THE GREAT WAR

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13795, 3 February 1917, Page 6

THE GREAT WAR

_ GREAT INDIGNATION IN NEUTRAL COUNTRIES. \ URGENT MEETINGS OF CABINETS CALLED, : '""K 1 \ LONDON, February 2. The German threat to' sink without warning all .neutral vessels travelling to the countries of Germany's enemies lias caused indignation in Spain, Holland, and Denmark,. These countries are calling their Cabinets together. ; ■-' ■■--'-• , Denmark has summoned a secret session .pf the Ri'gsdag, GREATEST BREAK ON STOCK EXCHANGE IN HISTORY. WILDEST EXCITEMENT PREVAILS IN AMERICA, • STRINGENT MEASURES AGAINST INTERNED SHIPPING/

(Router's Telegrams,) NEW YORK, February 1. The Port of New. York has been reopened,' but it 'may be closed again to-night, presumably to prevent. German liners escaping in the darkness. The German freighter Liebenfels mysteriously .sunk at her berth at Charleston, South Carolina, in forty feet of water. Assistance was declined. The State Department announces' that passports will not be issued to Americans leaving for Europe for the present. There is no explanation of the action, but some interpret it as a forerunner of a diplomatic break. Others say that President Wilson may modify the policy. (Australian nnd N'civ Zealand Cable Association and lteuter.) NEW YORK, February 1. There is much concern for ships now at sea owing to the fact that it is estimated that there are two thousand Americans in or approaching the danger zone. Several ships have decided not to leave New York or other ports pending an announcement by the Government, (Australian and New Zealand Cable Association.) NEW YORK, February 1. The German Note has resulted in a great "bear" raid on Wall street. The market opened "panicky," and shipping shares showed a big decline. Wheat and cotton were also hit.

There is great excitement on the stock market, and the '■wildest-scenes have ensued,since the beginning of the wai r . Cotton is demoralised, and March contracts dropped twenty-five dollars per bale. They subsequently broke 500 points, the greatest break in the history of the United States. Steel sold below par/and railway and steamship stocks suffered heavily, but rallied from two to ten points. Prominent German Chicago brokerage, customers have been selling short (luring the past ten days, with the apparent eer'tainty that something was about to happen, and they made tremendous profits. BRITISH PRESS AND PUBLIC OPINION. "GERMANY DECLARES WAR AGAINST THE. VTORLD." KAISER'S NAVY TO EMULATE CRIMES OF THE ARMY.

(Australian and New Zealand Cable Association.) . Received February 2,8.55 p.m. LONDON, February 2. Germany's declaration of unlimited piracy is.the whole topic of newspaper and public discussion. It is generally regarded as a declaration of war, against the world,' - and- therefore the' beginning of the -end. There is every indication that the United States is in complete accord with the Allies' determination to combat Germany's new move by every means in-her power. 'This will greatly simplify the Allies' problem. •-••••. , ■ ■ ■•-. •■ •. ■■ The Daily Chronicle says; The basis of the German Note is a frigid calculation of military-advantage, divorced,' like "the attack upon Belgium, from the slightest restraining regard for humanity, the law, or civilised opinion. Certainly Germany cannot desire.the United States to join the war, because the great German liners interned in America]) harbours would become carriers for the Allies and the prey of the German submarines. Germany is unwise to deal with the United States in such a grossly insulting way. 'The Americans are profoundly' pacific, but they have a strong national self-respect. When they do move they resemble a landslide and their action is, likely .k determine that of other neutrals. The Daily Telegraph.says: Dr von Bethmaim-Hollweg's speech is the most brazenfaced declaration'in-the records of" history. It is Prussianisin gone so mad that it threatens to •involve humanity in its own destruction. Dr. Hollweg has become a convert of Clauscwitz, the missionary of ruthlessness-a theory' which is already applied to the German armies and is.now openly and shamelessly adopted by the German Navy. The victims thistime.are to be the subjects of neutral Powers, including the United States, The, Germany who became'the outcast of Europe, from the day her troops swarmed over little Belgium, now shouts from the Beichstagjand all her Embassies that she has done with the law of humanity. V.'-^■■',■ ■'.# ■ : - .■-.;;;•.■ ,-

AMERICAN PAPERS CONSIDER BREAK INEVITABLE. RUTHLESS SUBMARINE POLICY WILL BE PREVENTED, i SEVENTEEN BIG. LINERS INTERNED IN, NEW YORK,, ~' '.(Australian- and New Zealand Oable Association,) ; ' Received February 2,5.5 p.m., NEW YORK,- February I; Prom a mass of reports and rumours there emerges the fact that President Wilson .had repeated conferences with the Hon. Robert Lansing; Both declined to make's statement. It is be-' lievecL- that a/course, of.action has, v b,eeu decided, and may possibly! take' the form of a Note tantamount to an ultimatum sent to Germany, ■ ;; -'.'"'' ■■.-.•.■■ .••;.,,.;7 " ' ".' •' The .Washington correspondent'of. the Evening Post says: ' President.. Wilson has decided that Germany's unrestricted submarine policy will not go into ctt'ept if the .moral, and possibly ' the physicalj)owei'.of.the United States can prevent it. But the .President is striving hard to prevent a participation iii the war. Stocks on Wall Street dropped five to ten-points on;the' clay's turnover oi ! 'two -million shares,' Thisis regarded -as the ■'■■■' worst day since the outbreak of the war. ; ' ' ' ; • The newspapers of the Middle West, South, and New En'g- ' land support-a-defiant, attitude:. .•-.:.. ■' ,' ■■ The New. York press, as never before, demand that pass"- ' ports be given Count Berhstorif.' Others say a breach is inevit- ■'• able unless Germany backs down.'."'. Tiie interned liners at Hpboken number seventeen, including the Vaterland.••■; •:.,-. .

TENSE PEELING IN SPAIN. ' ' T GRAVE DISORDERS FEARED OWING TO POPULAR » RESENTMENT. (Renter's Telegrams.) '' <" ':"■■ ' ■ '■'■ Received February -2, 8.50 p.m. • -,, • ... MADRID, February 2. After tlie Cabinet discussion of the German Note, the Foreign Minister■ -conferred-■■\\ith--the editors-of the newspapers and upliealed to their patriotism to observe discreet composure, as it is feared that when the 'purport of the Note, which me.ant, the interruption of foreign trade and. grave. intermit,dislocation, became known disorders might'occur. The Note also made'it necessary to prevent all unnecessary consumption of commodities.

DUTCH GOVERNMENT PROHIBITS DEPARTURES OF SHIPS,

WILpEST^XCITEMENT-ON MANCHESTER EXCHANGE LITTLE NEUTRALS FEAR GERMANY'S THREATS. ' (Australian and New Zealand' Cable Association.) Received February 2, 9.15 p.m. LOIfDON, February 2, . The latest reports from Holland show that the Government has prohibited all sailings at present, There was the wildest excitement on Manchester; Exchange. Cotton dropped in a sensational way. This is,apparently due to fears that America will.be involved in the war. The decline reached 130 points, but later recovered and closed at 40 to 50 points down. .. •■';■••. , „. : ■ Received February 2, 8.50 p.m. •..,,.,,... COPENHAGEN, February 2. " The National Tidende says: The Government is 1 conferringwith trade representatives owing to. the. new situation regarding finances. The Government contemplates closing the Exchange to avoid panic. Rotterdam shipbrokers fear that unless America shows the way to an effective protest, Dutch shipowners will be obliged to lay up their ships! . '7*

WIDE-REACHING EFFECTS OF GERMAN. THREATS. .= GERMAN NEWSPAPERS AND AMERICAN -ATTITUDE, "' ••'■„(Keuier's Telegrams.) . ' ■'' "'*''" Received February' 2, 9:40' p.m. , .BERNE, February 1.,. ( . The German Note to Switzerland states that Cette is the only ■ French port imaffccted by the blockade. ■• '• •. • -■ AMSTERDAM,-Febniaryl. ' The German newspapers discuss with some show : of imper- ■■ turbality the prospect of America taking a belligerent position against Germany. ....■_, •••■■• (Australian and Now Zealund Cable Association.) ■ •■' '■;•'■ Received February 3,.12.50 a,in. , . COPENHAGEN) -February lt;- •"•:• . The United Shipping Company, which was carrying agricultural produce to' England, has stopped all ships. ' The Danish' Government is'considering tJie .German Note/' and will do its utmost to endeavourto continue the of ' coal, which is the main problem. < '- - (United Service'.)"' " '" '. ' Received February 3, 12.50 a.m. ■'■■'■■> '■ "'":' ' , !".' . \ ' GOTHENBURG, February 2. • The shipping firms are not permitting departures of ships. They have recalled those which had sailed. •' ■ • • '

'■',.., ...... (Editor's Telegrams,) Received February 3,12.50 a.m. ,'""■ ".'• :' CHRISTIANIA, February 2, .Mails and goods traffic lias been' suspended;

PORTS TO BE KEPT OPEN AT ALL HAZARDS. ~ FIRST LORD AND EFFORTS OF THE NAVY. (Reuter's Telegrams.) V J ' • ijj V'j Received February 2,9.50 p.m. ' ',-■... NEW YORK, February 2,. Great Britain and her Allies, are prepared to meet the Ger=mans' move in the submarine campaign. The ports of Liverpool • '■ and Bordeaux will be kept open at all hazards. AH ships will ■'be armed fore and aft for defence purposes. Britain has been assembling'for months a large fleet of small fast cruisers .to be. used as submarine chasers. There will be no interruption of the ' sailings of the Allies' ships to American pOrts!' Neutral vesselsare likely to be held awaiting instructions. . t . (Australian and New Zealand Cable Association.) Received February 2,5.5 p.m. ' ', . LONDON, February 2,' ■■■>■■ Sir Edward Carson (First Lord of the Admiralty) states that I the declaration regarding the submarines does not minimise, the new danger at sea, but the Admiralty is grappling with the..pro-.. ' blem with tireless vigour. These hourly anxieties only stir us x to greater and increasing effort. : ' .'

MORE PARTICULARS OF RAIDER. ; '' ; NEUTRAL LOSSES AND DETAILS OF GERMANY'S CONSTRUCTION. i (Renter's Telegrams,) LONDON, February!,'. The Dutch steamer Ephiton (3211 tons) lias been sunk. (Australian ami New Zealand Cablo Association,)COPENHAGEN, February 1. Neutrals who were aboard the Yarrowdale state that when the vessel was approaching Iceland, live hundred prisoners were placed in the coal rooms, of which the shutters were closed, and they remained there for the three days of the Christmastide. They were released half-dead when the vessel reached Trondhjim. LONDON, February 1. Norway lost 200 vessels of 350,000 tons, or thirteen per cent, of her shipping; and Holland 107,000 tons, or seven per cent, since the Avar. Germany has constructed to June, 1915, 676,996 tons of shipping, and has 900,000 tons under construction.' ; Germany has demobilised a large number of men to enable, her to resume the economic struggle immediately',, peace ,is declared. ~., ~...,. : :• ' ' ■■-:■■

RUSSIA'S EFFORTS TO SAVE RUMANIA TREMENDOUS BLIZZARD RAGING ALONG EAST FRONT. RUSSIANS ADVANCE DESFITE GAS AND FROST. . IT- J .. I (Australian and New Zealnnd Cable Association.) PETROGRAD, February!. A tremendous blizzard has been raging for days at Pole'sie, and snow has hidden the defences. Russian irregulars, accustomed to severe weather, have undertaken numerous successful raids, penetrating to the enemy's rear. They recently found a number of Austrians frozen to death, and their comrades immediately surrendered.

(Admiralty, per Wireless Press.) ■■■•>■■■•■■■ ■..,..;. LONDON, Febpa|y, l, i; . A Russian official message says: Despite asphyxiating gas and frost, we cleared the enemy from the Kalncem high road and reoccupied the lost- trenches. We frustrated three attacks'' east;! ■/■' ward of Jacobens. We have taken over a thousand prisoners. Russian warships captured five boats near /uatolia. . , .. . £~^.- • . ; -• ;...'■ ..-. . , , •;».,<.■■ : CONFERENCE OF NEUTRALS SWEDEN'S INVITATION TO SWITZERLAND. FULLER DETAILS SOLICITED.

and New Zealand OaLle AssociaUos.) <

ZURICH, February 1. ■ , It is officially stated; that Sweden has' invited'SwitzQilanci .V to join a conference of neutrals. Switzerland has asked for '*'" details of the proposal' ; ; . .■■■'■.