LATER CABLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16189, 26 September 1914, Page 7

LATER CABLES

GERMAN GENERAL DISMISSED. LONDON, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.) " The Chronicle's Geneva correspondent states that General von Diemling, commanding the army in Alsace, has been dismissed by the Government. BRITISH MORATORIUM. A PARTIAL. EXTENSION. LONDON, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.) After consultation, the various interests are ending the moratorium as affecting bills of exchange, retail debts, and rent. As regards other debts, an extension of a month was agreed tp. The moratorium will end on November 4. BOMBARDMENT OF MADRAS. THE EMDEN TURNS TAIL. CALCUTTA, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.) Official : On the night of the 23rd inst. the Emden fired nine shots at Madras. The first hit the Burma Oil Company's tanks, igniting two. Other buildings were struck, but not damaged. Three Indians were killed. When our guns replied the Emden ceased firing, extinguished her lights, and departed. The affair lasted 15 minutes. BELGIAN REFUGEES. MR HOLMAN'S OFFER THANKFULLY DECLINED. ANTWERP, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.) The Belgian Government has thanked Mr Holman (Premier of New South Wales) for his offer to receive refugees, but intimated that it is unable to accept the offer. When the war is at an end every man, woman, and child will be needed to repair the awful wastage of war. RHEIMS AGAIN. ANOTHER GERMAN EXPLANATION. AMSTERDAM, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.) Official: A Berlin statement admits that one mortar shot was used against the ißheims Cathedral because the field artillery was ineffective to dislodge the observation post. POPE TO KAISER. FIGHTING AGAINST GOD. ROME, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at. 8 p.m.) Italian newspapers state that the Pope telegraphed to the Kaiser deploring the damage to Rheims, saying : " When you destroy the temples of God you provoke Divine ire, before which even potent armies lose all their power." RUSSIAN CONTROL OF RAILWAYS. PETROGRAD, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.) The Russians now control 680 miles of railways in Galicia. THE TORPEDOED CRUISERS. COMPARATIVELY OBSOLETE VESSELS. RESCUING THE BLUEJACKETS. LONDON, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8.15 p.m.) Despatches indicate that the Cressy alone saw the submarines in. time to attempt to retaliate. An officer said it was satisfactory to know that the Germans had destroyed only three comparatively obsolete vessels, which were shortly destined to be scrapped. They were manned by scratch crtiws, which had been together for only six weeks. The hardest thing was the fate of the cadets, many of whom were only 15 years old. They acted coolly, and like old hands. Twenty-four men were saved by clinging for hours to a target which had floated off the Hogtie's deck. The Titan's captain, ignoring risks, cruised for hours on the scene and rescued many who were exhausted. Some of the submarines came to the surface, and from the conning tower the crews jeered the drowning Britons. Five Germans from the wrecked submarine were saved. OPINION IN BERLIN. PROMINENT AMERICAN INTERVIEWED,. WAR TO LAST FOR SEVERAL YEARS. LONDON, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8.15 p.m.) A prominent American, who had lived fo: , many years at Berlin, interviewed in London, said the Germans were working night and day at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven altering merchantmen into transports, and also working unceasingly at Zeppelins, fhey expect to squash England to pieces. It is believed in Berlin that the war will last for several years. The population know little of its progress. The British aaro hated with an intensity hard to describe. It was never supposed that Britain would be a factor in the fight.

ASIATIC CHOLERA. VIENNA, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.) Nine cases of Asiatic cholera have ap> pea red among the wounded from Galicia. AUSTRIAN POLES. REFUSE TO FIGHT AGAINST RUSSIA. A HECTORING GERMAN GENERAL, WARSAW, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 8.15 p.m.) Russia's victories in Galicia are partly due to the refusal of Austrian Poles to fight against their Russian kindred. Great quantities of arms and ammunition were voluntarily surrendered by Austrian Polish, regiments. Prisoners describe the ill-feeling engendered amongst Austro-Hungarian officers by the hectoring attitude of a German general, accusing them of incompetence and taunting them with their failures and with endeavouring to take the lead in everything. WHEAT IN SYDNEY. COMPULSORY DELIVERY ORDERED. SYDNEY, September 25. (Received Sept. 25, at 11.5 p.m.) The Government has ordered the delivery of 40,000 bags of the seized wheat. It ia hoped that the Government action will induce people to dispose of wheat without further Government interference. THE PRESS BUREAU. CHANGE IN DIRECTORSHIP. . LONDON, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 11.5 p.m.) Mr Stanley 0. Buckmaster, K.C., sw? ceeds Mr F. E. Smith as director of the Press Bureau. Mr Smith will go to the front. A SENTRY'S MISTAKE. . COASTGUARDSMAN FATALLY BAYONETED. LONDON, 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 11.5 p.m.) A sentry fatally .bayoneted a coastguard* man named Macleod at Berwick, thinking he was a spy. IN SOUTH AFRICA. GERMANS TAKE THE OFFENSIVE. CAPETOWN, September 24. t (Received Sept. 25, at 11.5 p.m.) Three hundred German troops crossed the Orange River 20 miles west of Seint-. drift, and are proceeding to Palla. BRITISH FORCE IN CHINA. TO CO-OPERATE WITH JAPAN. TOKIO, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 11.5 p.m.) Official: A British force, under Briga* dier-general Barnaldiston, landed in the neighbourhood of Liao-chau Bay on Wednesday, to co-operate with the Japanese at Tsing-tao. SERVIAN SUCCESSES. HEAVY LOSSES REPORTEEi, NISH, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 11.5 p.m.) The Servians have recaptured Luiroviai and occupied Haranitza. There were heavy losses on both sides. THE GREAT BATTLE. ALLIES IMPROVE THEIR POSITION. ADDITIONAL SLIGHT ADVANCES. PARIS, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 11.5 p.m.) Official: On the left, between tha Somme and the Oise, we have made progress in the direction of Roye. A detachment occupied Peronne, and maintained its position notwithstand> ing vigorous attacks of the enemy. Between the Oise and the Aisne we continue to keep large forces firmly entrenched. We advanced sKghtly on the north-west of Berryouhae. There is no change between Rheims and Argonne and the heights of the Meuse. The struggle continues, with alternate advances and retirement. At certain points an advance has been made; at. others there is no notable change. In the region of Nancy and in the Vosges some detachments of the enemy tried to penetrate French territorv. driving our light covering force. The movement on the Somme was arrested. RUSSIANS IN EAST PRUSSIA. SOLDAU REOCCUPIED. PARIS, September 24. (Received Sept. 25, at 11.5 p.m.) The Matin's Petrograd correspondent W ports that General Rennenkampf has defeated the German Army and reoocupied Soldau. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLEGRAM. FURTHER REVIEW OF FIGHTING.; ALLIES STILL ADVANCING SLOWLY; ONE GERMAN LINE OF COMMUNICATION CUT. BRITISH AIRMEN AT WORK. BATTLE MAY LAST FOR DAYB. (Fhou Our Own Cobhespokwnt.) WELLINGTON, September 25. The following cablegram was received late to-night by the Prime Minister from the High Commissioner: — Official: The following telegram from the general at headquarters supplements the narrative published on the 22nd inst. regarding the movements of the British and French armies in immediate touch ■with the enemy. The enemy is still maintaining himself along the -whole front. In order to do so he is still throwing into the fight detachments composed of units from very different formations —namely, the active army, reserve, and Landwehr, —as shown by the uniforms of prisoners recently captnred. Our progress, though slow on account of the strength of the defensive positions against which we are pressing, has in certain directions been continuons; but the present battle may well last,for some days more before a decision is reached. It now approximates siege warfare. PARIS SIEGE MATERIAL USED. The Germans are making use of searchlights. This fact, coupled with their great strength in heavy artillery, leads to the supposition that they are employing material which may have been collected for the siege of Paris. The nature of the general situation after the operations of the 13th, 18th, 19th, and 20th cannot better be summarised than as expressed recently by the neighbouring French commander to his corps: " Having repulsed repeated violent counter-attacks made by the enemy, we have the feeling that we have been victorious." GERMAN ATTACKS LACK VIGOUR. During the 18th artillery fire was kept up intermittently by both sides during the daylight. At night the Germans counterattacked certain portions of our line, supporting the advance of their infantry, oa

-always, by a heavy bombardment, bnt th< strokes were not ■delivered with any great -vigour, and they ceased abont 2 a.m. t;; During the day's fighting an anti-crafl gun of the Third Army Corps succeedec bringing down a German aeroplane. LINE OF COMMUNICATION CUT. A body of French cavalry demolished of the railway, and so temporarttj cut one line of communication, which is of particular importance to the enemy. BOMBARDMENT A NATURAL ■ ROUTINE. 5 :On the 19th tha bombardment was re ■Eumed by the Germans at an early hour r aiid was continued intermittently undei a reply from our guns. Some of theii infantry advanced from cover, apparentlj with the intention of attacking; but or coming under fire they retired. Otherwise the day was uneventful, except foi the activity of the artillery, which is now a matter of normal routine rather than ar event. fcT WORK OF AVIATORS. Another hostile aeroplane has beer brought down by us. One of our aviators succeeded in dropping several bombs ovei the German lines, one bomb falling with considerable effect on the transport part near La Fere. MUNITIONS DESTROYED. A buried store of the enemy's munitions * has been found not far from the Aisne, 10 wagon loads of live shells being dug up. Traces have been discovered of large quantities of stores having been burnt, all tending to show that so far back as the Aisne the Germans 1 retirement was hurried. g. GERiMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS. A strong wind during the day, accomSp'anied by driving rain, militated against aerial reconnaissance. On the 20th nothing of importance occurred until the afternoon, when an. interval of feeble sunshine was hardly powerful enough to warm the soaking troops. The Germans took advantage of this, having fine weather, to make several separate counter-attacks against different points. >These were all repulsed with loss to the ieiiemy, but the casualties incurred by us were by no means light. In one section our firing line occupied trenches under the impression that they heard a military band in the enemy's lines just before the attack 'developed.- It is now known that the German infantry started the advance with bands "playing. The offensive against one or two points was renewed at dusk with its" greater success. .TRIBUTE TO "TOMMY'S" NERVES. ,;.:. The brunt of the resistance has naturally fallen upon the infantry. In spite of the ■jfacfc that they have been drenched to the ■Skin—for some , days their. trenches have 3been deep in mud and water; in spite of jncessant night alarms, and almost continuous bombarding—tiey have on every occasion been Teady for the enemy's infantry. When the latter have attempted an assault, they have beaten back the enemy with great loss. The sight of '' pkikel-haube" (the metal-spiked helmets of. the Germans) coming,, up has been a positive relief, after long, trying hours of inaction under shell fire. The object of ih.e~ great proportion of the artillery the sjGermans employ is to beat down the resistance of their enemy by a concentrated, prolonged fire, and to shatter their nerve with high explosives before the infantry . attack is launched. They seem to have relied en doing this with us, but they have :;.'i d> -ue so. though, it has taken -jkhem ■ c nty experiments to discover the Tact. From -/in:«ments of prisoners it appears tbafc th*y 'v.ve been greatly disappointed by th.-. n-i.d effect produced by their foavy st-mis. which, Respite actual losses .hflicteu. is not commensurate with the f.-poiiditure of .ammunition. It is cot k, -;,iied that their artillery fire not -h J —it is excellent — but %lie .Brij-if.i! soldier is a difficult person to i.npress or depress even by immense shells fiJTed with a high explosive ■yijlch detonates with terrific violence arid forms craters large enough to act as graves fb* five horses. Ili.i'' ' :