The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-03-24
. y {. X .r o -.H y
Fierce Battling Reported From
the Lake Narocz District Where
SIavs Claim TO Hold Three
Lines Of Teutonic Trenches
CAR LAUNCHES FRESH .
OFFENSIVE NEAR RIGA
Verdun Fighting Dies Down Save
For Artillery Bombardment Be-
lieVed To Be Preparation For
Another Assault BY Germans
. .|

.. . raaa ~ ---- '..... ..,.
r ONION, March 24.--The Russian
drive is on again in earnest, des-
pite the claims made by the Ger
man war office. Petrograd last night
officially announced that the troops on
the Lake f,irocz front have captured
more than one thousand unwounded
TeutOnic prisoners and have cleared
the FIRST three lines Of trenches of the
foes. Dozens of machine guns were
captured by the Slavs. the despatch
continues, giving other details Of the
biggest fight on the eastern front
since the Russian reverse of last May.
LAves Of Little value 49,.
In the north too the hosts of the
White Gar are said TO have been vic.
torious, although here Berlin claims
TO have withstood the attacks launch
ed at the German lines The battling
south OF Riga, which iss fast develop.
ing into one Of the ferocious struggles
trarkeSl afilly ElEIE q G,etstpaara 40
, life, that were charact ctefistic of the
fighting In the east during the early
stages Of the war. is still swaying
back and forth, with the Russians
driving little ahead with each swing
Of the pendulum of battle. X
The Russian offensives in the Riga
district, in the Lake Narocz district
and still farther south near Czerno,
witz, which they have recaptured, is
taken here rs a complete answer to the
claims made last summer that the Slav
armies have been crushed by the re-
verses they suffered last spring. Mill.
ta-y exrerts here say that aside from
the military value and strategical i'm
portance Of the Russian thrusts at the
German and Austrian lines, the main
value of these moves has been to con-
vince Germany and her allies that Rus
sia is not crushed.
Slay Troopsp Ready
Reports from neutral observers with
the Slav column declare that the sol
diers of the Czar are even better pre-
pared for the fighting that is to come
than they were at the outbreak of the
war. Guns and munitions have been
going forward to the various fronts on
which the Slav armies are operating by
the trainload for months, and it Is now
asserted that none of the nations with
whom she has to fight is better equip,
ped than is Russia.
Lull In Battle .nr
On the western front there was an
other dull IN the battle around Verdun.
That is there was no Infantry attacks
worth recording, according to the Paris
North and west OF that sector, |
in the portion of the line held by the /,
British troops, the Teutons httempted |
to launch an offensive which was
checked by the British FIRE. The Brit
ish counter attack proved more success
ful and slight gains are reported from |
the DISTRICTS north of the somme.
Great Guns Busy
The Germans under the Crown |
Prince are again fercelv bombarding |
the French lines at Bethincourt and |
the fort at LIE Homme Mort. Army |
officers in Paris say that this is an
indication that the Crown Prince is
planning another assault with masses
of men, as soon as the artillery prep,
aration has been completed.
Practically all of the recent German |
gains at Verdun have been made by
the use of liquid Gre, squirted from a
spraying machine, aud which sears and |
burns the flesh Of the opposing troops
The military committee, of the cham.
Der of deputies, meeting in Paris last
night after a discussion Of the new
" frightfulness weapon that is being
used by the Teuton commanders, re.
ommended the use of the same device.
Methods of protection and retaliation
are being planned.
Berlin Optimistic
Berlin reports of the fighting at
Verdun declare that Germany has de-
finite hope of conquering the stubborn
French fortress and paving the way
for drive on Paris and early termin.
0t'"n of the war.
The military authorities say that
the pauses in the, offensive on the
V"rdun front are part of the scheme
of operations 10 reduce this strong
hold, Oficers assert that the opera
tions are intended TO lead to the cap.
ture of Verdum at an early date.