STILL HOPES FOR THE BEST

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 36, 10 February 1917, Page 5

STILL HOPES FOR THE BEST

BERNSTORFPS WORK IN MEXICO SUCCESSES IN FRANCE BRITAIN AND THE SUBMARINE GERMANY'S BALKAN PROBLEMS X catile from America to-day says that the United States ,§ldll not fight unless it is proved that an American ship has been . 'deliberately torpedoed under circumstances admitting of no ■ extenuation. The opinion is added that as no American ships jare on the high seas the crisis is petering out. A later cable, ~ iowever, states that two American freight steamers sailed ' {yesterday for French ports, the first American vessels to leave .' -for Europe since Germany's announcement of the new subgnarine zone. I An American schooner bound for Rotterdam, a neutral (part, was sunk by a submarine in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunflay. The Gulf of Mexico is far removed from Germany's f" tfedared submarine zone for the blockade of Britain. .j Officials in America express the forlorn hope that war |nay be averted by Count Bernstorff persuading the Kaiser to abandon the new submarine policy when he reaches Berlin. A New York journal declares that it possesses information - that Count Bernstorff has smuggled 300 officers to Mexico, with the intention of striking at the United States through its turpulent southern neighbour. It is believed in American official circles that the German fleet will shortly emerge once more, and that a great battle will " occur in the North Sea. : A semi-official message states that the opposition in the . i Sobranje to Bulgaria's war activities is increasing, and that it ■is only under German pressure that the Bulgars remain in the -'.Dobrudja. A proposition that Bulgaria should assist with ','.y 'troops on the Italian front caused a tumult in the Sobranje. V The Nord und Sud Agency states that the recent Russian tVS successes in Rumania have placed Galatz out of danger. • V The British have made further progress on the Ancre and Somme fronts, and are generally keeping the enemy active all along the line. The ground gained on the Ancre since the beginning of January represents an advance of an average depth of three-quarters of a mile on a front of over three miles. • Count Tisza, the Hungarian 'Premier, stated that before : the Central Powers sent out their Note declaring for ruthless submarining they sounded all the European neutral Powers, *■ c and found there was no fear of any warlike action on their part.