Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-23
Russian Assault on Varna Is
Believed in England to Be the
Prelude to a New Effort for
COnstantinOple.
FIGHTING IN The V0sGES
French Capture an Important
German Position, but the
Teutons Regain a Footing
Complete Cessation of Fight
ing on Russian Front.

London, Dec. o2.-The British Parlia-
ment without division voted to-day to
| increase the strength of the British army
| to 100000 men. The army of 1.250.nO.
which figures We're given by Premier
Asauith yesterday as the present British
! force abroad. required o,25o,0oo reserves
| in training at home. or total force of
! 3,'ooOo necessary for the prosecution of
| the war on the present basis for one
year
! The act of Parliament virtually provides
| for an extra million men.
| London. Dec. 1.-The second American
! note to Austria shared the leading posi-
tons to-day in the late London newspa-
pers with the reports of the Russian sue
cess at Narna, Bugaria's chief seaport.
The note appeared here too late for ex
tended editorial comment, but the head
lines reflected the opinions Note Couched
in sharper Tone: "All Discussion about
! Details Swept Aside: mo Further
| Discussion Appears Possible
| Up to a late hour there was no official
confirmation of tho report of the Russian
occupation of Narna. which, il true. is. ac-
rordinG to the London editors zone of the
greatest moves of the present war"
The same critics believe that the
| Russian assault on Narna is the pre-
| lude to new effort for Constantinorle
which is less than $50 miles distant.
The English public takes much pride
in the manner in which Australia has
taken the withdrawal from Gallipoli
This attitude is summed up by an Aus
tralian newspaper in the words of Lin
coins Gettysburg speech: We here
| highly resolve that these dead shall
not have died in vain: that this nation.
| under God shall have a new birth Of
| freedom"
The reports of tho Reichstag discus
| sions have aroused some interest in
the entente capitals, where the social
| st attitude is being closely followed.
many believing that some section of
the socialist group in Germany may
prove to he the ultimate channel of
peace negotiations. A Copenhagen
despatch declares that the Socialist
party in Germany is now completely
divided, twenty-one members having Sc
coded and formed new party with
an Independent organization.
The heaviest fighting on any Of the
battle fronts appears to be taking place
in the NosgCs mountains at Hartmans-
Weilcrkopf The French captured an inn
portant German position there Tuesday
but the Germans have regainod a footing
in the section Of the trenches held by
French advance detachmcnts. Paris says
over 200 German prisoners have been
taken on this sector. Artillery lombard
ments have prevailed on most of the
other parts of the western front.
Again comes the report from the Rus
sian front of an almost complete cessation
of the fighting. while the most important
engagements on the Austro italian front
has been an Italian attack on the TolminC
) bridgehead, which was put down by the
! fire of the Austrians
Nothing has come through concerning
Mesopotamia fronts or the army which
! the German Field Marshall Won Der Colt,
- is reported to be preparing for an attempt
ed inva sion of Egypt.
Lieut.. Gen. Sir Archibald Murray will bs
the new British commander at the Oar
daneles succeeding Iieut.-Ge Sil
, Charles G. Monro. who will! command the
first army In France. n post made vacan
( ny the appointment of General Sir Doug
las IIaiG as comma ander-in- chief there
: In the explosion Of a powder plant anr
several ammunition depots at Muenster
West phala, 900 OF en- women employed
in the buildings are reported TO have beer
killed.