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Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15502, 12 November 1914, Page 6

The Allies have gained ground or repulsed attacks at various points all along the Franco-Bel-gian battle front, according to official advices. A message to the "Daily Chronicle," which states that the menace of a German occupation is now ended for Ostend, Dunkirk, and Nieuport, may be too sanguine, but there is little doubt that their attempt to seize the Flemish ports has been a most unhappy experience for the Qerman's up till now. In France there is still fighting between Armentieres and the sea. The position of the armies along the shank of the letter "Z" is described today in more detail than it has been before. India's loyalty is more pronounced than ever, since the advent of Turkey into the war. lioumania Bulgaria, and Greece favour neutrality for the present, but if Germany cannot deter her new ally from attacking the Italians in Tripoli, a more formidable Power than these may be forced to take sides with the Entente.

To-day's cables give some de- ' tails of the action by which the : Emden's career was ended by tlie ' Australian cruiser Sydney. The raider had gone to the Cocos Islands to destroy the wireless . station, and a landing party which I performed this feat was left behind, when the Sydney hove in sight. After an hour's fight, : in which the German vessel was badly damaged and the Sydney scarcely injured, the Einden ran ashore. The landing party must have shown some cunning to be able to make their retreat in a schooner. The Sydney had three men killed and fifteen wounded in the engagement. The Canadian Press is saying that "the crews of the Australian Navy acted with far-sighted.statesmanship, worthy of Canadian imitation at the earliest possible moment." The Press Bureau reports that the cruiser Konigsberg', by which the Pegasus was destroyed not long ago, has been imprisoned at Mafia Island, off the east coast of Africa, by the sinking of colliers in the channel, and can do ! no further harm

Lord Kitchener lias stated that more men are needed to drive the Germans back to their own country, and confirmation of this need is given to-day by a statement that the British are still fighting', in some places, against odds of ten to one. "If we only had one and a half million men of our present standard," writes an officer at the front, "the Germans would be on the Rhine by now, and the war nearly over/' It is probable, however, that if Great Britain had had a regular army of even half,a million, the war would never have begun. The Germans seem to have no lack of reinforcements, though the quality must get poorer every month. The British Government has prepared a new scale of allowances for disabled men and the families and dependents of those killed in war. It is estimated that the new scale, the details of which are given in a cable message, will cost two hundred millions if the war lasts for two years. The man who goes away to fight, however, lia,a. a right to be assured that his wife and family will not be reduced to destitution if the worst should barmen to their breadwinner, and the assurance which the new scheme gives in that respect ,should ho the strongest stimulus to recruiting.