The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-06-15

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We're blown into the mir by 20 charges
OF high explosives, totaling million
pounds. Instantly the Englishmen,
irishmen. Australians and New Yea.
landers that make up the British army
~ Belgium sprang forward In success
sive waves, and one Of the fiercest
battles Of the war was on.
The attack was directed at the Mes.
slnes ridge, between Messines and
Wytschaete, where ever since October
OF 1914 the Germans had maintained
themselves In a sharp salient that al
ways threatened Ypres, only three
miles TO the north. The morning rush
resulted In the capture of Messines
ana Wytschaete and the enemy's de-
Tense systems on the nine-mile front,
and later In the day another forward
movement took the British into and
through the village Of 0osttaverne.
The entire salient was Strengthened out
and all the counter-attacks were re-
pulsed. Any considerable further ad.
vance In this sector viii threaten the
German hold on Lille, which Is about
Ave miles from the nearest British DO.
sltlon. Large numbers of prisoners
already have been taken.
The Germans must have known that
the attack of Messines ridge was In
tended, for the preparatory lombard
ment was terrific, and yet reports from
prisoners indicated that they actually
We're taken by surprise.
In preparation for the operations In
Flanders the British fleet co-operated
with the land forces, subjecting Os-
tend TO severe bombardment. The
British air forces also were In action,
repeatedly raldlng the German bases
at zeebrugge, Ostend and Bruges. In
retaliation squadron of German air
planes attacked the British naval base
In the Midway. close to London, on
Tuesday, but was driven Off with the
loss of eight machines.
Several times during the week the
Germans made vicious attacks In the
Atsne and Champagne sectors and
even gained possession Of some French
positions; but the gallant poilus nj
ground, inflicting severe losses on the
enemy.
The Austrlans claimed 10 have ef-
fectually checked the Italian advance
toward Trieste, and announced that
the italian losses in the offensive were
10000 men. On Tuesday the Italians
were forced back south of JamIano.
Dispatches from Rome revealed the
fact that Italy had proclaimed the In
dependence of Albania.
Once more the British admiralty is
sued very satisfactory report on
the work Of the submarines. showing
but % British vessels sunk In the
week, five of which were fishing YES
sells, The American destroyers COM
pleted their first month In the war
and have proved themselves most valu-
able aids 10 the British naval forces.
Russia Is Warned.
Conditions In Russia remain chaotic,
though they may be Strengthened out
somewhat by the work of the Root
commission and the American railway
engineers The revolt OF the garrison
of Kronstndt, which declared the Is
land fortress Independent of the gov
eminent. caused considerable concern
In Petrograd, but as the action OF the
garrison was denounced by the Petro-
grad council of workmen's and sol
diers' delegates II collapsed. and the
garrison bowed to the authority of
the provisional government.
Following President Wilson's exam
pie. France replied to Russia's state
nient of her peace plan by setting
forth in a general way the demands of
the French. These. embodied In a
vote of the chamber of deputies, in
clude the liberation of the territories
invaded by Germany, the return to
France of Alsace-Lorraine and Just
reparation for damage.
japan also took official cognlzance
/ last week of the Russian crisis, In
| forming the government at Petrograd
that If Russia withdraws from the war
! Japan, in consultation with England
and the United States, will consider
what measures. to adopt. The pro-
visional government was warned that
If Russia accepts separate peace 1t
will become another Austria under the
domination of Germany, win lose Po-
land, Lithuania and Finland and win
be stripped of many. of her outlying
possessions. Furthermore, Japan in
formed Great Britain that while. in
case of Russia's withdrawal from the
entente, Japan would prefer 70 sand
her troops to France rather than to
undertake military chastisement of