FIGHTING IN GALICIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 24

FIGHTING IN GALICIA.

LIKELY TO LAST A MONTH. PETROGRAD, June 8. It is estimated that there are now 40 German army corps in Galicia. It is expected that the battle there will last another month. The correspondent of the Novoe Vrcmya between Radymno and Jaroslav states that on the morning of May 24 the Germans brought up large numbers of heavy guns, drawn by motors, and 700,000 shells were fired at Radymno alone. The high explosives swamped the Russian trenches and broke among the divisional staffs and reserves. The curtain of bursting shells rendered the enemy’s trenches invisible. It was impossible to bring up teams to remove the Russian guns; nevertheless, two regiments held out, keeping the enemy at bay until the main Russian forces had crossed the river San. GERMAN BLASPHEMY. PETROGRAD, June 8. A G«ro.an Staff order found on the Bzu;c {2Vrl*gfel) says: “By God’s dispensation we have received a new and potent •weapon in gas, which vanquishes our enemies. Our object is to assert the mighty power of Germany over Europe. Within two months our enemies will he subdued.” SUFFERING IN AUSTRIA. LONDON, Jtene 8. A Petit Parisian correspondent who visited Austria states that the people are dying of starvation, the hospitals are crowded, and the military value of the troops a diminishing quality consequent Bpon the enlistment of children and sexagenarians. It is greatly feared that RuSCaania will join the Allies. FIVE VESSELS SUNK. MOST OF THE CREWS SAVED. LONDON, /uno 8. The Belgian steamer from Algiers to Middlesboro’, with irim ore, tras torpedoed last night, and sank in Jrnlf a minute, off the North Foreland. Eight of her crew landed at Margate, and H;:\_

one has been sent to hospital. The captain, his, wife, and daughter, the first mate, the pilot, and 12 men are reported lost. The Norwegian barque Superb, grain laden from Buenos Aires to Queenstown, was torpedoed 50 miles west of the Fastnet. The crew landed at Cahersiveen. The Russian schooner Adolf, bound for Archangel, was submarined without warning, and sunk. Eight shots, were fired, killing her captain and a seaman. The remainder of the crew landed at Leith. The trawlers Dramio paid Curlew were submarined off the coast of Scotland. The crews were picked up. NORWEGIAN STEAMERS SUNK, LONDON, June 8 The Norwegian steamer Gutterland, timber-laden, bound for Hartlepool, was torpedoed. Her crew were saved. The Norwegian steamer Trudverg, bound for Dublin with iron ore, was sunk by gunfire, after her crew had taken to the boats. A patrol boat came up to rescue the crew, and the submarine tried to torpedo her. The patrol boat then made off. The Trndverg’s crew landed at Milford Haven. LIEUTENANT WARNEFORD’S FEAT. THE V.C. AWARDED. LONDON, June 8. The King has telegraphed to Naval Flight Sub-lieutenant Warneford: “We most heartily congratulate yrou on your splendid achievement, wherein you, singlehanded, destroyed a Zeppelin. We have pleasure in conferring on you the Victoria Cross for your gallant act.” PARIS, June 8.

When Lieutenant Warneford unexpectedly looped the loop, his petrol escaped from the rear of the tank. He landed, quickly refilled the tank from a reserve supply which he carried, and reascended.

AMSTERDAM, June 8. i Many civilians' witnessed the destruction 1 of the Zeppelin at Beguinage de St. Lisebeth. The German guns on the parade ground at Ghent opened a heavy fire on the two aeroplanes trying to cut off the Zeppelin, which had evidently been struck and had a slight list. Lieutenant Warneford daringly approached and flew over the Zeppelin, then with a sudden swoop he dropped explosives. The balloon covering immediately burned fiercely, and after minor reports there was a big explosion, and the Zeppelin dropped into the nunnery. , The nuns tried to bring the children to a place of safety, but several were badly burned. Only the framework of the Zeppelin re- j mains. The authorities immediately closed the streets and ordered the inhabitants indoors. |

THE BRUSSELS HANGAR. PARIS, June 8. In connection with the destruction of the hangar near Brussels, a column of flame rose to such a height as to suggest that a bomb penetrated a Zeppelin within and the escaping gas ignited. AMSTERDAM, June 9. The explosion at the Evere (near Brussels) aerodrome was so tremendous that it is considered certain that the Zeppelin inside, with the gas reservoirs, was fired. MUNITIONS BILL IN THE COMMONS READ A THIRD TIME. LONDON, June 0. The Minister of Munitions Bill ■yvas read a third time. Sir S. A. Simon said there was in it no intention, by means of a side wind, to secure the compulsory registration of workers. If special powers were needed in that direction the consent of the House would be sought. Mr Asquith said there was no sinister intent behind the Bill, which was solely directed to supplying the troops with ammunition. Mr George Lajrabert, in the course of the debate, said he hoped the widest possible powers would hi given to the new Minister. Apparently the Ordnance Department of th» War Oljjce had failed in its duty. He hoped the Minister would have complete control o* /he Ordnance Department. Sir A. B. liarkham said Mr Lambert’s statement embodied a very grave charge. It shewed th?ij it would have been wiser had members \ yen enabled to speak freely. Sir A. Mark Am incidentally asked the Prime Minister to give Parliament an opportunity to discuss the conduct of the war with closed doors. He recalled the fact that the Allies’ Parliaments were sitting in camera. Mr Asquith declined. ORDINARY WAR WASTAGE. LONDON, June 8. The Times, in a leader, says: “The terrible lists of our losses for the week—--900 officers and 20,000 men—should awaken the most sluggish to the need for fresh efforts. These losses were not suffered in any great action appreciably hastening the termination of the war, but in ordinary wastage as it is now being prosecuted, and we must continue to prosecute it thus until our supplies of high explosives and the supplies which we provide for our allies are increased, allowing them to adopt other operations.” ZINC COMMANDEERED. LONDON, June 8. It is understood that the Munitions Committee has commandeered all spelter (zinc) except that used for making cartridges. It has prohibited its use for gal-

vanising sheets and wire, except for Government purposes. ANOTHER CLAIM. LONDON, June 8. The Card and Blowing Room Amalgamation of Operatives decided to proceed with its claim for the 10 per cent, war bonus. It will be difficult to avoid a stoppage of the mills affecting 300,000 operatives. WORKING IN SPARE TIME. LONDON, June 9. A committee has been formed to organise 4000 men at the Smithfield Market who volunteered their services in their spare time to work at the munition factories. The engineers’ societies in the Glasgow district have notified branches that members must recognise the munitions agreements in the broadest spirit possible, and do their utmost to accelerate the output of war material. OUTPUT OF COAL DECREASED. LONDON, June 9. The Coal Committee’s report shows that 191,170 miners had joined the army up to the end of February. The shortage of production owing to the war was 12,000,000 tons a year, and if there was no avoidable absenteeism the output could be increased to the extent of 14,(X'0,000 tons. If labour were further withdrawn the reduction of the output would be likely to seriously affect industries. The public should realise that it is a patriotic duty to economise in the use of coal. ACTION IN RUSSIA. PETROGRAD, June 8. The Government is endeavouring to coordinate the resources of the Russian Empire. All establishments hitherto manufacturing luxuries are being adapted to the production of war munitions, running day and night, in three shifts. The internal productiqn of munitions increased sevenfold during the first halfyear of the war. IRISH NATIONALISTS CREATE TROUBLE. LONDON, June 9. Mr J. H. M. Campbell’s ment continues to cause anxiety to the Cabinet. It is understood that the Liberals offer Mr Campbell an English Judgeship, but Sir E. Carson has intimated that if the appointment is cancelled to appease the Nationalists he himself will be obliged to resign, and other Unionists may follow. THE UNITED STATES NOTE. MR W. J. BRYAN RESIGNS. WASHINGTON, June 8. Mr W. J. Bryan has resigned his office as Secretary of State. Mr Bryan allowed it to he known that he was wholly opposed to President Wilson’s policy in regard to Germany. Mr Bryan said he favoured peace, and he deprecated any action likely to lead to complications. The press generally approves of the resignation, hoping that the result will be a stronger and more vigorous policy towards German infractions of international law. President Wilson has accepted Mr Bryan’s resignation. Mr Bryan will be succeeded by Mr Robert Lansing, who has acted as counsel for the United States in several arbitration cases. Mr Bryan’s resignation has been under consideration for several days. He is leaving because he did not wish to embarrass the President by opposing the latter’s policy. Mr Bryan favoured a Note w’hich would under no circumstances involve the United States in grave complications. He wished the plan outlined in his arbitration treaties followed in dealing with Germany, but as he signed the first Note he was not expected to urge his views to the point of rupture with the Government, President Wilson has authorised the statement that he deprecates sensa= tioaal statements in the newspapers. The fiermah Note regarding the Gulflight and the Cushing is not un= satisfactory, but it does not affect the main principle for which the United States is contending, that Americans on unarmed merchant ships of every nationality must be transferred to a place of safety before the prize is destroyed. SPIES IN ENGLAND. LONDON, June 8. Abdon Japane, a Dane, has been arrested at Plymouth for trying to elicit naval information. He possessed an apparatus capable of tapping telegraphic lines and of sending telephonic messages. The first definite information of the suspicion that fraudulent American passports w T ere being issued by someone acting on the authority of the German Government has been placed in the hands of the military direction. Robert Rosenthal, a spy, was arrested when about to leave England, travelling on a passport issued by Captain Prieger. Rosenthal admitted that Prieger issued United States passports bearing any name printed in proper form and on the,correct parchment. For this purpose he forged dies reproducing tho seal of the United States and utilised them. After making this confession Rosenthal attempted to commit suicide by strangling himself with the bedclothes in his cell. HOLLAND PERTURBED. AMSTERDAM, June 9. Dutch newspapers are perturbed over the

speech of the King of Bavaria, stating that the fruits of the war will be the extension of the German Empire so that it may be secure against future attach. The speech is taken to mean that Germany intends to retain Belgium and secure the mouth of the Rhine. The Cologne correspondent of the newspaper Tyd says a report is cur= rent that Austria and Germany will shortly announce their conditions of peace. Emphasis will be given to a declaration that the Germanic allies are not engaged in war for conquest, but seek only to ensure the security of their territories. GERMAN INTRIGUE IN GREECE. LONDON, June 8. The German Press Bureau is extraordinarily active through Greece, inventing ■dreadful tales of disasters to the Allies, especially at the Dardanelles, and calculating that, if Greece had intervened in April, she would already have lost half her army and nearly all her beet, because the Allies’ cowardly cunning would have pushed in the Greek troops and ships to bear the brunt. ANGLO-JAPANESE TREATY. PERTH, June 9. The Japanese Admiral Chisaka, in a speech at a luncheon to the Governor of West Australia, said he firmly believed that the Anglo-Japanese Treaty would last until eternity. The Governor, when replying, said he was often asked why the services of Japanese soldiers were not utilised. The truth was that the Allies did not need them, but knew they were ready and willing the moment the word for aid went forth. YOUTH OF BRITISH SOLDIERS. SYDNEY, June 9. - The Australian correspondent in France (Mr Gullett) emphasies the fact of the youth of the British army in Flanders. The general average is 10 years younger than it was in the South African war. This is the day o! thin leaders; there are no fat British generals at the front. The army is a delightful democracy, evincing a spirit of happy brotherhood, from headquarters to the rank and file, so that the magnitude and horror of the war are virtually felt less at the front than in England.

GENERAL ITEMS. LONDON, June 8. D. M. Bain, the Scottish Rugby international, has been killed in France. The Clyde cotton mills engaged on war contracts are not involved in the threatened lockout. The British Government has revoked its decision not to accept contingents from the Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica, and Trinidad for. service in Europe on the ground that there is no longer any fear of raids by German cruisers. The Irish Parliamentary party, at a meeting at the House of Commons, passed a resolution condemning conscription, ■which they said was calculated to break up the unity of the people. Replying to a question in the House of Commons, Mr Runciman said that no insurance was paid on Australian or New Zealand meat purchased by the Government. Every effort, he said, was being made to market, the . meat not required for the Allied forces without delay. It was being handled by those firms who had dealt with it in the past, and they, disposed of it through the ordinary channels. ENEMY SUBJECTS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY, June 9. As a result of agitation by railwaymen a number of enemy subjects have been dismissed from the" service. They were refunded their payments into the superannuation fund. NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE. SYDNEY, June 9. The secretary of the Rugby League has received from the New Zealand League a letter in reply to the offer to postpone New Zealand’s tour to Australia. The reply says: “Many Australasian players having been killed and wounded in the present unfortunate crisis, it is considered not a fitting time to think of undertaking the tour.” The secretary adds: “ The Dardanelles operations have brought home to ns the great sacrifices which Australasians have to bear. Some 400 of our league players are at the front, and some are enlisting each week.” HIGH COMMISSIONER’S CABLES. LONDON, June 9 (1.15 a.m.). Army Casualties : Men—Killed, 499; wounded, 1538; gas poisoned, 57; killed by gas, 1; missing, 12. Officers—Killed, 11; wounded, 9; killed by gas, 1; gas poisoned, 2; missing, 2; prisoners, 4. Dardanelles.—Navy: Officers Killed, 1; wounded, 2.