LORD DERBY'S TASK ENDED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2640, 10 December 1915, Page 5

LORD DERBY'S TASK ENDED

RECRUITING SCHEME CLOSES DOWN TO-MORROW REMARKABLE RALLY FOR PINAL EFFORT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. December 9, 11.30 p.m.) London, December 9. Lord Derby's announcement tliati tho various enlistment groups must positively close on Saturday has resulted in a remarkable recruiting rally. At every big centre many of tho offices are open day and night, while tho recruiting staffs have been enlarged. » The recruiting agents state that the married men still preponderate, two married men enlisting to every single recruit. The latter still believe that the Government will not resort to compulsion. The "Daily News" says that it is understood that the Government will ask for a million men oil tho Army vote next week, when particulars will be forthcoming-as to the results of Lord Derby's scheme.

RECRUITS FROM THE MALAY STATES .

PATRIOTIC EFFORTS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrl£&t Sydney, December 9. A- visitor from tho Malay States says that out of. a population of 8000 Europeans, 600 have gone to the front. Hie whites, natives, and Chinese are holding a campaign for funds to present an air fleet of fifteen units to Great Britain. The campaign was organised by Mr. C. Alma Baker, a New Zealander. Sufficient money for ten units has already been supplied. The natives and Chinese aro very loyal, and are large subscribers tt> the funds. . < Although the war efforts are heatfy, there is no national debt.. The Dreadnought, costing two and a half million, recently presented to England, wae paid for out of revenue.

ATTACKED WHILE

THE FRENCH SUBMARINE • i FRESNEL. / T- ' i By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrlghl London, December 8. i The Admiralty states that the French I submarine Frosnel was attacked by the ; Austrians when, she was aground. i The Austrians alleged that a big sail- < ing ship was sunk, but as a. matter of < fact the ship in question was only a . vessel of SO tons. i [It was reported yesterday that accord- i ing to a Gorman wireless message the French submarine Fresnel had been destroyed at Sunsay by an Austrian warship. Two officers and twenty-sis men were saved and taken prisoner.] 1

STANDARD OIL STEAMER TORPEDOED

NO NEWS OF THE CREW. By TeleernDh—Press Association—Copyright ( Rome, December 8. 3 The Standard Oil tank steamer Com- 1 munipaw, with 15,000 tons of oil from 1 •Genoa to Alexandria, was submarined f and sunk near Tobruk. A search for I survivors proved fruitless. . , SHELLED, NOT SUNK. , \ ■ i Later. i The Comrminipaw was bombarded, but not sunk.

TERRIBLE FIGHTING ON IHE ISONZO {

AN ITALIAN SOLDIER'S STORY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopjrtjjht \ London, December 8.An Italian soldier, describing the terrible ißonzo fighting; says it lasted for I a fortnight. There ivas .an incessant 1 bombardment and continuous -charges. Three charges in one day failed. The '• battlecry, "Savoia! _ eohoed through the desolate valleys in vain. "Many of our brothers hid down their lives, "but we' were not daunted. Suddenly, at midnight, there came a blinding snowstorm. Our battalion was ordered to attack. We climbcd the precipitous S heights, the snow whipped our faces, we could hardly see a yard before us. There was no sign of the enemy until w*i were within ton yards of our goal; * then came a single cry—our major's battlecry, 'Savoia 1' Wo caught up the sound and fell upon the' trenches like a- cannonball. The first trench was r full of corpses from the previous ctn- ' nonading. We swept on, and carried 2 tho second and third lines, the enemy's survivors begging for mercy." J .■ ' c

TRAFFIC FROM ENGLAND TO ® AUSTRALIA ' I ——- ' C

By TelegriDh—Press Association—Copyright c London, December 8. D The difficulties and cost of tho passenger traffic between England and Australia are liksly to increase. Nearly ( all tho services via the Cape have been taken over by the Government.' Many passengers to Australia, desiring to use that service, and thus avoid the dan- . gcrs of the Mediterranean, have been 1 unable to secure berths. Tho position is tho more acute owing to the demand for vessels in conncction with Aus- I trdlia's wheat scheme. a .Lord Inclicapo, speaking at tho Peninsular and Oriental Company's meeting, said the Government had taken over forty-two of tho company's vessels at'various times, and was still nsinn-thirty-one. The working cost had so j increased that it might bo ntoessary to further raise tho passenger rates.

: s P. & 0. LINER BROKEN l ON THE ROCKS '

By Tolcktodli—Prcea Association—Copyright London,' December 8. 'The P. and 0. steamer Socotra lias broken in halves. She is high and dry, Salvage work is proceeding satisfac- g torily. ' (Rec. December 9, G. 30 p.m.) London, December 8. The WToek of tho Socotra was duo to an abnormal current. ' Tim crew was i saved.. The tjargo and hatches are intact, but tliere is a- wide break between 2 tho funnel and the bridge. Tho vessel is lying,'in a precarious !! position. [This is the first cabled reference to tho wreck of the Socotra. Private ad- Vl vices reached Wellington oh Monday " night that the P. and 0. liner Socotra Is had gone ashore near Start Point, on the South Coast <>f_ England. The Socotra is a steel twin-schow steamer of t] 6009 tons gross, and was built by Pal- j inor's Company, Ltd., at Newcastle, in g 1897. According to latest advices the Socrotra loaded at Brisbane on Soptom- s her 18, Sydney September 27, Melbourno s - October 2, and Adelaido on October 7 n for London.] ' • . THE WRECKED STAR OF NEW I ZEALAND. • (Rec. December 9, 6.30.p.m.) M London, December 8. s; The Star of-NewZealand is-badly b< holed. _ lhe weather is bad for salvage, v, w.Umii u thq mooatiws is. imMfifiijjls, Jj