JAPANESE ULTIMATUM TO GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2231, 18 August 1914, Page 5

JAPANESE ULTIMATUM TO GERMANY

EVACUATION OF KIAOCHAU FAR EASTERN SQUADRON TO DEPART AT ONCE (Press [Association Extraordinary.) (Rec. August 17, -5.20 p.m.) > / Sydney, August 17. An Independent Cable message, dated London, Sunday, 1.30 p.m., states that it is 'officially announced in Tokio that Japan has handed an ultimatum to Geriaany. Japan demands the evacuation of Kiaochau and the withdrawal of German warships unconditionally before August 23. , (Rec. August* 17, 8.15 p.m.) , ' London, August 17, morning.' ✓ Japan's ultimatum to Germany promises to restore Kiaochau to China. , New York, August 15. i< Tho Japanese News Bureau prints a statement received from 'l'okio to 1 the effect that Japan intends to uphold at all costs her treaty obligations with Great. Britain, • while seeling- no territorial expansion in the Far East. ■ i •' ' > ■ OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF REASONS FOE JAPAN'S ACTION. .. (Reo. August 17j .10.30 p.m.) ' : London, August 17, morning. An offioial message in connection-with Japan's ultimatum to Germany states that it was important and neoessary- to remove causes of a disturbance of peace in the Far East and safeguard generally the .interests under tho Anglo-Japanesd Alliance. Accordingly Japan advised Germany to withdraw het warships of all kinds from Chino-Japancso waters and to disarm those she is unable to withdraw; secondly, to deliver to Japan by September 15, unconditionally, the entire territory of Kiaochau for eventual restoration to China.' If the terms are not accepted-by noon of August 23 Japun will 1 take action. • • • Kiaochau is a large inlet on the south side of tho promontory of Shantung, ,in,> China; It yas: seized .in November,-1897,; by _ the German TJeet, nominally to secure reparation for tho murder of two German 'missionaries in ' 'the province of Shantung. In the negotiations which- followed it was- arranged tnat tho bay and the land on.both.sides of the entrance within certain defined linesshould bo leased to Germany for 99 years. During the continuance of the lease Germany exercises all the rights of territorial sovereignty,' including the right to erect fortiThe area- leased is about 117 square miles, and over a further area, comprising a zone of some 32 miles, measured from any point on the shore of the bay. The value of the trade of the port during 1901 was .£2,712,145 (<£1,808,113 imports ■ and .£904,032 exports). The bay is fortified, and serves as a-base for the German Far Eastern Squadron.' It is equipped with a large floating dock. The ordinary garrison of 3125 men consists of German marines, with a small force of Chinese' soldiers. ' ' -.Since the Shantung peninsula has been occupied by tho Germans they are stated to have spent an average of about ,£1,000,000 per year on improvements, etc. It is described as a wealthy piece of land—"one of tho best spots in the East." ■ - NEWS CAUSES MUCH CONCERN IN AMERICA.. - (Rec. August 18; 0.40 a.m.) ; Washington, August 17. A sensation has been created here by Japan's ultimatum to • Germany, and there is much' concern in official circles at Washington, which desire to know whether Kaiochau will revert to China. It is feared that Japan will bo tempted to demand'that the leasehold of Kaiochau be transferred to her. . t ' It is also feared Japan may'seize German Samoa, and insist on its retention, | which would be bitterly resented by America, in view of the strategic importance of Samoa in connection with the Panama Conal, ' ITALY MASSING TROOPS ON AUSTRIAN FRONTIER A REPORT FROM NEW YORK. (Rec. August 17, 7.30 p.m.)' . v : Landon, August 17, morning. /The Rome correspondent of the "New York World" reports that two hundred thousand Italians are concentrating between Mantua, Verona, Preschiera, towards the Austrian frontier, and at I/ugano in the Alps. The whole garrison of Bologna, where the Sixth Army Corps is stationed, has left for Udine, 6ixteen miles from tho Austrian frontier. The port of Venice has been mined, and the defences of Brindisi have been strengthened. ITALIAN DEMANDS ON AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. : Rome, August 16. 4 • The Government asks Austria to either make the blockade of the Montenegrin coast effective or to have it formally withdrawn. This 6tep is considered necessary on account of Italy's commercial relations with Montenegrin i TWO AUSTRIAN WARSHIPS REPORTED SUNK BY THE ' FRENCH ■ . A SERVIAN SEMI-OFFICIAL REPORT. (Rec. August 18, 0.10 a.m.) ' Nish, August 17. It is semi-nfficially repotted that the .French on Sunday rank two Austrian warships off Budna, an Austrian town on the Adriatic, twenty miles north-west of Antivari, the seaport of Montenegro. A third warship, was ignited and a fourth fled to Cattiro.