Prime Minister’s speech on ‘vital’ issues of war

In the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law stated that unofficial estimates gave the total German casualties on the Somme at 690,000.

The French forces won a“brilliant victory” before Verdun, the Germans being swept back over a front of six miles.

The number of prisoners taken numbered 11,387 of whom 284 were officers.

“The booty included 115 guns, 107 machine guns and 45 mine throwers.”

The Russo-Romanian forces were giving “obstinate resistance”to the enemy’s advance in the Northern Dobrudja.

In Greece the government had acceded to the two demands contained in the Allies’Note and troops were being removed. Greece was asking the Allies to reconsider their decision to continue the blockade.

Meanwhile, after five months of inactivity in Mesopotamia, a new British offensive had begun.

“Advancing northwards on both sides of the Hai river, the British have established a new outpost within three quarters of a mile of the Tigris south of Kut.”Elsewhere, Mr Lloyd George made his first appearance as Prime Minister in the House of Commons, where he“made a great speech reviewing the present vital problems of the war”.

He said that to enter into negotiations for peace on the invitation of Germany proclaiming herself victorious would be for the Allies to put their heads into a noose with the rope’s end in the hands of Germany.”