BRITISH LINE HOLDING; COUNTER- ATTACKS BEGIN WnH SUCCESS Encni> Xhrowi/Batk All Along Frontâ€" British Reserves KcKJiin Ttrmin, Including Stnitegical Villages. A Hcspati'h tiom London says: â€" i The infantry fiKhting aloni; the WediU'jday nighi's news from the major portion pf th^ British front in battle-front confirms the hopeful im- the new battle zont sliowed a marked pression formed i^aily in the day that slowing down on Wednesday morn-, the British now appear to be on a line inn, indicatintr that the first phase of j they aie able to hold firmly, at least the German offensive here has becnl on the Somme and the Ancre Rivers, [finished. From the southern sectors, < Further south in the Roye-Noyon i however, came word that the Ger-' region the situation is less well de-|mans were still prts.sinK the attack fined, but it is stated that both theUvith great fury against the unwaver-, French and Briti.sh are bringing up i ing defence. reserves there. The corresijondents The enemy has paused in the i also ail- showinfj greater confidence northern sector, probably to reor- 1 that the enemy will be held on this ganize and bring forward much-need- , terrain. led artillery before beginninR thej The German official commuMca- 1 second round against the stiffening i tion of Wednesday night was signific-i opposition of the British. I antly brief and reserved. It reports i Hurd local battles were still in ' the crossing of the Ancre, but only re- 'progress, but the first fury of theGer- fers to Tuesday's events, while the man onslaught had spent itself. Sev- British War OfTivv^ statement shows oral attacks which the Germans es-' that the Germans who had crossed sayed were smashed, and at Sailly-Lo- 1 that stream were thrown back to- Sec, where the Germans gained a foot-| day in counter-aHar.ks. | ing, the British on Wednesday morn- j The news from the SoTime front is ing delivered a .smashing counter-at- distinclly encouraging, the British t*ck, which pushed the invaders back, haying recaptured Marlanrourt and. The spirit of optimism is higher Chipilly. and advanced t" Proyart. I along the front at the present time. - tX ^^^'Wtf^^i^iMrtiimMmirr . HINGE WILL NEVER BREAK Anglo-French Junction Is Now Covered by Strong Allied Forces. London, March 29. â€" Telegraphing from French army headquarters this evening Router's correspondent says: "The situation is now clearer than at any time since the beginning of the offensive. The enemy, arresteil in mid-course, has abajuloned marching straight upon objectives and Itreaking down resistance by overwhelming numbers. He is striking at e.stimated weak spots in order to drive us back as far as possible before he himself is brought to a standstill. Thus the en- emy drive down the Oise valley is fin- ally arrested. Attempts to cross the Oise farther north failed and the bridges are now destroyed. "The village of Pont I'Kveque. be- low Noyon, has been recaptured and the enemy driven from the heights above Susey, noi th-west of Noyon. "The enemy's capture of Montdidier was ju.st too late for him to profit by it, BK French forces were able to en- gage the Germans to the west and bring the advance to a standstill, thu3 nullifying their olTorts to pierce the junction of the .Anglo-French armies. The hinge between the English and French armies will never be broken, as the junction is now covered by French forces strong enough to meet all eventualities. Huns do not have all the say when it comes to ordinance, some of the latest production of the French munition shops. Here are EXPECTED TO CAP- BRAVE PART 1 28 BRITISH SHIPS TURE VIMY RffiGE | PLAYED BY FRENCH SUNK BY U-BOATS 239 AIRPLANES BROUGHT DOWN BY BRmSfllN SEVEN DAYS Briti8li Aviators Dropped 30 Tons of Bomb.s and Work Havoc Among Enemy Troops. A despatch from London says: The ' situation as they occurred, official report on aerial operations on | "Twenty hostile machines were Wednesday night says: ' i b>-»"Kht down in air fighting and two » ' ' others were shot down by anti-aircraft Great concentrations of our air- j.^^^^, Twelve of ours are missing. â- planes were carried out on Wednesday) "During the night our night-flying over points threatened by the enemy, squadrons kept up a continuous at- and masses of our machines attacked ^.^^^j^ ^^ t,,^ enemy's troops in Ba- with machine-gun fire and bombs the pa„me, Cambrai and Peronne. Seven- enemy infantry and cavalry. | ^y.^^e thousanil rounds were fired by "Thirty tons of bombs were dropped ; them. Twenty-four tons of bombs by us and hundreds of thousands of ; wore dropped on important centres of rounds of ammunition were fired into ; the battle front. In a<ldition, four the enemy. While this fighting was ' tons of bombs were dropped on the maintained throughout the day, our j Valenciennes railway station, through infantry airplanes kept watch along ; which the enemy's troop trains were the front and reported changes in the [ passing on the way to the front." CATEGORY B Markets of the World TO SERVE A recent patent covcr.s a piano or organ keyboard that can be moved laterally for transposing a musical composition written in one key to an- other. Ten German Divisioas Took Part in the Assault, But Enemy Met Severe Defeat. A despatch from Field Marshal H;iig says: "It is known from captur- ed documents that the German attack astride the Scarpe had for its objective the capture of Vimy Ridgo and Arras. This attack was carried out by at least six divisions in the front line, with four assault divisions in support. Despite the force of the attack the im- pression made upon our battle posi- tions was inconsiderable, and the fight- ing resulted in a severe defeat for the enemy." GERMANS CROSSKD BRIDGE OF HODIES OF THEIK OWN DEAD. With the French Army, March 29. â€" At one point on the Crozat Canal, Uvhere the Germans eventually Rained ;a crossing, they made l(j different at- tacks on one day. Finally the British corps which was holding the position fell back, absolutely exhausted, and the Germans crossed over a bridge of piled-up bodies of their own com- rades. Sir John Hemiett I, awes in 1842 took out the first patent for the mak- ing of superphosphate, or acid phos- phate as we now call it, and estab- lished the first fertilizer factory near London, England. FInglish farmers adopted the use of fertilizers in con- nection with all other good farming practices to su<-h an extent that in 1914 the British Isles were using over 3,000,000 tons annually. TROOPS PATROL STREETS OF QUEBEC WITH RIFLES LOADED The Anglo-French Line Holds Through Heroic Deeds of Poilus. A despatch from the French Armies says:â€" -The German effort by a ter- rific rush to get between French "iid British forces, with the object of de- feating each separately, has failed up to the present, and is likely to con- tinue to fail. The fighting tjualities of the allied soldiers have served to stay the impulsive advance, and to- day the Anglo-French line is on strong positions. The next few days may change the situation entirely, as the allies have had time to get their "manoeuvring reserve" to take the initiative. Noyon was evacuated late Tuesday night in good order, and the French took up a pcjsition near by. The correspondent passed on Wed- nesday among troops who have borne a great share in the fighting of the last live days. Everywhere cheer- fulness was to be found and perfect confidence in the future Nowhere has the correspondent seen such spcndid n^crale among troops after long, hard fighting, more especially when those troops had to fall back. Both officers and men, whether French or British, tell narratives of wonderful heroism on the part of the individual.'' and units. The gunners of a battery of French 75's, in the neighborhood of Chauny, were surrounded for three days, with- out food, but fought until the last round was fired; then, taking advan- tage of some confusion among the Germans in the course of the third night, they somehow made their way through their encircling force ami es- caped, carrying their wounded com- rades with tlu'm. This is merely one instanie ainojig many similar daring deeds. * Submarine War in Connection With Big German Drive, A despatch from London says: Sub- ' marines and mines have increased \ their weekly toll of British shipping. The Admiralty's report shows that in â- the last week 28 merchantmen were sunk, 16 of the vessels being 1,G00 ' tons or over and 12 under that ton- '' iiage One fishing vessel was lost. ' Nineteen merchantmen were unsuc- ' ' co.^sfully attacked. The arrivals at j ports in the Lfnited Kingdom number- |ed 2,471, sailings 2,488. ; The Admiralty report for the pre- ' vious week showed the loss of 17 British inercKantmen by mine or sub- marine, while for several weeks pre- â- ceding that the weekly loss was 18. GER.MANS WOULD DESTROY j BRITISH ARMY, SAYS HAIG. .A despatch from London says: j Field Marshal Haig has issued the fol- 1 lowing special order of the day, dated ' March 23: I "To all ranks of the British army in France and Flonders: We are again at I a crisis in the war. The enemy has ; collected on this front every available ! division and is aiming at the destruc- I tion of the British army. We have already inflicted on the enemy, in the course of the last few days, a very I heavy loss, and the French are send- ing troops as (piickly as possible to our support. "I feel that every one in the army, ! fully realizing how much depends on ' the exertions an<l steadfastness of each one of us, will do his utmost to prevent the enemy from attaining his object." Exemption Machinery Will be Put Into Service Throughout Canada. Ottawa, Ont., March 29.^Respon(l- jng to a demand from the military authoriti^, the Military Service Council has decided to call up, for ser- vice men in medical Category B, under the Military Service Act. Category B men are liable for overseas, but not for combatant service. They are be- ing called out because of the necessity of securing men for railway construc- tion and similar service. "A demand for men for railway con- struction and other similar work has arisen, and it has therefore become necessai->' to draft all men in medical Category B in respect of whom no other grounds for exemption exist. The Military Service Council is therefore issuing instructions to re- gistrars to take immediate steps to call up such men. "Under the procedure heretofore adopted, questions arising in regard to the exemption of men in medical Category B on other grounds were postponed until men in the same medical category should be called up, and these men, as well as their employers and relatives will there- fore be given an opportunity of pre- senting claims for their exemption." Toron lo, April 2 â€" Manitfiba whent- Mol>s .\ttacked New.spaper and M.S.A. Registrar's Officen â€" Destroy Military Records. Qael)cc, March 29. â€" An anti-con- Bcripti'm riot broke out in Quebec to- night. An angry mob destroyed two newspaper office.'^ and wrecked thi' pre- mises of the local Registrar under tbo Military Service .\ct. The building in whiih the offices are located are a<l- jacenl to the Auditorium Theatre, and it cmight fire. The intention of the crowd, it is believed, was to destroy all the records of cases which have been heard in the exemption courts. Rioting broke out afref^h at 9 o'clock and mobs of young men paraded the main street of the city. The unruly element in the throng soon got the tipper hand and attacks were made upon the newspaper ofliees of the Chronicle Publishing Company and I'EvriHment, iuo paper.s which have supported th. Military Service Acf, the erJorceinml of whirh caused the outfire-ik !a.-l n'uiil â- /. n !' â- • F'ider- jal policemen, engaged in rounding up absentees from duty, were savagely attacked and badly mauled. j The crowd, after visiting the news- j paper ofliees, rushed up to the Gov- j ernment ofliees, which are in the same building with the Auilitoriuin I Theatre. Men broke in the iloora of the Registrar under the Military Service Act and destroyed the furniture and records there. Ill the excitement a stove was knocked over and the build- ing set on fire. The firemen got the blaze in the Uegistrar'.s otlico under I control. f The militia wore given orders to turn out. The militia were ordered to load their rifles and to fix bayonets. j The troops marched through the jstrcels and the appearance of the sol- . diers had a quieting effect on the mob. The troops made a cordon around the Auditorium Theatre, while the firemen worked to get the fire u )dcr control. SEEDING SEASON EARLY IN WEST ♦- Week of Mild Weather Sees Spring Worii Under Way. A despatch from Winnipeg says: The weather in the Prairie Provinces has been Springlike for the past fort- night, exceptionally mild for March, and there is every prospect of a very early seeding this year. In the Bran- don district of southern Manitoba seeding will be general within a week if the mild weather holds, It was tiT degrees Fahrenheit at Moose Jaw, and it is raining at this and a number of points. .At practical- ly every point on the prairies temper- atures have been well above 50 de- grees for a week or so. At the Pacific coast it has been about 10 dcgree.i colder. GF.KMAN LOSSES 400,000, 50 PFR CKNT. OF KFFE( TIVKS. A despatch from British Head- quarters in France says: From the average of casualties in the various I German units, as given by prisoners, I one arri\ es at the conclusion that the I enemy has lost fiO per cent, of these I men. The official British statement of j Tuesday said it had been established { that more than 70 German divisions 1 had been ^igaged in the battle. The i present strength of a German division I is 12,000 men, so that a loss of 50 per jcenl. would mean casualties in ex- ] cess of 400,000 Cor the Germans in I less than a week of fighting. Wemen of Canada the kitchen i? your fort . Food will win or lose the wa \I)MIT srrKFRlNG DIRE PRIVATIONS. A despatch from London says: The tenacity of the British resistance in the big encounter, German prisoners say, exceeded anything the Germans deemed possible. They complain of great privations, on account of lack of supplies, and extreme weariness also is telling heavily. Owing to the dense masses of supporting troops, however, the enemy is able to replen- ish bis forward line with fresh units. VALl'E OF NORTHERN FRANCE. Why Germany Hangs Desperately to This Rich Region. France will never consent to a peace that does not at least restore her northern districts to her for the reason that her national industries cannot be rebuilt to their pre-war standard with- out the wealth that these provinces hold. At present Germany holds them at 9 great sacrifice of life because they i contain the richest products of the I soil and underground stratas. j This territory, according to Lee- 1 tures pour Tour (Paris), supplied one- I fourth of France's wheat crops in ! 1912. In 1913 it furnished 87 per"^cent. of the sugar beets for the distilleries and 24 per cent, of the beets used for feeding purposes. The invaded regions gave France 90 per cent, of its iron ore and 83 per cent, of its cast-iron. Half of the Iron foundries are located in this cap- tured land. Of 55,000 shops devoted to the weav- ing of wool, 45,000 are held by the Germans. Ninety-four per cent, of the spinning mills of combed wool are lost; over half of the mills spinning carded wool are found in the occupied territory. Of 550,000 looms whirring before the war only 50,000 are now turning. In cotton the same story is true. Of 7,525,000 looms in France 4,475,000 are in the Huns' grasp, and of 140,000 me- chanics in the work 81,000 were taken. The loss in dwelling houses, fac- tories, warehouses and shops has been enormous. Thirty-eight per cent, of French factories are in German hands; 23 per cent, of the total number of dwelling houses in France are destroy- ed. The total damage done to north- ern France is estimated at 95,225,871 francs. Germany has, with systematic pre- cision, destroyed everything that she could not use and used everything not worth destroying. The coal and iron mines have made possible the German offensives. .Vo. 1 Nortlicrn. $2,234; No. 2. do.. »2.ani: N'o. 3. d.).. J2.17J; No, 4 wheat. $2.10J; in Bdire Fort William. inchidlnK 2io tax. Manitotjii oiit.sâ€" No. 2 l.'.W,, 955.; No, 3 CVV.. iiljc: extra No, 1 feed, 90Sc: N'o, 1 feed. 89ir. In store Fort William, .Vmericaii cornâ€"The War Board In the I'nkcd States prohibit Importatlims. (iiitarlo oa s â€" No, 2 white. 93 to !)4c: Xo, 3 whitP, 92 to 93c. according ti) freiKhts outsldo. Ontario wheatâ€" N'o. 2 Winter, pnr car lot %2.112: basl.s in store Montreal. IVas â€" No. •>. $3,60 to $3,70, according to t'reisrhls outside, _ _, Barter- MalthiE. St.TC to $1,78. ac- .â- .-irdlnsr to freights outside. Buckwheat â€" $1,S3 to $1,85. according to freights outsldo. , , , ^ Hye â€" No. 2. $2,25. accordloK to frelRht outside. , ., , ,. Maiiitol,a flourâ€" War quality. $1J.10. new baB.'i. Toronto. .,„-. Ontario Hourâ€" War quality. $10,70. new bags, Toronto and Montreal frelKhts. prompt shipment, MlUfeedâ€" Car lots â€" Delivered Mont- real freights, baus Included; Bran, per ton, $35.40; sliorts, per ton. $40,40:' Hm No, 1. per ton. $1" to $18: mixed. $14 to $16, track Toronto, .';iraw â€" Car lot.s. per ton. $8.50 to $9. tracli Toronto. OoTUtry Produce â€" Wlioleaole y.ggs â€" Current rei-elpts. cases return- able 3S to 4Uc. Butter â€" Creamery, solids, 454 to *'.ir . •.â- reHmer\-. prints, 49 to iOc: dairy. 34 liuo poultrv â€" Euyin»f price, delivered^ Toronto: Cliickeus 27p; milk led. 30c: liens, 3i Iti,". un.. 2->c; hens. 3J to 5 lb.. 25 to aSc; hens, over 6 lb.-*.. :iUc; roosters, 20e; duekllnKS. 2r>.-; turkeys, I liressed poultryâ€" Ciilckens. 30c; mim ' fed, 32o; hens. 3i lbs. ua. 25i-: hens, .3J ' to B lbs., 3ile; roosters. 20 to 25c; duok- linc.'f. 27r; turkeys. 35c. Cheese-New. large. 23 to 234e; twins. ::;j to 23Jc; sprins made, large, 25 to 20e: twins, 25i to 2G4c. ^ , , ., r„ BeaiLS â€" Caiirvdian. prune, bushel. $1.60 to $s; forelsn. hand- picked, bushel, $6.75 to $7, (^)lnb honey â€" <'hoice. 16 oz,. $3.60 per dozen; 12 oz., $3 per dozen: seoonds and dark eomh. $2.50 to $2.75. Pro7iBionB â€" â- Wholesale .Smoked meatsâ€"Hams, medium, ;M to 35c: do., heavy. 28 to 30c; cooked. 4a to 47c; rolls. 3U to 31c; breakfast bacon. 40 to 42<-; h«.cks, plain, 42 to 43c; boue- luss, 45 to 46c. Cured meatsâ€" -Long clear bacon, 28 to 29c: clear bellies to 280. l.ard â€" Pure lard, lierces. ;J0 to 304c; tubs, 30l to .30i|c; palls. 301 lo 3_lc: fomiMiuiul iier<'<-s, 25i to 26r; tubs, 2oJ to 2i;|c: pulls. 26 to 2«4c. Montreal Markets Al.iiiiical. April 2 -Oats -Canadian Western. No, 3, $1,074; extra No, 1 feed, $11174; No, 2 local white, $1,07; No. 3 local white, $1,041; -No, 4 local white, $1 03, Flour- New standard Spring wheat Krade, $11,10 to $11,20. Jlolled oat.sâ€" Hags. !I0 lbs,. $S,CO, Bran --$35.40. Shells. $40,10. .MiddliMRs. $48 to $50, Mouillie. $60 to $62, lla,^ - No. 2 pet ton, car lots, $17. Wiiuilpear Qxaln WiiinlpeB. .\prll 2 â€" Oats â€" No. 2 C.W., 93Sc; No. 3 C.W,, 913c; e.xtra N'o. 1 feed, 90Jc; No. 1 teed. 89Jc, Barley â€" No, 3 C.W., $1.65; No, 4. $1,60; reject- ed. $l.-t5; feed, $1,40, flaf -No. 1 N.VV,0,, $3.94; No. 2 C.W,. $3,894: No. 3 C.W„ $3.71*. United State* Markerte Miniie-a.polis. .'Vpril 2 -Corn â€" No, 3 yel- low, $1.75 to $1.83, Oats â€" No. 2 white. 9 H to y21c. Flour iinchanKed. Hian â€" â- $33,14, Puluth. Vpill 2 â€" Linseed â€" $4.21 to $4.29; arrive, $1,21; May, $4.24; .luly, $4.22 asKed; C)i.-tober, $3.66 asked. Uv« Stock Uorkata Toronto, .\prll 2--Choleo heavy sloers. $12.26 to $12.75; ftood lieavy steers. $ll.7i) to $12; >earlinK», $12.50 to $13.60; butchers' cattle, choice. $11,50 to $11,85; do,, ({ood, $11 to $11,35; do., niedliini, $10,00 to $10.75; do,, common, $9.25 to $3,50; butcliers' bulls, choice. $10.25 to $11; do.. Rood bullH. $9.25 to $9.f,0; do., niediuiu bulls. $7,»5 to $8,50; do., rough bulls, $6,50 to $7; butchers' cows, (â- holce, $10.2,'i to $11; ilc. Kood. $9,25 to $9.50; do,, liuidlum, $8 to $8,60; stock- ers, $8 to $9,25; feeders. $9.50 to $10.50; i-anners and cutters. $6 to $7; milkers, (jocid to choice. $90 to' $126; do., com. and ined.. $65 lo $80; sprltigers, $90 to $125; llRhl ewes, -$13.50 to $lii; vear- Un«[H, $11,76 lo $12.76; lambs, $18 to $20,60; calves, good to choice, $10 lo $17,60; lioK«. fed and watered. $21; do.. welRheil oft cars, $21,25; do., f,(.,b,, $20 to $20,26, Montreal. .Vpril 2 â€" Choice steers, $11 to $13; good steers, $10 to $10. .i*; med.. $P to »tO; choice heifers. $10 to $12; good cows, $9 to $11; medium, $8,60; oholee butchers' bulls. $8 to $11; <aii- nom' ca.ttle, 15,50 to $6,23; iiillk-fed calves. $7 lo $l4; sheep. $U to $13; laimbs, $14 to $17; choke .select liogs, off ears. $21 to $22; sows. $19 to ? 19.50. c â- ---