General War News

Southland Times, Issue 17657, 15 February 1916, Page 2

General War News

European Theatre VIOLENT FIGHTING ON EAST PBONT. RUSSIANS PRESSING THE ATTACK. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, February 13. Berlin messages, via Amsterdam, state that the fighting in Bukowina was again of the most violent nature. The Russian attacks on the llaranze heights, near Czcrnowitz, were particularly terrible, and desperate hand-to-hand fighting lasted for hours. Most of the infantry fighting occurs at night, the artillery prevailing in the daytime. To-day's French wireless says : There is much Russian infantry activity on the Volhynian front and in East Galicia. Strong detachments attacked the Austrian lines in the Tarnapol region. There has been violent fighting on the Bessarabian frontier. The German official message merely remarks that advances by Russian patrols at several points of the front were repulsed. SALONIKA IMPREGNABLE. REORGANISES SERBS. PARIS, February 13. Tiie Paris Journal’s Salonika correspondent says that it is difficult to anticipate any serious military event during the rainy season, which has just commenced, and will probably last to the middle of March. It will also be necessary to act promptly before the hot, unhealthy season sets in over the Macedonian marshes. This season lasts from May to September. It is not true that the Germans have abandoned the offensive against Salonika, but success Is hopeless. The Serbians’ reorganised numbers surpass the most sanguine hopes. SERBIAN MS P. AT NICE. PARTS, February 13. A hundred members of the Serbian Parliament have arrived at Nice. CONSULS EXPELLED PROM MONASTER. LONDON, February 13. Router’s Salonika correspondent states that the Germans expelled the Greek and Roumanian Consuls from Monastir, fearing that they would learn the Aus-tro-Gennan plans in that region. The Roumanian Consul declares that the Bulgarians are terrorising Greeks at Monastir and ill-using the women. MONTENEGRIN CAMPAIGN DIFFICULT. COPENHAGEN, February 13. General von Kocvess states that great difficulty is being experienced in the pursuit of the Montenegrins in the mountains. Only one-third of-Montenegro has been occupied and only one-tenth of the rifles have been captured. Prisoners of war do not exceed four thousand. RAIDER NEAR GIBRALTAR. NEW YORK, February 13. A recent arrival reports that the ship was chased by an enemy ship near Gibraltar. Some suggest that the latter was the Moewe. ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE. RIO DE JANEIRO, February 13. The German steamer Ascuncion attempted to slip out of Belem harbour bn the pretext of changing her anchorage. Guardships opened fire, and the Ascuncion returned to her anchorage. PREFERENTIAL TARIFF. GROWTH OP THE MOVEMENT. LONDON, February 13. Tbe Spectator’s conversion to colonial trade preference is arousing comment. The Spectator thus justifies preference. "We feel most strongly when we consider not only the gallantry with which the overseas Britons fought for us, but the fact that they are generously bearing a large portion of our burden. We must, if only by way of compliment and as a salute of gratitude to man, flesh and blood, give a special welcome to their goods at our ports. Preference for things grown Within the Empire will include wheat and meat, which we desire to tax very lightly, though It will be necessary to raise some revenue from them. When, the war is over the need for such a tariff will remain, but there will be no necessity for restrictions of trade beyond that. No freetrader can raise objections to colonial preference as long as it is properly and wisely worked. The freetrader’s ideal should not be merely to give preference to the colonies by halving the tariff, but by trading absolutely freely. Then the Freetrader and the Preferentialist will indeed march hand-in-hand. SHIPPING SHORTAGE. LONDON, February 3 3. The Central News Agency reports that shipbuilders in Glasgow state that the Government is granting facilities for the completion of half a million tons of merchant shipping to relieve the shortage. GERMANY’S SUBMARINE POLICY. AMSTERDAM, February 33. A semi-official Berlin message says : —Now that the memorandum' regarding submarine war has been published also Dr von Bothmann-HoUweg’s declaration expressing the feeling of the entire nation that he could not allow Germany to be humilitatecl or robbed of her submarine weapon, the Budget Committee of the. Diet publishes the following resolution, which was adopted on February 9“The committee would consider it injurious if the Government’s attitude towards America should restrict her freedom to revive at the opportune momonf an unlimited and thereby fullyef’fectivc submarine war against England.” AIR REPRISALS CONDEMNED. LONDON, February 13. Sir S, O. Buckmaster (Lord Chancellor), in a speech at Keighley, denounced the suggestion to commit the black tragedy of murdering innocent Germans by way of reprisals for air raids. HIDES FOR BRITAIN. ROME, February 33. Italy is releasing a quantity of heavy Italian hides each week. These are required for British Army boots. A War Office return gives Italy a month’s option to purchase Dacca kips. DERBY RECRUITS. ALL SINGLE MEN CALLED UP. LONDON, February 13. The announcement calling up the remaining eleven classes of unmarried men came as a surprise, as it was expected that they would be called up in batches at intervals. There ahs been activity at the War Office during the last few days. It is noteworthy in this connection that tiie Army Council sent new recruiting instructions to Birmingham pointing out that the calling up of the four groups had resulted in the obtaining of a very small percentage of possibles. The lists must be revised continually. It is also believed, hut not confirmed, that the younger married men of the Derby groups will be notified within a month. ASHMEAD BARTLETT’S LECTURES. SYDNEY, February 11. Mr Ash mead Bartlett, in his first lecture, expressed an unshakeable belief in the ultimate triumph of the Allies in tiie Balkans. The threats of invading Egypt were more hlufl', The Mesopotamia trouble would be settled if we were given time. Our great chance would come this year on the western front.