EASTERN THEATRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 29 March 1915, Page 5

EASTERN THEATRE

FIGHTING IN THE CARPATHIANS AUSTRIAN'S CONTESTING EVERY I YARD. PETROGRAD, March 27. I The Austrians are fighting with surprising stubbornness in the Carpathians, contesting every yard, and xising every expedient. The woods are filled with baa-bed wire and wolf traps, and machine guns aTe I concealed on the summits of steep ' ravines. i The crack German 21st Army Corps in East Prussia now largely consists of . raw troops. Many are ignorant of the i use of arms, and are more dangerous to themselves than, to the enemy. (Official.) We have made considerable progress in the direction of Bartfeld. The Austrians, falling back, burned the village of Bori, westward of the Dukla Pass. We carried a fortified height eastward of Ravorwetz, near Baligroa. _We repulsed large forces near Koraziwka, taking 2500 Austrian prisoners, besides 40 officers.

j AUSTRIAN COMMUNIQUE f I {Official.) VIENNA, March 28. After a violent engagement :tortheast of Czernowitz the Austrians drove back superior forces, capturing 1000 prisoners and two guns. BAVARIAN TROOPS IN THE CARPATHIANS. PARIS, March 27. Router's Vienna correspondent reports that trains full of Bavarians are continually traversing Hungary for the Carpathians, and an almost equal number are returning with wounded Austrians and Germans. The High Commissioner reports': London, March 27, 4.5 j-.m. Petrograd reports that the Russian offensive west of the middle Niemen was met by the enemy's counter-attacks. The fighting has been continued 1 : "On the Carpathians front, between Bartfield and Uzsok, the Russians continue to advance successfully, although the enemy has been reinforced. Prisoners to trie number of 1700 were taken by the Russians on Wednesday. In the directions of the Munkacs-Stry railway and Soina German attacks were again unsuccessful. The High Commissioner reports:— London. March 28, 3.50 p.m. Petrograd reports that in the Carpathians considerable progress was made in the direction of Bartfield. In the direction of Baligiud a fortified height was earned. Important enemy forces wore repulsed near Russkeddiuva and Corziuvkt. During the day 2500 Austrian prisoners, 40 officers, and seven machine jjuns were captured. FALL OF PRZEMYSL THE FINAL ATTACK.

PETROGRAD, March 28. After the Russian artillery on the 21st had razed tiha inner <fortifications of Przemysl, the garrison asked General Kusinanek for instructions. He replied : "Die at your posts." New guns were hurriedly placed in the ruined forts, but they were quickly destroyed by the accurate Russian fire. In the evening the Russians gained the first line of fortifications. Search- j lights were not used, eveTthing being | plainly visible in the crimson glow of : the burning fortress. ( The inner forts still resisted, despite , the ground being shaken every few : minutes by explosions of the magazines. By dawn the Russians had penetrated to the inner line of forts. General Kusinanek then ordered the blowing up of the remainder. At 5 o'clock the Russians swarmed towards the fortress, and the white flag was hoisted. Przemysl was provisioned for <O,OOO men, but 100,000 of Dankle's -etrrating army were shut up in the fortress and Tillable to escape. Thus the etocks became exhausted. j Austrian emperor's message I TO PRZEMYSL. | LONDON, March 26. i The Emperor Francis Joseph of Aus- | tria sent an air-letter to Przemysi:— ' "Saviours and honours await you, my heroes! Hold on until the spring. We shall be victors." ATTEMPTED RAID AT TILSIT. AMSTERDAM, March 27. , A German official statement says that the Russians, attempting to raid Tilsit, were defeated with heavy loss. RUSSIANS BURNED- TO DEATH. THE HAGUE,- March 2S. The Germans in Poland carry metal knapsacks containing inflammable l.qxrid. Twenty Russians were burned' alive iu

one night. SIEGE OF OSSOWIEC ■34 DAYS' CONTINUOUS BOMISARPMENT. (Rec. Mar. 29, 9.15 a.m.) PETROGRAD, March 28. Ossowiec hag teen bombarded continuously for thirty-four days, the enemy being held everywhere. Operations are conducted according to timetable. At nine in the morning a rocket warns the Red Cross ancLcivilians. Then the siege guns open, and cease punctually at six .o'clock, when aboveground life is resumed... Military bands play' at regular hours~ on Sunday evenings. "VERY DESPONDENT" AUSTRIAN PEOPLE AND PRESS. (Received March 29, 9 a.m.) VIENNA, March 28. People and newspapers are very despondent. xne "Neue Fi'eie Presso" states: "We prevented- the German Empire being struck at its heart. We fought valiantly at Nida and at Pilitza, and also with wonderful courage. We still ■must place Austria's fate in the hands ' of the Carpathians." ! Other newspapers admit that the fall . of Przemysl is no more than an inci- j dent, 'but still a formidable blow. (The martyrdom of Belgium is not more tragic or heartrending than the martyrdom of Poland, writes a correspondent of a London newspaper. Then there is the ghastly racial tragedy—that hundreds of thousands of Poles who live under the Austrian and German flags should be obliged to shed the blood of their brothers who are fighting _ for the Russian eagle. "I am writing this despatch from an abandoned trench, which is now the home of a Polish peasant family. In one comer is a girl nurring a baby born in the open, with no bettei- bed than straw, a week ago, and close by lies the girl's father moaning with pain. He was wounded working in the trenches for half-a-crown a day. An older woman, overjoyed at having something to cook, is preparing a stew with meat extract which I bought in Piccadilly."). SUBMARINE BLOCKADE SINKING OF THE DUTCH STEAMER, MEDEA. AN EXPLANATION REQUESTED. THE HAGUE, March 27. The sinking of the Medea has greatly aggravated the Daitch irritation against Germany. The newspapers declai'e that ( the act exceeds all previous cases, as the Germans seized the Medea's papers, and wore thus aware of her nationality. ; A special Cabinet -meeting was summoned. A protest has 'been lodged at ' Berlin against the bombing of the steamer Zevenbergen on the 22nd. THE HAGUE, March 28. The Dutch Minister at Berin has requested an explanation of the sinking of the Medea. CAPTURE OF THE BATAVIA. LONDON, March 26. A correspondent of the "New York American" was aboard' the Batavier when the sub-marine U36, which has been completed since the war, comimanded the Batavier to stop. A grinning German lieutenant clam- ■ hered on 'board, an<J informed the cap- \

tain that his ship was a -war-prize. He signalled the submarine, which was quickly headed south. The Batavier followed, the guide steering a dizzy course through a thick mine- , field to Zeebrugge.Two Belgian girls aboard refused to be down-hearted, and shouted : "Vive la Belgique! Vive TAmerique !" The Germans courteously saluted. , LONDON, March 27. The High Commissioner reports:— The Admiralty announces that the week's loss of merchant vessels was three ships of 11,650 tons out of 1450 sailings and arrivals. There was also one veasel torpedoed which reached port. A LIVERPOOL STEAMER. SUNK. ENEMY SUBMARINE NEAR FIRTH OF CLYDE. (Received March 29, 9 a.m.) LONDON, March 28. Captain Evans, of the steamship Lizzie, states that lie witness the torpedoing of the Delmira 'by the U37. He maintained full speed' and ran over the submarine, which was damaged or sunk judging by the oil on the surface of the water. The Lizzie then picked up the Delmira's crew. The Liverpool steamer Vosges was sunk ibv shell fire off the Cornish coast. The engineer was killed and three others injured "by shrapnel. A patrol yacht brought the crew to Newquay. A German submarine was sighted near the Firth of Clyde.

(The events of the war have proved that the submarine is largely a surpriseweapon. There is hardly an instance of a warship being sunk when she has sighted the submarine prior to the latter launching her torpedo. Even aries can now defy the submarine e weapons. That a steamer can dodge a submarine, sighted betimes, has been demonstrated on half-a-dozen occasions. The essence of it lies in a letter recently written to the London "Times" by Admiral W. H. Henderson: —"It should be made known to the masters of all merchant ships, large or small," he says, "that their chances of escape from a submarine are very great if they take no notice of them, but proceed at their utmost speed, keeping the submarine astern, and using their helm for slight yaws if it should get directly in their wake. In the case of small vessels, j whose speed is inferior to the submarine, 6he may be avoided by turning eight : points or more continuously as she approaches on the principle of a punt hunt. , Submarines will be very chary of ex- : pending their torpedoes on small craft, as they are not likely to be able to replace them without "returning to their ■ base. In the case of those "that have guns, it must be remembered that they are small, and that their shooting is very inaccurate when proceeding at full speed, or in the least' wash. It is only when stopped they are likely to be effective.") MILITARY SCANDALS AT BUDAPEST i ARMY CONTRACTORS ARRESTED. I DEATH SENTENCE DEMANDED. I LONDON, March 27. I The "Morning Post's" Budapest correspondent states that 120 men of wealth and position have been arrested for supplying the.army with bad food and pa-per-soled boots, and charging 14s a yard for ladies' cloth material, worth 3s, for uniforms. It went to rags in a fortnight. The press and people are demanding death sentences. IHE CROWN PRINCE

REPORTED TO BE AT POTSDAM. GENEVA, March. 26. Visitors from (Germany state that the Crown Prince is at Potsdam in a nursing home, owing to a nervous breakdown. His case is not serious. HOLLAND AND UNITED STATES REPORTED TREATY. (Rec. Mar. 29, 9.15 a.m.) PARIS, March 28. According to the "Petit Journal's" correspondent, Holland and the United States have signed a treaty for the mutual protection of colonies. PROJECTED ATTACK ON CANADA BY GERMANS AND AUSTRIANS IN UNITED STATES. OTTAWA, March 27. The police raided ; the Polish Lutheran Churdh at Toronto, and found 200 Germans and Austrians drilling -with dum my rifles. The police declare that, an armed rising- is projected in the United States, in which Germans and Austrians will participate. ENGLISH NEWS I LONDON, March 27. I Skilled Government dockyard hands j have been granted a 3s increase, unskilled workers 2s, and piece workers 7£ ■per cent. There is renewed trouble at Birken- | head, where a minority, consisting of 20C0 men, refuse to work at the weekend. "The Times" emphasises Lord Milner's warning, and adds that tho„ Government's decision to hdld no sort of conference in 1916 means that it is prepared to run the risk of having to consider peace terms without verbal consultation with the Dominions. H; is a very grave risk to take. ThVßev. and' Hon. Edward LytteTton, Headmaster of Eton, delivered a "Don't Humiliate Germany" address at St. Margaret's. Westminster, _ which has aroused many protests, as it was auite contrary to his recent speech at Windsor. Mr Lvtteltoh denied being a nroGerman. Sir H. Craik, M.P.. who is a churchwarden of St Margaret's, protests against such utterances in the House of Commons Church. He feels i the gravest misgivings when the greatest I school of England is under the guidance of a man showing such lack of judgment. The military authorities under the Defence of tlie Realm Act are restricting hours for the jsale of drink in various parts of the country. 'Public houses near the London railway termini are placed out' of bounds for members of His Maiesty's forces. The Transport Workers' Federation «,ssui-ed Mr Llovd George that it was willing to help in applying drastic restrictions if all classes were treated alike. "The Times," in a leader,' states that\ every combatant, with the possible exception of France, failed at the outset to realise the magnitude of the artillery requirements. "The sooner we turn outshells in abundance, the sooner the war will be over." , At a Slav relief meeting a letter from M. Goremykin, the Russian Prime Minister, stated : "I promise that any sym- i pathy you show our people will meet with a' hearty response. We are ' all Allies now, .and, I hope for ever. The war, which has joined our forces, will also bring together our nations. Every Englishman is well treated in Russia as a friend. I firmly believe that- in our union lies the hope' of the -world's peacej'-" "

> ENEMY BUSINESSES CLOSED. i The High Commissioner reports : London, March 2g, 1.10 a.m. ( The Colonial Secretary has a'ttflounced | that the businesses of 42 enemy firifla : \ trading in Nigeria, have 'been closed by the Government's orders. Persons having claims against these firms must forward them before April 30th. (Rec. Mardh 29, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, March 28. The Press Bureau states that the American Embassy learns that Powell, a captain at the British prisoners' camp at Ruhleben, and his assistants, have' effected great improvements regarding the quantity and quality of food. Special committees have 'been appointed to superintend health, recreation, and other departments, • SOUTH AFRICA JOHANESBURG, March 27. The preliminary examination of Kemp, Vanfiensburg, and 46 others, on charges of treason, has opened. Most of the accused are wearing German tuiiforms. A witness identified a nurh'ftet. of the accused as participants in the fight at Upington on January 23rd. He detailed the movements of. the rebel commando which entered German territory. They were equipped with rifles and German uniforms. IN AUSTRALIA l INTERV-i-W WITH SENATOR 5 PEAHCE. SYDNEY. March 27 : Senator Pearce, interviewed respecting - the possibility of relaxing the regulations debarring permanent military of- - ficers from enlisting, said the German - fleet was still in existence, and they had • no knowledge how many ships might esT cape when the great conflict occurred. ■ They could not spare permanent officers i for outside work, as no one knew what - the future might bring forth. > Questioned regarding the location of i the fleet, Senator Pearce said, "The ' ships are where they ought to be and at ' recent reports they were in excellent i condition, the" crews being especially k well." REPRESSION OF DISLOYAL UTTERANCES. MELBOURNE, March 28. The Hon. J. Jenson states that the ■ Defence Department intends to deal se- > verely "with anyone guilty of disloyal ut- ■ terances. » SEND OFF TO REINFORCEMENTS. ' (Received 10.5 a.m.) I This Day. It has been decided to give the next ' batch of reinforcements a public sendoff. QUEENSLAND PATRIOTIC FUNDS. (Received 10.5 a.m.) BRISBANE, The Queensland patriotic funds total a quarter of a million. NEW ZEALAND SAMOAN RELIEF FORCE. ' WELLINGTON; March 28. Yesterday the Samoan Relief Force', under Major G. W. Oookroft, 9th (Hawke's Bay) Regiment, officer commanding, made its first appearance in the city of Wellington, -when it marched through the principal streets. The men comprising the force are all from 40 to 47 years of age, and have been enrolled in order to replace a portion of the original garrison at Samoa made up of younger men, thus enabling them to get away to the front in. Europe. Forming up in column of route at Lambton railway station, the force inarched past the Governor (Lord Liverpool) at Government Buildings.at 2 p.m., being; headed by the Trentham Band. The sth (Wellington) Regiment was also in the procession. As the Belgian Relief Fund procession was passing along the same streets soon afterwards on the way ,to Newtown Park, there was a large crowd of spectators to' witness both events. The Samoan Relief Force, as .they marched along in their drill khaki uniforms and big helmets, presented an imposing spectacle, and came in for the hearty acclamations of the people. They were certainly a fine body of men, considering that they were all 40 years oi aee and over, and they deserved the words of praise that were passed upon them.

THE RAILWAYMEN. WELLINGTON, March 28. It is announced that the Railway Department will permit a further draft of employees to enlist for t» front m place of men returned from active service who have resumed' work. MORE NTJRSeITrEQUTRED. CHRISTCHURCH, Mardh 27L It is understood that the -Commonwealth Defence authorities have informed the New Zealand Defence authorities that the require 12 more nurse*two sisters and ten other nurses. . lnis number will be selected from nurses op reserve lists throughout the •Dominion The selected 12 nurses will leave tor Australia next Wednesday. SALVATION ARMY HELP. AUCKLAND, March 25. Advice has been received that as a re- I suit of the appeal made by Commissioner Fodder, of the Sanation Army, for BIOVOOO to assist the Army in England in honsincr refugees from Belgium, and caring Tor wounded soldiers, the people j of Sew Zealand have Ascribed £ll5OO This amount was cabled to LOS, and General tame Boo* in acknowledging the gift, says it has removed a heavy burden, and P lac f« New Zealand front rap' of the Army's helpers."

DEATHS 0V NEW ZEALANDERS. j WELLINGTON, This D&\'. Two further deaths among members of tie New Zealand Force are , reported by the Detence a to° l lo e ioß4 Private Joseph Bemnant, Wellington J att J lion (main body), died-at Altonyc, McKay A Auckland Company, 3d Jf-nWments, died at sea on 14th March from heat aooplexy. B fathe Duncan McKay, resides at, W <apu

f CONTRABAND LIST. / WELLINGTON. Tim Day. A "Gazette" Extraordinary was is- / sued to-day amending the provious !ists > of contraband of war. The following; ( articles are now ;iosolutely contraband. - in addition to articles anado absolute - contraband by a proclamation issued ora Dec. 23 :—(if Baw wool, wool tops and tin, chloride of tin, tin ore; (3) castor oil, .paraffin, wax; (4) copper, iodide; (5) ' lubricants; (6) hides of cattle and horses, skins of calves, pigs, sheep, .goats, and deer; (7) leather, undressed or dressed suitable for saddlery, harness, military boots, or military clothing ; (8) ammonia and its salts, whether simple or compound, ammonia liquor; (9) urea, aniline and their compounds, tanning substances of all *STids now" conditional • contraband. The terms "foodstuffs' and fcoding stuffs for animals," as used in the list, of conditional contraband in the proclamation of 23rd December, are to be deemed to include the following articles:—'Oleaginous seeds, nuts and kernels, animal and vegetable oils and fats (other than linseed' oil) suitable for -ise in tho manufacture of margarine, cakes, and meals made from oleaginous seeds, nuts, and kernels. IN NELSON BELGIAN- RELIEF FUND. -iv • ™„,-,n,. <ihikken of Christ Picnic money tiom . £7 Church and Wood Scbools, *i 10s. - PATRIOTIC HOP-PICKERS. On Monday last the hop-pickers in Mr F. W. Tunnicliffe's garden, at Wai-Jti, decided to give their day's earnings to the Belgian Relief Fund, and their efforts • realised £5 12s 3d. Some families earned 16s The men working in the garden and the' hop-drier also gave their day s earnings, thus making the total amount £f 2s 3d. This amount will be sent in in due course. lam told that this.course £ is being practised in other gardens in the district. The picking mil, not be finished for about twelve daye in tne Belgrove district. BELGIAN AND RED CROSS FUNDS. At the concert given by the Band of the 12th Regiment in the Theatre Royal last evening? the sum of £7 8s 9d was collected at the door, .ferent expenses connected with the con-, cert were accounted for, it was found that a clear profit of £4 & : vemarned. The proceeds are to N» divided between tho Red Cross Fund, and tho Belgian Relief Fund. WITH THE NEW ZfcALANDERS. UNDER SHELL FIRE. Writing from Egypt, under dale Fjafj- ■ uary 6th, Private E. V. Spear, a Neleonian, of the Canterbury section pt V** Expeditionary Force, says:— , , "I will be unable to tell you verymuch of what has happened during the last few days, as the censor will probably delete all interesting information; 1 wrote you from Zeitoun that we.had orders to leave hurriedly for the front. After several days' spell at '•—r— we''arrived at the said front. Nothing ■• ot great importance has happened .since, excepting that we are near the Turks—or they are near us—sometimes. ■_-■ We hear big gun firing very often/, and can see the shells bursting, near where iho enemy are often located. Although wo have "been in the trenches for a of nights and have had a couple of iaJse alarms, the wily Turk has not p-aid-'.ws his expected visit. He is coming-every night, apparently, but we hope 1 e will prove to be like the proverbial■_ bad penny. Our section were sent*-on.to reconnoitre early the other :moming,Jand we had our first experience of being under shell fire. It gave us a bit of "a surprise, but we were apparently not their objective, as the'shells, exce Pj*"f two or three, : burst some few hundred yards from .us. " .We beat'a'hasty retreat to our left rear, but had to pass under fire again to get to camp. ,As, the shells kept coming in pairs, ver "were able to dodge through between' the shots. They were shelling a building about halt a-mile from our camp, but did little damage. Several Turks have come, into our camp and given themselves up: "The little Gourkhas are here with us, .arid they are a happy, smiling. lo,t. We /Say© picked up a lot of ammunition, kits,' aiid sundry articles on the desert. The/Turks are apparently well equipped?-- arid haven't perished on the desert as .prophesied. The Nelson men lost a man* (he died of. injuries), and another slightly wounded. We are in an awful place, but aTe quite happy. (Here ,follows few lines deleted by the censor). _ It's awkward trying to sleep with-all our equipment on. The water bottle or enIfenjhing tool will get jammed into your ribs or hip, and a mug, plate and mess tin, etc., don't make a very comfortable pillow. The main thing is, we are all fit and well and try to keep smiling. The days are hot, but the nights very cold. I prefer this to camp /life, as there is always a chance of something happening. The Nelson boys were' right in it, and it is a wonder they didn't lose a lot of men." . 'ln a postscript is added: "We were sent back to our camp yesterday, and didn't get any fun after all;"SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY On Saturday evening, under the auspices of the Nelson Social Democratic Party, Mr C. W. Webber delivered -air interesting address from the Trafalgar Hotel balcony, on the cost of living. The speaker bitterly condemned _ the j mean action of unscrupulous exploiters in taking advantage of the present war crisis, and manipulating the prices of food stuffs so as to wring greater profits for themselves out of their fellow-citizens at this time of. national trial. ' The fol : lowing resolution was carried without', a. dissentient voice:—"That this representative meeting of Nelson, citizens plores the inaction of the Government

in allowing the continued rise in the price of foodstuffs. We further demand that the Government.shall take immediate steps to control the prices, sale, and distribution of all foodstuffs." ' •' . Hearty cheers were given for the speaker, and at the request of several -in the crowd Mr Webber gave a description of his experiences in the Motueka hopgardens, where he has been investigating the conditions under which the hoppickers work. xne speaker said the conditions wore very unsatisfactory. "•'"' LABOUR

SYDNEY BAKERS. i'new Association.—Coptbioht.) (Rec. 10.5 a.ni.) SYDNEY, This Day. A mass meeting.of the Bakers' Union ratified' the agreement with the employers to commence work at 10 o'clock instead of noon.