PROJECTED ONSLAUGHT ON SERVIA

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 741, 30 January 1915, Page 5

PROJECTED ONSLAUGHT ON SERVIA

AUSTRO-GERMAN PREPARATIONS. BUCHAREST ANXIOUS. London, Thursday. Bucharest anxiously note the magnitude and completeness of the equipment of the Austro-German forces preparing to invadw Servia. It includes 200,000 German and some of the best Hungarians. There is no doubt that the Servians will make a heroic resistance, but anxiety is felt as to the consequences to Rumania in the event of Servia being compelled to yield to superior numbers.

NEWCASTLE THE OBJECTIVE. OF THE GERMAN RAID. London, Thursday. Sailors whj participated in Admiral Beatty's fight assume that Newcastle was the Germans' objective. It ia pointed out that the serious damage suffered by the two German battle-cruisera engaged in the fight leaves only two ships of this class fit for immediate use. Indeed, if the Von der Tann was absent from the enemy's raiding sauadron, or reported, on account of damage through collision with another German ship previous to the last, raid, Germany has only one undamaged battle-cruiser left. "German threats of invasion," remarks the Times in discussing the subject, "instantly become IeBS feasible. Transports are necessary for such an expedition, which also require pruterting cruisers, and Germany was never well off in cruisers. She cannot now supply transports with the requisite protection until the damaged ship 3 are repaired. The result of Sunday's battle, therefore, lessens the possibility either of further raids or of an invasion."

A Canadian correspondent notes the calmness with which London receives news of victories. There are no signn of public rejoicings over Admiral Beatty's victory. Of thirty flagpoleß in the vicinity of Piccadilly only five of them displaved flags. This Beeming indifference runs parallel to tha country's strenuous preparations and increasing efforts, and has puzzled every foreign observer. London, Thursday. The Admiralty announces that the rumour that the Von der Tann had been damaged in collision with another German vessei is unfounded.

GERMANS CONSTRUCTING RAILWAYS.

TO KEEP PACE WITH ADVANCE. London, Thursday. The Daily News correspondent at Athens states that the Turks are preparing to advance on the Suez Canal along three lines, the first near the coast, the second twelve miles inland, and the third further south. German engineers are constructing a light railway to keep pace with the advance and supply water. Advices from Cairo state that merchantmen have been ordered to enter the Canal wilh convoys. Crews and passengers are to keep below as much as poasibl?. The sbipa' bridge are to be protected with sandbags or Bteel plates.