BATTLE REPORTED TO BE RAGING IN BELGIUM

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2323, 3 December 1914, Page 5

BATTLE REPORTED TO BE RAGING IN BELGIUM

BETWEEN THE YSER AND LYS URGENT: CALL: FOR GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS. ■ '" - ' ByTeleeraph—Pram 'Association—Copyright ■, ■'■_ ■■.-:' Amsterdam, December 1. ' The "Het Algemeen Handclsblad" states T that< a heavy force of Germane, (has been sent to Ypres t<) make a supreme attack to.capture the town, and 'that'a great battle is raging between Yser.and, the Lys: '■'•■'' . ''.."■■'•'•■■.•■...;.. j ."■':. The Hague, December 1. . .. Continual requests are received; at Ghent for reinforcements for the front. The last available batch of 250 was sent on Monday, including a hundred men Vho were in prison as,deserterß, and who were released on promising to fight. FRENCH COMMUNIQUE i- f< SITUATION UNCHANGED."- V '■•'', ..' ' . ■•■.■ > ■',: '■■'■. Paris, December 1, A communique states: "There was a.lively oannonade in Belgium on llon:day.' There have been' no German.-infantry attacks. The enemy is more active north of Arras. _; There Is intermittent cannonade in the region of the Fighting!continues in the Argonne. , ■"Tho situation is unchanged." " ■ "': ■:'■'•.•■ '. ■ \ .'■■' " ' - . . ■ "THE BATTLE IN FLANDERS HAS ENDED." .-.'■ .. ~ .:.;■■■ -:'- ! ' (Rec. December 2,10.10 p.m.) '• , ~ "■.., „.' '„ „., ~ , ' . London, December 2. ' "The Times" disbelieves, the probability of a fresh attack' on , Ypres or elsewhere. "Ihe battle in Flanders has ended," it argues, "because the op- , posing armies havo dug themselves in. From the standpoint of casualties it has been the greatest battle in history. It is estimated that, the German losses totalled 200,000. It fell--to th e [ o t of tho British and the Indian .troops to withstand tho most furious of tho attacks, especially in the earlier Stages."- ■ . .- -..'.' MOVEMENTS OF ENEMY'S TROOPS/ . / (Rec. December 2, 10.10 p.m.) ' ' ' . ' Amsterdam, December 2. More German troops from the Yser and Ostend have been sent to Heyst Zeebrugge, and additional artillery have been, sent to the coast for.practice. The new coast batteries began with a dearth of horses; on the Yser front the Germans had seized all the available animals. Advices from Sluis (in' Holland- state that a larger Gorman force, with, bigger guns than before,'has concentrated with a view to a fresh onslaught on the Allies on tho Yeer position. , Numerous motor-cars have carried the 'ihief German officers thither from variqus points. HEAVILY' CENSORED MESSAGE: VIOLENT BATTLE ALONG THE YSER TERRIFIC ARTILLERY. FIRE ON SEA LAND. . Weo. December 2, 10.35 p.m.) • ■ - \ . . London, December 2. ' % heavily censored message from Rotterdam states that the Yser battle 1 lias been renewed -with intense violence; Tho artillery fire on land is terrific, '-while tho British ships are flinging shells into the German batteries. The 'Ge'rmaus on the eve of tho battle sent an additional. force of 3000 to reinforce the garrison at Heyst (the most northern port on the Belgian coast, a few miles from the Duteh frontier), fearing tho: possibility of troops being landed -in their rear. . ' : . : HOT'ENCOUNTER NORTH; OF .ARRAS. (Rec. December 2, 9.20 p.m.) . • e .•■■■: .•''['. Paris, December 2. Official (Tuesday, midnight},;—"Tho German inFantry unsuccossfuljy cn'deavoured to come out of their trenches southward of Bixshoote. Wo car- ■ l-ied by assault, after a hot encounter,'the. chateau and park of- Vermillos, between Bethune and Lens (a few miles north-west of Arras). , '

DESTRUCTIVE BOMBARDMENT OF, REIMS, . (Hoc. Decembaf 2, .9.20 p.m.) Paris, December 2. The bombardment of Keims continues. All the factories have been destroyed, stocks of ivuol luirnodj and tho textile industry ruined. The damage is estimated at A - i 1)00,000. .. ■• . TERRIBLE PLIGHT OF THE GERMANSr '■..;■'■■■■ ■ ' _____ ■ ' ■• ' DISEASE AND HUNGER. IN THE TRENCHES. 1 , .' , -. (Itcc. December-2, 9.40 p.m.) ■■'■' /' "}. : ■• . "'■■. . ' London, December 2. : ; Mr. Martin _ Donoluie, war, correspondent for tho "Daily Chronicle," says that the Germans ill Belgium arc suffering acutely in tho winter campaign.. As a triumphant'march* to Calais had buen anticipated by- the War-Staff, no winter quarters were,provided. "Many arc without shelter, and dying like flies; desertions are a daily occurrence, and increasing. The- Dutch treat military fugitives with'every consideration, and supply clothing and warm . ' "The flooding of Flanders," says Mr. Donohoe, "has had a most disastrous effect on the Germans. Pneumonia, rheumatism, and typhus have' attacked many of those who., were not wounded hi the fighting, and the death roll is heavy. -But. perhaps the Germans' worst and most feared enemy remains— it has been found impossible to adequately feed the armies which are facing the Allies. train is being utilised for hurrying food to the front. The.;fresh troops which are -arriving aro largely intended to replace tho killed and wounded, and the victims of disease. "The German Staff," he adds, "is between- two conflicting resolves, being unable to decide whether to fling away its fresh army in an attempt to reach Calais.; or to. cut the. terrible task short .and quit a country which, has entombed so many of the; Kaiser's'bravest troops."- ••.■'*.. '■■":' ' : . .WHY GERMANY IS FORGING THE PACE. ■••■'■'. (Rec. December 2, 10:10 p.m.) , ■*..''. v, ;'•■•.* .' •■.''■'• '..■"■'' , London, Decamber 2. •. Mr. William' Maxwell, the "Daily Telegraph's " correspondent, quotes an. officer who is acting as an ..intermediary between the Allied armies, as'say"It is .dangerous to imagine that Germany has exhausted 'nor reserves of fighters. ■ It. is true that tremendous and irreparable gaps have been made in the.best material,- but she is always able to put new men. in the field. Picked men from .the new levies have been sent to the Western area, as the Germans believe that victory must he won here, and not in the Bast." "Germany," he adds, "is only just beginning; to revise her opinion concerning .the .fighting'quality of the .Russians, and, incidentally, of the Austrians, who.have' so grievously disappointed her. There is no evidence .that an effective' body of troops has been withdrawn from the "West to reinforce the army in tlie East. We.suspect thai such - reports are of German origin, intended-to deceive. They have already had a taste of the quality of the new men who are being raised in Britain, and are aware that the danger is increas- « ing monthly; hence her frantic, endeavours to make the Ch,anjielunsafe for the transport of troops'... But there will be no interruption to the supply of our young soldiers, proving themselves more than a'match for'the Kaiser's finest and best-trained troops.- That is one reason why- he is in a hurry, and we are not." . ■' ■ ■;■ ■ • ■■"■.- '.; ENEMY'S-MILITARY STRENGTH ANALYSED.: V ' :.,;.:'■ (Rec. December 2, 10.25 p.m.) t . ■ ;■■■■ ' . ■ - •'. •■■'•• ■ .Paris,.Decemher 2. Commenting on the German they have a hundred active reserve army corps in the field,: a semi-official French Note states ' that' Germany really has 'twenty-five and a half active army corps, of which twenty-one-and : an eighth are operating in the West, and the remainder in the Bast; also thirty-three reserve cqrps, of.which twenty-two and a half are in the West. The Note- points out that neither the. German nor the French calculations include tho-tandwehr, of which there are eight'army corps in the West and seven- v in the-Bast.. ',- ■ ■ ' •'-.'' : KING GEORGE'S VISIT TO THE FRONT !■•' ■■ . ■ ■'■■.. ■ •■■ ~~ — ~~ " ' ■ •-. -.-■.■■' iV ' 'MORAL EFFECT OP HIS MAJESTY'S TOUR. ~ , "V- '• (Reo. December 2, 9.40 p.m.) ' ."' . _~',.., , . . Paris, December 2. . King George's visit has been received with the liveliest satisfaction by the I newspapers, • which contrast His Majesty's unobtrusiveness with the Kaiser's theatricalism. ■ '• % > _~ ••■■ ■'■-.• . ._ Rome, December 2. King George's presence in France hag produced an excellent impression in Italy. It is considered to bo calculated to convince the most incredulous that Britain "is determined to prosecute tho war to the bitter end. / ..." ■ ' ' . ■*. '-.■'■■ /PRESIDENT POINOARE GOES TO THE FRONT. . • (Rec. December 2, 9.40 p.m.) The French President .(M, Poincare) has gone to th^M^^fe?'