WAR PREPARATIONS CONTINUE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2998, 8 February 1917, Page 5

WAR PREPARATIONS CONTINUE

MURDER OF AMERICAN SAILOR SHEETED- HOME PLAUSIBLE WHINE FROM GERMANY ■•;.'•' ByTclcßraph-Press Association-Oapyrislit . NEW York, February (j. The State Department has notified its consuls in Britain to forward afliHavits and particulars of the death of tho seaman "Wallace. The American Consul at Queenstown has notified the State Department I Df tho confirmation'of tho killing of Hichard Wallace, a negro seaman, by a. German submarine. HUGE WAR PREPARATIONS New York, February (j. , The Secretary for War has ordered the immediate purchase of army supplies to the limit of tho Department's available funds. A Bill io appropriate £30,000,000 has'-been-introduced in Congress, to facilitate the quick delivery of'warships under construction, and of naval supplies. Bills havo been introduced in Congress authorising tho Government, if necessary, to take over tho railways, telegraphs, telephones, private yachts, and all ships laid up in American ports. Thu United States Steel C 0... the Bethlehem Steel Co., and other leading companies, have informed the Governmonfc that thoy are instantly ready to erase work on private contracts and make, munitions exclusively.—Ans.-N.55. Cablo Assri. . • "■• ' , ' . . -■• ■■-. Ml!.. ROOSEVELT'S OFFER. ■■•.-■' ■'.•■..■■.' Nev/York, February 6. President Wilson has thanked Mr. Roosevelt - for his'offer to serve as a divisional commander, 1 and has promoted Theodore Roosevelt, junior, lo major in the Reserve Army. This act, epitomises the burying of enmities in the face of ,i common enemy.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. CENSORSHIP ON PACIFIC ISLAND NEWS. , '■■■'■ New York, February (j. The lirst censorship has been'established at San Francisco on news from Hawaii and from the Philippines.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN-AMERICAN RUSH FOR NATURALISATION. ',-■..-'.■•.■■- : . Now York, February 6. 'There is an unprecedented rush ol Germans to become naturalised AmeriCnns Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. '.. . ■~ ■"; ■'■■'■ t'AMERICAN MINISTER LEAVES-BERLIN. ".,..' . , , London, February 6. The Central News Agency states that Mr. Gerard (the American Ambassador) has left Berlin, and is expected in Switzerland to-day.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable 'Assn. • i ■ ' (Rec. February 7, 9.30 p.m.) . The Hague, February (j. Mr. Gerard (United .States Minister) recently visited the Dutch Minister at Berlin, and handed over tho protection of British interests and prisoners. Hr also visited the Spanish Ambassador at Berlin, who will take over the protection of other foreign interests which wero formerly under America's protection.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ORGANISED SABOTAGE ON INTERNED SHIPS Honolulu, February C. Tho machinery of nine German merchantmen in. the harbour liiis been Sisabled. The crews have now been placed in tho immigration station. ilieuter.' '. , PROPITIATORY OFFICIAL WHINE FROM GERMANY ■ t . NO REAL CAUSE FOR HOSTILITY, ' London, February 6, 3.15 p.m. "A wireless message from Berlin says:—Count Zimmerman states: "Wβ • iavo no real cause ourselves for hostility against tbo United States, and ls-Uirally appreciate the unhpstile words of President Wilson among others df o different character. While to a certain extent we see reasons prompting the present attitude of the United States wo expect Mr. Wilson to the same extent to recognise the reasons prompting our decision."—High Commissioner's message. Copenhagen, February 6. There is a report that. Herr Zimmerman (Foreign Minister) declared: ''America has forsaken us. There is no retreat possible in the ! ; ght for. our ixistaice."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN TREASURER MORE TRUCULENT. New-York, February 6. UesrMkbes from Berlin quote Herr Uelfforich (Chancellor of Ihe German .E>:clie!|U«r) as saying: "We will go tho way we have chosen lo tho end. We ?.k convinced the neutrals will eventually be thankful."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable HsMl.

OTHER SEMI-OFFICIAL UTTERANCES. „ •■• • n- ■ „ , , , . Rotterdam, February (i. , Xt, IS semi-oftcially staled in Berlin, that llio reports of President Wilson s message to Congress arrived on. Sunday afternoon, and caused an extreme, sensation, but a firm and determined feoling was clearly noticeable. How firm ;s the confidence of the, nation m the High Commands of the army and navy is shown by the fact that no Bcotiou fears that the war can be lost. A Dutch news agency states that news from.Berlin says that German official circles greatly regret that President Wilson has not sufficiently distinguished between Germany's goodwill and tlio Entento's rojeotion of Gormany's peace offer, and earnestly, bops that his words' will not find an enho in the liuropeaivncutrals. A STATEMENT IN THE REICHSTAG. (Roc. February 7, 0.30 p.m.) ~,, ~, . , , ... Amsterdam, February 6. J he Reichstag will meet on February 22, yhen Herr von Bcthmanu-Holl-v.6Si "?fl e i :l <lf } clarab,on on the subject of Germany's submarine polioy — Aui.-N.Z. Catya Assn.