THE WAR.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12864, 13 August 1914, Page 2

THE WAR.

YESTERDAY'S CABLE NEWS. VARIOUS ITEMS. By Electrie Telegraph. —Press Association—Copyright. THE HAGUE, August 11. The Dutch are indignant at Germany's invasion of Belgium and fear the Germans will send a force in the direction of Antwerp and possibly retreat into Holland when Belgium is flooded. In this event Holland will also be promptly flooded to a depth of four feet. As a oonsequence pricei of foodstuffs have dropped. Butter is fivepence and eggs five a penny. LONDON, August 11. Details from all war centres are meagre. The reconnaissance forces have temporarily ceased. The French advance in Alsace has apparently proved that no great preparations have been made for a German advance near Belfort. Experts conclude that the mass of the German armies, possibly twelve army corps, aggregating 600,000 men, is preparing to advance between Liege and ville. The remainder will probably go through Lorraine. * The Belgian War Office claims that the situation is satisfactory. The French armies in Belgium are advancing methodically. The commander of one of the forts at Liege reports that the works are intact and the men are in splendid spirits. News cf Austria's bombardment of the Montenegrin coast is ex«iting. angej in Italy. This irritation is more significant as Austria is denuding her Italian frontier of troops in order to assist the Germans against France in Lorraine. The Daily Chronicle states that Germany has detailed three armies to smash France. The Northern Army co-operating with the Ardennes Army was to be flung against the French left, while the Third Army held the French right in check. The Belgians upset the scheme. Evidence of the unpreparedness of the German attack is accumulating. German prisoners in Belgium state that new boots were served out and their feet were cut to pieces in consequence. The high and heavy boots were unsuitable for quick marching. The French doctors state the French bullets caused much more serious wounds than the German. There are many stories of German cruelties to non-combatants, but apparently with little basis in fact, though there has been illegal execution of French subjects. The French troops have taken seven of the most not-ible citizens of Montreuxvieux as hostages. BRUSSELS, August 11. In Liege the question in every mouth is: "When will the English come!" Mothers console their children with the words, "The English will soon be here." There are improvised hospitals everywhere, and many houses bear the signs: "Fifteen beds ready," or "Ten i beds for wounded here." ) The First Brigade of Cavalry left * Charleroi on Tuesday, 1500 strong. , Only 490 are known to remain. For | fifty-two hours the brigade held eight 1 thousand Germans at bay. 1 The Germans fought on empty sto- | machs while the cavalry brigade was supplied with wine and food by Boy Scouts. The loss of Belgian officers is out of all proportion to the rank and file, due to their distinguishing headgear, which is now being altered. COPENHAGEN, August 11. The express routes carrying food . have resumed their services to English ports. No German troops have been withdrawn from Schleswig. The Shah of Persia and his family, with 150 Russian refugees from Germany, have reached Malmo, in Sweden. The Shah proceeds to Russia. He states that he is in fear of assassination, owing to the anti-Russian feeling in Germany. LONDON, August 11. J The British Consul at Shanghai reI ports that no British vessels have been molested up to the 9th instant. PARIS, August 11. Le Matin says the French and American banks have opened a gold ; credit of 30,000,0,00 francs to the j Government's account to purchase • eorn and other foodstuffs. It adds | that large quantities of grain in the United States and Argentine have j already been bought for shipment to Frame amd Britain. DELHI, August 11. ( Fresh offers of support have been received from the native States, and < there are enthusiastic meeting* •very- I where in India. i

LONDON, August 11. A concealed man fatally shot & sentry on tke railway at Red Hill and escaped, Two explosions occurred in a German baker's shop at East Ham and seven were injured, including three firemen. PARIS, August 11. Tke Grand Duchess of Luxfimburg personally protested at the entrance |of German troops. An officer brutally j bade her go home and drew his re- • volver. The Grand Duchess withdrew ! announcing that she would telegraph the Kaiser. CAPETOWN, August 11. To allay rumours the Government has issued a message to tke native? explaining the facts of the war. The Government has guaranteed insurance on wheat consignments ex Australia. The citizens of Capetown have formed a committee to regulate the prices of food stuffs. (British Press Bureau.) LONDON, August 11. The Austrians are advancing from Cracow (near the Russian border)'towards Kielse (the southernmost district of Russian Poland). PARIS, August 11. . It is officially announced that the Germans compelled the French to withdraw from Mulhausen to the high ground in ti|3 neighbourhood. ROME, August 11. British destroyers accidentaly fired on and holed the steamer Taurus in four places. The Austrian Admiral was aboard. England protested at the departure from Genoa of the North German Lloyd's liners Konig Albert, Moltke and Becval, also the German warships of tha Mediterranean Fleet. The Italian Government accepted the pro- J test and refused to allow the liners , to sail. ! BRUSSELS, August 11. j A German Princess living in a cas-1 tie in Belgium cleared it of its valuable contents six weeks ago and sent them to Germany. SOFIA, August 11. The Bulgarian Government has dismissed General Dimitrieff (one of its finest soldiers) for entering the Russian army. LONDON, August 11. Five hundred have already enlisted in the British Foreign Legion, including three Russian princes and several Italian officers. Danish residents are also organising a corps. Germpny has broken off relations with Servia. PARIS, August 11. While villagers were in church at Affleville, a frontier village, Uhlans poured petroleum on the houses and destroyed the village. A similar outrage is reported in tke Limburg province. ST. PETERSBURG, August 11. An eye witness states that on the German commander's order the mayor of Kalisz, in Poland, was nearly beaten to death. The town council's messenger was shot for fetching the Mayor a mattress and a pillow. The manager of the local treasury was also shot. The Germans made hostages of the principal inhabitants and fired on the civilians, many being killed. LONDON, August 11. One hundred and fifty Russian refugees from Germany have reached Malmo. The ex-Shah of Persia is among them. He proceeds to Russia. He states he fears assassination owing to anti-Russian feeling in Germany. ATHENS, August 11. The captain of a Greek steamer reports that he met the Goeben apv: 4-lia Tina npi IP* on the 10th.

VARIOUS ITEMS By Ele«trie Telegraph—Preii Amociation —Copyright. NISH, August 11. Owing to the withdrawal of Austrian troops from the frontier the Servians have captured Vardichte and Dobrunie. • The Montenegrins have occupied Jelebitch and joined hands with the Servians. (Times. —Sydney Sun Service.) LONDON, August 11. A fund has been opened to assist wives of departed French reservists. A huadred women tearfully pleaded with their compatriots for assistance to pay rent and secure bread and milk for the children. Sir H. Beerbohm Tree is reviving ''Drake," a patriotic spectacular play, at His Majesty's Theatre, the proceeds to go to the war funds. I The Bishop of London has been enTolled for active service. Seven thousand men have been enrolled as special constables in London. Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson (Go-vernor-General of Australia) has offered Baith House, Kircaldy, as a hospital. Lady Islington offered her London residence as a hospital for New Zealanders if required. She also stated she is willing to assist in hospital work. The patriotic fund in England and Wales has reached £650,000. Mr T. P. O'Connor, in the Commons, asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that thousands of pounds are being wasted owing to the censorship of cables. He asserts that messages were censored three times in London, tkree times at 1 Waterville, and three times on the < other side of the Atlantic. He requested that the function should be performed by trained journalists. The Postmaster-General said the War Office and not the Post Office controlled the censorship. PARIS, August 11. It is officially stated that engagements have taken place along the frontier at Longwy, Longuyon, Marville and Virton. German cavalry pa? trols were encountered north of Montmedy. LONDON, August 11. Their Majesties motored to Aldershot and made a complete tour of the garrison. They received ovations everywhere. A correspondent suggests tkat the members of the Commons take halfpay, following the precedent of the Japanese Government in the RussoJapanese war. The Bank has received a further quarter of a million in gold. The total receipts are £9,000,000 since the sth. The conditions are steadily improving and the banks are paying out in gold. • The Transvaal output for July was £3,111,398, the largest since June, 1913. Lady Northcote has offered Eastwell Park as a convalescent home for office f3. WELLINGTON, August 11. There was an inspiring sight in the city streets just before midday when the advance detachment of the expeditionary force marched with full equipment and accompanied by three bands, nurses and field ambulance corps. The object of the march, or when the troops are leaving, or their possible destination are still unpublishablc by request. AUCKLAND, A*gust 12. A conference of prominent Labour leaders has authorised Lieut.-Col. Bell to offer the Defence Department, on behalf cf Labour, a regiment for service at home or abroad. The speakers emphasised the fact that, although Labour had its troubles in the past and would have them in the future, they wculd, in the time of a great crisis, present a united front for the Empira. Lieut.-Col. Bell said he appreciated the fine spi'it shown, and had great pleasure in conveying the offer to the Department. MELBOURNE, August 12. The Premiers' Conference considered the circulation of authemtic war news, and is securing its own budget for distribution. Steps are taken to secure as much iiformation as is possible from the High. Commissioner with a view to making it available to the public through the usual chamnels. BRISBANE, August 12. In the Assembly a Bill was introduced to ©nable the Government to secure meat supplies for the use of the Imperial authorities. This only applies to meat intended for export, whether live sto6k or canaed. The penalty for a* breach of the law will be £IOVO or a year's imprisonment. PERTH, August 12. The president of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod has written to the

Governor-General assuring him of the loyalty of the congregations in all States to Britain. They are prepared to defend their King and country with their goods, body and life. LONDON, August 12. The Board of Agriculture states that the existing stocks of chilled and frozen meat are sufficient for six weeks normal consumption and three or four weeks supply is due shortly. NEW YORK, August 11. An embargo has been placed upon wireless apparatus on all foreign ships in harbour to prevent the possibility of communication with cruisers supposed to be off the coast. OTTAWA, August 10. The authorities have given the Belgian Government a guarantee against all risks on grain shipped to Belgian ports. Montreal, Quebec and Halifax have been closed as a precautionary measure agsinst possible raids. ST. PETERSBURG, August 11. Official despatches precedent to the war disclose provocative aggression by Austria and Germany to fix the responsibility for the war Upon Russia and prove that the Czar did his uttermost to avert it. CHRISTIANIA, August 11. All lights on the Scandinavian coast have been extinguished. DUNEDIN, August 12. Rumcurs were current in town today that German business houses in the Dominion would be compelled to close. A Star reporter interviewed a number of local firms who do business with Germany, and ascertained that while the present complications would naturally restrict trade as far as importations from Germany were concerned, it was not at all likely that the dislocation that would ensue would be serious, unless the war was unduly prolonged. The principal trade in German goods is probably confined to what are known as fancy goods, but the bulk of these, although "made in Germany," are purchased by firms doing business in Dunedin through their respective London houses, and are consequently British goods as far as shipping is concerned. As far as the toy trade go®s (and this is the largest section of the fancy goods trade), it will not be appreciably affected, as the major portion of the stock for the Christmas trade is already in the wholesale houses, ready for distribution to the retailers.