SECOND EDITION. THE REVOLUTION AT KIEL

Wanganui Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15657, 8 November 1918, Page 7

SECOND EDITION. THE REVOLUTION AT KIEL

MUTINY ON BATTLESHIP KAISER

OFFICERS THROWN OVERBOARD

(Received November 8, 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, November 7. The Amsterdam correspondent of the Daily Express, telegraphing on the 7th, says:—The revolution at Kiel has been raging since Sunday. It 1r reported that great fires occurred in the warehouses, where formidable explosions occurred. After inflammatory Socialist speeches the crowd marched to the barracks, fought the sentries, and liberated the prisoned men. The sailors’ procession, which was continually increasing, met the soldiers guarding the main street. The lieutenant’s order to disperse was received with laughter and the soldiers fired, eight being killed and 21 wounded.

i On Monday a mutiny started on the battleship Kaiser. The sailors tore the Royal Standard to pieces and hoisted the red flag.

Some officers were thrown overboard and were allowed to drown. Infantry companies sent to quell the outbreak threw their rifles into

the water. The mutineers later formed a Sailors’ Soviet and decided that all officers must tear the Kaiser’s initials off their uniforms. They were allowed to retain their rank if they obeyed unreservedly.—A. and N.Z. Services,

GENERAL STRIKE AT KIEL SOLDIERS TiKE POLITICAL ACTION (Received November 8, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, November 7. Latest advicefc state that a general strike has been proclaimed at Kiel. Souchon, the Governor, has been imprisoned. The Soldiers’ and J Workmen’s Council has issued a proclamation stating that for the first in the history of Germany political power is in the hands of the soldiers. It orders the navy to leave harbour and to release all tnilitary prisoners..

BRITISH PROGRESS CONTINUED.

IN A BLACK HOLE

A PRISONER OF THE HUNS

HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES

WHY HE WOULD NOT NEGO-

TIATE,

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association

Received November 8, 11.20 p.m

“If you had suffered as we suffered, and as thousands of others suffered, would you be in favour of negotiation?”

LONDON, November 7

Sir Dougas Haig reporting at 1.15 a.m. states: The progress on the battlefront yesterday evening was continued. We have taken Dcmpierrc and Moacean, St. Vaast, and have reached, and in some places, passed the lino of the Avesnes-Bavay road, bet wen McnceauSt. Vaast railway, southward of Bavay, and repulsed counter-atttacks routiieastwaid of Bavay with heavy enemy losses.

This was the question asked at the Millions Club luncheon at Sydney on the 24th October by Second-Engineer Rees, as he related his experiences as a prisoner of war. Loud cries of “No!” furnished the answer of his audience. Second-Engineer Rees said he was in favour of peace by negotiation. But before he would negotiate with the Huns he would exterminate every one of them. He was for 269 days a prisoner at sea with the Germans, and because he was an officer he was treated better than some of the others. A BLACK HOLE AT SEA. “Over 200 of us lived in the ’tween decks,” he said, “and this space was about 70 feet long, 40 feet across, and 12 feet in height. On one side there was a magazine full of explosives; on the other side there were 200 mines. This place was a veritable ‘Black Hole,’ and we merchant seamen were shocked at the horrible conditions. “On dock there were 10 large smoko drums, which threw out smoke-screens when the raider was in danger. These drums were connected with our quarters, and any moment sulphurous smoke could have been turned on to us, and the whole lot of us smothered. The Huns let us know plainly that if we were troublesome that would be our fate, or if the ship were captured, and wc had not been killed by the bursting of the magazine on one side, or the mines on the other.” VILE FOOD. Day after day, he said, the food consisted of black llroad and coffee for breakfast. For dinner they had soup made of tinned meat and preserved potatoes. For ten, black bread and tea. The broad was absolutely vile. At one time they managed to steal a bottle of vinegar, and put a little of this on our bread as a dressing.' The conditions of the hospital were even worse. The bed-clothes had not been washed since the boat left Germany—■ a period of 15 months. In the bed next to his there was a young Japanese dying of beriberi, and when he would call out in angm.sk .. . ’yater at night, he had seen the Huns lift hull up and shake him violently until he became unconscious. That young man was buried at sea. WATER REFUSED. ‘ ‘The German doctor gave orders that I should have no salt in my food, yet the attendant put double quantities in it,” said Second-Engineer Rees. “This made me very thirsty, yet they refused to give me water to drink. All the men who were sick had to get out and wash themselves, and when they were too weak to do this they had to go without their wash. “I ask any of you men here,” concluded Engineer Reos. “if you had sufA fered as we suffered, and thousands of others have suffered much worse than we did, would you be in favour of peace by negotiation?” Loud cries of “No!”

Advancing our line as a result of the fighting last night in the neighbourhood of Ancre, we took possession of the village, and gained the height eastward of that place, and reached, further north, the outskirts of Quiveran and Crespin. DESTRUCTION OF BELGIAN HINES. AN AMERICAN PROTEST. Australian, and N.Z, Cable Association Received November 8, 12.25 p.m. | WASHINGTON, November 7. L Mr- R. Lansing has sent a Note to emphatically protesting at the inhuman, wanton, and malicious German order for the destruction of Belgian mines. The Note pointed but that this order was a flagrant violation of Germany’s declaration of the 20th October, assuring the United States that no more destruction of civilian property would be carried out. SPANISH POLITICS. RESIGNATION OF CABINET. (Reuter.) Received November S, 12.30 p.m. • MADRID, November 7. The Cabinet has resigned.—A. a-nd N.Z. Services.

Second-Engineer Rees added that on the ship on which ho was a prisoner were a number of sailors who had been in the battle of Jutland, and they said that they never wanted to moot the British Fleet again. (Cheers).