THE MESOPOTAMIAN FORCE

Southland Times, Issue 17633, 18 January 1916, Page 5

THE MESOPOTAMIAN FORCE

EASTERN THEATRE STUPENDOUS BATTLE IN GALICIA. UNPRECEDENTED BOMBARDMENT. DEFENCES PULVERISED. THE ATTACK ON CZERNOWITZ. THAW STOPS OPERATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, January 18. Received January 17, 5.5 p.m. The Daily Telegraph's Pctrograd correspondent states that the Russians opened a stupendous battle in Galicia on Christmas Day. The cannonade became a continuous roar day after day. The enemy left their first trenches, where the Russian shells were bursting like a shower of hailstones. The Germans had five rows of wire entanglements. This area, and the defences of the Strypa, were transformed into pits and hillocks, making a scene of terrible devastation, littered with splintered posts, tangled wire, and the mangled bodies of Austrians. The intensity of the bombardment was without precedent. Many were buried by the fountains of earth thrown up by the explosives, more were deafened, and others’ nerves were so shattered that they were practically imbeciles. When the guns bad done their work the Russian infantry dashed forward with great daring from pit to pit. Many Austrians frantically waved their handkerchiefs as a signal of surrender. The Russian guns at Czernowitz pulverised the Austrian fortifications built three weeks before. Among the prisoners are thirty Germans who were supervising the Austrian machine guns and entrenchment sections. During the battle the roads from Czernowitz were choked with trains of Austrian wounded, many of whom perished owing to being loft in the open streets for hours in bitter weather. The lull on the south front is due to the rapid thaw converting the countryside into a waste of mud, rendering the transport of artillery impossible and movements of infantry difficult.

CAPTURES lIT TEE CAUCASUS. I*I*7I’BOGRAD, January 17. Received January IT, 10.20 p.m. Communique: In the Caucasus ive captured on Friday 20 officers and 400 men, six guns, and much ammunition. WESTERN THEATRE THE BRITISH HELMETS NOT PRETTY BUT EFFECTIVE. U?y Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) I.OiNDOX, January 16. Received January 17, 5.0 p.m. Reports from the West front state that the British steel helmet is widely used and has proved a protection from shrapnel and bomb splinters. The French helmet is picturesque. The British is strong and light, but unsymmetrical. ENEMY EEPOKTc AMSTBRDAM, January 17, Beceivod January 17, 10.20 p.m. (lonium communique: The Britisii shelled Lille, causing a fire. There was small damage. ARTILLERY ACTIVITIES. PA It IS, January 17. Received January IT, 10.20 p.m. Communique: Operating with the British artillery we seriously damaged the enemy trenches, causing two heavy explosions. We blew up an ammunition depot north-east of Neuvillc. im BALKAN STATES KINO PETEK IN ITALY. ( By Telcgi aph—Press Assn. —Copyright) RO.MK, January 17. Beceivcd January 17, 11.5 p.m. The Berfiian Government, with the Allied diplomats, accredited to the court of King Peter, have arrived at Brindisi. INSTALLING SERBIANS ON CORFU. AT 11 lON’S, January 17. Beceivod January IT, 1J.5 p.m. The Serbian installation on the Island of Corfu is proceeding satisfactorily. The Kaiser's Aehillion Palace is not occupied by the Allies, hut is merely under surveillance, SUBBSARiHS OPERATIONS CLAN MACFAKLANE SURVIVORS. IBy Telegraph 1 ’ress assn. —Copyright) 1 J ).\ D! )X, January 17. Beceivcd January 17, 11.5 p.m. •The capl.iin and live men of the Clan Macfarlane we rr picked up and landed at .Marseilles.

Relief Expedition Makes Progress > I ■ n IQ HEAVY FIGHTING ANTICIPATED Russia’s Great Effort Bombardment of Unparalleled Intensity Thaw Stops Operations H. Q. WELLS ON THE WAR A Deadlock Inevitable Exhaustion the Only End OUR SOLDIERS IN GERMANY Horrible Sufferings Reported 532 nd Day of the War (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright)

m Mesopotamia THE RELIEF COLUMN. TUEKS DEFEATED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) DELHI, January 16. Official. General Aylmer on January 13 attacked Hie Turks at Orah, twentyfive miles from Kut el Amara. After a heavy, all-day-long battle the Turks retreated, and were closely pursued etist and north. GENERAL AYLMER'S ADVANCE. AN IMPORTANT SUCCESS. LONDON, January 16. Received January 17, 8.35 p.m. The newspapers characterise General Aylmer’s advance as a most important success. GERMAN ACTION CONCENTRATED. AGAINST OUR FORCES.' SEVERE FIGHTING PROBABLE. LONDON, January 17. Received January 17, 11.5 p.m. The Daily Mail’s Athens’ correspondent states that German military action is at' present concentrated against the British in Mesopotamia. General Aylmer is likely to be compelled to pierce strong bodies of the enemy. TURKISH LOSSES: FOUR REGIMENTS LOSE HALF. LONDON, January 17. Received January 37, 10,20 p.m. Turkish prisoners taken at Shoiksaad report that four regiments lost fifty per cent. Von der Goltz visited Kut cl Amara recently on an inspection tour.

EGYPT ENEMY RECRUITING IN BELGIUM. POOR RESPONSE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, January 16. Reuter’s Amsterdam correspondent states that the German commander of Belgium has called for volunteers for Kgypt. offering twenty days’ furlough. There has been a poor response. A BRUSH WITH THE ARABS. 400 DISPERSED. CAIRO, January’ If. Received January 17, 11.5 p.m. Official: A Britisii column on the Bitfi dispersed four hundred Arabs forty miles from Matruh. There were no British casualties. NAVAL MATTERS THE BARALONG AFFAIR. GERMANY’S REPLY. AMERICAN ARBITRATION DECLINED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) AMSTERDAM, January 16. The German reply to Britain’s Note concerning the Baralong incident indignantly protests against unheard of and unproved accusations against the German army and navy which, in the present. have observed the principles of international law and humanity. It justifies the Arabic case because site was trying to ram a submarine, and Justifies the bombarding of the British submarine, because the latter tired a gun. It .justifies the Buel incident as a suitable reprisal against the illegal blockade. lit all throe cases the Gormans aimed only at destroying enemy ships— -not helpless persons. Germany refuses to submit these cases witli that of tiie Baralong in an American court, because accusations against German soldiers and sailors must he investigated by impartial German authorities. Germany expects that Britain will do (he same, and that she will punish the cowardly and treacherous murderers. But, as the British reply docs not correspond to the seriousness of the situation, Germany finds it impossible to discuss the affair further with England. Therefore, she declares that Britain, under futile pretexts, has accepted responsibility for a crime which is a disgrace lo international law and humanity, because she refused lo spare the enem:e,s who out-manoeuvred her in pursuit of legally recognised submarine war. Thus, Germany is obliged lo undertake the punishment of this unexpiated crime, and to devise reprisals lo meet the British challenge. NEWSPAPERS VITRIOLIC. AMSTERDAM. January 16. German newspaper..:, commenting on the Baralong incident, surpass themselves with vituperation. The Vossische Zeitung says: •'Britain’s offer of arbi-

tration is a cunning' trick. The British navy’s honour has been polluted.’ H darkly hints that reprisals have already been devised. The Krcnz Zeitung says. “British sailors and officers are degrading themselves to the rank of hangmen s servants.’’ It adds that the Germans are fighting for moral ideals. The subject cropped up in the Reichstag. and Herr Ledebour deprecated ifprisals, saying that humane laws must he observed. Herr Liobknecht declared that Germany was merely exploiting the incident to stir up neutrals. Members of the Reichstag were so incensed at this that the President was forced to adjourn the sitting. DANISH COMKEHT. COPENHAGEN, January 16. The Conservative newspaper, the National Tidend, commenting on the Baralong incident, says: "Denmark ought still to remind Germany of the violation of her neutrality when the crew of the Kl3 were fired on and some were killed in cold blood, and the submarine destroyed by German sailors.” PUNISHMENT THREATENED. AMSTERDAM, January IT. Received January IT, 11."> p.m. Herr Zimmerman, referring to toe Baralong incident, assured the Reichstag that they would find means to punisli so revolting a deed sharply and impressively. IN THE DOMINIONS DE WET INDISCREET. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) CAPETOWN, January 15. De Wet’s recent speeches are eliciting much criticism, culminating in a public outcry against the reception arranged by Mr Vrede in honour of De Wet and other released rebels. It is understood that the Government has written to De Wet recalling the undertaking made by him at the time of his release, and pointing out the consequences of the undertaking not to take part in politics were disregarded. SEVERAL NEWS

THE COMPULSION BILL. LABOUR ON A FALSE SCENT. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—copyright) LONDON, January 16. Mr O’Grady, Labour M.P., is convinced that when the necessary safeguards are embodied in the Service Compulsion Bill miners and rallwaymen will reverse their recent decision, which was based on a misunderstanding of the facts of the position. LIVELY ANTI-COMPULSION MEETINGS. POLITICIANS HECKLED. LONDON, January 17. Received January 17, 11.25 p.m. There are lively anti-compulsion meetings in the provinces. Mr R. L. Outhwaite (M.P.) was severely heckled at Manchester, and Mr Anderson, M.P., was shouted down at Sheffield. At a mass meeting of railwaymen, whereat Messrs Wardle and Bellamy, M.P.’s., spoke, there were constant interruptions, and resolutions against compulsion were defeated. The Scottish Trade Union Conference at Glasgow passed a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the Compulsion Bill. RECRUITING ACTIVE. LORD DERBY’S LAST APPEAL. LONDON, January IC. The first week's result of the Mansion House recruiting exceeds the Lord Mayor’s most sanguine expectations. Lord Derby, in a speech at Liverpool, strongly urged all eligibles who hitherto had held aloof to join while recruiting was still voluntary. He had done his utmost up to the eleventh hour and the fifty-ninth minute to make voluntaryism a success. GERMANY’S TREATMENT OP PRISONERS. RETURNED SOLDIER’S EXPERIENCE DRIVEN BAREFOOT IN THE SNOW AND LEFT TO DIE. FLOGGINGS FREQUENT. LONDON, January 16. Received January 17, 5.5 p.m. Private Wells, of the Suffolk Regiment, who has returned to England, describes the horrors of the treatment of prisoners at Wittenberg. He says; They took my overcoat during freezing weather and made me march in the snow barefooted. When I could not walk the doctors refused to treat me and left me to die. Three British doctors arrived, found gangrene, and operated, removing portions of both my feet. Bloggings were frequent.

When typhus broke out the German doctors bolted. THE ART OP MODERN WAR. ENEMY’S THOROUGHNESS AND ADAPTABILITY. 1914 METHODS AGAINST THOSE OP 1900. DEADLOCK INEVITABLE. EXHAUSTION THE ONLY END. LONDON, January 16. Received January 17, 5.5 p.m. Mr H. G. Wells, writing in the Daily Chronicle, pays a striking tribute to Gorman thoroughness and adaptability. A Russian, named Block, prior to the Boor war. declared that war was played out because when the combatants wete fairly equal the increasing defensive efticiencv of entrenched infantry would nullify the most brilliant strategy and attacks by superior numbers, resulting in a deadlock. Mr W’ells points out that the Germans studied Block, who was not translated into English. The Germans correctly reckoned that their HIM army had to oppose an enemy retaining 1000 methods. When the Germans built their strategic railways France should have prepared the most complete trench works. ihe Germans should never have passed Liege and the Ardennes. One of the marvellous maxims of the dark ages, which seem to be the chief reading of our military experts, stales that an -army which entrenches is defeated. Until the battle of the Marne the war was conductpd on the loose, mobile 1000 pattern. The Germans, confident in their overwhelming numbers, then abruptly changed (lie game, adopting 1014 rules, and entrenched, offending tho British sporting instincts. The Gormans did not expect the Allies to modernise so soon, but reckoned they could achieve victory with the Allies still fifteen years behind. We must not expect a triumphal entry into London. Paris, Berlin, or M oscotv. Block's prophecies have been justified on tho East front, on the West front, and at Gallipoli, and unless a sudden peace occurs the deadlock, of which the Balkans campaign is only a dramatic, tragic, speculative and inconclusive sequel, can end only hy the succumbing of the 'most exhausted and least mobile of the, shattered antagonists. COMBATANTS’ LOSSES. COMPUTED BY GENEVA RED CROSS. STUPENDOUS FIGURES. GENEVA, January IG. Received January 17, 5.:)5 p.m. The Red Cross Society estimates the losses to June, PJIS, as follows: Dead. Wounded. Prisoners. Britisii . ISO, 000 200,000 00,000 German;: . 1,600,000 1,050,000 520.000 Austrians 1,610,000 1,565,000 010,000 Turks .. 110,000 1 10,000 05,000 Other belligerents' figures arc incomplete.

TEADE WITH NHU'IBALS. STRICT SUPER VIST ON URGED. DEFINITE LIMITATION OP QUANTITY. LONDON, .lanuary 17. Received January 17, 11.25 P-tn, Lord Sydenham, in an interview, favours allowing neutrals to receive normal imports, plus a small percentage, then stretching a -complete chain against goods over the allowance on the presumption that they are intended for the enemy. HEW ZEALAND HONOURS. INVESTITURE AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. LONDON, January 17. , Received January 17, 11.-5 p.m. Sir Thos. Mackenzie and Mr Wray Palliser, C.8., attend Buckingham Palace for investiture. THE KAISER RECOVERED. REPORT PROM BERLIN. AMSTERDAM, January 17. Received January 17, 10.20 p.m. A Berlin telegram states that the Kaiser lias completely recovered, and lunched at Dr Von Bethmann-Hollweg’s Palace. LABOUR AND THE WAR. FEMALES MUST FILL THE GAPS. UNEMPLOYMENT DISAPPEARED. HIGH FOOD PRICES. LONDON, January 17. Received January 17, 10.20 p.m. Tlie Board of Trade’s Labour Gazette says that the growing shortage of male labour can only be met by a much larger influx of women. Pood prices this month have increased 45 per cent, as compared with July, 1914. The unemployment per centage is .6, the lowest on record. The number of labour disputes is the lowest for nine years.