General War News

Southland Times, Issue 17654, 11 February 1916, Page 2

General War News

European Theatre PEACE OPFEKED TO BELGIUM. REJECTED BY KING- AIBEBT. NO SEPARATE NEGOTIATIONS. (By Telegraph—Preqs Assn.—Copyright) HOME, February 9. The Giornale d'ltalia states that Germany recently proposer! a separate peace to Belgium, based on restoration of territory as before the %var, King Albert’s return to the throne, an indemnity by Genrany for damages, a treaty of commerce (ostensibly favourable to Belgium but in reality favourable to Germany, inasmuch as Antwerp and Ostend were to become German ports). King Albert and his Government rejected the proposals, declaring that, negotiations were impossible without the Allies' consent or before Germany was conquered. One of the chief intermediaries was the Germanophile Monsignor Porcelli, Papal Nuncio at Havre. ECONOMY CAMPAIGN. ; EDUCATION VOTE SEDUCTION. LONDON, February 9. In connection with the economy campaign, the London County Council is considering a reduction of the education vote by £900,000, including £150,000 in teachers’ salaries, £50,000 in cost of prizes and scholarships, £94,000 in cleaning and repairing of schools, and £500,000 in new buildings. When Lord Derby’s groups are called up the teachers in London will be reduced by 3000. Their substitutes will be chiefly young women with three months’ training. WAR CINEMAT O GBAPHY. PARIS, February 9. Kiuematograph films, which are immensely useful to*th ©.French staff, are being obtained bv photographers. These volunteers must have nerves of steel and be willing to take great risks. They fly ill aeroplanes at a low altitude, and, if *.n accident occurs, a special device destroys tiie films and prevents the enemy from securing them. The films show the enemy’s trenches, the moving of troops, and the firing of guns. Photographs are taken from seaplanes sometimes showing moving periscopes. SERBIAN REFUGEES. PARIS, February 9. Eighty, thousand Serbian civilians have landed in France and thirty thousand in Italy. PHENCE SEVENTY-FIVES. PARIS, February 9. The Matin’s correspondent, when visiting an exhibition of war trophies at Berlin, noticed the absence of French seventy-fives. He was informed that these had been sent to Essen to be transformed into defence guns for use against aviatora. COTTON FOR SWITZERLAND. 1 CAIRO, February 9. The export of cotton to Switzerland will be permitted if it be consigned to the Swiss Society of Supervision and Control. GERMAN MINE ACTIVITY. PARIS, February 9. The communique states : The Germans exploded two heavily-charged mines westward of La frolic and penetrated some sectors of our front trenches, which were shattered by the explosion and also some points of our parallel trench. The enemy were driven out by grenade attack. Fighting continues. HEAVY ENEMY CASUALTIES. LONDON, February 9. Reliable information lias reached diplomatic eircles that the number of German wounded transferred through Belgium after the recent attack at Frise was greater than after live battle of Loos. MOVEMENTS OF GERMAN TROOPS, LONDON, February 9. Tiie Observer states in connection witli the reported imposing movement of German troops towards the western front that, although it is desired to create such an impression these movements are by no means as important as those earlier in the war. What is taking place is a common shifting of units along the western front. PROTRACTED VOYAGE, LONDON, February 9. City shippers in discussing the Appam question point out that a Dutcli steamer which recently arrived in America took six months to cross the Atlantic. She. belongs to a Dutch firm, which is believed to be German-controlled.