EUROPEAN WAR

Otago Witness, Issue 3154, 26 August 1914, Page 19

EUROPEAN WAR

THE POSITION IJN BELGIUM. BRUSSELS, August 17. Fighting is reported from Gembloux. A German force was caught between a French cavalry column and a Belgian force marching from Namur. The German loss is believed to have been heavy. The Embourg fort shelled three motor cars carrying German officers on a road alongside the River Ourthe. One car fell into the river, and the others were smashed, all the occupants being killed. The police have captured Wuelfing, one of the chief of the German spies resident in Brussels. At the moment of his arrest he was writing a report to the German Government. His arrest led to the capture of many other spies. The advance guards came into contact at several points on Sunday near Wavre; also at Geosieux and Grand Liege. In all cases the German advance was checked. | The seat of the Government has been ! removed to Antwerp; and important measures have- been taken to safeguard Brussels against a surprise by German cavalry. The measures include the erection of barricades which are manned hy ' 20,000 civic guards. August 18 (morning). Queen Elizabeth and the young Princes and the representatives of France, Russia, and Great Britain are going to Antwerp. The Germans attempted to dash through the defences at Wavre, but were repulsed with heavy loss by the Belgian cavalry and 20,000 civil guards. A feature of the engagement at Dinant was the prolonged artillery duel. Probably not more than 8000 men were engaged, but all the afternoon the heavy guns, field guns, and mitrailleuses maintained a tremendous and incessant din. An official message states that there was no fighting on Monday. The Germans are taking up a defensive attitude, and are entrenching everywhere. After the Dinant fight the French cavalry organised a big battue and swept the front of the allied army bare of German Uhlans, making many prisoners. The Germans showed little fight. They often abandoned their horses and hid in wheat stacks, hoping to escape after the Allies’ cavalry had passed. LONDON, August 17. The Daily Chronicle’s Amsterdam correspondent says that the Germans on Saturday burnt what remained of Vise and sent the men as prisoners to Aix-la-Chapelle, the women and children being despatched to Maestricht (in Holland, 10 miles from Vise). AMSTERDAM, August 17. Aix-la-Chapelle is crammed with troops, and reinforcements are arriving daily, including reinforcements from the Russian frontier, whom the reserves are replacing. An Uhlan patrol who entered the Belgian village Hectel, near Qheel, demanded monej%and were fired on by the villagers, who refused to surrender the offenders, and the village was burnt down. OTTAWA, August 17. Two thousand Belgian reservists who have sailed from Montreal for .London received the following message from the Minister of Militia: —“ You are going to defend the liberties of all humanity, and to humble the greatest tyrant of modern times.” MOKE FRENCH SUCCESSES. PARIS, August 16. Tire French operations are developing on the line from Rechicout to Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. The French advance was especially rapid in the Chirmeck Valley, where they made a thousand prisoners, in addition to / 500 captured on the previous day. The French also captured several heavy guns end field-pieces at Sainte Mario, and 10 transport wagons j at Blame at.

OPPOSING ARMIES IN BELGIUM BRUNCH IN AN ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION IMMENSE ARMIES IN THE FIELD RUSSIAN ADVANCE IN GERMANY RUSSIAN INVASION OF AUSTRIA AN AUSTRIAN FORCE ROUTED THE BATTLE OF THE DRINA OFFICIAL REPORT OF SERVIAN VICTORY GHASTLY DETAILS OP CARNAGE

August 17. The Roughriders’ Corps now recruiting includes several American cowboys, a number of jockeys, and many Englishmen. The squadron will be entirely selfsupporting, and armed with carbines, sabres, and automatic pistols. BRUSSSELS, August 17. The French wing at Dinant was outnumbered by the Germans fourfold. The French were getting badly cut up and almost broke, when suddenly the "Marsellaise ” was started. The French rallied and hurled themselves on the enemy with wonderful gallantry and enthusiasm and routed them. PARIS, August 18 (morning). Mobilisation was so rapid in France that one and a-quarter million field troops were at their posts on August 12, in addition to the troops in garrisons. ROME, August 18 (morning). A telegram from Basle states that the French have occupied Colmar. BERNE, August 18 (morning). The Germans burnt the town of Barzeweiler, in Alsace, after blowing up the factories, alleging that the inhabitants had fired at and killed eight of the soldiers. PARIS, August 17. Official: The Germans are feverishly strengthening the Vistula fortresses, especially Crandenz and Thoru. Large reserves have already been called out. LONDON, August 17. Mr Donohue, the Daily Chronicle’s war correspondent, writes from Brussels that an outpost affair occurred near Louvain on Sunday afternoon. The German advanced guard wore the Belgian gendarmes’ uniform, enabling them to approach close to fire a deadly \olley at the Belgian outposts. The Belgian cavalry quickly recovered from their momentary confusion, and charged the advanced guard, who fled, leaving the Dragoons and Hussars to bear the brunt of the charge. The German machine guns opened fire on the Belgians, who were in a dangerous position until half a battery of artillery opened shrapnel fire on the Germans. The latter were without cover, and were thrown into disorder, and fled pell-mell, pursued by the Belgian cavalry, who cut off a number of the 17th Hussars. The Hussars were apparently glad to surrender. They were ravenously hungry, all their supplies being short. They even had no knowledge of their whereabouts, some of them thinking they were in France. They were wholly without maps or compasses, and their horses were thoroughly exhausted. A railway train driven by an Alsatian was transporting 7CO Uhlans to the frontier. Instead of stopping his train where he should have detrained the Germans, the engine-driver ran it across the frontier and drew up at a station occupied by French troops. The whole of the Uhlans were captured. Telegrams from Basle (Switzerlahd) report fresh fighting between Belfort (France) and Altkirch (Upper Alsace). The Press Bureau states that a visit to the scene of the fight in Upper Alsace shows the great destruction effected by the allied artillery, one trench abandoned by the Germans being full of dead and wounded. THE BALKANS. HEAVY FIGHTING IN SERVIA. ATHENS, August 18 (morning). The Servian Legation has received a telegram from the Premier stating tli.,’; the Austrians had been com* pletely routed in the mountains near Sabatz. They are now fleeing to recross the rivers Save and Drina. Fifteen thousand Austrians were hilled and 14 guns were captured. ROME, August 17. The Montenegrins continue their advance into Herzegovina,

August 18 (morning). Three thousand shrapnel shells have fallen in Belgrade during the week, and everyone is now living in cellars. One shell wrecked the electric power station and half the town is in darkness. Fifteen inhabitants have been killed. LONDON, August 17. A Reuter message says ‘that the practicability of the renewal of the Balkan Alliance, with the addition of Rumania, is the subject of conversations in diplomatic quarters. There are doubts regarding Bulgaria, which is believed to be unwilling to re-enter unless the Bucharest Treaty is revised. RUSSIANS AT WORK. ST. PETERSBURG, August 17. The Russians have crossed the frontier near Emmel, and have captured Insterburg. LONDON, August 17. A noticeable feature of the position at St. Petersburg is the absence of the revolutionary element. Crowds are thronging the streets, swayed entirely by patriotism, and the Czar is more popular than he has ever been. Crowds assemble outside the newspaper offices and cheer the latest news. PARIS, August 18 (morning). The Czar will shortly issue a proclamation giving the Jews equal 'civil and political rights with the Russians. DISCONTENT IN AUSTRIA. LONDON, August 17. Letters reveal the existence of terrible conditions in Dalmatia, Bosnia, and Croatia. Trade has ceased, and food is scarce.

All the notable Serbophiles have been imprisoned, including Deputies, merchants, professors, mayors, and many Catholic priests. Terror prevails everywhere. Clubs have been dissolved, newspapers are prohibited, and their editors have been imprisoned. Austrian soldiers have taken leading Serbs as hostages, who shall guarantee with their lives the safety of bridges, telegraphs, and railways. Sixteen Orthodox priests were executed on August 3 at Sarajevo .(Bosnia). A whole regiment -of Bohemian soldiers was annihilated in Bosnia for rebellion. JAPAN’S INTERVENTION. WASHINGTON, August 17. The Japanese Ambassador delivered to the Chief Secretary of State (Mr Bryan) a written announcement of Japan’s ultimatum addressed to Germany, requesting the withdrawal of her field of activity from China. Simultaneously Japan communicated her general assurances that the interests of the Powers concerned in maintaining the territorial status quo in the Orient would be protected to the utmost, and a conference developed. As Japan was not assured that the ultimatum would be delivered to Germany, oAving to cable difficulties, in order to guarantee its delivery, a copy was communicated to Berlin through the United States Government. The United States does not intend to be drawn into the controversy, considering the Japanese promise of the eventual restoration to China of the territory of Kiau-chau satisfactory'. The ultimatum is regarded at /Washington as one of the gravest developments of the situation, bringing, as it does, for the first time a great Oriental military Power into the range of a conflict heretofore confined to Europe. WASHINGTON, August 17. Representative Britton has introduced a resolution in the House directing Mr Bryan to protest against Japan’s action in sending an ultimatum to Germany. Aug. 18 (morning). It is stated here that Japan intends to capture all Germany’s Pacific possessions, including Samoa, German New Guinea, and the Bismarck archipelago.- The statement is unconfirmed. LONDON, August 17 (evening). The official Press Bureau states that the British and Japanese Governments have been in communication and have decided that each must take action to protect the general interests, and especially the independence and integrity of China. Japanese action will not extend beyond the China Sea or any territory except German on the continent of' Easterq Asia. PEKING, August 17. The Chinese Government is perturbed regarding Japan’s ultimatum. It suggests that Germany’s only course is to cancel the lease of Kiau-chau and hand the territory over to China. PARIS, August 17. A telegram from Tokio declares that Japan will limit any eventual action that may be taken in China to the protectorate of Kiau-chau. , ?, AERIAL WARFARE. BRUSSELS, August 17. Last night a German aeroplane dropped bombs into Louvain. Two Belgian aviators, owing to a breakdoAvn, were compelled to land near a body of Uhlans, and abandoned their aeroplanes. Later on the Belgians, ■ Avith a quick-firer mounted on a motor car, surprised and drove off the Uhlans, and rescued an aeroplane. LONDON, August 17. It is difficult to determine the value of aeroplane Avar operations. The Belgian airmen are spoiling the scouting operations of the Uhlans, but German guns have many of them to the -ground. The airmen relate Aveird and uncanny experiences. The air-waves created by the concussing of the firing rock their

craft like cockleshells, causing them to dive, rush upwards, stop and shiver, and perform other nerve-wracking acrobatics. The fact that Zeppelins played but little part in the operations against Liege leads to the surmise that Germany’s main air fleet is being withheld for future and more critical operations. Her airships are now coloured grey, so as to be less visible. AUSTRIA’S NAVY. ROME, August 17. It is reported that four British battleships chased the Austrian cruisers Auro and Szigetvar, that were blockading Antivari. The Austrians took refuge in Pola. LONDON, August 17. The Austrian fleet has retired to headquarters at Pola, and secured itself behind its minefields and destroyer flotilla. The Franco-British fleet will probably be content to maintain a close watch on enemy. CETTINJE, August 17. Before the Austrian steamer Szigetvar fled to Pola (Austria’s chief naval station), the Montenegrin artillery at Mount Lovchen furiously bombarded her, and drove her out of Catarro Harbour. GERMAN SHIPPING. PARIS, August 18 (morning). It is estimated that on August 1 Germany had 635 merchant steamers, aggregating 3,000,000 tons, ahd valued at £200,000,000. Of these, 200 have already been captured, and the remainder are practically out of action. LONDON, August 17, A Russian schooner was • pursued by but eluded a German destroyer near Fetlster Island. The destroyer struck a German mine and foundered. THE BRITISH NAVY. LONDON, August n. The Globe’s naval correspondent, writing from an unnamed naval port, says: “ I have been with that silent service ‘ the navy,’ and I have had unforgettable experiences. The swift coming and going of ships, the readiness of the men and the material were great to see, and I was not surprised to read the Admiralty’s announcement that our trade routes'are open bist for the mines in the North Sea. Trawlers are busy clearing the seaway and proceeding well. The German fleet is bottled up in German ports.” BRITISH MINERS AS FARM LABOURERS. LONDON, August 17. The justices have ordered the closing ot the public-houses in the chief towns of Northumberland and Durham at 9 p.m. There is no resentment among the working class. The miners are strongly supporting the though there are 50,000 colliers idle in Northumberland alone. Many of them are assisting the farmers to gather the harvest. The Armstrong College is organising lessons in simple agriculture. The masters and men have closed existing controversies. The masters are not pressing for the reduction in wages which the Conciliation Board have given them. The miners are submitting to the three-shift system. The export of Russian butter and eggs to England is being arranged via Archangel.

BRAZIL DEMANDS REPARATION. RIO DE JANEIRO, August 17. Brazil has instructed its Minister at Berlin to ask an explanation of the attack on Bernadin Campos, a former President, at San Paulo, and his wife, whom the German soldiers, after the outbreak of war, brutally battered with the butts of rifles, robbed them of their jewellery, and cast them in a dying condition over the Swiss frontier. Brazil demands the punishment of the soldiers implicated. NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, August 18. The Custom-house returns show that exporters have confidence that Britain's command of the sea is restored. Shipments of butter and meat overseas have regainea normal. Twenty-three steamers have been taken up as troopships. Bran is up ss, and is nt?w £5 10s. Pollard has increased 10s, and is now £5 15s. MELBOURNE, August 18. Senator Millen (Minister of Defence) proposes to pay the widows of privates killed in the war an annuity of £SO, and for each child a quarter of such annuity additional. The payments to widows of officers will be on a graduated scale. GENERAL NEWS. LONDON, August 17. The Government is insuring vessels for a war risk period of 91 days at per cent. If at ssa at the expiration of the policy, an additional 30 days pro rata will be charged.

A decisive moment is also approaching in the eastern theatre of war, where thf Russian southern armies have entered Galicia, and are converging upon Lemberg along three lines of railway, advancing easterly by Brody and northerly by Sokal, thus hindering an Austrian attack on Warsaw from Cracow. Eochmann, a German ex-employee 'at Harland and Wolff’s, was arrested at Belfast Docks. The Territorials and Boy Scouts ar« protecting the railways, telegraphs, and waterworks. A largely-increased police force has been ordered to enforce the registration of Germans. The stories of German cruelties, cowardice, and wholesale voluntary surrenders, which originated from Brussels, are described as absurd by unbiassed observers, who declare that the German cavalry advanced with almost foolhardy bravery, their absolute recklessness indicating that they thought themselves invincible. The Daily Chronicle’s Copenhagen correspondent states that the export of live cattle to Germany through Jutland is so great that the route is insufficient, and the railway ferry b e l ween Gjedserodde and Warnemunde has had to be reopened. The import duty is annulled and quarantine is not enforced. Owing to the enormous number of bills tendered for discount at the Bank of England under the arrangement cabled on August 13 the directors were compelled to issue a notice stating that it was physically impossible to accept more bills until to-morrow. There will be no Lord Mayor’s Show or banquet this year. Ten thousand special constables have been sworn in London.' General Grierson died from heart disease. He was intended for high command. The Government war insurance rate for cargo is 3 per cent. Nearly 10,000 recruits had been enrolled in Lord Kitchener’s second army at the week-end. Essad Pasha, who has returned from Italy, declares he will lead the Albanians against Austria. The battleships Tennessee and North Carolina have brought into Falmouth a million dollars to relieve stranded Americans. The elaborate precautions being taken by Italy lead to the belief that either sho is preparing to attack Austria or fears au Austrian attack. It is stated that the Kaiser is personally dictating war news and articles to the Berlin newspapers, in which it is tardily admitted that there is no truth in the former assertion that the Liege forts had been taken. The cessation of supplies from the Black Sea ports is causing a great scarcity of foodstuffs in Turkey. Germans and Austrians are being expelled from Morocco because, it is alleged, they are intriguing and fomenting antiFrench plots amongst the natives. August 18 (morning). Serious distress exists amongst the lightermen at Rotterdam owing to the stoppage of trade. Fifty thousand families are destitute, and relief funds , have been opened. PARIS, August IV. Gruault, a Frenchman, has been courtmartialled and sentenced to death for offering the Cologne Gazette details of the wireless station on the Eiffel Tower and the aerodrome at Issy-les-Molineux. If the sentence is carried out, Gruault will be the first spy executed in France, though there are wild rumours stating that 16 Id have already been shot. August 18 (morning). The French and Russian staffs have arranged that Alsatian, Lorraine, and Polish prisoners shall receive special treatment. BRUSSELS, August 18 (morning). At Sir Edward Grey’s request active English war correspondents at the front are being asked to keep away ox return to England, as any indiscretion may injure the interests of the Allies. The latter have agreed not to allow any correspondents to go to the front at present. Despite his 52 years, M. Maurice Maeterlinck, the Belgian philosopher-poet, has volunteered for the Belgian army, as “ ther enemy of mankind must be fought at all costs.” He is at present assisting in harvest work in Normandy. ROTTERDAM, August 13 (morning). Tfie Dutch army is strongly holding tha frontier. Numerous barbed-wire entanglement barricades are across all the roads, and arrangements are ready for flooding the country if combatants in irresistible numbers cross the frontier. Many roads have been cut through and rendered impassable for troops and guns, and the houses within the forts line of fire have been evacuated and prepared for dynamiting.

COPENHAGEN, August 18 (morning). The General Staff of the German army has refused to allow war correspondents to accompany the troops. ROME, August IV. A sentry shot, Eugene Goldschmidt, a young millionaire, who was motoring to „ join his regiment at Gyongyos, as he failed to halt when challenged. Goldschmidt did not know the Hungarian language; WASHINGTON, August 17. The Norwegian ship Obedance, from Jamaica, reports that the German residents in the West Indies have been arrested. Great Britain, France, and Austria have declined President Wilson’s offer of mediation. The American people are learning that in the twentieth century there is no place for an isolated United States. NEW YORK, August 17. Mr J. P. Morgan has been sounded by French bankers as to whether he will raise a loan in America for buying American products, but he refused to entertain the proposal if the Administration objected. The Administration intimated that it could not interfere with the right of private individuals, but a humane course would be to refrain from supplying Europe with the means of continuing the war. OTTAWA, August 17. The Finance Minister has received a UK contribution of £500,000 from Mr Boss, the Montreal steel magnate. CAPETOWN, August 17. The steamer has been captured

at Table Bay. The crew were unaware of the outbreak of war. The Union Government threatens drastic measures, with retrospective effect, if there are unjustifiable increases in the prices of foodstuffs. -■ FREMANTLE, August lb. The Hon. Agar Wynne has returned by the Omrah, owing to the postponement of the Postal Conference. Officers of the vessel report that three days ago they heard German wireless messages between two vessels—they ' thought possibly the Roon and a Melbourne German vessel. The steamer Wildenfels, from New York, was sighted off Cape Otway at 10 a.m. to-day, but she has no wireless.