SHELLING UNDEFENDED TOWNS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2338, 21 December 1914, Page 5

SHELLING UNDEFENDED TOWNS

FRENZIED ECSTACY IN BERLIN IRON CROSSES FOR GERMAN PIRATES Amsterdam, December 18. Flags are flying everywhere in Berlin, and bells are ringing, celebrating the victories in Poland and the raid on the Yorkshire coast. The people demand that the raiders should be awarded the Iron Otosb; An official message from Berlin states that in approaching England, of the four destroyers which attacked the German cruisers, one was sunk, and the others were damaged and disappeared. The German ships Tcceived some ehots from the coast batteries, causing slight damage. • The Hartlepool batteries were silenced, and a British destroyer was sunk elsewhere. 1 REACTION FROM PROFOUND DEPRESSION. (Rec. December 20, 3.30 p.m.) Amsterdam, December 19. Germany's frenzied joy over an alleged victory is partly solved by the arrival of German newspapers which pause and ask why there are no names of battlefields .and lists of captures. It is evident the people have been fed up on communiques and vague references to certain decisive operations without troubling about further details. Tho groundless ecstasy is the reaction from the profound depression over the British naval victory near Falkland Islands, and the Servian victory at Belgrade. NO BRITISH WARSHIPS WERE LOST. (Rec. December 20, 3.35 p.m.) London, December 19. The Admiralty'denies tho loss of any British warship in the East Coast operations. OPINIONS OF LEADING NEWSPAPERS Parlo, December 18. . The newspapers are indignant at the massacre in the English ports. It will arouse the spirit of England, and will prove fatal to tho German Navy, . wlii<\h is dftAcribed as walking into the lion's mouth, '

. Now York, December 18. . The "Tribune" says: "Civilised opinion everywhere will dharo in the indignation regarding the bombardment of undefended coast towns. Such rutlilessness will come'home to roost." "The Times" says: "Ruthless bombardments are utterly useless, and the massacre of non-combatants has aroused world-wide angry, resentment, which will not fail to bo prejudicial to Germany." i London, December 18. The "Morning Post" declares that the bombardment of undefended towns without notice is piracy, and those guilty should bo treated as pirates and enemies of the human race. There must be no more maudlin sentiment about German naval officers. The Navy has lost-its honour and forfeited all claim to be treated according to the usages of civilised war. UNITED STATES WILL NOT INTERVENE, (Rec. December 20, 4.16 p.m.) London, December 19. President Wilson and Mr. W. J. Bryan, Secretory of State, have decided not to make any representations to Germany concerning the bombardment of the East Coast of England, as certain American papers have pointed out that America -was involved in such a breach, of international' law, but President TVilson wishes to avoid all entanglements in the present conflict. INQUEST ON SEVENTY-SEVEN VICTIMS KILLING OF UNARMED CITIZENS- l • i ' London, December 18. 'At the Hartlepool inquest on seventy-seven victims of the German raid, the Coroner said: "This has brought the war home to us. We now have some idea of what the Belgians and French suffered and are suffering. It is gratifying to know that the people of the East Coast are not living in fear of lie enemy." Witnesses gave evidence that a shell hurst in a breakfast-room where a number of people were seated, and killed the daughter. In another instance a shell passed right through the body of a woman. A grandfather was found with two grandchildren dead under a wrecked house. Their father, who was absent, is a stoker in the Navy. The jury's verdict was: "That under cover of a dense fog German ships fired shells on the twin ports, killing unarmed civilians." The jurymen handed their fees to the victims' fund. The Coroner at the Whitby inquest on two victims, said: "This inquiry !s unprecedented in your experience or mine. These days of excitement call' for steadfast courage. Those who cannot serve the King under arms should do their best by going about with as little excitement and heroics as possible." An artillery offioer gave evidence that common shell, and not shrapnel, was used. A verdict was returned that the victims were killed by fire from German cruisers. At the inquest at Scarborough, Petty Officer Dean, of the Coastguards, gave evidence that two large cruisers were accompanied by two smaller cruisers. The larger vessels fired their starboard guns, then turned and fired the port guns. The bombardment lasted forty minutes, and five hundred shells were fired. . l ■ . ... . ■ THE RAID STIMULATES RECRUITING. London, December 18. The raid is materially increasing the number of men enlisting, particularly in the area affected by Wednesday's bombardment. The authorities are placarding the country with a poster headed "Avenge Scarborough," and a sub-heading, "Up and at 'em," adding, "The wholesale murder of innocent women and children demands vengeance. Show that the German barbarians cannot bombard Britain's shores with impunity." DAMAGE AT SCARBOROUGH £40,000 THE PILL GERMANY WILL HAVE TO SWALLOW. (R«o. December 20, 5 p.®.) London, December 19. . The German shells damaged six hotels, four large boardinghouses, . four churches, and a -workhouse at Scarborough. The damage is estimated at £40,000, and will take many months to repair the total losses. Thirty shells were found embedded in the Spa Gardens. It is -asserted that signalling by flashlight was seen on the eve of tie raid and a search is being made for spies at Hartlepool. Most of the victims were women aud children. A falling gable killed ten who were refuging there. The German steamer Dinebole was the worst sufferer amongst.the shipping in the harbour. ' _ A shell damaged a shop five miles inland. Less than twelve hours after the Germans disappeared workmen commenced to repair the damage. There is little gmmbling by the .residents on the coast and it is realised that it is a repetition of the meteoric- dash on Yarmouth. Universal regret is expressed that the German ships escaped. The uppermost feeling is that when the day of reckoning comes the pill which Germany will have to swallow will not be made pleasanter by this raid. There is a burning desire to avenge scores of innocent sufferers.— ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) LLOYD'S RATES FOR BOMBARDMENT RISKS. (Reo. December 20, 5.6 p.m.) " London, December 19. Lloyd's rates for bombardment risks from Harwich northwards is 40s. per cent.; Harwich to Dover, 205.; South Coast, 10s.; West Coast, ss. OFFICERS' OBJECTIONS OVERRULED BY KAISER FRESH RAIDS TO BE MADE, WEATHER PERMITTING, (Rec. December 21, 0.10 a.m.) Copenhagen, December -19. Naval circlcs in Hamburg are sharply discussing the raid. A number of non-Prussian naval officers have declared it against their sense of honour to slioll -unfortified towns, but the Kaiser and the Admiralty overruled their objection. _ ' Several submarines accompanied Wednesday's raiders, and other vessels were ready to sail if the raiders got into trouble. If the weather "makes it possible, similar raids will be organised at sliort intervals, also an attempt will be made to land a few thousand men, who expect to be taken prisoners, but they may force the rccall of troopg from the -Continent. AUSTRIAN PRESS JUBILANT OVER THE RAID, (Reo. December, 21, 0.10 a.m.)' Vienna, December 19. The Press is jubilant over the East Coast raid. The "Neue Freie Press" states:—"lnsolent foes now know what comes of threatening Germany's existence." The "Neues Wiener" Journal says"England must now: fight for her. own existence. This is the turning-point of the war."