Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-16
Thirteenth Nation of Europe
Enters the Great Struggle
Seizure of TeutOns' Merchant
men PrOvOkes HOstilities.
VEROUN BATTLE STILL RACES
Germans Launch Violent At
lacks at Several Points, but
the French Still Claim They
Are Holding Their Own-Rus-
slams Take Offensive in East.

London, March 9-Germany has dc.
tries are now engaged in tho in,erna.
tonal struggle
The declaration OF war was made hv
Germany chiefly on account of the re.
cent seizure of German merchantmen
interned in Portuguese ports aud portu.
gals refusal to rcscnd this action and
once more place the ships under the
German flag. A lonY series of alleged
breaches of neutrality by the Portuguese
government. such as permitting British
troops to pass through Mozambique. the
use of Portuguese ports as bases 70,
British warships and insults to the Ger
man nation by members of the Portu.
Gucse Parliament also were contributinc
factors.
Fighting between the French and the
Germans northwest and north Of Yer.
dun has in no wise slacllcned rarticu-
larly violent have been the attacks or
the Germans to the north of Vcrdun.
around Douaumont, the village Of Naux
and Fort Vaux, but, according to Paris.
they went for naught.
The Germans were thrown in solid
!
bordering the foot OF the slopes of tine
ridge dominating Fort Naux. which the
latest German official report said the
Germans had captured, but the French
brought their curtain of IRE into play
and drove back tho alta. king forces
with enormous losses
Northeast OF the fort the Germans
cssaycd AN assault against the village
of NauX. from which they had previously
been driven by the French, but here alsu
they were repulsed with heavy casual
ties. An attack on the outskirts OF the
village Of Douaumont was similarly put
down by tho French artillery and infau-
try fire.
TO tho west OF tho Mouse. midway
; between Eethincourt and the river, the
, French have continued on tho offensive
against the Germans in the CorbeauX
Wood and arc officially reported to have
driven the Germans from almost all
that important salient.
TO the cast and southeast Of Ncrdun
only intermittent horbardmcuts Of OPP
posing positions have taken place. Sow
cral fights in the air between French
and German aviators nave occurred IN
! the neighborhood OF Ncrdun
In Chamracnc tho French have cap
turcd trench near Maisuus Dc Cham-
payne and are shclIrS the German
positions near Navariu, the Butte Du
Mesnils and MassiEcs In upper Nsarc
a section Of German trench TO the cast
of Scppois has been taken by the French,
! In the eastern theatre the Russians
at various points have taken the often
! sivc against German advanced positions,
! but Berlin declares they nowhere met
with success. In tho Austro-1talian zone
the bad weather again has almost stopped
operations.
The Russians on tho Black sea coast
continue to press on toward Turkey
principal port. Trcbzond, and ais" are
making progress against the Ottomans
| in the Persian sector.
The Russian foreign office cat"Cori-
caly denies that Turkey has made ncac-
proposals OF any kind the chief Of the
! department Of the near cast saying:
I $50 overturcs. official or scm-onicial