OFFICIAL NEWS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2242, 31 August 1914, Page 6

OFFICIAL NEWS

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLES FIGHTING ON LAND AND SEA The following cable messagee hava beon' received from the High Commissioner by the Prime Minister: — 'Official (August 28, 8.45 p.m.).—As. quith in House of Commons reports Wednesday's , fighting between Cambrai and la Cateau live German Army Corps, , two cavalry divisions Reserve Corps, Guard.' Cavalry, and Second Cavalry, . Division, about 800,000 attacked British, forces. Our Second Army Corps bore brunt cavalry attack. First • Army, Corps attacked on. right. Inflicted tremendous losses on enemy. British, casualties heavy, numbers unknown • be* uayiour adjnirable. Eroncli Command, or congratulates British troops for pro. tection given to Frenok flank. ']'■'■ . '.

Kitchener, in House of Lords, an. nounces two • divisions cavalry division and other troops, being sent from India, First division oil way. Earl Crewe ex» plains dosire Indian soldiers insistent! thst Native troops be included Expeditionary Force. Great enthusiasm , nere concerning Commonwealth Force. Belgian Foreign Minister reports offi Tuesday, Germans, ae act of revenge, drove forty-five thousand inhabitants from Louvain, and fired town, which ig now heap of ashes. - y Official (August 28, 9.60 p.m.).—Early, this morning conceited operation attempted against German in Heligoland Bight. Strong forces destroyers, light •oruisers, battle-cruisers, : and submarines, intercepted and attacked German destroyers and oruisers guarding', approaches German coast. British destroyers heavily engaged enemy's deetrovers. All British, destroyers reported afloat and returning in good order. Two German destroyers sunk and many damaged. Enemy's cruisers ongaged by British cruisers _ and battle-cruisers, First light oruiser squadron sank' Mainz. First Battle-oruisor Squadron sank one cruiser Koln class:. Another cruiser disappearedin mist sinking condition. All German oruisers engaged thus disposed of. Battle-craiser squadron, although attacked by submarines and floating mines, evaded them undamaged. Light cruiser squadron bo' Flotilla cruiser Amethyst, destroyer Laertes, damaged. No other vessel seriously damaged* Britkh loss of lite not heavy.

Official (August 28, 12.55 p.m.).-o Crniser returning. Nine German offi* cora, eighty-one men wounded. - •

Official (August 23, 10,25 p.m.).—Mr, Churchill, (interviewed..-' by American Press concerning the cause of the war, sajd that a \YKte Paper containing Sir-Edward Grey's negotiations set out our case.. Hβ added that the war was > started. and maintained , ; by the Prussian - military .autocracy, which, had an unlimited ambition for world-wide predominance. Britain was at grips with Prussian militarism. Our military forc'o was small, but our naval and finanoial resources v were considerable. We stand between a mighty arniy and a dominion which certainly' would not be content with European, limits. Should Britain succeed, the world might look,for a relaxation in anna- . ments. If Germany wins, the blood, and iron military school would receive a supreme and terrible vindication. The domocratio nations of the world where.the people own the Government, and. not tho Government own .tha people, should realise the' issue at stake. Tho French, English, and' Amerioan systems of popular, election , and Parliamentary debate, were in . direct conflict with the Imperialism end Bureaucracy, and military organisation of Prussia. America was tho best judge of her own interests. Woro England reduced to a small country like Holland, notwithstanding the distance, America must carry the burden now borne by England. Mr. Churchill Haid he did not mean that- Germany ' would attack the United States, bui the Monroe Doctrine involved South America also.. Was it likely that Gor-man-militarism, with France shattered, Belgium conquered, and our power broken, would be content to be cut off from 'oversea expansion; for which. South America would supply an opportunity ? The impact was on us, but our blood was in .America's. veins, end should lead. States'to expect 'us to; lear the impact. If we go. it would bo America next. The war bot;an in a. ■ war of honour, but it was now one o"? solf-preservation. The British democracy, with a limited monarchy,, an ~&n-\ cient Parliament, and ardent . social: philanthropic dream's, was now in a\ deadly grapple with tlie formidable might of Prussian autocracy rule. ,We . were conscious of tho greatness of the times, recogniso the consequences, and foel that however inadequate the reaFon for this -unespected ordeal rosy be, England must^go to the , very, end, AVhilo ho v,'as being interviewed, Mr. Ghurchill received -information of the destruction of Louvain, and asked what further proof was needed of the issue.

(Rec. August 30, 0.55 a.m.) ; Reliable.—Paris reports that the situ-' ation on the Allies' front in the Somme,' and the Vosges is unchanged. The Ger- , nians seonr to have slackened march. Both sides report heavy losses, and are exhausted with continuous fighting. In one instance only 60 Germans survived out of a force- of 6000.; It is estimated that the German losses total 200,000. Reports from Amsterdam state that 160 train , ! of Germane passed through Belgium, northwards, to strengthen the- force against Russia. Reports that ihe Allies have abandoned Boulogno are unconfirmed. Official.—The British hove not laid mines. Mr. 3. M'Combs lias given notice to move in Committee to add the following new clause to the Customs , Amendment Bill:—"On and nftor the coming , into operation of tin's Act the duty lev-' ied on flour and oatmeal imported into. New Zealand under the Customs Duties' Act, 1903, and the several Acts incor- ; ' porated therewith—the duty is Is. per' iOOlb.—is hereby abolished." A deputation of members .of Parliament is to wait on tho Prime Minister in connection the same subject to> tnorrow. . "