LATE WAR NEWS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 33, 7 August 1914, Page 8

LATE WAR NEWS

FRANCO-GERMAN FIGHT AT LONGWY MORE IMPORTANT THAN HAS BEEN REVEALED. GERMAN CAVALRY DASH FOILED (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright.) (Received August 7, 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, sth August. The Daily Telegraph's Rheims correspondent says that Monday's fight at Longwy was much more important than has been revealed in th.c official despatches. it is believed that from five to ten regiments of German cavalry made a dash through Luxembourg and tried to slip past to hold the positions between Verdun and Mezieres. The old fort at Longwy gallantly withstood the attack. Thanks to the fire from its batteries and the havoc caused by the machine guns, the fury of the German onslaught was broken after a stubborn fight, in which from 10,000 to 15,000 were engaged. The German cavalry retreated, leaving a considerable number of dead and some wounded. There were few French casualties owing to the troops being in protected positions. i [■ LL < )ngw v is a smali town (population 10,000) in the extreme north of the Moselle, eighteen miles west-south-west of Luxembourg. Its fortress capitulated to the Prussians in 1792, 1815, and 1071. ] f GERMANS AND BELGIANS | REPORTED ENGAGEMENT ONWARD MARCH. '.Received August 7, 2 p.m.) BRUSSELS,, sth August. The Germans, at 4 o'clock this afternoon, were continuing their onward march near Fort Pleron, Liege, where an engagement is reported to have taken place. The Germans are how out of range of the forts. They are evidently desirous of following the line of the Meuse. SIXTH GERMAN ARMY CORPS CONTINUING ITS ADVANCE. ' I ' (Received August 7, 1-30 p.m.) BRUSSELS, sth August. It ie reported that the Sixth German Army Corps encamped in the Moresnet district, and is now continuing its advance, massing between Moresnet and Eupen. AH Germans have been expelled from Liege and Namur. Artillery fire was heard at Aywaille. Liege and are the two great fortified towns on the Meuse. Liege, about twelve miles from, the Belgian frontier, is surrounded by twelve strong forts ; and Namur, which is about fifty milee along the river from the frontier,' is nearly as strong. Moresnet is a small town, on the German side of the Belgian frontier, about twenty miles westward from Liege and fifteen miles from the Meuse ; Eupcn )» about eight miles south of Moresnet. Aywaille is a village close to Memouchamps, on the Ambleve, a tributary which rune into the Meuse at Liege. The village is about fifteen miles southeast of Liege. DUTCH LIMBUfcG DEFENDED BY STRONG CON- • TINGENT. (Received August 7, 1.30 p.m.) BRUSSELS, sth August. A strong Dutch contingent defends Dutch Limburg. Limburg, a territory on the Meuse, lies between the provinces of Liege and Brabant. In 1839 it was finally redivided, the lands to the west of the Meuse remaining with Belgium, whilst a long, narrow strip on the east side was constituted the Dutch province of Limburg. NOT NOW A HOSTILE ACT CROSSING BELGIAN FRONTIER BY FRENCH AND BRITISH TROOPS. (Received August 7, 1.30, p.m.) BRUSSELS, stfi August. Belgium has announced that the crossing of her frontier by French and British soldiers will not now be considered a hostile act. BELGIAN WAR CREDIT TWO HUNDRED MILLION FRANCS (Received August 7, 1.30 p.m.) BRUSSELS, sth August. At 5 o'clock this morning the Chamber of Deputies passed a war credit of two hundred million francs. AROUND LUXEMBOURG AN IMPENETRABLE SCREEN GERMANS ARRIVING IN GREAT NUMBERS. (Received August 7, 2.20 p.m.) LONDON, sth August. The Daily Telegraph correspondent, William Maxwell, telegraphing from Arlon, Belgium, states that . French troops under General Mascart destroyed the railway bridges in Levaux and Pastogno so as to delay the Germans, of whom there sire 30,000 already encamped around Luxembourg. Without entering the city, an impenetrable screen has been drawn around Luxembourg. A few escaped to Belgium, and declare that the Germans are arriving' in great numbers. , A number of Germans on Monday violated the frontier around Malmedy. , The civilians are taking refuge m the towns. \ The roads are blocked with wagons and ploughs. Mi\ Maxwell visited the great fortress at Longwy, which the advanco guard of the l<rench is covering by troops. "The morale of thp army is superb," he saysj "1 never saw French soldiers so calm, cool, and confident." {.Mnlnredy is a town in Rhenish Prussia, fifty-one miles south by rail from , Aix-la-ChuppcUo. A fortified camp wus establiihed hero by; .Germany iv 1894.]

CONTROL OF FOODSTUFFS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION PROPOSED. PENALTIES FOR~EXPLOITATION. The Government has prepared legislative proposals affecting the control and conservation of the food supplies of the Dominion. A Bill will be introduced, probably to-day, empowering the Government to take any steps necessary to prevent exploitation in the sale of articles of food, and the exportation of certain essential commodities. The measure will make it a penal offence to unduly raise prices or otherwise exploit the community. The penalty for such offence will be substantial. A Board of Control will probably be constituted. QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT EXPORT OF PRODUCE. Tli the House this afternoon Mr. Glover gave notice to ask the Government if provision has been made to protect the outlying portions of the Dominion. Mr. Reed remarked that kauri gum had ttecome unsaleable, and thousands of gumdiggers would be put in a very difficult position. He suggested that they should be 'assisted by a system of advance on their output. Sir Joseph Ward read a statement to the effect that owing to the censorship and consequent delay in getting cablegrams in reply from England, there was a chance of shipping being held up and the stoppage of exports. It was suggested that the Government should establish a system of marine insurance policy covering war risks. Unless that was done people would not ship then* produce, and he suggested that the Government should arrive at some scheme m connection with the settlers and the shipping companies. Otherwise the Result of the crisis would not only be serious restriction, but a great degree of hardship. The Right Hon. W. F. Massey said ho would bring the question of the gum industry before Cabinet. Wherever,possible the Government would relieve' distress. He would have enquiries made. As to marine insurance, he hoped to be able to make a next sitting day. No news of any importance had reached the Governnient as to operations in the war area. He went on to say that from enquiries. made he found that there is only sufficient 'cereal and flour in New Zealand for our own requirements, and the Government had thought it wise to ptohibit their export,' and a proclamation to that .effect wouM be issued this afternoon. The Bill dealing with the cost of foodstuffs would be ci)^«-?Sted later in the afternoon. In all probability an Expeditionary Force would be required. He was not able to say what the destination of the Force would be, but the Government was sufficiently in the minds of the Iw perial authorities to warrant it in going on with the necessary preparations for its equipment and shipment from New Zealand. Mr. G. W. Russell read a statement from the New Brighton Trotting Club donating 100 guineas to the cost of the Expeditionary Force, and the use of their grounds for training purposes. ' Mr. Massey informed the House that he^had no desire to prevent members going on with ordinary business if they so desired, but he suggested the advisability of members being within call at a moment's notice. \ PARLIAMENT ADJOURNS. A few moments later Mr Massey returned to the House and said that some important information had been received and it must be considered by Cabinet at once. He therefore moved the adjournment of the House for an hour. The House adjourned until 4 p.m. The Governor attended the Cabinet meeting. Late this afternoon it was announced that nothing could be given out at the moment. TEA SUPPLIES COLOMBO AND CALCUTTA AUCTIONS CLOSED. A peculiar position has arisen in regard to the local tea market. Authentic cable advice has been received in Wellington that the tea auctions at Colomjbo and v Calcutta, which it is customary toj hold every Tuesday, and from which this country obtains its supplies, have been closed indefinitely. This step is the outcome of the drop of between and Id a lb in the price and the almost total absence of freight. Upon the outbreak of international hostilities, the United Kingdom, which is by far the largest buyer, and Russia, withdrew their custom owing to the impracticability of vessels running the gauntlet of hostile warships and cruisers. The P. and 0. line, however, has announced that its service will be continued as long as possible, although the other companies whose boats call at Colombo liave withdrawn. The liner Moloja will probably provide the last means of freight for those New Zealand merchants who have bought up tea privately. Should she bo delayed it will mean that further tea supplies for New Zealand will bo cut off. Owing to the regular weekly sup-, plies hitherto brought forward by the steamship services calling at Colombo, most of the New Zealand merchants have not been called upon ' to! lay in emergency stocks, and, should the auctions be postponed for any length of time and the interference with shipping continue, there will be a cessation of supplies, in which case the present normal market will be completely upaet. SCENES IN THE STREET NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. Few people of any nation would show the' calm, unperturbed exterior of the New Zcalanders in the present great national crisis. It is a British characteristic .to "conceal the thoughts that lie within," and that this trait is with us still is seen each day and night in the streets. A calm confidence in the justness of our quarrel and in the power of the nation's arm is the dominant feeling. At times spontaneous outbursts show how tense is the spirit within and how strong the grip that holds it. Last night crowds were about, parading restlessly up and down. When the city Mission Band paraded, playing patriotic airs, crowds silently fell in behind and marched along, in step, keeping within sound of the music. 'yVhen, having completed a considerable round of tho streets, the band halted in Cuba-street and played the National Anthem, everyone bared the head and joined solemnly in the singing, and afterwards the" crowd quietly dispersed. So far there has been an entire absence of Jingoistic outbursts or any display against foreigners. Furthermore, last night the streets were quite free of any unpleasant exhibition's. Tho task of the police has been light. Yet the numerous and ready response of all classes to be enrolled in defence corps or expeditionary forces shows that a full sense of the seriousness of the crisis and o£ the crucial times through which the nation is passing is not absent from the community. Last night, to a late hour, crowds stood about in front of Tho Po3t window, {jatiantly awaiting the diiplay of any lato n»\v«, but very little came to hand,

PROGRESS OF THE WAR WHY BELGIUM WAS INVADED MODERN ARMIES MUST HAVE ROOM. Yesterday it was explained that if Germany is able to force a passage through Luxembourg and the southward projection of Belgium, she will increase the gateway into France by at least 50 per cent. The actual Franco-German frontier is about 140 miles long, and if the Belgian troops are forced back to the Rive # Meuse; there will still be about 70 miles of Srouth Belgium and Luxembourg which would be open for the movement of armies from Germany against France. As long as the Belgians hold the line of _ the Meuse, with its fortified centres, Liege and Namur, Germany must confront them in sufficient strength to keep them there, while her own troopD are crossing southern Belgium, and until the French position has been turned so that the French frontier lies oppn. If at any stage of this vital transitional period the Belgians should break through the line of German troops placed to hold them back, then the flank of the German advance into France is at once in' great) danger. Can the Germans exercise the turning movement through South Belgium and at the same time keep the Belgians (of whom there must be at least 150,000) ■ penned up along the Meuse ? Also, can the Germans continue to do this if the Belgians are reinforced by 160,000 British? Of course, the British expeditionary force cannot get to Belgium unless the British Fleet can hold the NoHh Sea. Meanwhile the Gorman© are endeavouring to defeat the Belgians before British aid arrives. Being now at war with Belgium, Germany may seek to overrun the whole country, coasts as well as hinterland, and endeavour to prevent the British from effecting a landing. But they cannot conquet Belgium so long as the Belgians hold the line of the Meuse wath the etubbortiess and success indicated in the cablegrams. Should the Belgian defence collapse, the British expedionary .force might hayo to make its landing on the adjoining coast of France. •■ DEPLOYMENT SPACE IN -1870 AND NOW. To return to the two frontiers — the 140 miles of Franco-German, and the 70, miles of Belgian "neutral." It has been explained already that the Franco-Ger-man frontier is very strongly protected by two lines of forte and barriers— 'one from Belfort to Epinai, the other from Toul to Verdun. In the Franco-German war of 1870 Germany forced the frontier and invested the French fortresses quite easily, but that is no analogy, for two reasons : In 1914 the French are prepared, and the science of war has greatly altered. According to the German strategist, General Yon Schlieffen, the space or deployment required by a modern army is four times greater than it was in the years 1866*70 ; and it has been estimated that along the Franco-German frontier proper _ Germany could not bring into line much more than half a million men. But the German army has grown, and Germany has big battalions which she wishes to employ in turning the flank of the French; and that cannot be done without more room to manoeuvre in Hence the invasion of , Belgium. Germany has many more army corps than she had in 1870, and each one needs four times as much room to operate in. If France is to be beaten, it will probably require a rapid turning movement in' overwhelming strength. That is why Belgium's neutrality, and the defence thereof, supply the key to the present situation. Germany feels the supreme need of decisively defeating France before dealing ; 'with Russia, ana no neutrality, even backed by Britain, can stay her course. In fact, report credits her with also marching into, well-armed Switzerland, who, in that case, might bo expected to retaliate in no' half-hearted way. That Germany should challenge the forces of three Powers (Britain, Belgium, and Switzerland),, by a ruthless disregard of neutrality, leaves the world lost in amazement at Teutonic audacity. GERMANY A GUARANTOR OF NEUTRALITY. In the Franco-German War of 1870 Germany became (on 9th August, 1870) signatory to a treaty guaranteeing Belgium's neutrality. Britain signed the treaty on the same day; France two days later. It exercised a distinct influenco on the war, for in the following month the French Emperor and hi 3 army were shut up in Sedan by Germany, and on their surrender many French soldiers entered Belgium, where they were disarmed and interned in accordance with the laws of neutrality. Thus in 1870 France had to abide by the consequences of Belgian neutrality. In 1914 Germany inperiously sets them aside. If Germany were successful, whero on earth would her arrogance end?' THE CONVERGENCE ON LIEGK. Anyone who studies the German duplicated railways leading from the Rhine Valley (particularly from the three great fortified centres, Cologne, Coblentz, and Mainz) to the Belgian frontier, wjll see that Germany planned years ago for the invasion of France through Belgium. Verviers, where the Germans , gathered in strength two or three days ago, is a Belgian town on the Cologne-Liege railway. To-day's -cable messages show that an advance was made from Verviers towards Liege, and the Germans occupied a semi-circle, of 'Which the middle point is Pepinster (a railway town 15 or twenty miles from Liege), and the extreme points are Herve in the north and Remouchamps in the sOuth. It is cabled that German attacks on Liege have been . repulsed with great loss. Whether the French have any plan to onter Belgium to aid the Belgians is not clear. So far .the French strategy appears to have been successfully defensive. A state of war, it is cabled, has been declared over a portion of Holland. Germany's assurances of respect for Holland's neutrality are probably based on the purely selfish calculation that Germany may be able to import food through Holland's noutral ports. ON SEA AND LAND. On the sea, great material and immense moral advantage accrues to France through the capture of the Germah Dreadnought-cruiser Yon Goeben, which is of the same type as the New Zealand, but larger, finer, and more heavily armed. In a duel in the Far East, & Russian and a. German cruiser (bo^h thirdclass) are reported to have sunk each other. There is still no news of any battle in the North Sea, but a German mine-layer has been torpedoed and sunk. Latest information is that a German cavalry dash on the Verdim-Meziercs lines was broken -on the fortifications at Longwy. and the Germans were repulsed by (he French with heavy loss. In Belgium the Germans have" not forced the lino of the Meuse. but appear to bo marching parallel with it towards Nanmv and tho French frontier.