Page
THE WAR.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS. SATURDAY, JUNE 1st, 1918
ASLOWS DOWN.
GERMAN MARCH
FRANCO-BRITISH POSITIONS MAINTAINED.
CATTARO NAVAL BASE BOMBED.
PARIS SUBURBS BOMBED,
GERMANS DELIBERATELY BOMB HOSPITALS.
nco-Belgian Front.
LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY:] THE BELTISH FRONT. SUCCESSFUL HINOR OPERATION.
LONDON, May 20th.
1.15 p.m.
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re- porte-We completely repulsed a night
GERMANS VEXED AT AMERICAN
SUCCESS.
LONDON, May 20th. 3.30 p.m. Beuters Correspondent at British Headquarters, to-day, reports-The front in the Lone to Voormezeele region was pretty quiet.
The Germans, apparently, are very attack on a strong point north-westward vexed at the American success at Can-
of Festubert.
We carried out a successful minor operation in the neighbourhood of Marris, improving our line slightly.
A raid near Locon yielded prisoners, AERIAL OPERATIONS.
LONDON, May 30th.
1.30 am
Tuesday was fine, and there was a full duy's work,
We dropped, 25 tons of bombs in the daytime on billets, dumps, railways and aerodromies.
We destroyed 13 German aeroplanes and drove down. four uncontrollable. Five British machines are missing.
ST THIERRY POSITION 'UNTENABLE.
LONDON, May 30th.
7.50
Reuter's Correspondent at French Headquarters, telegraphing. yesterday afternoon, states:-The battle? continues with great intensity.
On both Banks of the Gergian advance the enemy is pushing out stendily towards Saissons and Rheims
THE EVACUATION OF SOISSONS.
PARIS, May 30th Intransigeant says 1,200 shells fell on Soissons on May 27th. The hospitals,
The front line defenders. ambulances and civilius were evacuated. were blotted out by a bombardment of gas-shells which lasted only two hours, but was of unprecedented violence. The destruction of the wires made communication unpos sible. The defenders, emerged from their Fighting was proceeding this morning
dug-outs the Germans left tho on the oustkirts of Soissons.
trenches. The latter crossed the ennal The British, on the extreme right, of
slowly, and the 70s and machine guni the battlefield, after a gallant resistance, made the most of the target, but the were forced to fall back from the enemy were too numerous, and the de Thierry massif, seven miles north-west of Bhems. St. Thierry height is an irregular plateau with steep wooded sides crowned by an old fort about 600 Fret above Vesle.
The German advance last evening
at
fenders had to retire before the ceaseless pressure.
Aéropianes on both sides participated in the battle, machine gunning the in- fantry
BATTLE CONTINUES BITTERLY.
PARIS, May 20th.
4.20 p.m.
A communiqué, states:-During the night the German drive, supported by the arrival of fresh Divisions, increased notably, on two wings in the direction of Suissons and Rheims,
by foot, to the outskirts of cast Soissons, On the left we retired, fighting foot
where the battle continuce bitterly. The Balkans
LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]. ARTILLERY ACTIVITY ON MACEDONIA FRONT.
LONDON, May 30th.
A French Eastern communiqué states: --There is great artillery activity on the whole front between Lake Doiran and
Monastir, particularly in the regions of Makukovo and Jacovo
swept southward as far as Maizon, and The correspondent of Liberte says the mos critical moment of the battle was position had almost surrounded our St. Thierry. Our men holding the rest when the Crown Prince's army, having word expoæd to fire from three sides, forced the defences, renched the river Aerial Activities. and the position had become untenable. between Vailly and Pontarly. This was
Wo aro now holding a line in the Bot at noon on Monday. tigny.
Thoy opened a tremendous bombard.tom of the Vesle Valley under St. Thierry height in an angle formed by ment upon the new positions, and an
the Vesle and the Aisne-Marne Canal. enemy counter-attack was met by the Allied gunners with such a hurricane of
..
The southern limit of the German push was marked this morning by the line of
BARLIER CABLES. FRENCH EVACUATE SOISSONS,
PARIS, May 29th."
A communiqué states: The battle
LATEST CABLES.. (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.)
GERMANS BOMB HOSPITALS.
LONDON, May 30th. -210 am. Reuter's Correspondent n American
fire that the waves in mass stopped dead Yeslo, on the southern bank of which sumed a particularly violent character Headquarters on the French front, tele-i
and wore thrown back, with heavy losses,
A MOST SUCCESSFUL RAID.
LONDON, May 30th.
b.10 p.m. Reuters Correspondent at
British Headquarters, telegraphing to-day, states--A raid carried out at Neuville- vitasse was a most successful affair. We penetrated 600 yards into the German defences, finding many dead and wound-
THE TRUTHFUL" GERMAN WIRELESS.
We dropped five tons of bombs at nighted from the bombardment. During the on various targets, including billets at
fighting which followed another 200 of the Armentieres and the railway station at
cncny were killed. Valenciennes. One machine is missing..
Our long-distance bombers yesterday dropped a ton of bombs in the daytime, with good effect, on Thionville station and aidings. Others bombed the railway and barracks at Metzsablons. All return L
THE ROLE OF THE BRITISH DIVISIONS,
LONDON, May 29th. 10.00 p.m. Reuter's Correspondent at French Headquarters, telegraphing this evening, states-Regarding the role of the British divisions during the first two days of the Airne fighting, we had four divisions which held the front from Craonne to Bernericourt. On the right the 21st Division was in liaison with a French Division. Our left, consisting of the 50th Territorial Division, was in touch with the French holding Chemin-des- Dames.
The weight of the German attack on our second fell on the 50th Division,
which had the worst of a gas bombard- mend and sustained very heavily part of the German infantry attack, which the troops bore magnificently, and held or until the men were drawned under the German numbers.
How ludicrous is the German Wireless description of their attack in Flanders on May 27th will be illustrated by a docu ment found upon a prisoner. The doc. ment shows that the 8th, 18th and 18th Bavarian Divisions were engaged, and that their objectives included Dickebusch
hard fighting is proceeding.
The Germans are endeavouring lo establish themselves on the southern bank with a view of attacking the heights overs
on the left wing in the region of Soissons.
graphing yesterday, stated -German airmen last night deliberately bonded We evacuated the town, of which we hold hospitals, in which were scores of Ameri the exita.
ca and hundreds of French Rick and
FRENCH GIVE GROUND In the under pressIFE
wounded, in a town many miles behind the front.
A number of patients were injured by flying glass.
heje utro, while we gave ground other mortally injured.
The Near East.
"EARLIER CABLES. (THROUGH ELUTER'S AGENOT.]
OPERATIONS IN MESOPTAMIA
TURKISH CLAIM,
LONDON, May 29th.. A Turkish communiqué “states :--Wo
British withdrew southward, occupied Kirkuk, in Mesopotamia. The
General,
LATEST CABLES. THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.] SUBMARINISM A FAILURE.
AMSTERDAM, May 30th.- Admiral von Tirpitz, addressing the Fatherland Party at Cologne, admitted. that the submarines had not given Ger
He was of spitition that if a fresh war many, the requisite freedom of the sea."
broke out Holland and Norway would probably side against Germany, and he' emphasised that Germany's need was to secure her future safety by holding the coast of Flanders,
THE WANSBECK ELECTION.
LONDON, May 29th. Mr. Edwards, the defeated candidato in the Wansbeck dection, declared that, the votes cast for him were not in favour-
the Kaiser, Wanskek miners “are nct built that way."
AFFAIRS IN RUSSIA. THE NEW FEDERAL STATE.
LONDON, May 30th. The first definite news of the extent of
the Don Republic comas from Moscow, reporting the arrival of the Don deputation at Kieff. The deputation an nounces that Don is a federal State com-
One French nurse was killed and an Prising Don Cossacks and Kuban, Astra
kan and Northern Caucasian territory, with the Black Sea coast and the pro- vince of Vadropol and part of the pro- vine of Saraloff.
among
looking the valley from the south, where he battle is continuing west and the French are holding out with grim south-cast of Soissons on the plateaux between Belle, Septooats, Ambries, and tenacity. FRANCO-BRITISH COMRADESHIP.
Chacrise,
LONDON, May 30th. 1.15am.
in the region of There were several deaths Referring to the spirit of comradeship among the French and British of all Loupergne to north of Ferrent-Tardenois civilians, ranks, some of our detachments swept the French and British troops further BRITISH
AVIATORS BOMB together in the retreat with part of a cast sneeded in maintaining positions -CATTARO NAVAL BASE French Territorial regiment composed on the line Brouillet Savigny Tilloy.
On the right the troops covering of men verging on the fifties," and they fought together to the Inst. Of the Rheims fell back behind the Aisne Cabal British practically none escaped.
to north-west of the town,
FIRE
Losnow, May 29th. 9.10 p.m.
A British Cyclist Battalion, &hting | BRITISH UNDER TRIANGLE OF at Fismes among the French, surned generous praise from the French officers.
On the roads behind the battlefield the French and British walking wonded
LONDON, May 30th.
The deputation adds
This Republic is at present at war against the existing Government of Russin."
An Italian communiqué states: Bri-SWEDISH EX-FOREIGN
tish peroplanes bombed the enginy meal base at Cattaro, dropping a ton and a balf of explosives,
MINISTERS CENSURED.
STOCKHOLM, May 30th. Parliament has adopted the report of
One machine was lost owing to dange, the Constitutional Committee censuring but the aviators were saved.
the conduct of ex-Foreign Ministers in continction with the Luxburg affair.
· Reuter's › Correspondent at French | AIR RAID, ON PARIS SUBURBS Headquarters, reporting to-day, states:--
| Lake, Pompier and other farms, and the help each other. The refugees from the The expansion of the enemy's wings
Locre Hospice. The document enjoins that not an inch of ground gained must be lost. The raid did not aim at taking ground at all, and very little was actual. ly gained. This was all lost as the result of our counter-attacks.
EARLIER CABLES.
NIGHT-RAIDERS DRIVEN OFF.
LONDON, May 28th.
10.00 p.m. Field Marshal Sir Douging Haig re ports: We drove off a night-raiding party in the neighbourhood of Beaumont- Hamel
The French completely repulsed a local attack northward of Keinmel.
GERMAN CLAIM,
LONDON, May 30th. 10.45 p.m.
The same fate overtook the French Division on the crest on our right, and
A German communiqué now, claims a its retirement to the second line was total of 25,000 prisoners.
inevitable.
A gallant attempt by the 50th Division to recapture. Craonne was defeated, chiefly through machine gunning and the German tanks attacking our right fank. The enemy used tanks in greater umber than they have ever done before.
Finally, the 50th Division was obliged to fall back in & general retreat to the river, keeping touch with the Finch on the left. On the right of the
LATEST CABLES. THE FRENCH FRONT.
FRANCO-BRITISH MAINTAIN
villages ate being assisted by the British transport drivers.
Along the sume roads the reserves are marching to the front.
There is no confusion or disorder and there is no panic among the refugees The Army and penile are confident the Gerisans will be stopped, before many hours have passed.
AMERICANS REPULSE THREE COUNTER-ATTACKS.
LONDON, May 30th.
5.20.0 Reuler's Correspondent at American
Headquarters on the French front re-
ports:Three enemy counter-attacks to retake the lost terrain in Picardy com pletely broke down in face of the Ameri- can artillery and the heroism of our infantry.
We hold all the ground we won on Monday
THE THREAT ON RHEIMS..
Pants, 35ay 30th.. A semi-ufficial statement says:From. Tilloy, which is four kilometres west of Rheims, the front runs northward along the Aisne Canal, forming a semi-circle of two kilometres before the town.
We still hold Rheims, but if the enemy PARIS, May 30th. communiqué states:The
battle pressure is further accentuated south- continued uninterruptedly till night-westwards, the position being turned, it time..
would become untenable.
POSITIONS;
We exegetically held the western out- skirts of Soissons, where the
enemy were
Despite their progress the Germans have not affected a breach in our lines
enabled him to bring his right within a short distance of Soissons, while his left reached an alignment at which it forms practically a semi-circle around Rheins.
PARIS, May 30th...
for Faris and a warning was given at Some neroplanes were reported making
11.24 p.m.
No enemy machine passed our violent barrage or reached Paris
Sun bombs
suburbs.
EARLIER CABLES.
RESIGNAL OF
SIR
GILBERT PARKER.
LONDON, May 29th. Sir Gilbert Parker, M.P. for Graves- end, has resigned owing to ill-health.
were dropped on the UNEMPLOYMENT AFTER THE
Last night the position of the French and British holding the extremo right line had become difficult. They were under fire from three sides, from the old batteries and fell in flames.
Enemy aeroplanes were hit by our
German line between Courey and Rheims,
"All Clear" was and from new lines which the Germans am. established in passing them to the south,
so that they are now obliged to face east, north and west.
BRITAIN
signalled at 12.34
EARLIER CABLES. OBLIGES VATICAN.
THE OMENS ARE GOOD.
LONDON, May 29th." We are entering upon the eritien? Realer's Agency learns that the phase of the battle, but the issue is Vatican has transmitted to the British awaited calmly. Our reserves are hasten Government a request from the Cardinal ing up and the morale of our men is ↑ Archbishop of Cologne that, in view of superb. The Germans had the choice of the serious damage lately done by British the point of attack and were able to con- centrate their masses against a sector thinly held. The choice of the real line of resistance will be ours,
* The new battle is spreading over the ground of the Battle of the Marne, where the enemy's triumphant rush was broken in September, 1914. The omena are good.
GERMAN RUSE TO AVOID SUSPICION OF ATTACK.
LONDON, May 29th. 0,45 p.m." An American Correspondent with the French armies says that the German efforts to conceal their preparations for
raids at Cologne, Great Britain should abstsia from bobbing Cologne during the Corpus Christi procession on May
30th.
WAR.
LONDON, May 29th. Mr. W. Hayes Fisher, President of the Local Government Board, speaking before the Industrial Council, said he did not anticipate any unemployment trouble for many years after the war. He aimed at building at least 300,000 workmen's dwellings within a year after the declara- tion of peace. BRITAIN'S PENSION LIABILI-
TIES
LONDON, May 29th." Sir Alfred Watson states that the Gov. ernment actually estimates that, on the basis of the present casualties, the future pension charges will amount approxi- mately to £45,000,000 for the current year, will be £10,000,000 in 1930, and will fall gradually to #10,000,000 by will, 1800. Thus the pension liabilities at present in sight are £750,000,000, exclusiva of the cost of administration. It is mane did not spare the worshippera in aestimated that the expenditure will ine- ;
vitably be largely increased by a further protraction of the war.
It is significant that the instigators of the policy of air rids now have come to beg for relaxation
on
an important
religious occasion, seeing that the Ger
Paris church on Good Friday.
The
British Government, however, have con sented, on religious and humane grounds that, so far as they are concerned there will be no aircraft attack on citira not in the vicinity of the battlefront during
· sector oar 21st and French Divisions unable to debouch, despite repeated at The whole front holds firm. Moreover, the attack on the Aisne were unprecedent; the daytime on May 30th.
stood the assault like rocks, the Germans attacking in proportion of only two to one without making progress.
tempta
the march of the Germans has consider. Farther south extremely violent fight-ably slowed down, owing to the arrival ing occurred in the region of the Sonsons of our reserves, -Harmentees road and Ferrent-Tar
It was along Chemin-des-Dues, where the density of the attack was greater, that the British and French lines were denois Vezilly front, where, supported submerged. The 21st Division und
Naval Activities.
LATEST GABLES.
SUBSTITUTE FOR PETROL.
The duto announces the discovery of a new combustible which contains neither petrol, cosl gos, nor alcohol.
A trial gaye most favourable results. A motor car, carrying sir persons, made a tour of Paris, climbing the steepest hills without the least mishap.
This new fuel is secured by the distilla- tion of the heavy oils which are obtaine from the chemical distillation of coal, and
co. Troops brought up for the attack were told they were merely going to relieve the first-line troops, and they only learn-
{THROUGH REUTER'S AGENOT.] Partial successes are valueless to theed of the attack on Sunday night. Tho enemy, whose only aim is final victory.
Germaans did not increase their supplies BRITISH TRANSPORT SUNK. of ammunition, and did not erect a French Division, after beating out a fan by our reserves, we are resisting the
ENEMY'S AERIAL ACTIVITY.
single hospital or aviation camp which t
LONDON May 29th. Lastic number of attacks, held last night enemy masses with antiring tenacity.
might have indicated their intention to The Admiralty announce:-The trans- almost integrally the ground on which
PARIS, May 30th. the battle had begun.
attack, and they even avoided taking port Leasore Castle was torpedoed and all the by products will be available for On the right the French and British An official report states: Last even-paths which might attract the attention of suak by a submarine in the Mediter the preparation of nitro-explosives. Battalions of our 25th Division were troops on the Brouillet-Thillais front, ing the enemy showed great air activity prior to the attack they actually allowed
the enemy. Moreover, for several days rancan on May 26th: sent to support them, and units of this
The new fuel does not foul the cylinders Division are now fighting with the also northwest of Bleims, broke all and dropped bombs on several places French aeroplanes to fly over their lives and are believed drowned, including the consumption is less by two volumes than Nine of the ship's company, are missing nor leave a residue of carbon, and the French in close amalgamation.
unhindered in order assaults and maintained their positions. I behind the front
not to arouse captain and two wireless operators, also that of patrol. The odour is similar to suspicion.
13 military officers and 79 of other ranks, that of woodpaving-Reuter