SEA SUPREMACY

Southland Times, Issue 17653, 10 February 1916, Page 5

SEA SUPREMACY

Allies’ Overwhelming Strength NAVAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE ADRIATIC Destroyers and Submarines Beaten Off RUSSIA’S MUNITION CRISIS The Cos! of Being Unprepared SHELL SHORTAGE RECTIFIED BRITAIN’S ECONOMY CAMPAIGN Serious German Food Riots IMPORTANT MILITARY CHANGES RUMOURED 555 th Pay of the War. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright)

NAVAL MATTERS

BRISK ENGAGEMENT. rOTB DESTROYERS FORCED TO PBEE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, February 9. Received Feb. 9th, 9.30 p.m. There was a brisk naval engagement in the Adriatic. French and British warships forced four destroyers to flee towards Cattaro. further particulars. DESTROYERS AND SUBMARINES DRIVEN OPT. PARIS, February 8. Received Feb. 9th, 9.45 p.m. The Admiralty describes the naval action in the Adriatic on the 6th. A British cruiser and a French torpedo boat covering the retreat of the Serbian army were fired on by four enemy destroyers, which fled. Next day the Allied vessels were attacked by submarines off Durazzo. A torpedo missed the cruiser. The submarines were driven off. SBA SUPREMACY, FAILURE OP GERMAN EPPORTS. ALLIES' INCREASED SUBMARINE STRENGTH. GERMANY’S MERCHANTMEN. LONDON, February 8. Received February 9, 7 p.m. An illuminating article in the Daily Chronicle on the Allies’ sea power says that Captain Perseus, in the Berliner Tageblatt, reviews the naval and maritime gains during the war, and shows that the losses of the British merchant marine owing to the German naval campaign are less than !5% P^ r cent, of the total tonnage, and admits that British sea power is stronger than at the beginning of the war. Regarding submarines, lie says that Germany had thirty submarines at the beginning of the war, and has probably about the same number now. The Allies’ submarines have greatly increased. Of twelve hundred German merchantmen two hundred were captured at the outset six hundred refuged in neutral ports, and most of the remainder have been docked at Hamburg and Bremen. THE FLEETS COMPARED. SUBMARINE STRENGTH. LONDON, February 9. Received February 9, 10 p.m. •The Allies’ sea power at the beginning of 1916 was thrice as strong as the enemies’, the figures being as follows: Allies. Enemy. Pre-Dreadnoughts ..89 33 Dreadnoughts & SuperDreadnoughts .... 6-Battle-cruisers 71 bo Lesser vessels 133 Destroyers It>u It is more difficult to compare submarine power, but it is believed that the proportion is the same as m the larger units. ADMIRAL- SIR HENRY JACKSON. RESIGNATION rumoured. LONDON, February 8. Received February 9, 9.1") p.m. The Dailv Telegraph publishes a rumour in regard to the impending resignation of Admiral Sir Henry Jackson (Commander-in-Ghief in the Mediterranean). The Admiralty refuses information-

WESTERN THEATRE

GERMAN REPORT. lost trenches recovered, (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) AMSTERDAM, February 0. Received Feb. oth, 0..’!0 p.m. The German comunique claims that they counter-attacked and recovered the position lost south of the Somme. On Sunday night an aerial .squadron homhed the railway buildings at Poperinghc. and the British camp between that town and Dixinudc,

EASTERN THEATRE

RUSSIA’S MUNITION CRISIS. THE CAUSE OP THE RETREAT. TROUBLE NOW OVERCOME. GERMANY’S INEVITABLE PATE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, February 8. A remarkable story is told of how Russia recovered from the munitions crisis of 1915 by M. Polivanoff, Minister of Wan,.who said that the situation in December, 1914, was extremely harassing, but in June. 1915, the crisis was tragic. The Russian army was forced to retreat owing solely to a lack of shells. This position was the more regrettable because everything then was favourable to Russia winning, but the lack of munitions paralysed us and forced us slowly to retreat in order to gain time and to prepare. To-day the munitions crisis no longer exists, and it is only a sinister memory. The first results of our labours were evident in .September, 1915, when our batteries could make themselves felt. Since then there has been an absolute transformation in our industrial activity. With our national production and the fact that the enormous markets abroad can be dispensed with, we can look to the future with confidence. All grave gaps are now filled, the, morale of the troops is excellent, and, thanks to the recent mobilisation of great masses of men and the doubling of the permanent depots, we have a permanent reserve of a million and a-half of young recruits. We are thus able to feed the various units without sending them to the front insufficiently trained. It is a matter of capital importance to maintain the units complete, and this has now been secured. In a word, as the war is prolonged so the Allied forces will increase and those of their enemies decrease. The Germans may invent new apparatus and war machines, but such expedients cannot modify their inevitable fate.

m MESOPOTAMIA

CHIVALRY OP THE TURKS. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) LONDON, February 8. A British officer tells the following story of the chivalry of the Turks. At Ctesiphon, a barge carrying three hundred British wounded was stuck in the mud with the medical personnel aboard. She was abandoned, but the Turks towed her off under the white flag and sent her back to the British camp unharmed.

HIGH COMUfISSIOHER’S REPORTS

The High Commissioner reports as follows, London 9th, 5.50 a.m.:— Petrograd reports that Black Sea ships bombarded Turkish position on the Anatolian coast. A squadron of Russian seaplanes bombed a steamer anchored at Hunguldak. The High Commissioner reports, London, 9th. 1.50 a.m..- — A column of infantry was dispersed by the French artillery close to Lassingry. The mine contest continues in Argonne to our advantage.

GENERAL HEWS

ECONOMY CAMPAIGN. PEOGEESS IN BRITAIN. CBy Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) I.ONDON, February 9. ■Received February p.m. The economy campaign is proceeding apace. .Mr Booth, chairman of the Cunard Company, speaking at Fiverpool, urged that individual thrift should be .secured by ruthless taxation. There should be a great increase of income and supertaxes. Voluntary effort may help but it cannot win the war. Focal authorities are vigorously cutting down rates, the reductions equalling a shilling in the pound. In most boroughs the postal deliveries have been reduced to two daily.

STEW GERMAN NATIONAL ANTHEM COMPOSED BY THE KAISEB, . BERNE, February 9. Received February 9, 11.25 p.m. The Kaiser has composed the words for a new National Anthem, and has commanded Strauss to compose the music. The Germans are gratified, resenting the existing tune which is identical with the British National Anthem. the strain or the "war. GERMAN STATEMENT. LONDON, February S. Received February 9, 9.45 p.m. A German wireless states that Dr Karl Helfferich (German Imperial Treasurer), replying to Sir Edward Holden, asserts that England’s exports have been crippled bv one half, while her imports have increased, till the • balance of trade against England amounts to £500,000,000 instead of £150,000,000. The war is costing Britain 2s per day per head, and Germany Is.

Sir Edward Holden, chairman of the London and Midland Bank, in a remarkable analysis of the financial situation, said that London is still the borrowing and gold centre of the world. The pound sterling never had to carry such a load as at present, and naturally had declined in value in accordance with the law of supply and demand; but, while its exchange value in New York had depreciated 1.9 per cent., in Holland 10.3 per cent., in Spain .6 per cent., and in Scandinavia 3.9 per cent., it had enormously appreciated elsewhere. The pound sterling was above par in Paris by 10.8, per cent., and in Italy by 25.4 per cent. The decline in Holland was due to our’having exported there during the war only £17,500,000 worth of goods, while we hadj •imported £28,500,000 worth. We could; readjust this by sending gold to Holland,, but it might find its way to Germany. The Bank of England has £50,000,000 in* gold, the Government has £28,000,000; joint stock banks have also large sums,, while there is a continuous flow of,gold’j from South America, THE CLAN MACTAVISH. | CREW AND PASSENGERS TAKEN f PRISONER. I NEW YORK, February* 8. Received February 9, 7 p.m. Lieut. Berg states that, with the*ex-' ception of fifteen Lascars killed and. four wounded, all the passengers and; crew of the Clan MacTavish were-pris-* oners aboard the Moewe. The Clan MacTavish, which was Homeward-bound from New Zealand, and Australia, was attacked by the German raider which captured the Appam.. The Clan MacTavish refused to surren-* der and opened fire on the German steamer, which had the advantage of moreand heavier guns than those mounted on. the stern of the British ship. After a, gallant fight the Clan MacTavish went, down with her colours flying, her crew being rescued by the Germans. The* Clan. MacTavish was owned by Messrs Irvine and Co., Ltd., of Glasgow, > SUGAR RESTRICTIONS. | REDUCED CONSUMPTION URGED LONDON, February 9. j Received February 9, 9.30 p.m. The Sugar Commission announces that owing to the shortage of tonnage further restrictions on importation are necessary, and it expects the public to reI duce the consumption of sugar, jams, biscuits, and sweetmeats, in order to keep the . price down and also influence the rate of exchange GERMAN POOD RIOTS. jBUTCHERS’ SHOPS PLUNDERED. AMSTERDAM, February 9. Received February . 9, 9.30 p.m. During food riots the Berlin police charged and wounded many people. There were similar occurrences at Aachen, where the police were powerless. A number of butchers’ shops were plundered. GERMAN PAPER NOT ACCEPTABLE. LONDON, February 9. Received February 9, 9.30 p.m. Reuter's Agency states that the German Consular officials in Holland refuse to accept the payment of fees in German paper money, and demand German gold or Dutch currency at the pre-war rate of exchange. GERMANY GETS BRITISH MONEY. DUTCH FIRM’S TRICKERY. LONDON, February 9. Received February 9, 9.30 p.m. The Chronicle’s Amsterdam correspondent states that thousands of pounds of English money yearly is finding its way into Germany through a Dutch firm selling coupons for foreign bonds in London, and making a false declaration that they came from a Dutch holder, and that the proceeds do not benefit the enemy directly or indirectly. hi i m hks AND COMPULSION. DISCUSSION IN CAMERA. LONDON, February 9. Received February 9, 9.30 p.m. The Miners’ Conference at Lancaster is discussing in camera the attitude to be adopted towards the Military Service Act. importation of films. CONSTERNATION IN THE TRADE. LONDON. February 8. Received February 9, 9.45 p.m. The probability that the importation of films will be forbidden caused consternation in the industry. Speakers at a meeting of the trade stated that if importation was forbidden the majority of the picture-theatres would have to close down. THE KING’S HEALTH. WILL NOT OPEN PARLIAMENT. LONDON, February S. Received February 9, 9.45 p.m. Reuter’s Agency announces that King George was prepared to open Parliament, but yielded to medical advice that he should not undertake the duty in his present state of convalescence. ALLIES’ CO-OPERATION. FRENCH PREMIER VISITS ITALY. PARIS, February S. Received February 9, 9.45 p.m. M. Briand will shortly visit Italy to confer with M. Salandra on the question of co-ordination in order to secure that the total strength of the Allies will be wielded where the enemy is weakest. dominion posters. GOOD RECRUITING AGENCIES. LONDON, February 9. Received February 9, 9.45 p.m. Considerable public interest was tak.en in the exhibition of Australian, New Zealand and other dominion pasters at the Mansion House as part of a vigorous recruiting campaign which Alderman Sir Chas. Wakefield recently inaugurated. The Lord Mayor also entertained many Australian and New Zealand wounded at tea. The Dailv Telegraph remarks that the pictures breathe the virile fighting spirit of our heroic kinsmen overseas. MORE GERMAN PLOTS. CONSUL INDICTED. SAX FRANCISCO, February 8. The German Consul, General Bopp, has indicted for participation in a conspiracy plot to originate a military expedition against Canada and also to blow up munition plants. MILITARY CHANGES KITCHENER TO BE RELIEVED important work elsewhere LONDON. February 8. The Daily Sketch says that changes of great importance arc contemplated. Lord Kitchener will probably leave the Wiir Office, and General Sir William Robertson, Chief of Staff, will take over the active direction of the war, without any interference except by a full Cabinet. A civilian of real organising ability will become Secretary of War. In that event I„oVd Kitchener will be free for important work elsewhere.