1918-04-17 — Page 5

THE

WAR.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1018

TAILURE OF THE SECOND GERMAN

BLOW

ENEMY'S HOPES OF BREAKING THROUGH WANING

MAN-POWER BILL DISCUSSION.

MODERATE HOME RULE ACCEPTABLE TO ULSTER FORECASTED.

RESIGNATION OF COUNT CZERNIN.

anco-Helgian bront.

LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH BETTER'S AGENDE.

BRITISH FRONT.

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY

CONTINUES,

LONDON, April 15th. 10.70 p.m. Field-Marshal Sic Douglas Haig re- ports:-Fighting occurred in the after- moon in the neighbourhoods of Bailleul and Wulvergheni, end has continued

since

Hostile artillery is active between Givenchy and Hobeck.

Our artillery effectively engaged bodies, of infantry on the La Bassco-Estaires

Road:

ENORMOUS ENEMY LOSSES;

LONDON, April 16th.

3.40 p.m. Renter's Correspondent at British Headquarters telegraphing today, speaks of the enormous losses inflicted upon the enemy in yesterday's fighting especially by machine-guns at close range. We smashed his attacks against the Messines Ridge. The bitterest struggle was for Neuve Eglise, where big forces on both sides were engaged. The situation hereabouts to-day ... le obscure, but our guns are reported to be shelling the ruins of the place this morn- ing, which suggests that the enemy is

Since the recapture of Nouve Eglise the enemy has not attempted to push

· over.

GERMAN CLAIMS,

LONDON April 15th wireless German official report

the battlefield of the Lys we ground and penetrated an enemy position south westword of Wulverghom. Wo stormed and captured Niouvekerke,

RANZIEN CABLES.

THE FIGHT AT COUOY LE CHATEAU

MAN-POWER BILL,

PRINCIPLE DETERMINING

Though the enemy on April 11th sue ceeded in entering a post northward of Festubert he was thrown out, and on the night of the 12th inst the Fifty-

AGE LIMIT. -

Fifth improved its position in this

London, April 15th. neighbourhood. The enemy next älters

PARIS, April 18th. In the House of Commons, Sir Auck- Renter's Correspondent of French land Goddes stated that the Government noon heavily bombarded the whore of

Headquarters telegraphing on the 12th was determined to enforce the principle the Fifty-Fifth frons between Corre after a desperate struggle with the Enginst alates: The recent tactical with that no man over the present militery and the Lawe Canal and attacked with strength. He was again repulsed, with↑ heavy loss by the most gallant and most ・・ successful defence of the division he had been pleased to describe as consisting of second-class troops.

ALLIES

MAGNIFICENT

TENACITY

lish counter attacking, troops,

We took possession of the height west

Fek word of Nieuwekerke.”

LONDON, April 15th. While the crisis is not yet past the fact that the stone wall of France bas successfully held the German onslaughte for forty-eight hours gives hoper of

⠀⠀ Fighting_took place, with variable |--

results, near Bailleul

We captured Merris and Vieux Bors

quin

Enemy forces pushing forward towards the battlefield sustained heavy loss

An attack by several Fre di battalions against Hainvillers sanguinarily cal. lapsed. We captured many prisoners.

We carried out successful thrust

The age

drawal upon the line at Ailette was aage should be taken for service if the complete success, and was noteworthy for

a situation could be met by calling up men the gallantry of the troops covering a of the present military age difficult movement, which was effected

of 3 was selected for a clean cut för without the loss of a single cannon the Civil Service because above 20 men machine gun. - The village of Barrisin

were really indispensable from the point lies in the middle of the angle of view of the vor effort. This did not territory which was evacuated. The USA dominating point was the hill crownedR KUS by the castle Couer-le-Chateau the finest European specimen of medieval military architecture While the troops were

mean that Civil Servants over 25 Were- not being released as rapidly as possible.

Certain Government office warn ́s con- dengan aidering the desirability of releasing all

men fit for geurial service to, 63 years

He is reported to be preparing turn of the tide. The Germans are still ainst the Americang northward of sectiring the defenders of this castle wor

another thrust against Bailleul

The weather is grey and the visibility poor. The ground is dry and an east wind is blowing.

BITTER HAND TO HAND

FIGHTING.

LONDON, April 15th.

10.30 p.m.

wireless German official message states--Bitter hand-to-hand fighting has frequently developed on the Lys battle-

feld.

We cleared the English machine-gun nest southward of Neuve Eglise and between Bailleul and Merris, taking the occupants prisoners,

The enemy counter-attacks at Bailleul and North-Western of Bethune were heavily broken down by our troops:

GERMANS CLAIM A SUCCESS.

1.15 am

A wireless German official message states:We capture the enemy's lines north-eastward of Wulverghem

GALLANT DEFENCE OF THE 55TH DIVISION.

|

bringing up reserves and heavily con

centrating between Arras and Albert, The roads are blocked with unending unt like processions of men and gine, on which tons of bombs have been drop ped. All correspondenta testify to the magnificent tenacity of the Alliee, some units of which have been continuously in action since March 21st-

Mihil, inflicting heavy losses We

brought back prisoners,

G3,000

ordered to hold on at all costs.Boult of age. parties of the enemy advanced into the Mr. MacPherson declined, in the pub- gully leading to the height of Coucy lelie interest, to state the numbers of Chateau, dense waves following The

tropp, în Ireland. To November 30th

of the gully continually for 48 hours cruits, and the rest of Ireland over French machine-gunners lined both sites Ulster had contributed over $8,000 -

of April 8th and 9th fring over one million rounds,

LONDON, April 15th. In the House of Commons, Mr Bonur Law refused the Nationalist request for

authors wind an additional day's discussion of the proposal to apply compulsion to Ireland. MINISTERS OF RELIGION TO BE EXEMPTED.

We shot down three enemy aeroplanes during the last few days, STATEMENT OF GERMAN LOSSES

AMSTERDAM April 15th It is significant that the Wolff Bureau felt compelled to issue a statement regarding tha German losses, and em BATTLEFIELD SCENE AWESOME.Bares that the majority of the wound-pany Commander, ordered to check the

KAISER AT ARMENTIERES.

Mr. Percival Phillips saya that the feds are walking cures. It reiterates that enemy can no longer hope to break the losses are normal for such big opern. through. The men are most cheerful. tions, The scene on the battlefield is awesome. A pall of smoke overhangs forty milos

AMSTERDAM, April 15th. of plain, covered with flaming villages

The Kniser was present during the Shells are breaking on other villagesteck on Armentières like white-topped waves against the GENERALISSIMO OF ALL ALLIED rocks and they are gradually crumbling. The atmosphere is heavy with the acid fumes, of explosivos. The thin lines of khaki hardly visible through the murk, are stabbed with flashes of innumerable guns.

SECOND ENEMY DLOW HAS

FAILED

ARMIES IN FRANCE.

PARI, April 15th

It is now officially announced that General Foch has been appointed Generalissimo of all the Allied Armies in France:

LATER

ACTIONS NOT TO BE QUESTIONED.

Mr. Perry Robinson says that the

The respective Governments have given enemy's attacks have lost their original Generalinimo roch the widest powers in momentum. They have suffered terriblyarder that he may act and that his from our guns There may still be autons Will Hot be questioned. Thus an prises but the second Gorman blow hns absolutely united Anglo-Franco American again obtained footing there, and that Douglas Haig states-The fifty fifth definitely failed. The original plan was

Army is constituted.

LONDON, April 15th

A supplementary despatch from Bir

to break the British army and smash a way to the coast. The attack was only to be shifted to another part in the

Division of the West Lancashire Terri we are again counter-attacking.

torials on April 9th, wore holding a Prisoners say that the effort to take

front of 6,000 yards from La Bassce..

tant Bailleul will be renewed. We have re

Causl⠀⠀ to southward of Richebourg event of failure, and therefore the attack taken the liamlet of Reizuvinnge, 4,000

Lavone, where the line foined the Portuon Armentieres itself is a confession of yards cast of Robeck. Givenchy and

The enemy's guese

the un Festhubert have been heavily shelled. SOMME BATTLE BEING REPEATED southern portion of this front was de

IN FLANDERS.

LONDON, April 16th. 12.10 m

attack

livered by all three regiments of the

Fourth Ersatz Division, which was well up to strength, A captured Divisional Order from the General Staff of this Division, dated April 6th, shows that the objectives were the ground and the British position in the triangle-Given chy, Festubert Gorre,

EARLIER CABLES

re-

The following passages are of special interest-la our attack three giments will be opposed at mest by six companice in front, and at the most by two reserve battalions at Festubert and Givenchy. One battalion in divisional reserve is southward of La Bassee Canal,

failure

SEVEN ENEMY ATTACKS AT

MERVILLE REPULSED.

LONDON, April 15th.

1.25 pm Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re- ports:There was severe fighting all day yesterday around Neuve Eglise

After beating off numerous attacks we finally, were compelled to withdraw a second time from the village. There were strong enemy attacks in the afternoon at a number of other points on the battle front.

There was berce fighting north-west ward of Merville. Gernian infantry were driven back with great loss.

LATEST CABLES.

FRENCH FRONT:

VERY BITTER FIGHTING FUE

HANGARD

LONDON, April 15th Reuter's Correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on the 14th inst states: One of the bitterest engagements of the great battle was fought on Fri day for Hangerd, which is a position of importance on the north road from Noyon to Amiens..

When the French retired the valley was grey with German corpust A Com

Germann, who were dangerously advanc mg up the other ravines, collected 40 crack Grenadiers and pushed back the enemy several hundred yards, pursuing him until grenading at a range of three yards. SUCCESSFUL MINOR OPERATION.

PARIS, April 15th.

A communiqué states →We captured! ten prisoners in a perfectly successful minor, operation in the region of Hangard, whore we have captured 150 prisoners since the 12th inst

We carried out several raids between

Montaldier und Noyon, and south of Mont Telu, in Champagne, and brought back prisonera.

Enemy attempts north of Chemin-des- Dames and south-east of Corbeny were

unsuccessful

Aerial Activities.

i

London, April 15th. In the House of Commons, when ritting in Committee on the Man-Power Bill; Sir G. Cave, K.U., announced that the Govern- ment was willing to withdraw conscrip tion in the case of Ministers of religion, THE BILL PASSES THE COMMITTEE STAGE.

LONDON, April 16th.

In the House of Commons, the Man- Power Bill passed the Committee stage, after spreches had been delivered by Mr. Asquith, Sir Edward Carson, and Mr. Devlin against it. The Government conceded a number of points regarding the Tribunala

ULETER AND THE HUME RULE BILL Reuters Correspondent understanda that the Home Rule Bill is such moderate LATEST CABIEN.

measure that the Ulsterites, notwith {THROUGH ELUTER'S AGENCY.]

standing past declarations, are likely to DIRECTION OF AIR SERVICE accept it as a piece of war legislation.

EARLIER CABLES.

GREAT

LONDON, April 16th.

EARLIER CABLES

In the House of Commons, Mr. Baird HOME RULE FOR IRELAND announced that Major General Tren-

LONDON, April 15th. chard's resignation was in consequence The Daily Telegraph's Parliamentary of his difference of opinion with Lord correspondent, in a forecast on the Hom Rothermere as regards Major General Rule Bill, says the Irish House of Com- Trenchard's powers and duties.

mong will be composed of 200 members, 30 of which pro kaaranteed the Union- ists. The Senate is to consist of 64 mem- bera representing different interests. Forty two Irishmen are to kit in the House of Commons. The Irish Parlia ment will have full power of inborn Benne April 15th.

legislation, administration, and direct of the Amiens Foad. The village was the original home of the Zeppeline, was decided after the war,

The great shed near Friedrichshafen, taxation and other matters are to be taken and retaken and taken again by destroyed by fire on Saturday night as the Germans It we rescued a second, the result of an explosion. The Hames tume by the French, Just in time to save 'were visible throughout castern Swit

the remnants of the Garrison,

zerland,

The Germans thrice attacked hoping to thrust a wedge between the Franco- British Armies and obtain the mastery

Reuters Correspondent at British Headquarters, reporting on the evening of the 16th inst., states-The enemy have not yet been brought to a standstill in the Flanders Battle. Their reoccupation of their desperate Eglise and Neuve struggle to advance towards Bailleul show that they are able and willing to continue to pay an appalling price in their attempts to crush the British Anny. On the other hand with every hour the strength of our defence is in creasing. The enemy's failure to reach their final objective in the Somme battle in Le Preol. Our powerful artillery northern bank of the Lys Canal were the village was gallantly held by a

will prevent it participating in the caught by artillery are and were is being repeated to-day in Flanders. GERMAN PRISONER'S TRIBUTE TO ght for Festubert and Givenchy The to develop the attack

troops are elements of the English BRITISH MACHINE-GUNNERS.

Fifty-Fifth Division, and which, after The enemy's programme was to reach Kemmel on the 10th instant. He is only engagement, on the Somme, lost heavily in Flanders at Cambrai, and is describ three miles from Kemmel Ridge, but,

mecoded by prisoners taken in March, 1918, to-day, they are no nearer than on Fri- day, since when reinforcements have been Hung acrous the Germans path,

Interesting details of German, losses are coming in The Seventeenth Division and the Seventeenth Reservo Division on the 11th instant got a terrible gruelling and were forced to retire upon their starting point

Hostile infantry advancing along the

unable

No fewer than sever enemy attacks were made during the day in the Merville sector. All were repulsed, with heavy enery loss.

as a division fit to hold quiet sectorDAY that is below the average quality.

(A part of this message is missing.) It is maintained that this line was practically unchanged. Until relict came through it had six days of almost continud fighting, during which it best off repeated attacks, with very heavy Josses to the enemy and captured nearly a thousand prisoners.

LINE RESTORED.

In one case the enemy advanced to as sault with five waves. Under the weight, of this attack our line was bent back slightly, but our counter attack completely restored it.

line restored

A prisoner of the Fifty-Second Reserve of Infantry reluctantly paid a tribute

At one time on the 9th inst, the enemy In successful unor to the magnificent fighting of the British machine-gunners, who in the ard of both shortly afterwards were regained tured 150 prisoners

entered Givenchy, and Festubert, bat night-time, eastward of Robecg, we cap March reduced the prisoner's company by the Fifty-Fifth, as the recult of a

In he great battle on the 4th inst

was

Battalion against a furions onslaught. The hill dominating the village captured by the Germans and retaken by the French

The Germans on the 9th inst. fought their way into the village and, after all night fighting from house to house, were driven out. On Friday the Ger

and surrounded mang re-attacked village

GALLANTRY OF BATTALION COMMANDER

the

ZEPPELIN SHED DESTROYED.

General,

LATEST CABLES PORODES CENTER'S AGENOT. ]

NEW ZEALAND AND ESSEN- TIAL INDUSTRIES.

GOVERNMENT CONTROL

APPROVED AWE

WELLINGTON April 16th Parlament hug passed the National Service Provisión Bill authorising the Government to regulate and control all essential industries

A battalion commander fortified him Parties of the enemy south westward of self in a house and held ont from eight Bailleal temporarily penetrated our in the morning until as in the evening positions, but were driven out and the a telegraphed to Headquarters "I am, surrounded but still holding out. operations at Malharte The last messago read that the enemy was about to attack. It was then xix in the evening. A few Fighting occurred this morning in the minutes later he and his men were the 43 years of age and came from Germany highly successful counter-attack in neighbourhood of Hangard, where we takes

ater attack by with a draft of 500, the greater pronor which several hundreds of Germans were improved our position, capturing the tion of whom were Landstarmers over 35 | captured. All further attempts to number of prisoners. years of age, the remainder boi lads of carry these positions broke down before between 18 and 19.

the Fifty-Fifth's resolute defence

to half its strength. The prisoner was

Hostile artillery were active in the neighbourhood of Buequoy,

zers:

Hundreds

OPIUM SMUGGLED TO SHANGHAI

AMERICAN COMMENT.

NEW YORK, April 156: The New York Times, commenting on Count Plankett a letter, anys the Sinn

chaze to abstain from the Com vention, ostensibly wanting the Republia grotesquely initiated under German auspices. It remains the fashion to belabour the English because the Irish cannot decide what sort of Claverament they want.

LABOUR PARTY AND CON- SCRIPTION IN IRELAND

TONDON, Apm] 1821 The Daily News states serzona Government position hay developed dur ing the Week-end.! The Labour Party being

to conscription in freland without

Rule the Labour Minis

ter tion

8 considering the pos

understood that Mr. Barnes

pren

ia in complete disagreement with the party's view LONDON, April 16th

LONDON, April 18th The Labour Minister's inte In the House of Commons, replying Mr. Lloyd George had th to Sir Stephen Collin, Lord Robert salts. There Cecil stated that it did not ap

ear that ported

The Home Ele legal proceeding lay against anyone most rapidly by at present domiciled in the United cluding Mr. Walter Lons

Barnes, Mr. Gorder. Kingdom in connection with two con- The Labour Mile completely 200 siguimenta of opium, exported from Lan- with the Premior

rmans were don between October and November last government her

urged the ador Buch defenders, year which were concealed an eargo and

discovered on arrival at Shanghai