GENERAL WAR NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17965, 5 March 1917, Page 2

GENERAL WAR NEWS

EARLIER CABLES 017 TEE WESTERN FRONT. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, March 2. The latest message from the British front states that our aeroplanes have been busy scouting and photographing in the clear sunlight. No German aeroplanes were seen. The enormous increase in railway material recently made at the British front will prove valuable in following up the Germans. Sunshine and fresh winds are drying the earth, making rapid road construction possible.

WHENCE AERIAL RAIDS. LONDON, March 2. A French communique states; We repulsed two German raids west at Soissons and raided a German tranch near Vauquois. A German aeroplane bombed Montdidier; one person was killed and three injured. Eleven French aeroplanes bombed the hutments at Guiscard and the railway stations at Appiliy, Badoeur, and Oise, causing fire at the last-named. THE SEE MARINE MENACE. AMSTERDAM, March 2. A German deserter from Hamburg dockyards says that the latest type of submarine is 350 ft. long, armed like a small cruiser, equipped with 20 torpedoes each, and manned by a crew of 32. Gangs are working day and night turning out submarines and light cruisers of the Stadt class. David Walker and William Jackson, two American sailors, were aboard the British vessel Gargorm Castle, 1595 tons, which was sunk without warning by gunfire by a submarine off the Irish coast. One boat was picked up; the other, with 12 aboard, Including Jackson and Walker, has apparently been swamped and lost.

IN MESOPOTAMIA. TURKS IN DISORDERLY RETREAT. LONDON, March 2. The pursuit in Mesopotamia was continued on Wednesday. The Turks are in great confusion. On Tuesday they passed through Azizyah. We are systematically clearing the battlefield and bringing in booty hourly. The captures since February 23 are : Prisoners, 4300, totalling 7000 since December; 28 guns, 19 trench mortars, 3 Turkish ships, 2 tugs, 10 barges, and 30 pontoons. GERMANY AND AMERICA. NEW YORK, March 2. The Senate voted by 64 to 15 in favour of the consideration of a bill empowering President Wilson to arm merchantmen, and giving his blanket powers to protect America’s sea rights. The large majority presages the adoption of the bill to-night. Germany has notified the State Department that the Yarrowdalc’s crew will be sent to Switzerland probably on March 7. Their detention is due to the fact that a British sailor in their camp is suffering from typhus. WASHINGTON, March 2., Congress by 403 votes to 13 passed the resolution authorising the President to arm merchantmen

MR GERARD SATE. LONDON, March 2. A wireless message from the steamer Infanta Isabel, now in mid-Atlantic, states that Mr Gerard is beyond the German danger zone, and that the voyage so far was without incident. GERMANS IN MEXICO AND CUBA. NEW YORK, March 2. From important papers stolen from the German Consulate at Jaurez on Thursday night it has been ascertained that 3000 Germans are working in Mexico endeavouring to cause war with America. They are banded together in an Iron Cross Society. The New York Herald’s Havana correspondent advises that the Germans offered aid to Cuban rebels as part of a scheme to embroil the United States. A RUSSIAN COMMUNIQUE. LONDON, March 2. A wireless Russian official message states that the Germans’ counter-attack drove the Roumanians from a height northward of the Zabal River. We annihilated two field posts north of Rimmita River. THE DARDANELLES INQUIRY. LONDON, March 2. In the House of Commons Sir R. W. Essex asked why preference was given to the party leaders in the matter of the Dardanelles report.

Mr Bonar Law admitted it was a new precedent, but considered it right that the leaders should know that the omissions did not affect the substance of the report, and were not made in anybody’s interests. Sir H. J. Dalziel asked if the leaders would be allowed to communicate with their colleagues. Mr Bonar Law ; The complete reports will be confidential. The Manchester Guardian protests against the publication of the censored Dardanelles report, and says that perhaps it would be better if it were withheld till after the war. The paper asks: Have the Government power to withhold a full report from the House of Commons ? It suggests that the Commissioners’ consent be secured before the wording is altered, otherwise it is not the Commissioners’ report.

INDIA. REMARKABLE WAS DEOOBD. DELHI, March 1. Sir William Meyer has presented the War Budget. The year closed with a surplus of £5,600,000, due to an exceptionally favourable monsoon and the remasrkable growth of the railway receipts. The heavy war expenditure has thrown a heavy strain on the Indian Government's resources, culminating in the recent restrictions. The remedies adopted include the purchase of sufficient silver to provide a coinage of 360 million new rupees. Arrangements were made for the regulation of the exchange, enabling the Government in the current year to invest in Imperial war issues to the extent of £27,000,000 in paper currency and gold standard reserves, also to discharge £7,500,000 of debt. Although the Indian Government at present hold £46,500,000 of British war securities, of which £35,000,000 is wholly new Investment and represents fresh resources placed at the Home Government’s disposal since the war began, independent of private Investments in British war loans, yet, owing to the unfavourable financial position in 1914-16, India has been unable to make a direct pecuniary subvention to the Home Government beyond the maintenance of her expeditionary forces. Sir William Moyer confirmed the Viceroy’s announcement that the Government are prepared to raise an unlimited war loan on the same terms as the British loans, contributing £100,000,000 to the Imperial Government. NEW TAXES. DELHI, Mnrcli 2. Tlie proceeds of the unlimited war loan Will be given to the Home Government. and the remainder of the contribution (-100 millions in all) will be effected by India taking over portion of the British War Department. Four and aquarter millions additional taxation is required, which will be realised as follows :—A supertax on large incomes, increasing by 100 per cent, the present jute export duty, an Increase in the cotton import duty and a surcharge on railway goods. At the conclusion of the speech legislation in connection with the proposed taxation Was to be introduced in the Council. EXPENSIVE HXTMOXJB. ROTTERDAM, March 2. The Germans have fined Ghent 100,000 marks and the burgomaster a similar amount for the alleged spreading of raise tidings.

It appears that the Germans posted up placards stating that enemy aeroplanes had killed certain citizens, and over the words “enemy aeroplanes” somone pasted a strip with the words "German Zeppelins.” The perpetrator of this terrible offence has not been discovered. COTTON DUTIES. LONDON, March 2. Manchester is alarmed over the proposed increase of Indian cotton duties. Opponents of the scheme say that Lancashire must be protected against any attempt to unduly favour Indian manufacturers. They say that the native growers will not benefit by the duties, but the Bombay mill-owners alone will gain, unless the increase in duties is balanced by a countervailing excise duty in India. RESTRICTIONS OF I IMPORTS. PARIS, March 2. It is officially announced that the French Government are carefully considering the effect on French trade owing to the restriction of British imports, and France has entered into pourparlers with London, which are being actively followed up. The British scheme includes provision for granting certain concessions. The French Government have the best reasons to think that Britain will give French exports the benefit of special licenses to an extent which will enable legitimate interests to be safeguarded. AFFAIRS IN GREECE. WORSTING SARRAUj’S LEFT SEAR. LONDON, March 2. Reuter’s correspondent at French Macedonian Headquarters states that Greek comitadjis in the neutral zone south of Korica surrounded and wiped out a patrol of a dozen men and afterwards mutilated their bodies. The state of affairs in the provinces of Old Greece is chaotic. The Government’s authority only is recognised here, and it coincidea with the inclination of the Greek reservists. ‘ The French General Staff have announced that they will treat comitadjis ruthlessly, and when caught they will be immediately shot without trial. FOOD ECONOMT AND COEONIAE HABITS. LONDON, March 2. In the House of Commons Mr Forster, Financial Secretary to the War Office, said there was not any doubt that there was wastage of food in the Salisbury Plain camp. This was probably due to it largely comprising colonial troops, who were higher paid than British troops. He promised to endeavour to prevent waste. the question or rations. LONDON, March 2. The Food Controller has decided on the compulsory rationing of hotels and restaurants as the existing regulations based on the number of courses have proved useless as a means to reduce the consumption of meat. The rationing will be based on a scale which Lord Devonport has asked the nation to accept voluntarily. Lord Devonport is takipg active steps to prevent retail prices increasing beyond last week’s level owing to the import restrictions, particularly of tea, whereof a rise of twopence a pound is announced. Many labour organisations favour a compulsory rationing system, and this view is growing in favour in the House of Commons. It is understood that 'a scheme has been prepared whereby ration tickets will be supplied through the post offices. The chief objection of the Government to its Immediate introduction is due to the enormous number of extra officials that would be required.

GENERAL ITEMS. AMSTERDAM, MSfch 2. The Bulgarian national debt was 616 million francs before the war; it is now 1900 million. Austro-Germany advanced 400 millions on account when Bulgaria joined the Central Powers. LONDON, March 2. The Press Bureau states that the representatives of the overseas Dominions attended to-day’s War Cabinet. The special meeting of the Imperial War Cabinet has been postponed pro tem. The Queen of Sweden hag a serious throat complaint. She proposes to visit Berlin to consult a specialist. Von Beseller has authorised the issue of 20 million Polish coins of the value of a mark, composed of iron and aluminium.