STRUGGLE IN THE WEST.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12537, 7 May 1915, Page 5

STRUGGLE IN THE WEST.

CHRONICLES OF -EYE-WITNESS." Received May 6. at 8.30 p.m. Paris, May 0. Official. —The French recaptured Saras and repulsed-an attack on C'ajonne, inflicting- heavy losses. Three regiments attacked- the newly-acquired French positions on the eastern part of Hois d'Ailiy, and in the open ground' nf the ridge. They gained a. footing in the French first line, but the French counter-attacked; and regained half the ridge. The second counter-attack is in "prJTrresi. but- the result is. not. known. The French gained marked success eastward. of the Bois Montmare. capturing two successive lilies of trenches. The French, repulsed three counter-at-tacks. Many of the enemy were killed ,-,r laken prisoner. The French made progress along the northern bnnk of the Fecht, ; towards Amsterdam, May 6. There is a great concentration of Germans at ROulers. Court-rai, and and Lille, foreshadowing a. determined effort to reach Calais. Fifteen-inch mins are mounted a few. miles north of Xieuport. Received May 0, at S.o-p.m. London, May 5. Continuing the story o£_recent fighting. "Eve-Witness" says: "The enemy a ,rain bombarded us with -asphyxiating shells and shrapnel. Tlie gas, on this occasion, looked" like a -great- reddish, cloud. Our batteries poured a concentrated fire into the German trenches. Between us wavered the pcisou. belt, the tinner oart shredded in a thin, vaporish cloud as if -shaken by the wind, the lower being the denser part. Tlrs UinkinE into the irregularities of tlie ground and rolling down the trendies. Nevertheless the German infantry fac-ed it and our hail of shrapnel. Our trcops held firm and shot ill rough- the cloud at the advancing Germans, while the men holding the front line managed to move towards the flank -and reached our trenches. Then we bayoneted them. On the extreme left our supports charged through the vapor. Our men met the oncoming enemy with Bayonets. The Gn-mnTis fled. Large, numbers were mowed 1 down and fell in heaps. Many svere unable to make , way through tlv.' cas-cloud. and nrobably most of them perished In the fumes. Before, long we occupied the trenches and re-esta-blished our original position. "Eye-witness*' recounts a recent instance of Indian, steadiness. A shr-ll burst in ''the middle of.a battalion of l'athans, killing and wounding sixteen. The columns immediately closed and advanced across twelve hundreds yards i of onen countrv under a murderous I fir:, their war cry swelling louder and-J louder above the" din. One of their < British officers was hit four times, but , continued to lead his men until he ie!! riddled wiih machine-gun bullets. London. May 6. ,

Pri-onors captured during recent fighting state that one German corps "jrst SO*net cent, during the first week. Tli? losses from the British artillery were verv heavy, and many German? flittered from the German use of ga«. London, May 6. "Eye-Witness'' emphasises that proire?.?' mint not- be measured' by the extra ground covered, but- by the drain nil the enemy's strength. The Germans' present po'iev :-s to achieve s-urfi-eient- success to influence the neutra.s. Received May 6, at 5.30 p.m! * London, May 6. •'Eyewitness" states that the French made considerable progress west of Yperlee Canal and south of P.ikem. thus'removing the German wedge in the French line between the caiia.l and the Yores-Langemarck -road, representing a 'sain ot over a. thousand yards. At the central point, on the 2nd, the Crermans assumed! the offensive against the British north of Ypres. About five in the l even ins dense clonds of suffocating; vapor were ..emitted from their trenches along the whole front anil; along the French right and our left. The evening was still .and the fumes did not carry beyond our first trenches, but these were rendered untenable, and a retirement was ordered. Received May 6, at 8.30 p.m. London, May 5. >ir John French reports that fighting ic in progress on Hill 60. where the Germans gained a footing tl:r.« morning: ifiider cover -of gas. which was extensively used. The weather favored the use of ga~. The Germans also made a feeble attack east of Ypres. -which was easily repulsed, the Br:tish artillery inflicting severe losses. The German.? exploded a mine in the neighborhood of G/.v-enehy and; used pas. Four men were poisoned. Otherwise the attack failed. Received May 7, at S.o-5 a.m. Pnris:„ May 6. A British counter-attack recovered n pfvriion of the lost trenches on Hill Ofl. Our counter-attacks regained more ground ai Bois d'Ailly.

THE BISHOP AND REVENGE. WORK/ FOR THE STATE. - Hofoirpd May 6, at 8.30 p.m. London. Alay 6. Tim Bklioi of London addressed the Lnudnn Diocesan Conference. _ Refernj to the German atrocities, his Lordship asked: "Shall infamy remain unavenged ' Never, while God is in Ilv.n'in and there is a nation brave to do His will." He did not -'•''-irk the question, whether vengeance vfa-; leit to God. The coivr.se of hKtnry showed that the Lord repaid ven<re'wo prac-t-K-aliy :>hvnvs through man. His Lordship said: If a drink was a crratof (innser' than submarines, and sllcjatiinacy had axeatly increased, then .1 ;nv:it"r blow h«d been .si ruck at our national presiicre than* would be caused tlie loss of trenches." Tfis Lordshin -aid that two hundred met." were killed and wounded every dav eveff when no battle was in progress. This -ivos cHeflv through the lack of ■inuiHirition ti keen down the onemv's "re. L;'ve= were heing -saciv;fied ihroiiEh slackness in London. He Urged everv rat riot to work for the Mate. ENEMY CONTRACTS. Melbourne May 0. ' n the Tlonce a Sill, was introduced uealinxr with enemy -contracts, declaring m ade nrVr to th? cojnnionccment.'if the war null •■■nd void, but nrotectlrn aga.MV'-t actions arisin '' 'bereirom. GERMAN FINANCES. f'RF.DIT OPPOSED IN THE REICHSTAG. , . Amsterdam May fi. • A / ona iderable' minoritv of Socialists '' t!lr ' ft "jells t a< r -opposed votincc a full 31 '"'edit. The Government deiake -i series of votes .be a .meeting of Socialists orior to f s< 23 members opposed votiiiT ti> v i l '' ' it decided by 69 to 3DB lid (ret P Jar ' : - r ,s ' lou ' ( l support the whole