POPE'S CHRISTMAS TRUCE PROPOSAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2334, 16 December 1914, Page 5

POPE'S CHRISTMAS TRUCE PROPOSAL

(Eeo. December 16, 0.15 a.m.) Rome, Decomber 15. The "Observatore," the official organ of the Vatican, referring to the Pope's offorts to arrange a Christinas truce, states that his reasons wore his sentiments of humanity, and pity for tho families of tho combatants. All tho Powers declared that they appreciated the loftiness of tho Pontifical initiative, and a majority were sympathetic towards the proposals. Some, howover, wore uuablo to agree, and, ill the absence oF unanimity, tho Pope ivas ua£ble to achieve the result desired. .

CAMPAIGN INCIDENTS: ! JAM-TIN GRENADES \ NEW INDUSTRY FOR THE ROYAL ■ ENGINEERS , ... .. ! London, December 14. ■ 'An officer of the Royal Engineers' j writes that his company is turning out ; hand grenades at the.rate of 300 daily. "\ They are made of empty jam -tin's> filled „ with small pieces ot \non and a few : ounces of gun-cotton. ■ i Similar methods were employed iff i fighting in the eighteenth century.—i ' "Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services, ; CERMAN ATROCITIES. INQUIRY BY AUSTRALIA - . .; (Rec. December 15, 8.20 p.m.)' .{ Molbourne, Decemberls -I , 4 The Federal Prime • Minister, Mrv i Andrew Fisher, on behalf of members ''■ of Parliament, oabled to the British' Government regarding the stories which -! bad been circulated about the mutila- ! turn of males by the Germans in Bel- i gium. He received the reply:— i "Am informed by the Embassy that i the Belgian Committee of Inquiry has j no evideii/ie of any such report." • ' ■; The rejJy ivas read in Parliament and S cheered. " > TURNINO THE TABLES. - > INCIDENT AT DIXMUDE. , i (Rec. December 15, 8.45 p.m.) \ . Paris, December 15. ; During the fighting at Dixmude * '' company of French bluejackets were ■ i surrounded. The majority were killed, ! and the survivors surrendered, with an i officer. The German officere demanded • ! to be shown a safe passage acroes the ; Yser, and the French officer led tW. i way to Dixmude Bridge, where the ■ i French were, in strong force. 1 The prisoners shouted to their com- ; rades: "We have captured a German I" •■; The officer attacked the French officer, : but the latter shot him, and the de- ■ tnchment escaped to the French lines, : covered by their comrades' fire. The '■ officer was decorated. ' . i MYSTERIOUSLY DESTROYED. ; GERMAN BAERAOKS NEAR KIEL' "\ Copenhagen, December 14. )' ' It is reported that the great Gottorj ■. ■ Barracks, near Kiel, have been de* ! stroyed. ''.-'■ ■ j . ; The cause has been kept secret. ' The Sohloss.Gqttorp, in- Schleßwigl- i Friedrichsberg, at the head'of the inlet [ called the Schlei, and about twenty miles north-west of Kiel, was an oW grand-ducal castle, but had been con j verted into a barracks. ■ ■• • ; NOTES IN BRIEF. ' j :WRETOHED ROADS FOR THE ' I ALLIES. ' ; Boulogne, December 14. ■ j One of the Allies' greatest obstacles is the wretched condition of the main i roads. It has been decided to make j corduroy roads, and thousands of tons ; of implements have been ordered from ■ England. ' . '■■ GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S SON <; : WOUNDED, ~,....; '• : '■..■ Berne, December 14. Th'e newspapers; state that the son ol ; the German Chancellor.. (Herr Von Bethmann-Hollwegg) was badly- wounded and made prisoner at Petrikau. \ SEIZURE OF GERMAN GRAIN : VESSELS. : Amsterdam, December 14. i The authorities at Hansweerd detain- ' ■; ed fifteen grain-laden- vessels 6ent>- by ', the Germans from Antwerp. It is'be- .: lieved the Germans arc apprehensive of \ the vessels' safety in Antwerp, and : prefer to have them interned in Hoi- i land. -.-•■• . • .