictive, Iris, and Daffodil in an at the former's desire to again transmit sand tin and elsewhere,
tack under extremely honvy fire, fought and gravel ptá Holland, alleging a right We caused fires at the railway stations most gallantly maintaining their posito do so. The Dutch Government ob at Chaulnes and Asfeld, and blew up antion alongside the Mole for an hour-jects, basing its attitude on the altered anumiinition dump cast of Guiscard.
(cheers) causing, it is believed, much circumstances. Naval Activities.
damage to the enemy and inflicting con Aiderable losses. The objectives of the etorming parties and the demolition parties on the hole were the enemy fortes bolding it. There was a battery, de atroyer and submarinė depots, and a large seaplane base upon it. The three vessels mentioned after reembarking the landing parties withdrew
Aerial Activities.
LATEST CABLES.
{THROUGH BEUTER'8 AGENCY, ]
DARING NAVAL OPERATION. ATTEMPT TO BLOCK UP GERMAN
SUBMARINE BASES:
LONDON, Apríl Ørd. 2.20 pm,
The Admiruity report:—A reid was made early this morning on the Ostend
and Zeebrugge destroyer and submarior
The forces are returning, but there is scanty information so far, B
It is stated the raid net with a reason able measure
thank the South African Brigade.
ce for force employed, except the cover
The Corps Commander wired I wishing ships, consisted of auxiliary vessels to express to the General of the South and six obsolete, cruisers, Five of the African Brigade and all his officers and cruisers were filled with concrete and men my appreciation of their wonderful used as blook-ships to run aground and, fighting spirit and most gallant doings in accordance with orifere, to be blown up in the great fight we have been having and abandoned by their crews, during the last three days against heavy odds
Army Commander wired If
The any unit can be picked out for excep tional praise, I should say it is the South African Brigade."
The South Africans are now out of line resting, a mere remnant of their former brigade.
The Fiftieth Division, though but re- cently withdrawn, in the week of con- tinuous fighting southwards of the This Division, with the Thirty-first and Somme, held up the enemy along the Lys Third Divisions on its right and left. line on April 9th and subsequent days, in the severe fighting on these and on and by a stubborn resistance at Estaires
SIGNIFICANT ENEMY SIGN. other occasions successfully resisted all and Merville checked the enemy's ad-
LONDON, April 22nd. the enemy's efforts to open out Duvance until the arrival of our reinforce-
10.30 pm. northern flank attack. Especially galments.
Reuter's Correspondent at British Headquarters, reporting to-day, states lant service was performed, also on
Third and Fourth AustraThe Germans continue massing troops March 28th, by the Fourth Division lian Divisions at Mericourt-l'Abbe and on the Bailleul-Neuve Eglise me, and north of and around Dernancourt nud morthward of the Scarpe, in assisting to Dernancourt, the New Zealanders at the south. Prisoners state that leave bronk up attacks launched for the rapturo Serre, had later the Fifth Australians will be resumed in the German Army early in May, which suggests the enemy of Arras and the Vimy Ridge. This southward of the Somme performed very | anticipates, a decision or abandonment
of the offensive by then. Division niso distinguished itself on the valuable and gallant services during
BATTLE MAY LAST THROUGH Lys battlefront on the night of April the latter stages of the German attack
SUMMER 14th-15th, when in eo ndmirably executed on the Somme. With their aid the counter-attack it took Riez-du-Vinage „onemy's progress was definitely checked, and 180 prisoners, and again, on April 18th, repulsing strong attacks south eastward of Robecq and capturing nearly 200 prisoners.
During the first two days of the enemy'a offensive southward of Arras the Twenty- first Division maintained the positions at
· Epchy -egainst all essouits and only
withdrew under orders, when the enemy's
drawn! Before withdrawing it inflicted grent loss on the enemy, and the German official reports acknowledge the bitterness
1
and by the vigour of their defence all attemps to continue his advance were repulsed, with very heavy losses.
EARLIER 'CABLES.
FOST CHANGES HANDS.
LONDON, April 22nd.
10.00 p.m.
LONDON, April 22nd.
2.16 p.m. The lull in the battle is not expected to last long. Despite the most inclement weather of wind and rain, the Germans are licking their hurts after their recent thrashings, and evidently do not mean to again attack until they are ready to do so on a great scale. They are being openly and enormously reinforced, but the Allica have also strengthened their forces, and it is not likely the German thrust will be more effective in achieving
LATEST CABLES.
(THROUGH REUTER'S ADENOT,] THE DEATH OF RICHTHOFEN
LONDON, April 23rd. Circus of about 30 fighting scouts an
Mr Philip Gibbs says that Richthofen's
peared over the British lines on the Somme on Sunday and chased some British planes. Then they swooped northe wards, where what airmen call a Fifty machines were engaged over a wide dog fight was soon in progress. area, and it was impossible to single out the combatants in the general melte, but The casualties are not yet reported. Richthofen was seen king at a height BRUGES CANAL MAY BE BLOCKED of 150 feet just before he crashed in full In the House of Commons, Sir Ericview of the enemy When he was picked Geddes stated that most probably the PP, it was found that he had been shot
in the side close to the heart, attacks at Ostend and Zeebrugge, men IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL tioned in the Admiralty commute to
the Bruges Canal, day,
have effectively blocked the entrance
THE DAMAGE.
In the course of the operations much damage was done to enemy craft at Zeebrugge.
trying to put to se
German destroyer was sunk when We lost a destroyer by gunfire, also two coastal bonte, which were very small vessels, and motor Inunches,
THE OPERATIONS DESCRIBED.
LONDON, April 23rd.
NOTHING NEW IN THREATS
`un
Reuter's Agency learns, on high autho- rity that it is true that Germany has brought renewed severe pressure upon Holland in order to extort various con-. cassions. The exact demands are known in London, but it is confrmed they include the resumption of the sand and gravel traffic from Germany through Holland to Belgium."
Threats by Germany to Holland are nothing new, but on this occasion they
are more violent than usual,
The British Foreign Office is not aware of an ultimatum actually being sent,
bat undoubtedly the German Minister.
at The Hague used most threatening. Janguage.
tion today is less strained, CONSCRIPTION IN IRELAND
Latest news indicates that the“ kitun-
ANTI CONSCRIPTION STRIKE,
LONDON, April 23rd. A twenty-four hour anti-conscription strike is at present in progress among the Nationalists of Ireland. Business is completely suspended at Dublin.
An public-houses, hotels and restaurants are closed. Newspapers were not published. Trams are not running and train ser- vices are curtailed.
ANTI-CONSCRIPTION
TION.
DECLARA
LONDON, April 23rd. Sixteen - Irish King's Counsel, includ-
Reuter's Correspondent at British Headquarters, reporting to-day, states; The incrat or Richthofen this after- noon was a most impressive spectacle. The airman was buried in a cemetery not far from the spot where he was brought ing several Crown Prosecutors, have down. A contingent attended, ent of the Air Service signed the Anti-Conscription Declara
tion movement is obtaining increased A separate Protestant Anti-Conserip-
uppert in many places,
cortège of Richthofen's funeral
The Australian troops figured in the Australians bore the coffin from the aerodromo and furnished the firing party
Lewis gunners were firing at him when his machine was brought down. A general air battle was in progress at the tinic, about 15 enemy machines being engaged,
very
high,
in the House of Commons, Sir Eric Geddes made a supplementary statement to the communique regarding the raid at Ostend and Zeebrugge. He said it was an extremely gallant and hazardous shair, carried out last night.. Some officers had been fighting a greater part of the night and some had not yet re Italian Front. manding at Dover, commanded the raid. turner. Vice Admiral Roger Keys, Com- (Cheers. The six absolete cruisers par- ticipating were from twenty ta thirty years old, namely, the Brilliant, Strins, phegenta, Intrepid, Thetis and Vindie- tre. The first tva vere filled with con- crete and were to be sunk in the channel and entrances to Zeebrugge and Ostend, if that could possibly be managed.
Richthofen, hovering swooped upon one of our machines, but help was at hand,"
LATEST CABLES.
THROUGH ILOTER'S AGENCY.) AUSTRIAN ADVENTURE
FRUSTRATED.
Rowe, April gard."
It is officially stated that a party of on
BREADLESS BELGIUM.
WASHINGTON, April 23rd. civilian populations will be suspended The food shipments to the Allied for ten days in order to transport 3,000,000 bushels of grain to Belgium and the. the Belgian Relief Commission's repre German occupied north of France, which
sentative at Brussels has cabled will be breadless for 20 days, even if all tho shipments at present en route should arrive safely
AUSTRIA'S FOODSTUFFS,
Zurich, April 23rd. The Burgomaster of Vienna, sponking. At a public meeting, said the available. foodstuffs were very scanty, and the greatest sacrifices were necessary to hold out during the coming weeks. Official organisations have broken down, Ho
The Vindictive, working with two Mersey Austrian sailors aboard a motor-boat foreshadowed the day when middle-class
& decision than a month ago, when the terry-boats, ugodi and Iris carried landed in the darkness on April 4th Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re- German people were told to expect a storming and demolition parties to the north of Ancora unobserved. They hid traders would be reduced to beggary, He speedy triumph. The expectation, in-storm-head of the Mole running from in a small farm-house until nightfall next voiced the disappointment with regard
Zeebrugge. The indictive was specially
mor
immediately
discovered and captured
them,
progress aouthward necessitated its with- ports: -We repulsed raids in the neighdeed, on this side is that the battle may fitted with bows for landing storming day, when they attempted to reach their to the Ukraine supplies, and added that bourhood of Hamel and south of the well last throughout the summmer. For: partied and was specially armed for that objective, but a patrol of Carabiniars Austria's only hope lies in obtaining Bassee Canal, opposite Cambrai,
further aid from Germany AMERICA CHARTERS NORWEGIAN VESSELS.
WASHINGTON, April 23rd. The Shipping Board has chartered 400,000 tons of Norwegian shipping, which will be employed chiefly in the Bouth American trade, thus releasing American ships for Europe
of the fighting. The Twenty-fifth Div. sion, in close support, when the attack -opened, was sent immediately into the battle in the neighbourhood of Bapaume Cambrai road and was not dislodged from any position, though constantly attacked. When withdrawn from the Somme the When witho
fighting sp
spirit of the division was excep tinnly higa. It was again heavily engag- ed on the Lys and performed distinguish- ed service,
The enemy captured an advanced post north-westward of Festubert, which already had changed hands several times.
We advanced our line slightly at Bobecq, capturing 68 prisoners.
Our artillery engaged hostile infantry assembling in this neighbourhood,
SUCCESSFUL OPERATION.
LONDON, April 23rd. 1.16 p.m. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re ports:-We captured 60 prisoners as a
The Thirty-first Division on April result of a succussful operation last night
13th was holding a front of 9,000 yards eastward of Neippe Forest. GAL though reduced in strength as a result of
northward_of_Albert, improving our
position.
We also captured a number of prisoners
one thing, it is henceforth impossible for the Germans to bencât by a strategic surprise similar to that on March 21st. when they attacked on a front of 20 miles,
The concluding portion of the above message appeared in yesterday's issue.
GERMAN REPORT
LONDON, April 2nd.
10.35 p.m. A wireless German official report states Enemy attempts to cross the La Basseo Canali north-westward of Bethune, failed.
We captured ES English and 22 min throwers northward of Albert:
LATEST CABLES.
FRENCH FRONT.
LIVELY ARTILLERY FIRING.
EARLIER CABLES, [1920COH REUTER'S KGENOT.}"
purpose with flame throwers,
The men employed on the block ships and tars etc. in the storming and demolition Murtis The Balkans, and on the Fadictier, which were parti- cularly hazardous parts of the under taking, were bluejackets and marines picked from a very large number of volunteers from the Grand Fleet (cheers) and all the Naval and Marine OPERATIONS IN MACEDONIA Depots There was great competition for the undertaking, and only a very sinall proportion of volunteers, could be used as
ITALIAN REPORT.
LONDON, April 22nd.
4.40
FRENCH REPORT.
There were light covering forces Harwich Forces under Admiral Tyr states:We inflicted, at dawn on Satur Jonging to the Dover Command and the An Italian Macedonia official report whitt, covering the operation in the north. day, heavy losses on German posts, aze There was a force of monitors, also a of which was destroyed. large number of motor Jaunches, coastal motor boats, etc. all of which were small fast craft, carrying a maximum erow of about six-and other small craft A Macedonian communique states participated in the operation, which was Thero is great fighting activity in all particularly intricate, and had to be sectors. volved very delicate navigation on worked strictly to time-table, and in-
囍
hostile coast without lights and largely General.
the previous fighting and the enemy stil in the Rebecq and Wytschnete areas in Somme front and cast of Rheims under unknown navigation conditions, pressing the advance, they were informed local fighting, which was to our advan-
the line must be held to the last to cover the detraining of reinforcements. All ranks responded to the appeal with the most magnificent courage and devo-
tage.
We raided trenches and reached the support lines in the neighbourhood of
which have developed since the war, and
with the added danger of unknown fields ads by al
Pants, April 23rd. A communiqué states: There was somewhat lively artillery bring on the THE ATTACK ON THE AMERICANS.
toine- London, April 2900.
11.20 p.m.
The high development of the scientific Reuter's Correspondentat French Headquarters, telegraphing to-day, smoke combined with certain vind con- of fog or smoke more, log then states: The German experiment against ditions was essential to the success of the the American sector in Lorraine proved operation, because this afforded a failure The attack was delivered tion from the batteries He had just protec- against the village of Seicheprey, about heard that the officer who developed.
this
PARIS, April 23rd.
LATEST CABLES.
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.)
DISAFFECTED INDIANS,
UNCONDITIONAL SURBENDERS.
LONDON, April 22nd The Press Bureau announces The
and several chiels of important sections
BRITAIN'S MAN-POWER GERMAN COMMENT.
AMSTERDAM, April 23rd Commenting upon the Man-Power Bill, the Tagchlatt says that if the British are a nation of shopkeepers it must in justice be recognised that shopkeepers seldom have been so generous in the sacrifice of blood and treasure
ALSACE-LORRAINE'S BUDGET.
AMSTERDAM Aptil 23rd The Alsace-Lorraine Landtag has re- fused to discuss the Budget because dis cision of the country's future is probibited.
DENMARK ELECTIONS.
COPENHAGEN, April 23rd The result of the elections, in whiche women voted for the first time, resulted
Socialista) and 68 Oppasz
Fampoux.
Hostile artillery were active westward tion, and throughout a long day of in- of Albert, and on the bulk of the front a mile behind the Franco American front was killed, plan was that. After an India ofice reports that Marti Naiona Hadicals and bordists) teeds oppose cessant fighting beat off a succession of from fouthward of Nieppe Forest to The attack was made with three betta The Tener mbardment by monitors have submitted and that the whole of the ton members being elected.
determined attacks.
The enemy in the evening, in a last great effort, and by sheer weight of num bors, overran certain portions of the line whoso defenders died fighting but would not give ground.
eastward of Ypres.
Our artillery engaged concentrations in the Villers-Bretonneux sector and in the neighbourhood of Berre
Anticans.
this:
Hons led by a detachment of storm troops, hour's intense 150 strong. After a very violent boja at Zeebrugge, the indictive, with the Khetran tribe have surrendered uncon the village. The weight of the attack on longeide the head of the Mole firing bardment the enemy fought his way into auxiliaries, Iris and Daffodil, were to ditionally,
THE ROUMANIAN OILFIELDS was undoubtedly directed against the their guns as they approached, and storm- GUATEMALA WITH ALLIES.
ing parties and demolition parties were to
AMHTBEPAM, April 23rd... The Americana, counter-attacking with he landed. Meantime, three block-ships,
Guatemala City, April 23rd.
A German Company will abortly be the French, drove the enemy from nemely the old cruisers mentioned, Renieres Wood and the village Seicheprey assisted by the coastal motor boats and Guatemala occupies the same position as
The National Assembly has, declarod formed to take over the leases of the Roumanian oil fields Germany in LONDON, April 23rd.aiter hard fighting, and reestablished motor launches were to make for the the United States towards the Eurepent future will thus be able to import over Portions of the enemy penetrating those
their former line, not leaving an inch entrance to the canal to be run aground belligerente half the necessary supply of oil, thus be of conquered ground in the possession and blown up. Two a In better weather yesterday there was the Germans, The engagement was submarines were to run against the pile many a year ago, and the above in con- Anerica
old and valueless Guatemals severed relations with Cer coming practically points were driven back by the reinforce greater activity and incessant bombing the sharpest in which the Americans have work connections between the masonry sidered in the United States an equivalent
independent of
mento which had just detrained.
yet been engaged....
AERIAL OPERATIONS.
on the whole front.
:12,60a.m
portion of the Mole and the shore.
to a declaration of war..
(Continued on Porn 6.):