CENTRAL POWERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 50, 28 February 1918, Page 5

CENTRAL POWERS

GERMANY'S AIMS 'CHANCELLOR'S STATEMENT CONTINUED. (Australian and N-Z. Cabin Association AMSTERDAM, Feb. 26. Count von Hertling (Imperial German Chancellor), in continuing his speech in the Reichstag, said that with regard to Poland that the intention to arrange an agreement between th© Ukraine and Poland had already had a reassuring effect in Polish circles. Germany intended only to claim the rectification! of her side of ithe frontier, which was necessary through military reasons. The world in eager expectancy -was now asking whether the way to a general .peace had been opened. The Entente leaders seemed still averse to the voice of humanity and reason, and adhered to aims of conquesit, including AlsaceLorraine. There was no Alsace-Lor-raine question in an international sense. If it existed it was purely a German question. The Entente claimed Austrian territory for Italy, -while England was fighting for the separation of Palestine and Syria from Turkey and ■for the Germans' African colonies. He referred to intrigues to incite neutrals' against Germany. There was no thought of Germany violating Swiss neutrality. The world longed for peace, but the enemy Governments wanted to continue the war to the end. It was, however, true that other voices wer e heard in England. He trusted that such utterances would b e more frequent. The Chancellor concluded: "The -world stands faced with the greatest decision for all. Either our enemies must! decide to make peace, on which presumption we are prepared to enter into negotiations, or to continue the war, in which case we -will continue, (but the responsibility for ithe bloodshed will fall on thos e who obstinately refused to listen to the voice of humanity." . ,

"GERMANY CANNOT BREAK OUR LINES." NO GROUND FOR DISCOURAGEMENT. (Reuter's Telegrams.) LONDON, Feb. 26. Mr Bonar Law (Leader of the Government in the Hous e oi Commons and 'Chancellor of the Exchequer), in a speech at the Aldwych Club, said the national war bonds were an assured success. They had already raised more than the total new money secured by the per cent. War Loan. We had a rugged patch to climb, but there was no ground for discouragement or faint-, heartedness. Germany could not break our lines. All Germany's peace talk was froth. If it were possible to hold an election in Britain at the present time on the plain issue of continuing the war until w e secured the result for which we entered it, the result would astonish us and our enemies. HERTLING'S SPEECH IMPOSSIBLE UNANIMOUS AMERICAN OPINION (Australian and N.Z. ©able Association? (Rec. Feb. 28, 1.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 27. Country-wide opinion unequivocably Tejects the possibility of peace on the basis of Count von Hertling's speech. Officials distrust Hertling and do not think the speech brings peace nearer. Speculation is rife as to whether President Wilson will reply to the speech. AMERICAN PRESS COMMENT. (Rec. Feb. 28, 1.20 p.m. ) NEW YORK, Feb. 27.

The New York Times editorially declares that Count von Hertling sank to the lowest depths of evasion and ignoble trickery. Germany knows the Allies' terms. Wars are not won by talking, but by fightine. The New York Herald says that Count von Hertling fired the first gun of Germany's new peace move, but his aim is bad. The New York World remarks that the speech leaves the issue unchanged.

SUBMARINES SPANISH STEAMER TORPEDOED. (Reuter's Telegrams.) (Rec. Fe'b. 28, 9.5 a.m.) MADRID, Feb. 27. The Spanish steamer Neguri lias been torpedoed. The crew has landed, HOME AND COLONIAL ESTABLrSHMENt. '■■ FIVE MILLION MEN VOTED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) LONDON, Feb: 26. ' The House of Commons voted five million men for the home and_ colonial establishment ,including the air force, but excluding those serving in India. SOUTH AFRICA. GENERAL SMUTS' WORK RECOGNISED 1 . NATIONALIST CRITICISM. Reuter's Telegrams.) CAPETOWN. Feb. 26. The Assembly adopted General Botha's motion granting leave of absence to General Smuts by 78 t0.22. The Nationalists strongly opposed the motion, declaring that they were riot concerned with what General Smuts was doing for the British. Empire ._ Tbey wanted to know what he was doing as a Minister of the Union. General Botha replied that peace might come at any time, and General Smuts would then look after South Africa's interests at the Peace Conference. Rebutting the Nationalists' complaint, General Botha said that as an integral part of the Empire, South Africa had to do things which in ordinary circumstances might not have been dreamt of. He intended to stand to the Empire Because South Africa's future depended thereon.

THE SPANISH ELECTIONS. A LIBERAL MAJORITY. (Australian and N.Z. ©abla Association) 'MADRID, Feb. 26. The results of the elections show that the Chamber will approximately include 170 Liberals, foreshadowing a Cabinet of. Liberals with probably the support of 85 Conservatives. GERMAN (MONEY AT WORK. LONDON, Feb. 26. Madrid advices state Chat the Monarchist victories in the elections are largely attributable to German money. Even -Senor Lerroux, the Barcelona Republican, and Senor Alvarez, the Reformist leader, were defeated. SOCIALISTS AND REPUBLICANS. ALMOST~W3!PE!D OUT. (Reuter? Telegrams.) MADRID, Feb. 27. The elections were a great surprise. The Socialists and Republicans have almost The monarchist parties, comprising Liberals and Conservatives of various groups, secured 300 seats. It is impossible to predict the effect upon .the foreign policy. BRITAIN AND JAPAN. PROSPECTS OF MILITARY CONVENTIOiSr. /Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) LONDON, Feb. 26. In the House of Commons, questioned as to the prospects of an Anglo-Japan-ese military convention, Mr Balfour (Minister of Foreign, Affairs) said that if the question meant a convention, upon reciprocal military services such a convention was unlikely.

AIR RAID BY ALLIES

GERMAN OFFICIAL. REPORT.

THIRTY-ONE IN JANUARY".

AMSTERDAM, Feb. 14.

A Berlin official message declares that the Alies carried out 31 air attacks on 'Germany during January, 15 of which were on industrial districts and 14 on open towns, including Ludingshaven, Freiburg (three times each), Treves (twice), Friedrichshaven, Rastadt, Off enburg, Mannheim, Karlshrue, and Hedelburg. The number of attacks considerably exceeded those carried out in December but the results were smaller, five being killed and nine wounded. The enemy lost four aeroplanes. According to a statement by a high military authority on February 21: "Since the beginning of the year we had carried out 15 raids into Germany, all with definite results, as against Germany's five on England, two of which proved abortive."

THE HAIDER WOLFF A STRANDED SPOILS SHIP. AUSTRALASIAN PRISONERS ON BOARD. (Australian and N.Z. Gable Association) LONDON, Feb. 26. The Igotzmendi (a Spanish, steamer captured' 'by the raider Wolff) which, was utilised to convey the passengers and crews of th e sunken vessels to Germany, was stranded off North Jutland. A num/ber of Australasians, and two New Zealand Army Medical Corps officers landed from the Igotzmendi. The medical officers were interned. GERMAN SUB-COMMANDER INTERNED. COPENHAGEN, Feb. 26. Th e Igotzmendi is aground near the Skaw (extreme north of Denmark). She carried a crew of 40 Spaniards, a German prize crew and 40 prisoners. The latter represent th e crews of 10 vessels sunk by the Wolff, and include, Englislimen, Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, Chinese, Japanese, and Scandinavians. Lighthouse keepers brought the 40 prisoners ashore. The Germans hav e thus fir refused to leave the steamer, which is hard aground and probably unfloatab}<» The German sub-commander came ashore and was interned, despit e angry protests. According to the sailors, t? c Wolff captured! the Igotzmendi in the Indian Gulf (two months ago, and placed a prize crew on 'board. Since then the Igotzmendi followed the Wolff, assisting in all her maraudings. No'body was allowed to leave the vessel during the whole period. PRISONERS FAIRLY WELL TREATED. LONDON, Feb. 26. The Igotzmendi was en route to Australia with 1000 (tons of coal. On May 21st, -when in th e Indian Ocean, she sighted a large steamer which on approaching removed her bulwarks, disclosing a number of guns. Sh e proved to he the Wolff. She fired several shots at th 0 Igotzmendi, which stopped and was captured. The homeward voyage commenced in November round th 6 Cape. The Wolff sank a sailing vessel by gunfire, and then sailed northward, intending to go north of Iceland), but ice prevented the Wolff, which sailed southward, and the Igotzmendi went north of Iceland. The prisoners state that their treatment on board was fairly good,' excepting that vermin and lack of clothing, caused discomfort. Scurvy and iberiberi *] so broke out. FOUR HUNDRED LANDED. LONDON, Feb. 27. Four hundred persons were landed from, the Igotzmendi.

SINKING OF THE MftTUMCA OPERATIONS IN AUSTRALIAN WATERS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association! « __ . LONDON, Feb. 27. The "Wolff's next victim after capturing the Tgotzmendi was the Matunga (1618 tons, belonging to Burns, Philip, and iCo., of Sydney,) with a cargo. The British crew were taken on board' the Wolff, and apparently were treated well.

The three ships 'then proceeded to a desert Dutch Island, where paTt of t'he Matumga's cargo was stored, but .the most valuable part was ,put into £he Wolf. The Germans then sank the Matunga with a bomb. The next victims were the Beluga and the Hitachi-Maru, (6557 >tons, 'belonging to Nippon Yusen Kaisha). The latter's crew bein<r Asiatics,, and the Wolff being overcrowded, a number of the prisoners were transferred r to the Igofczmendi. A priz e crew were also placed on»the Hitachi-Maru and were ordered to capture a coal steamer, but they did not succeed. On her return the Wolff sank. th e Hitachi-Maru. The Wolff was then near the coast of Australia, and the captain decided' to return to Germany. THE MATUNGA. SYDNEY, Feb. 27. The Matunga, one of the Wolff's victims, was voyaging from Sydney to Ralbaul. She carried as passengers Colonel Strangman, Chief of the Medical Service at Rabaul, Major Flood and his wife, and seventeen others, mostly members of the Australian tropical force, wiho were returning from leave. The crew totalled 45.

(The Matunga, a steamer of 1618 tons, belonging to Burns, Philp and Co., of Sydney, left Brisbane on her way to Rabaul on 27fch July last, and has not since been- heard of. She had 60 passengers and a crew of 30 on board. Shortly befor© leaving Sydney she had Ibeen fitted with wireless telegraph apparatus." A wireless message .purporting to com e from (the Matunga, was received in Rabaul, stating that she expected to reach, that port at 2*p.m. on ?t.. August. She was then supposed to be about 300 miles from Rabaul. All the" vessels sent in search of her reutrned without finding a trace.)

BRAZIL TIMBER SUPPLIES FOR THE ALLIES.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 26. The Government.ha 3 ordered the establishment of 'important national workshops at Puertobelo, where timbercarrying ships will be rapidly constructed. They are intended for the coastal trade. The cargoes will' be transhipped at Santos andßio de Janeiro for Europe. Para will 'be able to export millions of tons of wood annually to Allied countries.

AIR WARFARE GOOD" RESULTS IN FEBRUARY

(Australian and ISjLZ. Cable Aasociatioa and Reutw.)

LONDON, Feb. 27. The Air Ministry announces that from February Ist to' the 22nd the Royal Flying Corps brought down 114 en«my machines, and anti-aircraft guns brought down six. The British lost 28 machines in the same period. _ ■ On the Italian front the British brought down 58 enemy machines, and lost eight. METHODISTS AND MILITARY SERVICE. CANDIDATES FOR MINISTRY 'MUST HAVE VOLUNTEERED. (Rec. 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day The Methodist Conference adopted a motion requiring all candidates for the ministry of military age, to show > that thev have offered for military service « r eive sufficient reason for exemption. b SYDNEY, Feb. 27. The Rev. James Green has been elected' President of the Methodist Conference.

BRITAIN AND SHiPS AN" APPEAL TO SHIPYARD WORKERS. OUTPUT BELOW ESTIMATE. (Australian and N.Z..Gable Association) LONDON, Feb. 26. Mr G. H. Barnes (Labour member of the War Cabinet) appealed to the shipyard workers to put their backs into" their work. Last month less than half the estimated number of ships were turned out, and' this month the position had! not improved. The matter was very serious, because the shiphuilders io America were failing us. We must construct a much larger numlber if we were to get through the troubles of tlie next few months.

FOUNDERING OF ORIGAN NAVY TUB THIRTY LIVES LOST. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) (Rec. Feh. 28, 11.25 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 27. Mr J. Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, announced that th e navy tug Cherokee foundered in American! waters. It is believed 30 have perished. ANOTHER HOSPITAL SHIP SUNK ALL LIGHTS _ BURNING. NO PATIENTS ABOARD. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association a-nd Renter.) (Rec. Feb. 28, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, Felb„ 27. The Admiralty hospital ship Glenart 'Castle, outward .bound with all lights burning, was sunk in th e Bristol Channel at 4 yesterday morning. There were no patients aboard. An American) destroyer landed survivors. Eight "boats are still adrift. DEATH ROLL BELIEVED TO BE OVER TWO HUNDRED. (Rec. Feb. 28, 11.25 a.m.)' LONDON, Feb. 27. Th e hospital ship (Union-Castle liner) Glenart Castle's death roll, it is believed, exceeds 200.