AGAINST NORTH OF FRANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15686, 13 August 1914, Page 7

AGAINST NORTH OF FRANCE

GERMAN CONCENTRATION DESTROYING A SUBMARINE. SUNK BY TWO GOOD SHOTS. MINOR GERMAN REVERSES. The cables to hand to-day show that since the Germans entered Liege active hostilities in Europe have been confined to skirmishes between small forces. The concentration or German forces upon Liege is proceeding, and a strong force advancing through Belgium is within 20 miles of the beleaguered town. Further losses have been inflicted upon the German cavalry in collisions between skirmishing parties. According to an estimate by the Belgian War Office, only 2000 German troops have fallen at Liege. Twenty thousand have been wounded, and 9700 prisoners have been captured. The Times correspondent describes the massing of an enormous army of 1,250,000 Germans and Austrians to strike at Northern France and Belgium. Perfect calm has been restored in British commercial affairs. There is every indication that the normal course of trade in foodstuffs will soon be resumed, and it has already been found that an arbitrary regulation of prices is unnecessary. The banks are steadily paying out gold. Measures are being taken in France to maintain an adequate supply of commodities. Reuter's Pekin correspondent states that Japan will shortly declare war upon Germany, and seize Ts'ingtao, the commercial centre of Germany's only possession in Asia. On the other hand, a further affirmation has been made by the newspapers of Rome that the neutrality of Italy remains unshaken. The port of Germany's colony in South-west Africa has been abandoned by the inhabitants, who have retired to the inland capital. The presence of German cruisers at Samoa is reported.