In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 307, 28 December 1914, Page 5

In the West.

FRANCE'S WAR EXPENDITURE.

United Pbess Association. Paris, December 24

The Chamber of Deputies unanimously passed a credit of 341 millions, including 241 millions for war expenditure, to be met by Treasury bonds and advances by the Bank of France. Fourteen millions have been advanced, to Belgium, Servia, Greece, and Montenegro. France's war expenditure for one year is estimated at 550 millions sterling. The Senate passed a Bill, postponing all elections till the end of the war.

Times and Stdney Sun Hkbviobw

London ,December 24

In the French Chambers there were impressive demonstrations of national unity. The seats of the Deputies who bad fallen in the field were ornamented" with tricolor scarves, and draped with crepe. The voice of the whole nation was heard in the thutvlers of applause which greeted the calm and defiant passages, stating France's unfaltering resolve to fight to the finish.

PARIS PEDESTRIAN PRAISED.

TIMM AND BTDNIY BVX SbBVIOU. (Received 8.0 « TO.) London, Dt :emer 27.

Henri Si ret, the runner,hearing it was specially mentioned in Paris that it was necessary to carry an important despatch eight miles in forty minutes, and no cyclist being available, pleaded to be entrusted with the message. The captain accepted him, and with tears in his eyes warned him to swallow the message in the event of capture. Siret set off across the heavy muddy fields, running with his long low stride as calmly as if he were on the track being under artillery and rifle fire. He readied his destination quicker than it was possible for a motorist if he could have kept going. ALSACE AND LORRAINE. MADAME POINCARE REMEMBERS THE CHILDREN. Trail and Sydnw* Son Sbbviom. (Received 8.0 a.m.) . London, Decemer 27. Madame Poincare is sending thousands of Xmas presents to the children of Alsace and Lorraine. ZEPPELIN AT WORK. Unitbd Pbess Association. Paris, December 27. A Zeppelin dropped fourteen bombs at Nancy, killing two people; and damaging many houses.. . . • '

"A REGENERATED EUROPE."

London, December 24

: M. Viviani, in his speech at the opening of Parliament, added that Germany's endavour to throw the responsibility of the Avar upon the Allies no longer deceived even the most credulous. Germany had pursued her object for forty years, which was by crushing France to arrive at the destination of the world. The Allies aimed at a reconstructed and regenerated Europe, founded upon justice and right. The Government had solemnly undertaken to rebuild the ruins caused by the German invasion, and had certainly borne in mind the indemnities we would exact before the day of definite victory was reached. "The task will be heavy, and it may be long. Let us have before our minds the ideal of right. Belgium giving.to this ideal all the blood of her veins; England, unshakeable England, fighting for it, also faithful Russia, intrepid Servia, and the courageous Japanese navy."

BOMBS ALONG THE WAY

SUCCESSFUL AIR TRIP TO BRUSSELS.

Dunkirk, December 26

Commander Samson, with twelve bombs, started at 6.30 this evening, and bombed nih-Wtj prists at Usienl. Bruges, Ghent and Alost. He descended to a few hundred yards, and bombed Brussels, as cabled on Tuesday. The flames showed lip the aeroplane against the black sky, and guns were fired unsuccessfully. Commander Samson returned after five hours, and landed safely.

GERMAN "OFFICIAL" REPORT.

(Received 8.35 a.m.) London, December 27

A wireless from Berlin officially states it is now possible to judge the success of the battle against the British and Indians at Festubert and Bethur. Nineteen officers, 819 men, fourteen machine guns, two French mortars, and other material were captured. The British, who left 3000 dead upon the field, asked for an armistice to bury their dead. The German losses were comparatively small. The above apparently refers to the Manchester*' exploit. UP AGAINST IT HARD. (Received 8.35 a.m.) London, December 27. An eye-witness at British headquarters describes the fighting at Festubert as fierce, and at Wesil the British were compelled to yield to superior numbers, but they eventually recovered the lost ground. BELGIANS GROSS THE YSER. (Received 8.35 a.m.) Amsterdam, December 27. The newspaper Tyd states that

large forces of Belgians Lave been ; transported over the Yser in the re'gion of Lombartzyde and Dixmude, the operation being rendered difficult owing to the inundation and the Germans using isolated farms, each. of which was, however, stormed and taken. CHIEF FEATURE OF RECENT FICHTINC. EMPLOYMENT OF BOMBS. (Received 3.15 a.m.) London, December 27. An eye-witness relates that the employment of bombs is the chief feature of the recent lighting which has become general along the line, the Germans using thorn greatly. SPY SENTENCED TO DEATH. (Received 8.15 a.m.) Paris, December 27. j A court-martial sentenced to death Bruno Masheim, a spy who guided the Germans entering and pointed out the houses containing the richest booty. Masheim alleged the Germans threatened to kill him unless he helped them.

CENERAL.

Paris, December 24

The British recently concentrated their fire and demolished the Emblos fort, a few miles west of Lille. They followed this up with a vigorous attack and sweeping fire with hidden machine guns. A thousand Germans were killed and many wounded. This enabled the British artillery to command the high road to the railway entering Lille. ; The Belgians on Tuesday broke through the German position on the banks of the Yser beyond St. George's and established a new position notwithstanding a fierce attack. London, December 26.

Rotterdam reports that, owing to the Allies' pressure, the German Christmas festivities at Ghent were a fiasco. All the troops had to be hurriod to the front.

Paris, December 25. Since the beginning of the war Pont-a-Mousso.n has been bombarded fortyfive times.

It transpires that on September 5, the Germans' at TozftmvuTe and St. Genevieve lost five thousand killed and eight thousand wounded; The latter were brougbt to Pont-a-Mous-and the .corpses splashed with petrol and burnt. When the Germans evacuated the town an enormous number of incendiarv bombs were captured. Times and Sydney Sun Seevioeb. London, December 24.

A correspondent describes the black days of Lille during the German occupation of two months. The town has been bombarded, fired, and squeezed for money like an orange is squeezed tor juice. The German generals governing could not be moved by appeals to justice, and were deaf to cries for pity. Levies of £280,000 were made. Butter and milk were unobtainable, and-the Germans commandeered the flour from the mills. Amsterdam, December 24.

The Germans have greatly strengthened all the Belgian fortifications between Heid and Brasechau. It is noteworthy that the trenches are so constructed as to guard against attack from the north.

A telegram from Slues states that while the Germans are maintaining a desperate resistance, nevertheless they are preparing to retreat from Flanders. It is believed that the Germans are concentrating for a fresh attack on the battlefields of France. One hundred trains of troops passed Louvain travelling France-wards.

German soldiers were shot at Louvain for endeavouring to foment an anti-military agitation among the troopers.

London, December 24

The Times' military correspondent says General Joffre is plainly sparring for an opening. He has made a double advance, enabling him to learn where it is best to strike, and taking off the strain from the Russians. The German Press, which recently asserted that he was incapable of taking the offensive must revise its ideas. The AustroGerman forces will probably not reach l'| million men, and ihe Russians should not have insuperable difficulty in overthrowing such a force by a superior number. They ought to enjoy a numerical superiority of over a million, and therefore we do not expect General Hindenberg's success will be lasting. Although his counter-offen-' sive temporarily saved Silesia and relieved the pressure on Cracow, it was only postponing the day of reckoning.

London. December 23

The Times' military correspondent adds there are indications of some fresh developments. The German military power is calling up the whole of the nation's manhood and intensifying every industry in manufacturing war material in preparation to crush the Allies in the spring, or perish in the attempt. Germany has two million men on the western line and a million on the eastern. Losses have been a million. She is now training four millions. We have no reason to fear a war of numbers, because the Allies' population is double that of Germany, our resources much greater, and our spirit at least equal. London, December 25.

Piivat Graham, of the First Scots Fusiliers has been awarded the Dis-

The magnitude of the Melbourne, Ltd. business, and the rapid growth and the eternal satisfaction given thousands throughout this enables the firm to make such advantageous purchases that com peters wonder at the low prices. In hrief, cash buying, cash selling, and ft square deal every time, are the secrets of audi success.

tinguished Conduct Medal. He carried a wounded comrade to safety under heavy fire at Yailly, and then, hearing of another wounded man left behind, brought him in too. The vessels sunk by the Belgians in the docks at Antwerp have '.►.len raised by the Germans and confiscated. Germany is also preventing the inhabitants closing the frontier. The Germans are using captive bslloons freely for observation purposes, and also decoy aeroplanes. Airmen tempted to attack these come within range of an anti-air-eraft battery waiting below. One million two hundred thousand Belgian refugees are still in Holland.

London, December CJ S.

During the recent heavy fighting at Armentieres, shells fell in every quarter of the town, and irretrievably damaged the famous organ at St. Vast Church. Incendiary shells were fired at a factory where several hundred British soldiers were sleeping, and several were incinerated.