SURRENDER OF GERMAN GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2257, 17 September 1914, Page 5

SURRENDER OF GERMAN GENERAL

ARMY CORPS RAPID RETREAT .OF GERMAN LINE CROWN PRINCE HARD PRESSED BIG MOVE IN BELGIUM RUSSIANS' RAPID ADVANCE NAVAL BATTLE IN THE BALTIC . The most sensational item of to-day's cable news from the ■ Franco-German theatre of the war is the Central News Agency's story of the surrender of the Gorman right wing, under General von Kluck; consisting of three army oorps, variously stated at from 14,000 to 25,000 men. But there is no confirmatory statement from the usual official sources of information; and though the movements . of the Allied troops opposed to the German right suggest an enveloping movement in conjunction with trodps operating.from the direction'of Boulogne, the Central Nows Agency's story must be regarded .with reserve. The latest news of, the operations in France indicate that the German main line is still intact, in fast but orderly retreat. • Tho . 'Allies are in contact with the retreating Germans, who are fighting rearguard actions all along the line. The army of the German Crown Prince has bsen extremely hard pressed, and after a desperate, attempt to break through the fortified line between Verdun and Toul. ■ has turned back and retreated round and behind Verdun, defending a line which at present describes an, arc from north-west of Verdun ; right round, via Metz to the The Allied, troops aro in excel- • lent spirits, and are vigorously pushing the enemy's retreat to the. line of the Meuse, where, it is indicated, the next battle will.be con- '> tested. . The Belgian troops, co-operating with French cavalry, aTe' busily engaged in clearing tbeir . western territory of. tie enemy's prowling TJhlans and the Germans ■ are stated to ;be evacuating Brussels and falling back ' on. '.the , Liege-Namur line. A, contradictory' \ message reports, ion tho other J hand, a heavy concentration by the Germans at Brussels. Liege is being fortified against attack. In the " - Vl eastern theatre ihe Russians are rapidly, advancing. The army operating .from Leinberg is now within a day's march of the Austrian fortress of Przemysl, while their troops havo pushed far to the south. The Austrians have been severely punished in an attempt to invade Servian territory, and the aggregation of disasters on various frontiers • of the dual-monarchy has contributed to a state of panic in Vienna, . which city, by the way, the Russians are determined to reach by the middle of next month. From the sea there is a brief reference to fifteen ships of the German Baltic fleet in aotion, but no details; a German cruiser has been ■ sunk by a British submarine, while the German submarine which,sunk the British cruiser Pathfinder has been .sent to the bottom by the avenging ships of the British cruiser squadron. In the Far East, Japanese cavalry have approached within ten miles of Kiao-chau, while in South Africa the mounted rifles have sharply punished a forpe of German invaders in British Namaqualand. ( ! -