YEAR 54: NO. 89 BRITISH CRADUALLY ENCRCLING | THE GREAT COAL CITY OF LENS Two German Counter-attacks Failed--The British Artillery Concentrated in a Devastating Fire and Slaughter- ed the Massed Attacking Forces of the Teutons. (Special to By Wm. Philip Simms. the Whig.) KINGSTON, ONTARIO, MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1917, PRESENT BATTLE i } RR = * if | | | With the British Armies Afield, April 16.--British troops fought their | way forward into the outskirts of St. Quentin and Lens to-day. of St. Quentin they took the village of Troissa-Uvages. Around three sides of Lens they were fiercely fighting against the German defenders and slowly encircling the coal city. The Germans fought desperately frantically to remove their guns and supplies. Again early to-day the Ger- | while in the town itself, and strove mans made two more strong attacks against British positions at Monchy-le- Preux. Both failed. The British artillery, concentrated in a devastating fire, slaughtered the massed attacking forces of the Teutons. Another German attack likewise in great force was made on both sides of the Bapaume-Cambrai road against Hermies, Noreuil and Lagni- court. The British held firm at Hermies and Noréuil, but the enemy ob- tained a foothold on a spur 2,000 yards to the north of Penebaling and Lagnicourt. Immediately, however, the British counter-attacked and swept the enemy out, British counter-attacks. The Germans lost heavily in this attack and subsequent » Germans Destroying Their Stores. The civil population were removed on Friday, and three months' ra-| tions gathered in Lens by the Americ an Relief Commission were seized. Great fires are burning, showing that the Germans are destroying their stores preparatory to their departure. Along the entire front from the Scarpe river to south of Loos, the British have pressed forward, and have reached points two to three miles east of Vimy Ridge. Gen. Haig's sledge-hammer blows have been too much for the Ger- mans to withstand. well to the All along the frost from Loos, north of Lens, to a point south-east of Arras, the Germans are reported in retreat, fight. ing as they go to delay as best they can the British advance and give time to complete the preparation of defensive positions in the rear. BALFOUR ARRIVES | IN UNITED STATES British and French Commis- sions to be Received at White House. (Special to the Whig.) Washington, April 16.--The Brit- ish Foreign Minister, Arthur J. Bal- four, has arrived in the: United States. He will reach here at 5.30 o'clock this afternoon. Mr. Balfour and his party; togeth- er with the French commissioné . including former Premier Viviani and Gen, Joffre, until recently command- er-in-chief of the French armies, will be tendered a reception at the White House on iday. America's part in the wor! of demoeracies against autocracy will then be defin- itely determined. Not only the ques- tion of co-operation on the fighting field but problems of feeding . and furnishing the European nations with munitions and-money will be consid- ered. FPP EPEL EPP IPP R Pee *! CANNOT DICTATE : A | WHOLE WORLD, #| -- * Amsterdam, Aprit 16.--The 4+ Socialist newspaper Vorwaerts of % Berlin says editorially: % "The German Government + 4. must have the courage to tell + % the German people the whole #| * truth, wiaich is simply that it is &| ® impossible to dictate terms of | * peace to a world of enemies." | E @ +! ' Sereeresiettssrtstttssensd Bridge Blown Up, (Special to the Whir.) Petrograd, April 16.--The blow- ing up of the bridge over the Styr river, near Liasowa, (in Galicia) Was reported in today's official state- ment. A loaded 3-inch shell weighing 15 pounds, made in the United States, wag found "Friday night in the press room of the New York Globe. fighting from Sunday eral long FOUGHT FIVE DAYS ON "IRON RATIONS" For Three Days Canadians Had Practically No Water to Drink. London, April. 16.--The Aksociat- ed Press correspondent » met 'some worn and muddy Canadians return- ing from beyond "The Pimple'! yes, terday afternoon. Among them were many Nova Scotians. They had been fig night until FU night, and declared they had enjoyed every minute of it. They were not at "The Pimple" all that time, but well beyond it. Before "The Pimple" could be cut ever, it was necesstry to Germans back through sev: converging tunnels, which wers fortified In sucha manner that they were believed to be absolutely impregnable. The Germans within those tunnels said. they felt-so safe that they hoped to remain there for the rest of the war, Some of the Canadians had su sisted on "iron rations" for five days, and had practically no water for three days. But they never thought of turning back for food or drink until their task was completed. They swung along with the dog-tired, bu: satisfied, gait of men returned from a successful day's hunting expedi- tion. ' A COMMISSIONER NAMED To Look Into the Whole News Print Situation. (Special to the Whig.) Ottawa, April 16.--R. A. Pringle has .been appointed by the govern- ment as cominissioner to enquire into the whole news print situation in- cluding the cost of production, man- ufacture, ete, in the Dominion of Canada. "The commissioner will get down to work immediately. East Middlesex Liberdls nominated James M .Ross, of Luan, a merchant candidate for the Commons . x |. OFCIL WAR STATEMENT. British, : London, April 15.---The official statement says: We advanced our line slightly during the night east of Heninel: | 2 "North of the Souchez River our progress has been continued. We captured she enemy defences east of Lieving from Riamon: eastern corner of Cite St, Plerre, and our troops are pushing on in the rection of Lens, © . | 0 "Yesterday and during the night of April 12th large quantities of ex- plosives were - 1-~British Wncireling Lens: Bu- emy Lowe Guns _ 3 'Guns; wns aerodromes and hostile infantry and convoys were attacked ®Suecessfully with machine gun fire. In the course of the fighting behind the enemy lines four' German Batiihes were ught down and ers were --! down. Twelve of our ma- chines failed to return." Just north | _lzers captured by the i big [= LINE IN line is unchanged as From the Canadians miles. 20 miles. TAN Thisimap shows the extents of gains<of the last three weeks. as dgep as 25 or 30 miles, and affecls a frontage of about 1 vet, though the fruits of the past week's victory position at Vimy ridge to the German-Belgian® frontier is about Ho The gain-at some poinls is Elsewhere the battle at Arras may be important. ENEMY LOSES 200 BI CU a HUNS MAY BE OVERWEL BY THE PERSISTENT OFFENSIVE OF THE BRITISH, The Germans Are Nervy and Jumpy ~The Victory of Vimy: Will be Repeated at the Next Enemy Posi- tion. London, April 16.--Reuter's cor- respondent at Army Headquarters in France sends the-following: "The number of guns and howit- ritisa is now believed to be 200. The loss of these weapons must considerably weaken the Gérman's defensive power. Trained teams of artillerymen now accompany the infantry in every ad- vance iit order to make prompt use against their former owners of any guns taken. "The great batches of prisoders in the cages are 'causing some annoy: ance because they disregard entirely their own officers. This absence of discipline is regarded as significant because nothing like it has been ob- served before among German prison- ers. seems indicative of a change of mind in the German army. Ger- man officers and non-commissioned officers comp that the chief cause of the present disaster has heen the the Hindenburg line was expected to be completed until the end of April, despite the claims that the recent western retirement has been entirely gccording to German plans. The Germans in the front line have § ng been worried by the inferi- ority of their artillery to-that of the British. Another correspondent. predicts that the victory of Vimy will be re- peated at the next Ger: guns the transfer of some German from east to west having alrea begun. 5 > + ROY + + Y NATIONAL RATIONS. London, April 16--It is an- % nounced that, realizing the ur- 4+ gent need for eco y, parti- 4 cularly with- regard to breads # stuffs, the King and Queen, to- + gether with their household + + + Pee tb ep bat and servants, have adopted the scale of national rations since + early in February. i i Approval of Flying Services. London, April 16King, - George has become colomel-ini-chief of the naval and military 'wings of the Royal Flying Cotps; "to mark his ad- miration of the splendid services both wings have rendered since the commencement of the war." CANADIANS USE GRMN i 0 Ret lat ws non bo m-- GAVE WAY ILIKE BURSTING OF ST. LAWRENCE ICE Canadians Took Over Fifty Guns in one Week's Fighting--Lens and Other Places Set im Flames By The Enemy. By Stewart Lyon, cial Correspond- ent of the Canadian Press. Canadian Army Headquarters, Ap- Fil 15--Like the bursting of the ice in the St. Lawrence in spring the German defence on the western front "}-about--Lens gave way. The--Cana- dian patrols have been feeling their way forward into the plain to the cast of Vimy Ridge, The enemy's rctirement has been hastened by the steady rain of shells upon him all night, not only by the heavy guns on the western side of |. the ridge, but also by guns which, by great exertion have been hauled VIMY RIDGE TAKES * The battles of Vimy ridge, which OF HNGSTON'S BEST YOUNG MEN Lieut. Benjamin O. Pierce, Son of Rev. Barry Pierce Killed © --Liout. William @. Hazlett and Lieut William Dickson Among the Wounded. and was HH | ators. R---- across the ruined area pitted with shell holes, As we advance further into his country we find that the going is easier. At the moment of filing this message Arteux is burning. In the region between Farbus and Arteux the enemy has been forced to aban- don much artillery, Heavy guns 'have been left in good conditions by the German gunners, because they were ringed by our fire. They have been turned upon the fleeing foe and most of the captured guns are in action already and others will ~ be utilized apfsoon as gun crews can be sent up. | ° . Canadians Capture 30 Guns. Perhaps the best illustration of the way the ememy bas hastily aban- doned much 'of his best guns is that of a nest of batteries in a certain location. These guns were so absol- utely isolated yesterday by a concen- tration of our fire on them that they were left unharmed when the Ger- mans fled, The total number of guns taken by the Canadians during the week is over 50, many of them big ones, which are now ih our service. This total will be greatly increased when the territory now under fire is ex- plored, To the north of our line Lens is still burning,' British troops there are reported to have occupied La Coulette, a mining village south- west of Lens, and are pushing qn. In the abandoned enemy trenches east of Givenchy have been found two wounded British aviators, who weré forced to remain there for five days without medical aid. One had a [fractured leg. Brigadier Captured Prisoners, The first enemy prisoners secured in the Givenchy district were two found in'a dugout by a brigadier, who had gone forward to observe the position in 'the region to the east of the scene of last Wednesday's battle for the last part of Vimy Ridge. Hundreds of enemy could have been seen who were victims of our artil- lery and machine gun fire while en route up to reinforce their hard pressed companions in the front trenches, On this part of the field the enemy dead are most numerous. The total number of prisoners taken by the Canadians during the week now number more than four thousand. & The commander of the Canadian corps is very proud of the splendid work, of bis men and of the praise bestowed upon them from all gquar- ters, It must not be forgotten that the battle of Vimy and the pursuit of the efiemy was but one phase, though a very important one, in a series of titanic conflicts extended all along the western front, where the combat- s number at 3 million men, ¢ maintaining their most > -- in, A MOMENTOUS WEEK AT WASHINGTON. Many Things Are Timed to Occur During the Next ',, Few Days. (Special tothe Whig.) Washifigion, April 16.--One of the most eventful weeks in American history - 4 before the United States today. th President Wilson's ap- peal calling for the co-operation of every man and woman of the nation In waging a successful, war. Con- gress will put the war on firm foot- ing this week. At the same time Allied high commission will probably be here. Such men as Arthur J. Balfour, former Premier Viviani, of France, other notables, will offer suggestions, make known the peace terms of the Allles and clinch the co-operation of this government. The senate is expected to place ory unwa approval upon seven bil- lions of war bond f{ssue bill by to- morrow or . 'Seuator La- follette, however, may vote .against it. With the bond issue out of the way, both houses will consider tax- ation , The selective con- scription bill is néw before the Sen- ate 'Military Committee while other war-time bills like espionage, wood- en. shipbuilding plans, and finance measures are due for early action. The sélective draft measure now seems likely to pass, though Presi- '| dent Wilson may have to exert fur- ther pressure upon the halting legis- tra: PAGES 18 --_-- LAST EDITION , a ------ -- THREE TOWNS ABOUT TO FAL Leas, Queant And St. Quan Are Almost in Jes Hands. CLOSE "TO. THE . CAMBRAI-ST. # QUENT INE, The Germans Resist Desperately Lose Heavily--The Booty Captur- ed by the British is Very Great. (Special to the Whig.) London, April 16.--The British advance continues. The' towns of Lens, Queant and St. Quentin are almost in the Allies hands. The city of Lille is expected to fall soon: In the face of the most valiant resisiance rallied against the British drive, Field Marshal . Haig's forces to-day battered their way still fur- ther around Lens and pushed an- other wedge to within s mile and a half of the Cambrai-St. Quentin line. .'We penetrated to the northwest of Lens! was the British command- er-in-chief's laconic comment on that point in the fighting where the Brit- ish forces have straddled the famed Hindenburg line. Gen. Haig also to-day nounced the capture of southeast of Hargicourt. Its taking by the British troops widens the wedge thrust against the main Hin- denburg line of communications from St. Quentin to Cambrai on a front "dof approximately five miles. Villaret is five miles to the %orth of Fresnoy-le-Petit and Pontru,' both already in British hands, and both one and a half miles from the Cam- brai-St. Quentin line. iy an- Villaret, "Germans Resist Desperately: The German defence was centre- ing to-day around Monchy-le-Preux. "The enemy attack at Monchy on Saturday," Gen. Haig's report to-day ried, "was pressed in a most defermined manner. The third Bar- varian division was again burried as reinforcement to the German line and ordered to retake Monehy at all costs. Its losses, like that of other German troops, was exceptionally " Sea SE ANT many nds of rounds of § ition of all cali- as far as t-inch guns. "Out booty includes quantities of trench mortars, bombs, grenades, truck loads of mew tools, many lengths of tram lines with trucks, complete, and two large engineer dumps. "More than one-third of our pris oners : since the 9th were Bavar- fans." Owing to Chinese prejudice against everything of German origin, Rev. A. P.-Quirmbach; a Methodist mission= ary for fifteen years, has changed his name to Quentin, DAILY MEMORANDUM Se# top of right band cofner, for probabilities. a BORN. ORAHAM--IM 5 'Brenton Place, Hall ax , on April 14th, 1917, to Pref, Mral Svanley Newlands Gra- DIED BONNY---In 'Kingston, on April 14h, 1917. George Lewin 4 third eldest son of Geurge y. aged 9 morihe # late residence, $2 acq invited to attend. Bro kville, Belleville, Toronto 'and itrantford papery please copy. BRANIGAN-~In_ Kin | Jom, 1017 Nora ime yooh ugirter Den , -- a months. residence T raged 2 years and 3 Funeral from h