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The War Conference of the Allies,
held in Paris and concluded last
week, is probably one of the most
important events since the commencement
of the war. With the shifting
of the German troops from the
Eastern to the Western front, and the
Italian explanation of the failure to
save Serbia we are familiar, and the
object of the Conference was to give
that co-ordination of the Allies forces
that it is alleged was lacking in the
past. There were 37 delegates, representing
Britain, France, Russia,
Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Serbia,
Montenegro and Japan. Although
nothing definite has been disclosed, it
is assumed the results will be far
reaching in a combined crushing blow
at the enemy.
Holland has, during the week,
seized their railway system for military
purposes. A German canard
states this is due to a rumor that the
Allies intend to land troops at Dulch
ports, but it is more probable that
it has been done to be prepared for
the eventualities of the coming offensive
of the Allies.
At Verdun the German offensive
has continued. Malancourt Village
has been captured by the Germans,
after severe losses, and another desperate
attack was repelled by the aid
of timely French reinforcements, but
General Joffre is quite satisfied with
the position and the continued slaughter
of German effectives with so little
gain of territory. He says the situation
is to his liking. The Germans
are strong on the front line, but the
rest are weakly held. They expected
to capture Verdun in four days, but
the use of French artillery entirely
upset their plans.
The submarine blockade has been
responsible for sinking 38 ships during
March, and., the sinking of
Achilles, laden with Australian wool
(two thousand tons from Albany),
and produoe in the Bay of Biscay,
shows the striking distance of the
new submarine has greatly increased,
unless secret bases have been established
on tiie Spanish coast. Meanwhile
Crete has been blockaded by
the British fleet and other Greek
j P orts P r evedt the supplies reaching
submarines in the Mediterranean,
j Oreece has protested against this and
bombing of Salonika from airships,
j an( *
80me of
deputies are asking
j evacuation of Salonika by the
| Allies. Greek notes are, however,
not likely to be taken seriously,
Greece, herself, is almost bankrupt
financially, and the time is past for
her to do any effective damage to the
Allies, eveji if the advice of the King
and his pro-German supporters are
followed.-
There have been two more Zeppelin
raids on England and Scotland, and
considerable damage has been done'
to'private dwellings, and nearly 150>"
casualties are reported of non-combat^
ants, men, women and children.
A New Zealand airman this time was
able to surmount and bomb one of the
airships at 6,000 feet, which it is
surmised is the one that fell into the
Thames estuary wrecked, the captain
I an< * ^ men being made prisoners,
I The wreekage of another has been
| ilL the North Sea, so that this
time the Zepps did not get away
• unscathed.
The melting of the ice on the White
Sea, and the news that ice-bound port
of Archangel will be opened for
. traffic by the middle of April, thus
establishing direct communication
between Russia and her Alliees, is a
harbinger of the coming spring,
* ce on *be Dwina River has also
broken, and the floods on the rivers
in Galicia are now restricting opera'
tions on both sides, although several
local successes have been won by the
Russians. Meanwhile the Russians
are placing no further orders for
munitions with Japan until after next*.
September.
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