SPECIAL WAR CABLES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12536, 6 May 1915, Page 4

SPECIAL WAR CABLES.

(TIMHS AND STDNBV ciD*i tJKIiVU&S.) (Br Eleotiuc! TKiiEGR.u'a —Ciipriiumx., (Pkk Press Association.* DOGGED GERMANS. London. May 5. . A correspondent in the North of Fiance'" reports that despite, appalling Josses the Germans have not relinquished the offensive, and are grimly struggling for. possession of the Calais road. ITALY AND SERYIA. London. May 5. The French press, discussing tlie apprehensions regarding Serbo-ltaliau relations, says it is reported that the Italians claim Adriatic regions where 90 per cent, of the population are Slavs. The. press dees not believe that Italy j desires to have upon its hands populations unalterably hostile, and .the annexation would be a political mistake of incalculable importance. WAR CAMPAIGN IX ROT-MANIA. . Lo'ndon. May 5. The Roumanian Conservative leader, Marglii Loman, has resigned. lie favors neutrality, and.his resignation marks the commencement of a war campaign. Hminuuiia is expected to act .simultaneously with Italy. SWEDES IN PERSIA. London, May o. Swedish diplomats in Persia have promised to support the new Government and to continue their neutrality. H is likely that tbev will'importantly assist the Allies against, the Tureo-Ciermans' intrigues. TLRKTSH PRISONERS. London, May 5. Tenedos reports the arrival of L'hOO Turkish prisoners. TURKISH REPORTS. Constantinople, May 5 Turkish reports declare that- the French troops were* completely- dmen off from the Asiatic side. The Bv'tish tenaciously maintain their positions.on tlie coast,'but have not succeeded in improving* their positions. SUMMER IX FRANCE. London. May -I. A correspondent at Chalons-sur-Marne says summer lias <;ome, and -along the French centre where transports, were wont to plough morasses of mud. they lumber in clouds of dust.: "Where the trenches were formerly soaked there is now a scarcity of water.

The colonial corps find, congenial surroundings in the dust and heat, recalling the plains -and desert, of Morocco." Here are mile posts on. the road to victory, the graveyards of the Manic: gutted villages marking the enemy'.-; retreat: field;-; strewn with shell and fragments of meat tins, rotting boots, and empty cartridge boxes, scarred and abandoned Gormrwi trenches. The battlefields of _Sep'vmber are not far from those of to-day. Another line of German trenches has been, wrested from the enemy, and the French front has been pushed higher up beyond the old Roman I'oad running to llhciivis, through the Argonne neighborhood. Perthes, and Beon-o-iotir. Measured on the map the advance 'is not great, bur the .strengthened confidence ot the jinny has afforded proof that the policy of nibbling at" the Germans is wise. A visit to the stricken area .shows the confidence of the civilian in the triumph of the French armies. At Sermaize, a new .strange village ol huts is rising amidst the ruins. They are the work of British Quakers, who arc prevented by religious scruples from becoming combatants in the war. but who are doiujj their best, te, repalithe ravages of war in the districts evacuated bv the enemy. De-pi to the fact that- the Quakers love peace they have a military air in their serviceable grev uniform. .Retreating Germans deliberately burned and sacked Hermaize. but the .people are returning and are busy with l eoonstruetiou on the ruins.

IN NORTHERN' ITALY. ••THE WAR SPIRIT EVERYWHERE.'" EARLY OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. London. Muy_4. A correspuodent writing from North Italy .says: "Eveything 1 have heard and seen leads ane to believe that an Austro-Jtalian war is inevitable as .soon as conditions permit. Germans who have been -long resident in Italy are dailv departitiji for Switzerland. There is abundance of evidence at Milan that public oninion is strongly in favor of iiic Allies. Portraits of Generals Joil're and French are to be seen in a shop window alongside oi a satirical caricature of the Kaiser, and there are signs of the -war .spirit everywhere. The decision to reopen the Italian Parliament on the 12sr inst. has caused surprise. It was previously thought that it would not be opened until a i-eplv was announced either of the success'of the Austro-ltaliau negotiations or a denunciation of the Ansiro-Ger-maii. hut. the Cabinet decided that the .normal exercise of parliamentary functions would result iu a greater calm.

RUSSIA'S DIFFICULTY. TOO MANY PRISONERS. London, May 4. The Russian War Minister says that there is some difficulty in accommodating the enormous number of prisoners they have taken. Hundreds of trainloads are. slowly proceeding to the frontier of Siberia, where there are already 600,000 prisoners, and many of the enemy are giving themselves up to avoid starvation.' ITALY'S PRECARIOUS POSITION. London, May •>. It is officially stated that Count, von Bulow's efforts have not yet finally failed, and Italy's position and intentions remain shrouded in mystery. Conflicting East. European ruiftors assert her readiness, to intervene in favor of the Allies and allege that the conversations with Austria-have definitely ceased. A German deputation is reported to be intervening with the Pope, and this is regarded as the final effort to insure reutrality.

The Italian Ambassador in London declares that there is no news from Rome leading him to believe tint inlerventioii is inimuient. The reports of Italy's projected intervention ■n ihc15th had not the official sanction.