THE SEA FIGHT OFF VALPARAISO

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2301, 7 November 1914, Page 7

THE SEA FIGHT OFF VALPARAISO

STORIES DOUBTED BY THE . ; ADMIRALTY BRITAIN AT WAR WITH ; TURKEY ' , .'-''CYPRUS ANNEXED. ; GERMAN MOYE IN : ' BELGIUM - —: 1 RUSSIAN DRIVE IN POLAND , ■ ■ ■ • - ' ' " . " To-day's news of the war indicates a new development in Belgium. The Germans, frustrated in' their costly attempts to break ( the Nieuport-Ypres line,-are establishing a. sea-base at Zeebrugge, ■ some 15 miles north of Ostend, constructing, important field positions at the junction of the Bruges-Leopold Canal, and at the same ■ time they are concentrating in large numbers in the vicinity of Ypree, the'scene of their recent disasters. The Allies hata made ■ some progress in the direction of Messines—lately lost to the enemy —while along the battle-front in France particularly good progress "has been made.- The situation in Poland and East Prussia continues to : be exceptionally favourable— the enemy everywhere is still in retreat. In the new theatre of war, the eastern Mediterranean, de- ■ ■ velopments are rapidly taking place. Britain is officially at war with Turkey, and her first substantial act of aggression 'has been to an-, nex Cyprus, in which island she has had administrative control for years past. The bombardment of the Dardanelles by the British warships is being effectively maintained. In. Turkish ■ Armenia; 'events are shaping towards a big ' clash between Russia's Caucasian Army and three Turkish !Army Corps, with Kurdish cavalry, at Erzerum. . Russia has indicated that her war" with Turkey ,is not concerned with territorial aggrandisement, but at the same time she desires more effective control of the Dardanelles, and also- expects Bulgaria and Rumania to co-operate in order • that these territories may be available for deploying and manoeuv-ring-operations against Turkey. .In the Far East the attack on the, ' Geriiian stronghold at Tsing-Tao appears to be approaching its climax, ' • and the fall of the fortress is imminent. Though a relatively small matter,'the supposed naval battle off Valparaiso—where, it has already been reported, the British cruisers Good Hope, Glasgow, and .Monmouth were worsted by the German commerce raiders Soharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Nurnberg, the Monmouth being sunk—is probably ob- . sess'ing the public mind, more than anything else. The actual facts of the battle, so far as the' Admiralty is concerned, are still shrouded in mystery. The Naval authorities refuse to accept the reported accounts, which have been, based on German stories, and declare that the' fact that- nothing, has been heard from the battleship Canopus—supposed to be in those waters—leaves the American reports open to considerable doubt. Pending the Admiralty announcement, the' battle) in the meantime, must remain wrapped in some mystery, i The .German commerce raider Konisborg, operating in the Indian .- Ocean! is reported to have been put out of action..