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AUSTBALIA 351 AUSTRALIAN ALPS enthusiastically. Public speakers were stirring up the people everywhere. In the spring of 1915 the Australian troops first made themselves a name in the history of the war by taking part in the attempt to force the passage of the Dardanelles in the latter part of April. Landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula "they carried the fortified heights in the face of a raking Turkish fire, the positions won at that time being held through- out the campaign, which was chai-acter- ized by consistent courage and resource- fulness." This action received high praise from the British command. It was soon an- nounced that Australia would be able to send 100,000 more men across seas. In less than a year up to July, 1915, the Commonwealth had furnished approxi- mately 100,000 troops. Australia was also foremost from the first in Belgium relief, Melbourne, in April and May of 1915, contributing £80,000 as the proceeds of two entertainments, while Sydney and its province raised nearly £500,000. It also came at once to the front in the furnishing of munitions to the general cause, being able to announce, as early as June following the outbreak of war, its readiness to begin to co-operate. Offers had indeed been made of ammunition for eighteen-pounders to Great Britain as early as the previous September. In Feb- ruary of the following year, 1916, the question of conscription became impor- tant. Premier William M. Hughes was appointed a member of the Canadian Privy Council and came to Canada and conducted a vigorous campaign in its favor as afterward in England. The Labor party in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria, however, was opposed, and after a sharp struggle the more radical elements failed and the measure was defeated by popular vote on Oct. 28. Australia had by this time 320,- 000 enlisted men in the ranks. Before the •close of the war more than 362,000 vol- unteers had been sent to the firing-line. They entered the war on the British front in April, 1916, and soon acquired a name for a dauntless courage which in- spired the older troops. In the battle of Messines Ridge following the defeat of the Germans at Ypres in June they took a prominent and notable part in the of- fensive of combined English, Irish, and New Zealand troops which "within a few ininutes captured the entire first line po- sitions on a ten-mile front." In the great battle of Arras, May, 1916, they distin- guished themselves by capturing Bulle- court (May 13-17) after heavy fight- ing. They were also conspicuous in the Allied drives, notably, besides those men- tioned, at Mouquet Farm and Pozieres. In the advance of the Germans on the salient which threatened Amiens in the spring of 1918 the five Australian di- visions played an important part. At two important points, Derlancourt and Morlancourt, before their line could bo properly organized and before their guns had all arrived, they were persistently? attacked by the Germans and yet al- ways succeeded in driving them back with heavy loss. The Australian forces engaged in those important campaigns were old and well-tried troops who were of notable value all through the engage- ment which resulted in the repulse of the Germans. In the first four years of the war Australia raised six war loans. From August, 1914, to June 30, 1918. her war expenditure amounted to 184,598,097 pounds sterling, of which £159,895,938 was from loans, and the balance revenue. The sum advanced by the Imperial Gov- ernment amounted to £47,500,000. In addition a Wheat Commission was organized under Premier Hughes with a regular service to England that con- tributed large supplies during the term of its operation. On the sea the Austra- lians took a glorious part in the en- gagement off Dogger Bank — the prin- cipal naval event of the war — under Ad- miral Beatty Jan. 24, 1915, and later in the Battle of Jutland Bank. Out of a total population of six million people the Australia-New Zealand Army Corps, up to January, 1918, had contributed more than 448,000 men, of the very best ma- terial of which the Allied fighters were composed. The conditions following the conclusion of peace in 1919-1920 were the same as prevailed in other countries of the world. There were labor troubles, and for a period in 1919 the industry of the coun- try was practically tied up as a result of strikes. Alleged attempts of the Bol- shevists to spread propaganda in 1919 resulted in serious disturbances. Aus- tralia was strongly represented at the peace negotiations in Paris, and the Commonwealth was given mandatory powers over island territories formerly the property of Germany. These include New Guinea (formerly German New Guinea), Bismarck Archipelago, and the Solomon Islands. AUSTRALIAN ALPS, a range of moun- tains in the S. E. of Australia, formerly part of the Great Dividing Range, stretching from the neighborhood of Mel- bourne, about 37° 40' S., 145" 30' E.. to the S. E. of New South Wales, about 3^ S., 149° E., over a length of about 400 mile^, with a width of about 100 to