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GENERAL NEWS NOTES OF THE DAY. The French report of military operations yesterday was: The bombardment in the region of the Avoeourt wood and Hill 304 in the Verdun section continues, according to an official statement issued today by the French war office. In a small engagement west of Mount Tetu in Champagne the French captured fifteen prisoners. The text of the statement is as follows: South of the Somme near Vermandovillers, we delivered a coup de main which permitted us to clear the enemy from a first line trench. In Champagne there was great artillery activity 011 both sides in the sectors of Maisons de Champagne and the Butte de Mesnil. An invasion of a German work west of Mount Tetu permitted us to capture fifteen prisoners. In the Verdun region there were bombardments in the sector of the woods of Avoeourt and Hill 304. Calm is reported on the rest of the front. From Berlin yesterday a dispatch said: The British have been attacking the German lines near Hulluch. in northern France, in an effort to recapture the trenches recently taken by the Germans tiiere, but all their attempts have been repulsed, according to the statement by the war office today. In the Verdun region the French failed in attacks near Dead Mans Hill and ner.r the Caillette wood. The text of the headiiuarters statement is as follows: The artillery and patrols on both sides have been active in many sections. The enemy attempted to recapture the positions taken by the Germans near Hulluch. All his attempts either broke down under the German artillery fire or were repulsed in hand to hand fighting. French attacks in the Meuse district on the west slope of Dead Mans Hill and near the Caillette wood were easily repulsed. A train, attached to which was the private car of Charles A. Douglas, President Wilsons representative in Mexico, was derailed by an explosion between Queretaro and Palma Jonzales, Mexico, last Friday and the passengers, including a Car-ranza paymaster, were robbed, according to a report brought to Laredo, Mexico, by passengers of the train, who arrived from Mexico City. They said the private cur of Mr. Douglas was not molested. The engineer, the fireman and five persons riding on the tender, were killed by the derailment. The paymaster was carrying new currency to pay soldiers, it was said. American passengers also are said to have been robbed of ,000 in gold. The bandits, according to the arrivals, were Zapata followers, who, while robbing the passengers, cried "Viva Villa:** The army reorganization bill, providing for a regular army of 2O!,000 men in time of peace, was being whipped late final shape yesterday by the conference committee of the Senate and House for the approval of Congress. It probably will lie laid before the House todaj" and the Senate soon thereafter. The measure is expected to be on President Wilsons desk for his signature before the end of the week. With the army bill out of the way. Congress then will be ready to take up the naval building program. The House naval committee will take a final vote on the measure Thursday and present it to the House shortly afterward. Governor Dunn and most of Illinois congressmen asked Secretary Baker yesterday to approve the plans for an inland waterway to connect Lake Michigan with the Gulf of Mexico. Governor Dunne told Secretary Baker that Illinois had appropriated ,000,000 for the canal within its borders. Secretary Baker indicated that the project should await congressional legislation regulating waterways and power projects. The state of Wisconsin and the Canadian government had representatives at the hearing to record objections that the canal might divert too much water from Lake Michigan. Further successes for the Belgian expedition which has iuvaded German East Africa were announced in the official statement issued yesterday by the Belgian war department at Havre. Colonel Moli-tor, in command of the southern column, occupied Kigali, capital of the Ocnnaii Province of Ruanda, on May 8. The Belgian troops have also captured the Island of Kivitivi, iu Iake Kivu, which the Gerssaas took by surprise at the beginning of the war. Heavy artillery firing along the Macedonian frontier is reported by the Havas correspondent at Sa-loniki, telegraphing yesterday. No infantry fighting is in progress, however. The Bulgarian camp at X.inthi has been bombarded by French aeroplanes. The British foreign office announced yesterday that the outstanding differences between Greece and tin- enteut • IHjwcrs liad been s.ttled amicably, with the result that there would be no violation of the n.-utiality of Grasn. A collision off the Deleware breakwater between submarine K-2 and the steamer Aragon, in which neither was apparently severely injured, was reported to the uiivy department yesterday.
