LATE NEWS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 105, 5 May 1915, Page 8

LATE NEWS

USE OF POISONOUS GASES SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT. j (By Telf graph.— Press Association.— Copyright.'. (Received May 5, 1 p.m.) LONDON, 4th May. Field-Marshal Sir John French's report on the use of poisonous gases by the enemy says the Germans ejected the gas from pipes laid in the trenches, also by ] means of shells manufactured for the j purpose. The Germans have constantly | used such gases for defence and offence since the first occasion. The German press suggests that the effect is mere disablement or painless death, but the fact is that those sent to hospital suffer ; acutely and many die painful lingering deaths. Survivors appear to be per- i manently injured ; their lungs are re» ! duced to a condition indicating that they will be lifelong invalids. _ Sir John French adds that he considers the enemy has definitely decided on the use of gases as a normal procedure and that protests would be useless. j The High Commissioner reports, under date London, 4th May, 7 p.m. : — j Sir John French, reporting on employment by Germans of poisonous gases, says the German troops are provided with' specially-designed respirators issued in sealed covers, after long methodical preparation and on large scale. The effects of the gases must be well known to German scientists, who devised the weapon, and to the military authorities who sanctioned its use. THE BRITISH BUDGET ! COST OF THE WAR INCOME TAX TO BE RENEWED ' ON" PRESENT SCALE. (Received May 5, 1 p.m.) LONDON, 4th May. Mr. Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his Budget statement, said j the war was costing £2,100,000 a day. j If it lasted throughout the financial year he estimated • the expenditure at j £1,136,434,000, leaving a deficit of £862.322,000; if it lasted for half a year the deficit would be £548,346,000. The Government must depend primarily on the community's savings. It was proposed to renew the income tax on the present scale. j The cost of the war had been progressive. For the first four months it had been 102 millions, , for the second four months 177 millions, exclusive of the purchase of commodities, for which the money would be returned. A feature of the Budget was the won* dei-ful buoyancy of the income-tax and ! super-tax. There were now 26,000 payers of the super-tax. Five hundred and twelve had been relieved of duties owing to deaths in the war, the allow- i ances amounting to £102,000. ! If the war lasted during the financial j year the Army would require 400 mil- ■ lions and the Navy 120 millions, while advances to the Allies and the ] Dominions would absorb 100 millions. If the war was prolonged it would be the duty of the House of Commons to i consider 'what further contributions the general community should make. It was vital for the successful conduct of the war, and in order to help Britain's j Allies, that , the national savings' should ' increase. If the savings increased there would be funds available to release existing securities or to invest in a national loan. If the war lasted over the financial year it would be perfectly ( legitimate to resort to taxation of those ; making exceptional incomes out of the war. At the ehd of the Napoleonic wars our forefathers taxed themselves to the extent of two-sevenths 'of their incomes.' We had raised an enormous number of men, but ought to consider whether the time had come when there should be discrimination in regard to recruiting, so as not to interfere with the output of munitions and of manufactures for ! export which would enable the country to purchase munitions. ARMY CASUALTIES The High Commissioner reports :— LONDON, 4th May, 7 p.m. Army casualties : — Killed : Officers, 36; ! men, 89. Wounded : Officers, 131 ; men, j 118. 0 GERMANS CLAIM FURTHER SUCCESS AN ATTACK FROM NORTH-WEST OF YPRES THREE PLACES CAPTURED. (Received May 5, 2 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, 4th May. A German communique states : "We j attacked from north-east of Ypres, and J captured Zonnebeke, West- ] hock, and three neighbouring woods, j which had been hotly contested for many months, the enemy retreating under a flank fire from our batteries north and south of Ypres." LIGHTHOUSE BURNED ON THE ALAND ISLANDS. COPENHAGEN, 4th May. The Laengskar lighthouse, in "the Aland Islands, has been burned. It is believed that it was set on fire by warship shells. [The Aland Islands are at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia, opposite Abo, the largest being situated about 25 miles from the Swedish coast.]