BRITAIN’S POSITION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 5001, 16 October 1918, Page 5

BRITAIN’S POSITION.

DETERMINATION TO CONTINUE

THE WAR.

“WE HAVE COMMAND OF THE SEA AND WILL HOLD IT.”

Australian and N.Z. Gable Association. (Received October 15. 11 p.pa.) NEW YORK, October 14. Sir Eric Geddes, First Lord of tho Admiralty, in a speech, said :—; “Despite, tho present political situation between the _ Allies and the Central Powers, Britain is unchanged in her absolute loyalty to those nations associated with licr. Britain is determined to continue th 0 war and will not ho diverted from her purpose until tlie Allies have secured the only peace which could justify all our sufferings caused by the iniquity of Germany. We must not relax the muscles of our fighting arm, nor our war effort, in any anticipation of an early peace. If Germany had had command of the seas in 1914 she would have won the war in 1914. We must not assume that Germany is beaten. We must not take for granted tlie safety of our sea line communications. We have the command' of the seas, mud we must hold that command.

FQGK WANTS GUARANTEES. ALLIES' TO OCCUPY GERMAN TOWNS'. DISTRIBUTION OF HUN FLEET AMONG ALLIES. Australian and N.Z. Gable Association WASHINGTON, October 14. James Tucliy, the New York V orld s London correspondent, states that although the German appeal for an armistice has not officially been communicated to the Allies it is learned that the whole subject was exhaustively discussed hist week at the Veisailles conference. The Premiers ot England Franco and Italy, and .T, 1 . tarv representatives of all the Allies wore present. Marshal loch presented a list of guarantees he considered necessary before granting an armistice, namely, Allied occupation <n Metz Strassburg and Coblenz The conference endorsed Marshal Foch’s list. Marshal Foch also presented for the consideration of _ tfio conference a scheme for making Germany impotent as a military factor. The scheme included the surrender of the German fleet and its distribin tion among the Allies according o naval losses; the destruction ol Krupp’S' armament works was n considered, hut it was believed that a bettor plan would be that those works as well as other great German and Austrian industrial places should be utilised to compensate for machinery and material losses m liance a " d Melbourne. October is. Referring to the peace terms, General Pau said that no armistice was possible which does not include a prior condition of evacuation of invaded territory and Alsace < Lorraine. The enemy must cede the Allies the left bank of the Rhine, and let them hold the bridges across. In addition, they must code temporarily as a guarantee the port of Hamburg.

SENSATION l N GERMANY. REPORTED IMMINENT ABDICATION OF KAISER. GRANDSON TO ASCEND THRONE Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received Oct. 15. 11.10 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 14. The Daily Telegraph’s Rotterdam correspondent learns from a well informed source of Prince Max’s resignation as Chancellor. Probably Dr. Solf or Herr Schiedemann will succeed. A sensational development is clue to the imminent abdication of the Kaiser in favor of his grandson. The Kaiser was anxious to do this two months ago, but the Empress dissuaded him. The Kaiser is subject to long fits of mental depression, broken by such outbursts as his recent address at Essen. The abdication is publicly discussed in Germany, where many believe that the Entente Governments will refuse peace while Wilhelm is on tho throne. AMSTERDAM. Oct. 14. Germany for some day has been considering the question of unrestricted submarining. , It is recognised that the continuance of this is highly inadvisable a'nd might lead to a breaking off of negotiations, and it is likely that the Admiralty will issue orders considerably restricting the scope of the U-boats’ activities. WARNING. FROM HOLLAND GERMANY WILL FOOL YOU YET. The Times. (Received October 15, 7.30 p.m.) THE HAGUE, October 14. Leading Dutchmen give the advice :

"Beware now more than ever of Germany. She will fool you

yet.” The publication of the German Note opened l the floodgate’s of the suppressed feeling of. the Dutch masses. Franklv and joyously they interpret the Note as a complete defeat of Germany, and toasted the ‘Entente” at various dinners, --where the national airs of the Allies were sang. . .. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association,

' (Received October 13; 7.30 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, October 14 Advices from Berlin state that the Socialist's demand that Herr Von Payer vice-Chancellor shall replace Prince Max, whose letter to Alexander Hohenzohe sneering at Parliamentarism and democracy and talk about seizing the Allies’ Governments by the throat has caused many to' believe that he is not the man to arrange peace. There is talk of fres i restrictions to deprive Kaisers ot the power to declare war and ot transferring the same to the Reichstag. Eeuter’s Telegrams. (Received October 15, 7.30 p.m ) v LONDON, October 14. There is reason to believe that the, German telegraphs are rigorously controlled by the hence more than usual caution incSnly 'iu, Placing » on news allowed to got out tiom Germany.

A LITTLE PREMATURE. PEACE CELEBRATIONS IN AUSTRALIA. MISINTERPRETATION OF MESSAGE. TJnited Press Association— Oopyright. SYDNEY, October 15Misinterpretation of acceptance of I resident Wi points as meaning her caused much excitement m vaiious cities, and laughable developments m tL feh0 U Newcastle miners celebrated the supposed peace by takin o M At d Goußurn the sewerage employees and many other works made liolidaSome business places were clo’sed at Bathurst. Joy-bells were rung, and crowds paraded the streets till “Newspaper offices. were everywhere deluged with enquiries, crowds- an citing the posting of news. . Ulie press and public the' Commonwealth is steadily h ardening against anything short of Germany’s complete surrender.