, 1916-07-08

DatGIo started alter an intense DOnDafQ-
ment. We made prisoners SO officers and
1,4OO men besides capturing 4 guns. Fight
ing continues in the region of the lower
Lipa. Half way between Dubono and Sokul
our troops, having broken the enemy's re-
~sistance, drove him back once more towards
the west. In the course of the night we
made prisoners IL officers and 992 men and
captured five machine guns.
British Headquarters, July 4th'-When
the bombardment was most severe at Mametz
and Fricourt strong German positions III
dug-outs 80 feet deep did not save their
defenders from the big shells, and trenches
became formless heaps of eurth. Bits of the
green German uniforms, flesh and acquire
ments were mixed with rags aud churned
sand bags in uncanny horror. British soldi-
ers were gathering the German dead and
burying their own III communication trenches.
At one spot where the British suffered in
charging Il machine-gun position, the battal-
ion mascot, a black. and-tan mongrel dog, lay
dead beside bis human companions, all of
whom lad fallen with their faces toward the
German trenches.
Dublin, July 3rd-The National Direc.
tory of the United Irish League met to-day
with Mr.. John Redmond presiding, and
agreed to accept the proposals made by
Mr.. David Lloyd George for a solution of
the Irish question. AS the Directory is
representative of all Ireland it is not consid-
cred necessary to hold q convention Of the
United Irish League. There were only two
dissenting members in the largest meeting
of the Directory ever held.
Washington, July 4th-A Note to the
United States from the de fuctO Govern
ment of Mexico reached EIiseo Arredondo
the Mexican Ambassador designate, to-day
and probably will be delivered to the State
Department. The communication is des-
cribed by persons close to the Embassy as
being CO c~iliatory in tone and designed to
offer the basis for an amicable settlement
of the differences between the two Govern
ments.
New York, July 4th-A Washington de-
spatch to the "Tubune" says: General Per-
shing's forces have been withdrawn to within
100 miles of the border. This announcement
today foreshadowed, it is thought, complete
retirement of the American troops from Mex
leo at an early date.
Berlin, July 4th.-The correspondent of
the "Lokal Anzeiger", telegraphing on Sun
day from German Headquarters in France,
describes the opening Of the Anglo-French
attack as follows: For seven days and seven
nights guns of all calibres, from field
guns to long ship guns have increasingly
hammered the German positions, camps and
shelters behind constantly renewed waves
of poison gas. The gus drifted over mingled
with shells which rs they burst threw out
corrosive benumbing fumes. The country
between Ypres and Roye was one vast hell
of fire during the long period of preparation,
which was double the length of that which
preceded the battle in Champagne last au-
tumn. Only pauses came when sallies were
made to determine whether an onslaught
was possible. The German first line trenches
in many places were completely under q hail
of missiles against which the best poineer
work was helpless. 1t came as q relief to
the German troops from IN almost unbeara-
BILE strain when the bombardmeDt yesterday
ceased and strong columns advanced. These
did not attack the whole front but broad
sections on either side of the Somme and
Ancre rivers, from the British northern
sector to La Boisselle along the sector from
La Boisselle tc the Somme. The first line
trenches were so demolished that they
offered no support for their hard pressed
occupants and retirement was decided upon
and executed. The ruins of Fricourt,
Mametz and Curlu which lay in line with
the front trenches had to be abandoned to
the enemy, who found here relatively his
greatest success of the first day. The