GENERAL WAR NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17936, 30 January 1917, Page 2

GENERAL WAR NEWS

EARLIER CABLES

WEST FRONT

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright)

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

SYDNEY, January 29

Brigadier - general Antill, writing from the front, emphasising the necessity for more men, says: The next six months will be the most critical time in the war, which is going to be won or lost during that period. There is no doubt but that our leakage from casualties in France has been very great.

THE VERDUN ATTACKS

PARIS, January 28

Military critics consider that the German attack on the left bank of the Meuse portends, not a great offensive, but an attempt to hamper the preparations for a French attack, which the Germans fear to be imminent.

WAR LOAN APPEAL

LONDON, January 28,

Mr Hayes Fisher, M.P., speaking at Ealing, said the War Loan must be raised by the combined efforts of millions of citizens. The war would not he finished in 1917 unless we were prepared for still greater privations. The cost of the war to Germany was about the same as to England, and we would emerge impoverished naturally, but Germany would be bankrupt. British money would be forthcoming if we onlythought of the thousands of splendid lives already given, of the 5000 men in the country to-day who had lost an arm or a leg, of the 2200 men in France who had lost their eyesight, and of the millions ready to give their all in Freedom’s cause.

The Church of Ireland has subscribed £1,400,000 to the War Loan.

TURKS AND BULGAR3

ROME, January' 28,

The Corriere DTtalla’s Berne correspondent states that General von Mackensen has intimated that unless he is speedily reinforced his armies in Roumania will soon be critically situated. Both Sofia and Constantinople have replied that they are unable to send further troops.

THE ITALIAN FRONT

HOME, January 28

The Emperor Carl, the Archduke Eugene, Marshall von Hindenburg, and General Ludendorff recently visited the Austro-Italian front, and held a council of war, at which von Hindenburg said he considered the Austrian defences Inadequate, and urged the immediate construction of additional works.

TURKISH INTRIGUE

LONDON, January 28.

Turkish agents are attempting to create fresh trouble In Aby'sslnia, while in the Italian Erltea they are stirring up the Mohammedan elements. They are also sending arms and ammunition to the natives of British Somaliland.

THE PHILIPPINES.

WASHINGTON, January 28,

Senator W. A. Smith states that a fortnight prior to his death Admiral Dewey told him that von Diedericks, the German Admiral at Manila during the Spanish - American War, planned to take possession of the Philippines in the name of Germany, who had agreed to purchase them from Spain, the objective being to create great German possessions in the Far East.

NEW YEAR GREETINGS

(JPcr United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON. January 29,

The Governor has received through the Secretary of State for the Colonies the following cablegram:— His Majesty the King of Roumania sends the following reply to New Year’s greetings; I beg to convey to the Government of New Zealand my heartfelt thanks for the expression of their warm sympathy with my country and their good wishes for the new year. Trusting that the hard times we are passing through will soon be over. I feel myself at one with our Allies in the firm resolution of fighting till we obtain that final victory which will assure lasting peace and welfare of our countries.

AN IMPERIAL SCHEME

LONDON. January 28

Reuter learns that an Empire Resources Development Committee, under the chairmanship of Sir Starr Jamieson, has been formed to promote the development by the State of the Empire’s resources, with a view to assisting in the payment of war debts. The committee include Lord Selbourne, Earl Grey, Lord Islington, Mr Kipling, Mr Moreton Frewen, Mr Hodge (Labour Minister), Sir Horace Plunket, Sir Arthur Lawley, Mr Henry Wilson Fox, and Mr Henry Birchenough. The committee advocate firstly, the conservation for the benefit of the Empire of such natural resources as are or may come under the ownership or control of the Imperial, the Dominions, ar the Indian Governments; secondly, the development *of selected resources of the Empire under conditions giving the State an adequate share in the proceeds; and thirdly, the subsequent appointment of a board to carry out these objects.

NAVAIi BENEFZCIARES.

LONDON, January 28,

Sir Charles Cayger left £2,204,148. He bequeathed £IO,OOO to each of his sons-in-law —Admiral Sir John Jelllcoe and Rear-admiral Charles Edward Madden (Third Sea Lord of the Admiralty and Chief of Staff to the Admiral Command. ing-in-Chief). *

FRENCH FINANCE

LONDON, January 28. The deposits with the Bank of France last year totalled over £200,000,000.

GERMANY AHD AMERICA

WASHINGTON, January 28

A Berlin wireless message states that Germany endorses President Wilson’s Monroe Doctrine plea, but wants no interference by any outside Power in peace negotiations.

NATIONAL SERVICE.

LONDON, January 28

Mr Neville Chamberlain, National Director, explains that he is preparing an early scheme to utilise woman power similar to man power, but not on the same scale. It will probably include girls of 15 and women up to 48 or 50. Mrs Ray Strachey, honorary assistant secretary of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, which placed some thousands of women as volunteers in the works, urges Mr Neville Chamberlain to establish a women’s department, staffed and controlled entirely by women. She urges that under his direction such a department would ensure the proper recruitment and selection of women suited to their respective tasks; the women would also be inspected and cared for by women, and fed and housed accoring to their needs.

BRITAIN AND RUSSIA

PETROGRAD, January 28

M. Sazanoff, newly appointed Ambassador to Britain, is quoted as remarking: “Tlie Alliance concluded with Britain against the common enemy is now permanent, and is based on community of interests. I see in the growing friendship of the two nations the realisation of the most sacred dream of my life, safeguarding to our children and grandchildren the benefits of the secure peace of the whole world. It must be acknowledged that with such resources as ours the war is actually won.”

PROTEST AGAINST SLAVERY

AMSTERDAM, January 28

The Dutch section of the League of Neutral Countries has sent a message to all neutrals asking their support to the league efforts to stop German’s shameful deportations.

KAISER'S BIRTHDAY

AMSTERDAM, January 28.

The German papers, in featuring the Kaiser's birthday, emphasises the statement that Germany -will follow the Kaiser through thick and thin until the end of the war.

The Kaiser has received addresses from all parts of his empire. Replying to that of Berlin Academy of Science, he said he knew Germany was ready to sacrifice her blood and treasure to secure a Germany victory, which was only obtainable by the might of the German sword.

The Kaiser has pardoned a large number of convicted sailors, soldiers, and civilians.

The Kaiser spent his birthday at the German Headquarters on the eastern front, with the Kaiserine, the Emperor Carl, Chancellor Hollweg, Herr Zimmerman, and Marshal von Hindenburg. At luncheon the Emperor Carl, in toasting the Kaiser, declared that the successes of their allied arms inspired him with confidence regarding future operations. The Kaiser, in responding, said: “Austria and Germany, with their allies, will fight for a peace in which the bonds of friendship have been hardened by blood and iron, and will be characterised by equal strength and loyalty in labours in peace time.”

BXT BAYING RUSSIAN CAPTIVES

PETROGRAD, January 28

The Committee of Inquiry into the Germany atrocities against prisoners publish the statement of a private in the Dublin Fusiliers, who saw at Mannheim a group of Russian prisoners, surrounded by an escort, in marching order. A captain proposed to the prisoners that they should work on the French front, but they declined, whereupon the escort beat them with rifle butts and stabbed them with bayonets, while the officer beat them on the head with the flat of his sword, and then used the point ot his sword. The wounded prisoners were thrust into the train for removal to the front. British prisoners protested loudly, and were locked in their barracks.

BOOTING IN POLAND

NEW YORK, January 28

The New York Times has received an authentic story of the German rule in Poland. The conquerors looted Vilna, where the deathrate has increased fourfold. All the food was seized and then resold to the inhabitants, and the stores were sacked and their contents taken to Berlin. There is an increasing search for money. All commercial life has been suppressed. Forced labour for semi-military purposes is universal, those impressed including septuagenarians. Many workers have been deported to Germany. Food is so scarce that the Germans have a factory at Vilna for treating horseflesh. STOCKHOLM, January 28.

Three Swedes have been arrested for attempting to take a sleigh filled with high explosives across the Finnish fronttier. The explosives were packed as preserved meat. A large number of bombs were also found in a railway train about to leave the frontier. It is believed that there was a Germanp lot either to blow up the Russian munitions stores or the railway line In order to hamper the transport of munitions between Skibotten and Rouanieri.

GERMANY’S HUNGER

COPENHAGEN, January 28

At a meeting of the Town Council of Neukoeln, a Berlin suburb, Herr Heitmann, a Socialist, in protesting against the Government further diminishing the potato, bread and flour rations, said it was impossible to live on two kilograms of potatoes weekly, but now it was proposed to reduce the ration to one and ahalf kilograms per 10 days. The directors of the Neukoeln Food Office stated that supplies were short, and quite inadequate for the workers. There were hundreds of demands, which the office was unable to supply, as the Government left them In the lurch. He declined all responsibility for what whisht happen.

TRENCH raid succeeds

LONDON. January 28

A French communique states: We were completely successful in a coup de main between Le's Eparges and France de Calonne. We found numerous bodies in the trenches, and secured much booty. (Les Eparges is on the Meuse Heights about 20 miles south-east of Verdun.)

OESBIAN COLONIES.

THE HAGUE, January 28

Baron Von Rechenberg, a former Governor of German East Africa, writing in the Nordundsud, says: “The Fatherland must have a colony on which it can depend on in the next war. Australasia is unsuitable, because Australia is becoming too strong, and would menace the German colonies.”

He advocates securing a colony consisting of a vast portion of the French and Belgian Congo, and the exchanging of Koio-chau, New Guinea, and other Australasian islands and Togoland for British East Africa, Uganda, Northern Rhodesia, and Nyassaland. Such a colonial Empire, he says, could easily be defended from the sea, would be worthy of Germany’s enterprising spirit, and would yield all the raw material required.

NORTH piRA RESTRICTIONS

COPENHAGEN, January 28,

The new British regulations affecting shipping in the North Sea have been published. While not greatly affecting Danish shipping, they gravely affect fishing, the new minefields cutting off some good fishing grounds.

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS.

THE HAGUE, January 28,

The Dutch Foreign Minister, addressing the Second Chamber, protested against Britain holding up Dutch grain ships; but he admitted that armed merchantmen would be regarded as warships if they entered Dutch colonial ports, unless they were merely taking provisions there.

THE SCHELDT WATERWAY.

ROTTERDAM, January 28,

The Germans, after many failures, have raised the Austrian liner Gneisenau at Antwerp. The Germans now pompously announce that the last hindrance to the navigation of Antwerp has been removed.

SUBMARINES,

WASHINGTON, January 28

Mr Leyrill Brown, the New York World’s Berlin correspondent, states that the conviction is growing in naval circles in Germany that the submarine campaign against merchantmen! must settle the war. The submarine ravages of recent months have whetted the German desire for further deeds, and there is a growing tendency to regard all armed merchantmen as fair game. The ruthless submarining party are tugging at the leash, which may shortly be loosed.

LONDON, January 28

Lloyd’s reports that the British steamer Tobasco (2987 tons) and a small Norwegian steamer have been sunk. The Matina and Jotunfjild, previously reported sunk, have reached port, the latter in a damaged state. [On this point, a paragraph by the “Lookout Man” in the latest issue of Fairplay to hand (December 14) states; From the belated and rather frantic efforts which were recently made to meet the situation, the {Aiblic concluded that the submarine warfare had been so successful that our food-carrying fleet would soon not be sufficient to cope with tiome requirements. As a matter of fact, if the destruction of our mercantile tonnage went on uninterruptedly for another five years at the present rate there would still be enough ships to carry all essential food and equipment stuffs for the Army and the civil population. Our losses, in fact, ore only excessive in comparison with our requirements for carrying on normal trade; that is to say, h' war stopped to-day, and the world’s ordinary business could be resumed as on 4th August, 1914, the shortage of tonnage would cause a freight boom such as the nation has never seen.]

ajtotheq write star victim.

LONDON, January 28. The Laurentic has been sunk, while working in the Government service. [The Laurentic was % White Star liner of 14,892 tons and IS-hnot speod, combated in 1908.1

A BTJSSIAN REPORT

LONDON, January 28,

.Russian official: Wo repulsed two attacks west of Riga, and the Germans fled in disorder.

Wc attacked along both sides of the Kimpolung-Jakobeni road (MoldaviaBukowina sector) and after a stubborn fight we broke through fortified enemy positions along a front of three versts.

SOUIQi OFEBATIOBS.

LONDON, Januao' 28,

German official: The British penetrated a small section of our works south-west of Le Transloy (on the Per-onne-Bapaume road).

dL’EKLiK TEBSZOir.

LONDON, January 28,

German oflcial: Russian attacks broke down with heavy losses on the north bank of the River Aa. Russian pressure compelled us to move nearer to the east bank of the Golden Bystritza (which rises in Bastern-Hun-gary among the Carpathians, cuts across the south-west corner of Bukowina to the west of Kimpolung, and flows through Northern Moldavia into the Seretii. Jakobeni stands on its eastern bank).

furious battle baouto.

PETUOGRAD, January 28,

A furious battle is raging in the Riga sector, along a 50-kilomctrc front. The rivers and the ground are frozen, the temperature being 20deg. below zero. The Germans, with important reserves and plenty of artillery, made obstinate attempts to break the Russian linos, but failed, and they sustained considerable losses.

HAEDEN PROPHESIES,

AMSTERDAM, January 28

Herr Maximilian Harden, writing In Die Zukunft, expresses the opinion that President Wilsons’ speech will be fruitful, despite the coldness of its reception. Harden foresees that France will be preserved from exhaustion; that Belgium will be restored, Germany paying half the cost and Britain and France a quarter each; that Britain and Germany will become reconciled, Germany receiving some coaling stations and colonies; that Austria-Hungary will he transformed by a federation similar to that which Germany underwent, and this new federation will include an independent Serbia and possibly some other Balkan States,

SOB TKAXHOTCt OF STEW ZEALAND TB.OOFS. LOSS ZrOBTHCEZFFE AITSWEBED,

(Per United Press Association)

WELLINGTON, January 29-

Enquiries regarding the criticism by Lord Northcliffe of the New Zealand Division in Eranco show that to carry out his suggestion of shorter training here would mean the speeding up of the departure of existing reinforcements in camp. In other words, we should be sending three drafts, comprising 7500 men, ahead of commitments. This, however, is impossible of achievement, because transports are not available. To apply the proposal to succeeding drafts here would mean they would receive less training in New Zealand without reaping any advantage in the war zone, the reason being that to meet the existing commitments they would not arrive in England a day sooner. It would mean merely that the date of their mobilisation here would be postponed, and not the date of their arrival in England be advanced.

On the other hand, to provide further training for all future draJfts by curtailing the period here would mean calling up all drafts earlier and their departure correspondingly sooner. The effect of this would be that according to the length of curtailment New Zealand would be required to raise one, two, or three extra drafts in addition to its present undertaking. This would mean an extra 2500, 5000, or 7500 men, according to the number of drafts. New Zealand is already committed to the raising of 100,000 men if the war lasts for the full three years, and this extra obligation cannot be undertaken lightly. It is pointed out that the New Zealand system should be judged by results, also that a big percentage of the instructors in Trcntham and Featherston are officers who have returned from the front. Further instruction in the new system of bayonet fighting has been in progress at Trentham since September last, and the first draft receiving it arrived in England this month. The system since has been more fully developed, so that this complaint in future should be removed by the arrival of succeeding drafts.

RIFLES DISAPPEAR.

AUCKLAND. January 29,

News from Tonga reports the disappearance from the stores of a German firm of a case of rifles, which it is understood have caused further restrictions on the liberty of German residents.

prisoners or was nr tubkey.

WELLINGTON. January 29,

The Hon. Jas. Allen has received from the High Commissioner the following additional list of members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who are prisoners of war in Turkey;— Sergeant Gordon Salway (2nd Wellington Mounted Rifles), Trooper C. C. Bowen, Trooper J. C. McLennan, Trooper D. McLeod, Trooper W. M. Martin, Trooper Arthur Pearce, Trooper D. L. Quintal, Trooper J. H. Saunders (Auckland Mounted Rifles). All are at Afion Kara Hissar, The Minister has also received advice that owing to the peculiar circumstances prevailing in Turkey, special arrangements have been made for remittance money to New Zealand soldiers who are prisoners in that country.

DEPORTED FROM SAMOA.

AUCKLAND, January 29,

Albert J. Arlow, formerly commission agent in Auckland, and latterly in business at Samoa, arrived by the island steamer last night under sentence by the military authorities on a charge not divulged. He was committed to Auckland Gaol. A German brought from the island under escort is understood to be charged with being in possession of firearms.