FRENCH ADVANCE IN ALSACE-LORRAINE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2232, 19 August 1914, Page 5

FRENCH ADVANCE IN ALSACE-LORRAINE

MOVE TOWARDS STRASSBURG FIFTEEN HUNDRED PRISONERS AND SEVERAL GUNS TAKEN ~ :' "'■■ "■ '...-.- Paris, August 17. On Sunday the French advance in to. Alsace-Lorraine was ..developing alone the line from Rechicourt to St. Marie-aux-Mines, fifty-five . miles, south-east. The advanco was particularly rapid along the Schirmeck Valley, which runs from the Vosges: down to Strassburg. "■''■'. /.. . \! The French made a thousand prisoners, in addition to five hundred captured on the previous day, and'also captured several heavy guns and field pieces at Saint© Marie-aux-MineSi and nineteen transport wagons' at Blambnt, on the French, sido of the frontier below Lunelle. '-.'■ ' London, August 17. The Press Bureau slates that a visit to the scene of tthe fighting in Upper Alsace has shown the great destructive effect of'tie French artillery fire. A trench that had been abandonod by the Germans was full of dead and wounded. . .*■ ■. ..' '"■ '.'-.. Basle, August 17. Telegrams report fresh fighting between Belfort and Altkirch, at the southern oxtremity of the German line. . - • Rechicourt ie a. village near the forest of that name two miles in Germany on the line from Nancy to Strassburg. St. Marie-aux-Miries is an important town in Alsace in the heart of the Vosges, and is the terminus of'a branch railway joining "the main line from Strassburg to Colmar and Mulhnaison at ScnJeestadt. Schirmeck is a German tqwn on another branch railway running into the Vosges between Reehicourt and St. Ma-rie-aux-Mines, and is 26} miles distant by railway from the German stronghold of- Strassburg. CAPITAL OF UPPER ALSACE OCCUPIED. ' (Rec. August 19, 0.20 a.m.) Rome, August 18, morning. A telegram from Basle, Switzerland, states that the French have occupied Colmar, the capital <>f Upper Alsace, which lies twenty, miles north of Mulhausen, and forty miles south of Strassburg. ' , ' ■''":'• (Rec. August 18, 0.20 a.m.) , ni. «' ' Berne, August 18. ine Germans burned tho town of Barzoweiler, ;in. Alsace, and blow up the factories, alleging the inhabitants fired on and killed eight soldiers. ' SERVIANS KILL FIFTEEN THOUSAND AUSTRIANS REPORT RECEIVED IN GREECE. (Rec. August 19, 1.15 a.m.) in. o • - *.' , . ' Athens, August 18, morning. W? t I }an h . ere has. received a telegram .from tho Premier of «!I ei, w" 8 tl ' at c tho l A ust , nanß wero «omplet«ly routed in the mountains near Shabatz, on the frontier, forty miles west of Belgrade, and were fleeing to recross tho Save and Drina. ' . Fifteen thousand wore killed and fourteen guns captured. MILITARY ACTIVITY IN ITALY AND HOLLAND DUTCH PREPARED 'TO FLOOD COUNTRY. / (Received August 18, 11.10 p.m.) ~ ... . . '. ~,,,. , • Rotterdam, August 18 ■ m The Dutch Army is strongly holding the frontier and numerous barbedwire entanglements and barricades have been erected on roads. _ Arrangements' are ready for flooding the country if combatants in irresistible numbers cross the frontier. Many roads have been cut through and rendered impassable for troops and guns. Houses within the line of fire of the forte have been evacuated and prepared for dynamiting. (Received August 18, 5.10 p.m.) i-L' i i x- * . London, August 17, The elaborate precautions that aro being taken in Italy lead to the belief thatieho is preparing, to attack Austria or fears an Austrian attack.— "Times' and Sydney "Sun" services. GERMAN MERCHANT FLAG NO LONGER AFLOAT FACTS OF TREMENDOUS SIGNIFICANCE. lm .. ' „ , , . m London, August 17. ine rinios" naval correspondent writes: "The 6eas aro free to British merchantmen, but the commercial flag of Germany is no longer afloat. It is well that the nation should reali&e the tremendous significance of these facts • Meanwhile, tho fleet exercises pressure upon the vitals of tho enomv without fighting. Germany is deprived, not only of food prodjets, but a hundred other requirements, and if it becomes necessary to feed the army .at the expense of tho civil population, history teaches us that the resuhs should be disastrous." ■ . TRAWLERS CLEARING NORTH SEA OF MINES. (Rec. August 18, 11.30 a.m.) London, August 17. The "Globe's" naval correspondent, writing from an Unnamed naval port' saye: "I havo beon on silent service with the Nnvy, and bare had unforgettable experiences. Tho swift coming and going of ships and the readiness of men and material was great to see. I was not surprised to read tho Admiralty's announcement that our trade routes woro open but for mines in tho North Sea. Trawlers are : busy clearing the seaway, and aro proceeding well. The German'fleet is bottled up in the ports.". . ."'■'. Jtcc. August 18, 11.10 p.m.) . ■:.■■'■• ■'■ London, August 18, morning. The weather in. the North Sea continues beautifully fine, and the atmosphere is clear. ' ' . ■ .