AUSTRALIA PREPARED

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2221, 6 August 1914, Page 5

AUSTRALIA PREPARED

EXTREME PATRIOTISM GERMAN VESSELS DETAINED RUSH TO JOIN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 1 (Eec. August 5, 5.5 p.m.) Melbourne, August 5. . Mr. Joseph Cook, Federal Prime Minis-, ter, announced officially that war between Germany and Britain has broken out. Sydney, August 5. . The Federal Ministers remain 'in continuous , Cabinet, and are in close touch with the naval and military, heads. ■ Frequent communications are beihg received from Imperial authorities, but the contents are not baiiig disolosnd. All the State Governments have advised lie Federal Premier (Mr. Cook) that they are ready and willing to support his offer to the Imperial Government and to assist in all other ways. The searchlights of the various main harbours are kept going throughout the night. ' . There have been great demonstrations of loyalty at all the theatres, also at the reception of the visiting football teams participating'in the Olympic Carnival. The Authorities are swamped' with volunteers of all classes for the proposed expeditionary force. Numerous airmen ar(» offering their services and machines, and privato persons and firms are offering motor vehicles of all classes and motorboats. Tho Motor. Cycle Club reports that it is ready to take thtf field. The Manufacturers' Association, at an enthusiastic meeting, resolved to assist in every possible manner. . The Million Club has asked the Lord Mayor to convene a meeting as a. demonstration of- loyalty and a means of determining the best>way of assisting the' Defence Department. : . Other States report a similar wave, of loyalty and readiness to assist by every possible means.' It has been learned that the Gorman vessols which during the past few days hurriedly left Australian ports, did eo under sealed orders. It is rumoured that they are all making for a general meeting place and will probably l>e coUcctod. by the German Pacific Squadron in the vicinity of German New Guinea and convoyed to the neutral port of Manila. v. It is stated that officials at Newcastle have been instructed not to allow a German steamer and three sailers there to depart. The cutting.off of the German trailn means a severe blow to trade in Sydney and other port?. The "Herald" says:—"The cable neys shows tli.it Britain is presenting an everfirom front to Crernmiy, wl a formal declaration of wax, op the facte, ca&not

much longer be delayed. But which of the two Powers will declaro wa-rP A good deal depends on whether Italy is ready to fight at the call of her ally. Immediately Belgian neutrality is prejudiced, Britain will strike, and with all her strength." Archbishop Kelly, in a Speech at a foundation, stone-laying, said: "If the peoplo who mado wars had to flght. it would not matter; but the country's sons are being butchered for what the politicians have done. If it was a case of defence lie, would say nothing, but in the present caso it seemed to be that the hand , of God had been laid on those nations ' who had forgotten Him." ? The heads of banks and other commer- j cial enterprises strongly advise investors to keep cool and hold on, to scrip. The . bunks' other securities are sound, and; there is nothing to fear. - j .. - i ■ 1 AWARDS SUSPENDED DURING . ! CRISIS (Rec. August 5, 8.50 p.m.) Sydney, August 5. The meeting of the Stock Exchange Committee was adjourned without coming to a*-decision.' 1 Mr. Holman, Premier, states that prob- ! ably Parliament will be asked to authorise il\e Government to suspend by procla- I illation the Wages Board's awards, also 1 to relieve the parties to industrial agreements from some of the obligations entfiiled. The suspensions are not to nullify the general principles of arbitration, but to permit a modified application to. 6uit the circumstances and tho times. A meeting of the Boilermakers' Sooiety unanimously decided to suspend overtime clauses Of the various awards goveriiingthe industry, and will do' ofbrj'thing* in its power to assist the naval and military ' authorities in the present crisis. _j, • , Melbourne, August 5. The Premier states that under (no circumstances will the Wages/Board's rates bo reduced, and suggests that if the necessity aiises it,would be better to reduce the number of working days. _____ >, ROWDY MOBS IN MELBOURNE (Rec. August 5, 8.30' p.m.) Melbourne, 'August 5. " Excited _ crowds paraded - - the :■ main-, streets until an early hour this mornipg. A -mob of three hundred attacked the Deutsche Turn Nerien, in Victoria Parade, and smashed the windows. They lit a piece of rag, which was supposedly represent the German flag, ond stamped on the ashes. A force of police uspd their batons freely, and drove off the mob. A crowd of three thousand gathered in Collins Street, and sang patriotic songs. The Mounted Police were called'out to maintain order. Further- attempts''to attack the German Club and a Viennese cafe were frustrated by 6trong police guards. ' , GERMAN STEAMERS IN SYDNEY (Eec. August 5, 11.5 p.m.) . .' Sydney, August 5. •ihe German vessels now in port and prevented from leaving comprise the Sumatra, Osnabruck, Germania, Tiberius, and Athene. . < The Sumatra is owned by the GormanAustralian Lino, and she is a vessel of 7481' tons, commanded by Captain Wellhoer. She arrived at Sydnoy from Hamburg. l'he Osnabruck, commanded by Captain Voss, loaded at Australian ports for Antwerp. She 'was completing operations at Sydney. The Osnabruck is a steel screw steamer of 4240 tons gross and 2639 tons net. She was .built in 1907 by Fldrlsburg for the Deutsoh-Austral Line; of-Hamburg. Her dimensions are: Lenpth 387.8 ft., breadth 51ft.,-and depth 25;2ft. The Germania arrived at Sydney from the Marshall and Caroline Islands. She is a steamer of 1096 tons gross, and 539 :«tons net register, and is commanded by Japsen. The Germania was built in 1904 by Fried. ICrunp, of Kiel, for Jnliut Gesellschaft, of Hamburg. She is 210.6 ft. long, 32.7 ft. in breadth, and 14.6 ft. ■ deep. The Tiberius has been engaged in the inter-State trade. She is" a steel screw steamer of 4149 tons srross and 2703 tons net register, and was built in ! 19C5 by the Northumberland Steam Boat Company, ltd., for C. Anderson, of Hamburg. The Tiberius is 360 ft. in length. >4Rfb.' beam, and 1 20.2 ft. deep. Captain Sanders is in chargo of the vessel. - The Athene is a German four-masted barque nf 2360 tons, commanded by Can- ■ tain Dahn. She originally cnnle from" Hamburg, and was to have trone to Newcastle to load coal for the West. Const of I South America. . 1 GERMAN STEAMER'S ESCAPE. (Rec. August 5, 8.20 p;m.) . 0 ' " Melbourne, August 5.' The North German Lloyd's steamer , Pfalz escaped from Port Phillip to-day; Upon arrival at t'ho Heads she ignored the' examination signals, when a shot !' was fired across her bows, which she likewise disregarded, and went full speed 1 ahead. She left; port, without her clearance papers. - . .'' " A later message stated that the Pfalz was returning to port. [The Pfalz is a vessel of 6557 tons, and is commanded by Captain Leuss. She left Bremen on June 10, and arrived at \ Melbourne on July 30. Her next port of call was to have been Sydney. No reference is made to the Pfalz. in Lloyd's Register of Shipping, and as practically every steamer .with a sea speed of 12 knots and over is mentioned, it is presumed that the Pfalz is a vessel with a speed of about 11 or 111 knots.! « COLLAPSE OF THE WHEAT MARKET • (Eec. August 5, .11.5 p.m.) ' : Sydney, Auwist '3; Since the. official declaration of war the .' wheat market, has been. cxcited. ' There is a strong disposition to redlise 'at sub- " stantial concessions in prices. ■» Old grain fell to 4s. lkl. per bushel, .and'.'new to 3s. lid. Nearly 45|000 bags; were offered, but there "were no purchasers.'' ...

I. " , ; ZEEHAN MINES AFFEGTED '

| , (Kec. August 5, 1J.5 p.m.) • . £ Hobart, "Tiugust. 5. : The war crisis is seriously affecting Zeohan mining operations, ior_ owing to 1 tho closing of the metal markets several, 3 mines' liavo, closed. A deputation asked tile Government for assistance by' the' 9 purchase of ore for cash or bonds. ' The Preuiiev strongly urgedjhe.men to s continue work. 'He could not promise money for banquets, but he would pro- • miss bread ana butter. Up to 50 per - cent, of the assay value of the oro would: i> bo advanced. ' - • •