WEATHER
S ED WI RE SERV ICE
NA, THURSDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH. 29, 1 917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS,
w ' - v -w-, ;: WILMINGTON, NORTH CArff m
or (i ii ii ii niiiiix f iif ii i x ii . i iiiiii ii ii n ni i " t
I'M M t I " Llll I Wll H I I mill III
l PasgSi I 1 HI II I I K I f I I I I I liWII I II LI If. ' If U II I I IUIHIM
v m ri i i I I i i ii ii i i i i i i i ill : i i 1 1 in v i-w - - jj
I fffcl Kl VV U WJ3 J L-IJ Ly Mil i I I vJ I III llll II If I -1(1111 U II 111
11 WIPlfMlo DUAint, iviHiunto
IThat is The Opinion of Senator
Saulsbury, President Pro
Tern of The Senate.
SHOULD LOAN THE
ENTENTE MONEY.
President Wilson Anxious For
The House to Organize
Without Delay, So He Can t
u i. I . . n l I
Address It -Important ab- 4
met Meeting 1 omorrow.
V.y Associated Press.1
Washington, March 29. President
Wilson was said today to be hopeful
that the House-of- Representations will
nis!1- its organization plans so tliat
there will be no delay in affording him
opportunity to make his address on the
war situation to a jointsssion with
the Senate.
No matter how the final organisa
tion is perfected, administration lead
ers are anxious that if" a prolonged
fight is in prospect some sort of an
arrangement be made for temporary
organization to permit the President's
appearance Tuesday or Wednesday.
These officials feel that the public will
not support a long, struggle over or
ganization and committee patronage at
such a critical time.
The resolution for Congressional
actioa to comply with the President's
recommendations probably will be first
considered in the House, leaving the
Senate to take it up later. The House
Foreign Affairs Committee is drafting
various torms 03. resolutions zo . meei
the executive recommenaaxKras'- -
Another reason for original House
action is ihe probability that the reso
lution will carry an appropriation. Ap
propriation measures must originate
there. The peculiar situation in the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
with Chairman Stone -opposed to
action which would lead to war and
the opposition of Senator Hitchcock,
the next ranking Democratic member,
to steps further than an armed neu
trality manifesto, was another factor
in the tentative plan to have it origin
ate in the Hjuse.
fhe President has received recom
mendations from several cabinet mem
bers on points to be included in his
address, and is now preparing it in a
prenminary ,way.
final cabinet meeting before the
assembling of Congress will be held
... t- i j
tomorrow and members will be ready
to report fully on preliminary prepar
edness measures.
Senator Saulsbury, president pro,
tem- of the Senate and a member of ,
the Foreign Relations Committee, is
sued a statement today saying the
t'nited States shoulid loan its credit to
the Allies as a first war "measure, abro
gate the old Prussian-treaties which
Germany sought unsuccessfully to re
new, and do everything we can to
bring the war to an end. -
Ho declined to say whether he
thought Congress should declare a
state of war exists or make an actual
declaration of war upon Germany.
'Assuming that Congress shall de
clare a state of war exists, or should
make a declaration of war," said Sen-
ator Saulsbury, "there should be no
Hesitation or delay of any kind in doing
vhatever we can to bring the war to
an end. If we enter, we must assist
those who are upon the same side with
us in every possible way. The credit
"four government would undoubtedly
be loaned to the Allies to any extent
needed, for every gun they use and
"very shell they shoot is then for a
In my opinion this government
ould do its full share when it makes; York from Rotterdam in December,
common cause with the Allies iie. He was arrested'near here while
Know of no better wav than furnishing ... . . , i
7". ,,. f
'&y one million of the soldiers of.
ance with all their food, equipment ,
an'l munitions until we are able '
uiroufdi our own army and navy to
fvort . i i i-i- ! a :n.'.
' it least me cower 01 a uiiiuuu
Airman Chamberlain, of the Sen-
f(' Military Committee, with a White
"ouso engagement for late today, said
ht would ask President Wilson in his
address to Congss next week to en-
(10:
jrso universal military training, as a -
:laredness measure of first import-.
P
ance
EX-CZAR'S REQUEST
SENT SON TO NORWAY.
, , (By Associated Press.)
London. Marh 29. Nicholas Rom-
aniii has asked the provisional govern-
-nr to permit his little son to go to
ivay for the sake of his health, ac-
",r(img to a Petrograd dispatch to the
ennnse T&letrrrinh Pnmnanv
Per-r
isKion has not yet been granted. I
. -C3 i: -f X f
lhr fnn. n t,t nm(1ir
apnem- rv,-Pi xt.-i- a
U 111'', t ma urn.lrUn Va ltfflA
1 """v; nuuuug ill 1.U9 111.UU
9
'" -'
BIG STEAMER TORPEDOED.
A
(By Associated Press.)
New Orleans. March 29. Th
Portugese ship, Argo, 1,488 net
tons, which sailed from this port
4 February 9th for London with a
' cargo of "merchandise, and sever-
al Americans in her crew, has 4
been torpedoed and sunk, accord- !
lng to a caDle&ram received today 4
"om London by the agents here. 4
The message giying this inform- 4.
' - -1 -"o "-"i" iiivii-
4 ation was in response to an in- 4
quiry from the local agents as to 4'
whether the vessel had reached 4
4 London. The reply merely stat- 4
Jed, Torpedoed. Sunk." r
4414444444444 '4 4
OF THIS HERO
Memorial Services to Aviator
, McDonnell In North Caro
lina Town Sunday.
(By Associated Press.)
Carthage, N. C, March 29. Memo
rial exercises in honor of Sergeant J.
R. McConnell, the American aviator
killed in battle with two German air
planes on the French front, last weeK
Will liiiSundaF next in the Moore
county court house -here, it was an
nounced today.
A general invitation to citizens of
North Carolina to attend has been is
sued. Sergeant McConnell was a son
of Judge S. P. McConnell, of this
place, and prior to his departure for
France had resided here several years.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
GRANTED INJUNCTION
(By Associated Press.)
New York, March 29. The applica
tion of the Associated Press for a
writ of injunction restraining the In
ternational News Service from ap
proporiating complaints news at any
t.L.r. ot1h h
UldlUl B uiciuucio, no &lojnv.u kjj ;
Judge Augustus M. Hand m the Fed
eral District Court today.
IN STATESVILLE
Declares Alleged Aged Ger
man Spy Arrested in Mis
sissippi Town.
(By Associated Press.)
Gulfport, Miss., March 29. Charles
R. C. Herckenrath Bondman, aged
ahout 60. held in jail here for investi-
Hnn hv FpHerar authorities and sus-
, . . . ... , .
Pected jy local omcers . or uemg an
agent of Germany, stated today that
he formerly was an instructor in a
university of France and that his
;,thoT. Rnndman. i nrofessor of
music in a college at Statesville, N.
C. Bondman asserted ne came to xew
riding a Dicycie. tie saia u cuue
U1"5-
that method of traveling so he could
set a more intimate idea of the coun-
trv Amnnsr his effects was found at
t
.... Ti.i.-i, iI, atatoev 6
New Orleans, Mobile and paints in
Cuba.
Visited Statesville,
Statesville. N. C. Marcn
29.
Charl R c H Bondam in custody at
r , . Q
litnrnort. ivuss.. uuu susuccu u
authorities there-as a subject of-Ger-
many, visited Statesviile last January
as a guest of his cousin Karel Bon-
dam, instructor of music at States
ville College. Bonbam left States-
11 v f TT-oriinrv nrp -
ville about the first of February, pre
sumably on a lecture cour.
Prof. Karel Bondam, -alive of
Holland, resided in Wilkes county,
1 . .
this State, for a number .of years,
joning the faculty of the local school
two . years ago
Prpf. Bondam applied
TO HONOR MEMORY
1
UIC DDflTUCD IIICC
111 1 iiiiii 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 -i
IIIU UIIU I ULII LIMUU
tfeTror naturalization .papers, -vera,
. months ago. "
m iu iviHivc WHn uiv
He Says They are to be Driven
Out of the State of New
York.
SOME UNSAVORY
PROCEEDINGS.
On The Part of an Official Has
Aroused the Governor's
Hostility Toward The
Sport.
(By United Press.)
New York, March 29. Governor
Whitman, of New York, is determined
that before the close of this year
boxing will be kicked completely out
rot New York. His determination he
declared in recent informal discus
sion, is unalterable. He i opposed
to the game from ievery angle.
The unfavorable publicity the
game has received in this city, the
unfavorable and unsavory bouts that
haVe been pulled off from time to
time, Fred -Wenck's unfortunate ex-
ujuc, ricu - cui;. s uuiuiiuuaie ui-
nerience with the hot end of that
l00 checir and several other things,
have soured Whitman completely.
fc Wenck's conduct in office was very
bad and it was the straw that broke
the governor's back. He announced
that Wenck would be removed from
office and then let it be knovn in an
unofficial way that no one would be
appointed to replace the deposed
chairman of the boxing commission.
Wenck did several things while in
office that looked bad, among them
being his feat of borrowing $400 from
the manager of a fighter no small
stunt. He respaid the money1, but
Franklin B. Lord, the Governor's rep-
! resentative, who heard the evidence
in charges brought by Harry Pollok,
John White and others, held that
Wenck acted in disrespect to the dig
nity of his office in asking for the
loan.
As if this were not enough, Wenck
permitted his office to be used on
more than one occasion as headquar
ters for visiting managers of boxers
who were to appear in New York
rings. Not only did he do that, but
'he,, even . recommended , "a. hustling
&&Aai-aiEts uTto a
tixuei mduapi 01 r x ' uxLuii,
; j . r 1 T-u.i ...1 1
asked regarding the stability of clubs
"He also indorsed a note for $2,500 to
help this manager stage a match.
These things were bad, they nettled
the Governor,tand he was firmly de
termined to end the game for all
time when the evidence was all in.
Nothing can stop it in New York. The
Frawley bill is doomed, and there is
little wonder. The way promoters
and managers, not to speak of the
boxers, have .treated their liberties
is enough to shame anything into
hiding. j.
And, in passing, it is enough to
provoke a giggle to witness the fct
that in getting revenge on Wenbk,
for refusing -a license to conduct
bouts in Madison Square Garden, Har-
ry Pollok gave a perfect impersona
- . , - ,
tion of the man who cut off his 'nose
to spite his face.
WOMEN AS MARINES
MANY TRY TO ENLIST
(By Associated Press.)
New York, March 29. Two wom
en for every man applied for enlist
ment in the Marine Corps in the last
week, according to Captain Frank E.
Evans, in charge of recruiting here.
Several " women, he asserted, wanted
to be detailed to battleships. "It was
difficult to convince them that women
are not permitted to serve on war
ships," he said.
Women may fill clerical positions
only.
BRITISH VESSEL
(S TORPEDOED
iNo Warning Given
Americans Aboard
Casualties. - Two
-No
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, March 29. The British
bark Neatn, from
Mauretius tor
T-I-n'trra Wit Vl Sllira T"
Havre with sugar, was torpedoed
without warning at 8:45 a. m. Tues
day, 28 miles southeast of Fastnet,
according to State Department reports
today from Consul Frost at Queens
town. Two Americans, Clarence
Bloom, of San Francisco, and' Peter
Webster, negro seamen, Pensacola,
Fla.. were aboard the Neath, but es
caped together with other members of
the ccew, wittout loss or .TO
The Br U.sh JJJjtt Consul
power 6 4:qq tons from Mauretus to
Hayas with a cargo of sugar was tor-
pedoed without warning at 8:45 a. M.,
' 27th, 28 miles southeast 01 nasiuei,
( - f geyen minutes No losses OI
sank in seven minutes. No losses or
injuries. Carried no guns or wire
lesk nor. made any attempt to escape
or resist. Weather fair."
The message, in part, was conflict
ing. It said that the captain of the
xtoVi -araa Mpti as a hostage by the
( SUDmarine, but, afterwards stated that
at .QueT.T?: ' . : ' ,
A A 'JL ' A JU A!
W . SEVELT IN FINE HEALTH.
' t:
(By Associated Press.)
v Danville, Va : Mltrch 29. Col-
4' onel Roosevelt is n fine health
4,' and enjoying a successful hunt for
4 devil fish, said a tejegram receiv- 4
ed heer today from Russell J.
Coles, of this city, who is the
41- former President's- Host on the
4' expedition to South Florida.
4 Mr. Coles' telegram' was in re-
sponse to inquiries prompted by S
vague rumors that, the Colonel
4 had met with an Occident.
4 4J 4 4 4 4 4. 4C4 4 4 4 4
4
4
4
BRITISH VICTORY
THE TURKS
IN PALESTINE
' Complete Route of an Entire
Division After Hard
Fighting.
THE GENERAL STAFF
IS CAPTURED.
Enemy's Loss Heavy Many
Prisoners, Including Ger
man and Austrian Gen
eral Officers.
The British army in Palestine has
defeated a Turkish iarmy of 20,000
men, capturing SCO men, including a
general, the war office announces.
Tlie official statement reads:
Telegraphing yesterday, the commander-in-chief
in Egypt reports that
we advanced our troops 15 miles from
Rafa to the Wadi Ghuzzeh, 5 miles
south of Gaza, to cover the construc
tion of a railway.
On Monday and Tuesday, we were
heavily engaged in this neighborhood
with a force 'of about 20,000 of the
enemy. We inflicted very heavy
losses on him, taking 900 prisoners,
including the general commanding
and the whole divisional staff of , the
53rd Turkish divisions. This. figure
includes four Austrian officers and 32
Austrians and Germans of other
ranks. We also captured two-i Aus-
trian 4.2 inch Howitzers. All the
Jrtroops havedapl
Hereford, Middlesex and Surrey regi
-" - '
ments and the Anzac and the Yeo
manry mounted troops."
The official statement says that
British troops have advanced for a
distance of 3.5 riifies along the South
ern Palestine coast of the Mediter
ranean. The British forces have push
ed forward from Rafa 0 the Wadi
Ghuzzeh, a river five miles south of
Gaza (Ghuzzep). Gaza is 20 miles
north of the Egyptian-Syrian boun
dary. ARYAN'S APPEAL
TO U. S. SENATE.
tBy Associated Press.)
Miami, Fla., March 29, William J.
Bryan today addressed an appeal to
the Senate and House of Representa
tives urging that an attempt be made
to secure the suspension of Germany's
ruthless submarine campaign through
the application of the so-called Bryan
peace plan which provides for an in
vestigation of all disputes by an inter
national tribunal before resort to war.
Mr. Bryan asked that Congress also
consult the wishes of the people
through a referendum if it concludes
that nothing but war will satisfy the
nation's honor.
WIFE OF LORD FURNESS AS
RED CROSS NURSE.
Lady Daisy Furness is doing Red
Cross work in " Great Britain, one of
the many wives of the peers who have
beene enlisted to aid their country. Be -
fore her marriage in 1904 she was Miss
OVER
4. 4. 4 '
" J
. . , , S V -
Daisy Hogg, daughter C. J. Hogg,
RUSSIANS UNITED
NEW GOVERNMENT
Declaration to This Effect Is
. sued by Committee of
Workingmen. .
NOT A STRUGGLE
BETWEEN NATIONS
But a Contest of Democracy
Against German Imperial
ism Peasants Organiz
ing iVJilitia.
By Associated Press.)
Petrograd, March 28. (Via London,
March 29). A declaration in support
of the war has been issued by a com
mittee of working men, soldiers, and
deputies and apparently represents the
soDer conclusion wnicn the masses
have reached, after being swayed this
way and that by the turbulent currents
and cross-currents which swept
through the country in the first days
of the revolution.
This conclusion is that liberty and
a. 11 jrt
victory over me uermans are insep-;
arable and that the responsibility foH
plunging Europe into war rests on
the Hohenzollern family and Prussian
imperialistic ambitions
The -tendency is to regard the war
no longer as a struggle between na
tions, but as one between the new
spirit of democracy and the old spirit
jcf imperialism. The people are eager
ly desirous or peace, but are ready to
devote redoubled energy to war if that
is the only way of achieving it. Eyen
the dissentient voice of the extreme
socialist, elements, which at first open
ly declared itself against war and
counseled the soldiers to lay down
their arms, has been drowned in the
universal cry that the struggle must
continue.
The result of this broader under
standing of the 'object for which the
country is fighting has been to bring
the extreme radicals into unison with
the rest of the country.
Reassuring reports of the visit of
Minister of War Guchkoff to the front
continue to be received. Everywhere
the army responded with the .greatest
enthusiasm to his appeals and declar
ed itself ready to continue fighting un-
feasted in Pefrograd, "where thefe are
daily processions of troops carrying
banners inscribed: "Liberty and Vic
tory." The workmen in all the factories en
gaged in manufacturing for the na
tional defense have decided to re
nounce the eight-hour day for the
period of the war.
Kronstadt Loyal to New Government.
London, March 29. Two members of
the Russian Duma have returned to
Petrograd from Kronstadt, where the
revolutionary movement was least or
ganized and met with armed resist
ance, says a Reuter dispatch from Pe
trograd today. A great meeting was
held at which the deputies explained
the situation to representatives of .the
fleet and the garrison, who cheered
vigorously.
The work at the port, adds the mes
sage, is once more in full swing.
Peasantry in Line With Reforms.
Petrograd, March 28. (Via London,
March 29). The peasants are system
atically organizing militia tO replace
the old police. They are alo estab
lishing new local authorities and com
munial assemblies, which will support
the new government and will sell
country products for victualing the
army and people.
In many of the governments the
peasants have lowered prices. Many
assemblies have opened . funds to or
ganize a course or political comer
!ences. The idea of equal rights for
women is gaining weight.
TUBERCULOSIS
S
Their Numbers Being Rapidly
Decreased By This
Scourge.
(By United Press.)
Washington, March 29. The fast
thinning ranks of the Indian are se
riously threatened with the scourge of
tuberculosis, according to the Office
of Indian Affairs official guardian for
more than 300,000 members of the Red
race today.
Prevention of the spread of this
dread disease, which is more prev
alent among the Indians than any other
race, is occupying most of the office's
time. Trachoma, an eye disease, is
the next most serious affection among
Indians. Uncleanliness and alcohol
are blamed. A campaign of education
to curb the two evils has been started.
BRONZE MEDALS
TENNESSEE SOLDIERS
(By Associated Press.)
Nashville, Tenn.; March 29. The
Legislature today voted an appropria-
j tion of , $1,500 for the purchase of
j bronze medals for the Tennessee
1 guardsmen who served on the Mexican
j border. The appropriation was voted
In response to a message from Gov
ernor Rye, containing tne suggestion.
Ml
ND AN
GRIML
STRIKING BACK AT
FitENCH SOLDIERS
4fr-3fr
-
GERMANV may modify sub.
WARFARE. -
! (Bv Associated Press.
London, March ; 29. Informa-
-a5- tion direct from Germany from a 4fr
report in the hands of the As- -X-45-
socted Press, asserts that Dr. 4S-
von Bethmann-Hollweg, Imperial
5 Chancellor, in his coming speech
will, not only offer a large
4f measure of electoral reform, but
4C- also a possible, modification of &
the submarine campaign in a -X--X-
eleventh hour attempt to stave -X-X-
off yar with the United States. -X-
, -X-
45. 45. it.
X- -X- -X- -X- 4f -X- 4f -X- -X- -55- -X-
OF GL
OF
- . c 11
Operating Expenses Have
Been Increased, Set Forth
The Roads.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, March 29. Increased
cost of railroad operations upon which
the railroads base applications for a
general advance in freight rates is re
flected in statistics made public today
by the Interstate Commerce Commis-
jsion covering operations; for January.
total operating revenues increased
about $40,000,000 over January, 1916.
Tnis increase was nearly offset by a
$31,000,000 increase in ; operating ex
penses. The net operating income,
after deducting taxes and uncolleqt
able revenues, was $71,929,868, an in
crease of January, 1916, of $7,000,000,
although the figure falls below the
average monthly return for 1916.
Revenues of southern roads increas
ed about $6,500,000, while total oper
ating expenses and taxes increased ap
proximately $3,700,000, leaving a net
month's increase in operating income
of approximately $2,800,000. . Operat-
ing revenue of the southern roads
totalled. $47,493,955:- operating i,ex-
showed an increase of $240,000.
The report shows a total of 231,193
miles in operation by large roads.
JAPANESE WARSHIP
SUNK BY GERMAN
(By Associated Press)
Vancouver, B. C, March 29. A dis-l
patch to The Canadian News from
Tokio says that a German raider has
sunk a Japanese warship in the
the Indian ocean and was being track-
vessels were not disclosed.
T. . . m . .
11 umwu' cu 111 iUIV1"
about two weeks ago that a converted
German cruiser had been sighted in
the Indian ocean and was being trac
ed by Japanese and British warships,
after the raider had sunk a Japanese
freight ship. Prior to that, two Brit
ish steamships were reported to have
been destroyed by an armed merchant
man off Colombo, Ceylon.
UNREST NOW FELT
People Growing Uneasy Be
cause of War and Food
Shortage.
(By Associated Press.l
London, March 29 The official Ga
zette at Madrid, published today a
decree suspending constitutional
guarantees in all provinces of the
kingdom, Reuters' Madrid correspond
ent cables.
No information nad been received
here early this afternoon in explana
tion of the suspension of the consti
tutional guarantees in Spain.
A Seditious Appeal.
1
RAILROADS
OLD
Paris, March 29. An "appeal to sweeping assault on H11L304 is declar
the people" issued in Spain has been ' ed to have failed, wnile In the Cham
declared by the government to be j pagne the French are said to have
seditious, a Havas dispatch from been frustrated in their attempts to
Madrid reports. The signers of the
appeal have been arrested. The cabi
net has taken the affair nito its own
hands and will deal with it summar
ily. Unrest In Spain.
Washington, March 29. Frequent
reports from Spain of widespread un- nounced today. Artillery flgnung con
rest because of her attitude towards i tinued during the night between the
the war and an almost universal food
shortage hah aggravated the trouble.
Department receive Cay's announce-1 German lines. Solssons was bom
ment of the suspension of constitu- J barded by heavy German guns. -'
tional guarantees without surprise. French Counter Attack Repulsed.
Ever since the beginning of the war Berlin, May 29. Via Sayville :
Uiere has been decided internal dis- French efforts to re-capture the posl-
sensions as to Spain's attitude in the tions recently taken from them in the
war, and during the last few months, Champagne region were futile, army,;
especially with the sharpening of the headquarters announced today. The
German submarine campaign the food French sustained, heavy losses in -shortage
has aggregated the trouble, these attacks. -
Officials here, pointing out the A French attack on the German lines
similarity to the Russian revolution - the region of Hill S04, northwest of ;
which also began through, political
unrest, deepened by food shortage.
were unwilling to predict the out
come.. ' v. - . ' .
Y GERMANS
Make - OflFensive to Shake
French General Loose From
His Main Idea.
MEANTIME IRON RING
IS DRAWING TOGETHER
Teutons Prepared to Make a
Strong Stand on Belgian
Border British Steadily
Closing in on Jerusalem
Little Change in The West
Today.
The Germans are striking back in:
Champagne in a determined effort to
divert General Nivelle from his cease-;
less pounding at the base of the
shaken Hindenbwg line. The scene
of the counter offensive launched by
j Feld Marshal von-Hindenburg is along
a 15-mile front, starting about 25 miles
east of Rheims. Attacking in force iir
this sector, the Germans have driven
the French from some of their advance '
trenches, but have failed so far to
make a serious impression on the de
fenders' lines.
In the meantime the iron semi-circle
which General Nivelle has thrown
around the southern half of the great:
St. -Gobain plateau Is steadily con-
tracting. If the French maintain their
present rate of advance it can only be
a matter of a very few days before the
entire plateali is in their grasp, re
moving the last great natural barrier
to Loan.
The British are moving forward
steadily to the north, but the fact that
they are capturing villages with cav
airy indicates that they are not yet
in contact with the main German
forces. The most advanced British
outposts are still 10 miles from the
Cambrai line, where allied observers
have assumed the Germans proposed
to make thei real stand. -
Military critics In Paris and London
are reverting to the belief that the
present German retreat Is only part of '
the plan for a retirement on a tremen
dous scale to the Belgian border. " In
support of this theory it is pointed
"ut inat ine wunar&wai irom the
A. A. 7 A. J . . a,m m
uayumc BanraiB is rapiu-
ly forcing the Whole German line Into
'rne upright or this angle runs ndrfh
and south for 120 miles from NIeuport
on the Belgian coast to Laon. The.
horizontal runs for about an equal dis
tance east to the Lorraine border. U
is into the apex of this angle that Gen
eral Nivelle is boring his way, threat
ening to cut the forces of the invaders
I i" -"
. B.ritis operations, in Palestine are
; indicated by today's reports to be
I Progressing successfully on a large
1 fcale A1 the British forces closing
stJ!a.1y on, Jerusalem. On March
a,?rit.1,sh column was reported with-
in 40 miles of Jerusalem at El halil,
. or Hebron, about 35 miles inland.
This column has evidently been
supported by a stronger army advanc
ing up the Mediterranean coast,
where it can be munitioned and sup
plied by water. The coast army, mov
ing northward from Rafa has pushed
up the Mediterranean shore, to within
five miles of Gaza, the historic town
of Bible times. Gaza is almost di
rectly west of El - Chalil, bringing th&.
British front up a straight apparently
across nearly the entire breadth of
Palestine between the Mediterranean
and the bead Sea! Forty miles north
of Gaza in Jaffa, the port Of Jerusalem;-
whence a railway line runs to the
capital. . ,
The British reports show the army
now near Gaza to be engaged in con
structing a railway apparently to
i facilitate its advance or Its ope
rations farther m tne Interior of
Palentine. It has defeated a
Turkish army of 20,000, capturing a
general and whole divisional staff, to
gather with some 900 men including
several Austrian officers and Aus
trian and German men of the rank
and .file and two Austrian 4.2 inch-,
Howitzers.
Today's official reports from Pari3
and Berlin show little change in con
ditions in the field of the German re
treat on the (French front.
Heavy fighting is continuing in the
Champagne region and the French
are reported ' by Berlin to have at
tempted an extensive attack north
west of Verdun.- This latter move, a
recapture the trenches they recently
lost.
French Capture Important Munitions
Depot.
Paris, March 29. An Important mu-
I nitions and supply depot nas Deen cap-
tured by tne Jfrencn, tne war omce an-
I Somme and the Aisne.and tne irreacn
I kept in contact everywhere with the
Verdun, carried tut on a wiae iront.
also failed. The British : lost 55 men
in- prisoners in- an engagement near
Croisilles. . ..: ... A'v v.:V- "
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