THE BULGARIAN LOAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3205, 18 August 1915, Page 23

THE BULGARIAN LOAN.

PARIS. August 16. The Echo de Paris, in an inspired note, says the Turko=Bulgarian pourparlers intended to render Bulgaria immobile by raising hopes of the cession of Mustapha Pasha, Adrianople, and the Dedeagatch railway, have been broken off. Moreover, the realisation of the Bulgarian loan, which the German banks declared had been subscribed, is meeting with serious difficulties. WEEK-END CASUALTY LIST. LONDON, August 16. The week-end list of casualties shows: Killed —Officers, 45; men, 981. Wounded —Officer’s, 199. men, 1904. A WELL-EARNED V.C. LONDON, August 16. A Gazette announces that a Victoria Cross has been awarded to Commander Eric Robinson, who advanced alone on February 25, under a heavy fire, to an enemy’s gun position. He destroyed a 4in gun, returned for another charge, and destroyed a second gun. He would not allow the members of the demolition party to accompany him because their white uniforms would be conspicuous. Commander Robinson was particularly noted for his attacks on many fields, and always under fire. COTTON AS CONTRABAND. LONDON, August 16. Britain and France are about to simultaneously declare cotton contraband. The officials at Washington have received the intimation in the best spirit. NEGOTIATIONS WITH SWITZERLAND. LONDON, August 15. Reuter’s Zurich correspondent states that the Import Trust negotiations at Berne have reached a deadlock. A Government trust was found practically impossible, because the State, owing to its operating the Swiss Federal railways, is the largest consumer of German coal, and is almost forced to yield to Germany’s demand to exchange Swiss commodities for coal. On the other hand, Swiss industrial and commercial concerns are using electricity derived from neutral water power. They are thus virtually independent of German coal, and are ready to accept the trust on the lines suggested by the Allies. These lines propose a private and unofficial trust, similar to the Dutch trust. The creation of a private trust is, however, difficult, as it would possibly be construed as an affront to the Swiss Federal Government, after the latter’s diplomatic efforts to reach an understanding on behalf of the State with the Allies. CONGESTION OF WOOL AT LONDON. LONDON, August 15. Tire congestion in the London docks has seriously affected the wool shipments. Since the war London has been practically the only port receiving British imports of wool. For the first seven months of 1915 it received a total of £719,700,000 worth, as compared with £546,700,994 for last year. The exports have decreased enormously, thus precipitating the congestion, and the home demand, despite the huge requirements of the military authorities, is not sufficient to relieve the congestion. In consequence the Government has notified the .Bradford Chamber of Commerce that unless traders remove the wool from the docks and warehouses the Government will remove it, regardless of cost. Wool traders consider this harsh treatment. There are huge quantities of crossbreds available, and if the War Office does not want it immediately exporters urge that they ought to be allowed to export it to allied manufacturers. America wants crossbreds, and it is reported that the Japanese authorities are advocating the granting of export licenses. THE RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS. AMERICAN CASE CLEARLY STATED. WASHINGTON, August 16The following striking sentences are included in Mr Lansing’s reply to the Austrian Government :—“ The United States deems it unnecessary to extend further present-time consideration to the Austria-Hungary Government's statement. The principles of international law, the practice of nations, the national safety of the United States and other nations without great military and naval establishments, the prevention of increased armies and navies, the adoption of peaceful methods for the adjustment of international differences, and, finally, neutrality itself are opposed to the prohibition by a neutral nation of the exportation of arms ■and munitions other than ammunition to belligerents during the war. The United States has always desired peace, and has

therefore avoided the maintenance of menacing .military and naval establishments. This policy might fatally em- ' harass her against a well-equipped and powerful invader if she were unable to purchase arms and ammunition from neutrals. She cannot, therefore, deny the same right to others.” PLOTS IN AMERICA. - NEW YORK, August 16. The World declares that it has obtained correspondence proving that a leading German official and a German-American financier are implicated in attempts against the United States laws, in which Dr von Bethmann-Hollweg participated. It is estimated that spent 2,000,000 dollars weekly for the propaganda. A Providence journal states that the Government possesses overwhelming evidence against German Embassy officials including a bag of documents belonging to a German secret service agent. The intrigues include passport frauds, Canadian dynamitings, strikes at munition works, plots against British warships, and attempts to poison horses and mules. The plots involve the« United States and Mexico officials. AMERICAN EXCHANGE RATES. LONDON, August 16. The rate of American exchange at New York on Saturday was 4.69§ —a fall of 7 cents for the week v> The decline is causing uneasiness on both sides of the Atlantic. Home and city circles recommend a larger gold export, but American experts declare ibat the effect of gold shipments would

be infinitesimal, and the only solution is Allies’ loans in New York. NATIONAL SERVICE ORGANISATION. LONDON, August 16. A number of public men,' including Lord Denman,' the Bishops of Birmingham, Llandaff, and Wellington, and Sir John Kirk, have signed a manifesto on behalf of a new organisation named “ The National Service Organisation.” They declare that it is designed to assist the Government by means of public meetings and resolutions proving that the country is ready to support a resolute policy on the basis of equality of sacrifice and concentration of national effort. GENERAL NEWS. LONDON, August 15. The Weekly Despatch states that Madame Jonatha was deported from England because she w'as closely. associated with Bertha Stzost, who was a 1 so recently expelled. There has been a standardising of the Red Cross uniform, in order to avoid imposition. Women have been posing as members of the Red Cross in order to steal money and presents intended for the soldiers at the front. It is estimated there are 10,000 of these impostors in Germany. The Sun. an evening London paper, publishes the pastoral letter of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York on national service. They condemn the practice of any of the clergy serving as combatants other than as chaplains. In accordance with an Admiralty decision to associate the names of enemy steamers employed in the British service with their original owners, the “ modern ) Huns,” seven large steamers appear in the new volume of Lloyd’s Register with 1 the prefix “ Hun,” w'hich has been substituted for their German names. Thus there are the Hungerford, Hunstanton, Huntley, Hunsdon, Huntress, Hunsgate, and Hunsend. • Voluntary helpers are collecting to-day the registration forms in London, which has been subdivided into hundreds of enumeration districts. Women have proved skilful enumerators. Many Irishmen, anxious to avoid registration, quitted the Clyde ports amid demonstrative taunts and jeers. Some of the intending passengers were hustled and returned by trains. 1 PETROGRAD, August 15. I The famous Troitzky Monastery has offered its workshop for the manufacture of shells and other war material. MADRID, August 15. Mannesmann Bros., the Morocco firm which became notorious at the time of the Agadir incident, and who were arrested at the beginning of the war and interned at Casablanca, have escaped, and are now at Seville. I NEW YORK, August 15. i The New York World is publishing a series of articles exposing Germany’s endeavours to mould public opinion in

America against the Allies, and to involve America in the war, and exposing also the German financing of the news service, which, though supposed to be impartial, is really pro German. AUSTRALIAN ITEMS. MELBOURNE, August 16. Nine more deaths due to meningitis have occurred in the Victorian military camps. SYDNEY, August 16. Last week was a record recruiting week in New South Wales, 6230 men enlisting. BRISBANE, August 16. The Munitions Executive Committee has been appointed, consisting of Messrs Ryan, Adams, and Hardacre. ADELAIDE, August 16. Two peace advocates at the Botanic Park were roughly handled by a big crowd, and a posse of police had difficulty in rescuing them. The enlistments in South Australia 'to date total 12,234. FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA. GENERAL SMUTS’S VISION. JOHANNESBURG, August 15. General Smuts, addressing the South African Party, denounced the two-stream policy, of which the Transvaal experience was so bitter prior to the Boer war. He contrasted • it with the success of the Boers and Britons through unity in Southwest Africa, emphasising the actual prospect of the Union doubling itself. If it continued on the road of union, the northern boundaries would not be where they are, and they would bequeath to their children a huge country in which to develop a type for themselves and form a people destined to be a true civilising agency. A GERMAN’S SUICIDE. SYDNEY, August 16. Ludwig Hermann Bruck, partner in a well-known medical instrument agency, was found unconscious, and he died at a hospital from morphia poisoning. He left a letter for his partner expressing grief that he had unintentionally been the cause of the proceedings pending on a charge of trading with the enemy, adding: “You are quite innocent in the matter. The only way I can see to get out of it is to end my life.” He then detailed his preparations to poison himself. When the case against Bruck’s firm was called an adjournment was granted for a week, on the ground that Bruck had died suddenly.