WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1281, 6 August 1914, Page 3

WAR NEWS.

Wellington, Wednesday.

His Excellency the Governor announced that war had been declared between England and Germany.- At 3 o’clock, in the presence of a large gathering of members of Parliament and the general public, the Governor read from the steps of old Parliament Buildings a proclamation expressing the thanks of the King for the spontaneous assurance of the fullest support in the present crisis. He also announced that war had broken out with Germany. (Cheers and the National Anthem). London, August 4.

The Admiralty urges that British ships bound for Continental ports north of Calais be diverted to United Kingdom ports. Details of military and naval operations are meagre and misleading owing to censorship.

There was excitement in London at a rumour that German cruisers were seen in the Atlantic. If true they would be the Gothen and Brezla.

The French troops are keeping well up to the frontier line, and are not playing Germany’s game by exciting themselves. German raiding parties are only small cavalry skirmishes. On Germany’s eastern frontier twenty Russians were killed. The Russians attacked Johannisberg at six o’clock, also the railway between Johannisberg and Lyck, near Gutten, and the railway to Dlottowen.

It is believed Austria abandoned her active campaign in Servia and is attending to .pressing matters in Galicia, where it is expected that a warlike feeling is spreading.

Bulgaria is unlikely to abandon her neutrality at present. The French Embassy states that {he Breslau bombarded Bona, in Algeria, at 4 o’clock this morning, and afterwards steamed at full speed westwards. Romk, August 4. Giornale d’ltalia says Germany has called the attention of Italy to France’s so-called hostile acts, and declared these constitute a casus foederis. The Giornale adds that the Italian Government does not consider a casus foederis has been established, and adheres to her neutrality. Stockholm, August 4. Sweden remains neutral. London, August 4. In the House of Commons Mr Asquith announced that Germany had been asked for a satisfactory reply by midnight respecting the Belgian neutrality. By calling up all naval reserves the Admiralty will obtain 200,000 officers wherewith to place a third fleet on a war footing. Prior to invading Belgium, Germany officially declares her intention of using the territory. The House of Commons passed all outstanding votes of supply amounting to £100,000,000 in ten minutes. It is rumoured that the Right Hon. C. F. G. Masterman, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, has resigned. Eighty-five per cent, has been paid at Lloyds to insure against war between Britain and Germany for three months. A supposed spy arrested at Grimsby has been released. Paris, August 4. Joffers, Commauder-in-Chief, has left for the frontier. It is reported a German force is near Mars Latour. Numerous foreigners are asking for permission to form a volunteer corps, including Polish miners, in the northern districts. Mobs at night wrecked shops and restaurants of which Germans were supposed to be the owners, and 150 persons were arrested, Tfjpre were, further raids in the morning, despite the threats of martial law. All cafes and drink shops are closed at nine. London. Aug. 4. Ships arriving at Tyne declared that a battle is proceeding off Flamborough Heads (north east coast of England) between the French and German fleets. In the House of Commons Mr Asquith read Herr Von Jagow’s telegram repeating the formal assurance that Germany would not annex Belgian territory. (Derisive laughter). Germany had unimpeachable information that France intended to attack her across Belgium, hence the disregard of the neutrality. Mr Asquith added that this explanation was unsatisfactory. Brussels, Aug. 3.

One bunded and fifty thousand men have been mobilised to defend the neutrality. A strategical line from Malmeny to Liege is guarded on both the German and Belgian sides. Twenty-Six thousand men are engaged digging trenches between the forts. Cettinje, Aug. 4. The mobilising of the Montenegrin forces has been ordered. A blockade at Tivari is expected. An unconfirmed report from Sydney states that the destroyer Parramatta captured the North German Lloyd liner Seydlitz, which sailed from Sydney on Monday. Melbourne, Aug. 5* The Bfaz has returned to port. The company states that they had clearance papers, and the first intimation of war received was a shot across the bows. The captain put back to port immediately he realised the situation. The Seydlitz is a vessel of 7>9 8 4 tons, and is a comparatively new boat. The German cruiser Nurnberg has left Honolulu, supposedly for Somoa or southern seas.

A report from San Diego (California) states that the British warship Shearwater has left with her decks cleared for action, and fighting is imminent. Defensive operations are being carried out throughout the Empire. Canadian naval reservists have sailed for England. London, Aug. 4.

German warships chased the cruiser Pathfinder, which eluded its pursuers. [H.M.S. Pathfinder is a scout of 2,940 tons, having a speed of 25 knots. She carries ten twelvepounder guns, and eight threepounders, j The Admiralty has taken over two battleships ordered for Turkey, and two destroyers ordered for Chile. The former have been renamed Agincourt and Erin. Lady Dudley has started an Australian volunteering field hospital. Some Australians have promised liberal help. An anonymous donor has given

Nationalists and Unionists are fraternising in Ireland, and are united to a man to support England. Prince Albert, second son of the King, who is a midshipman, is afloat with the British fleet. He is on the Collihgwood, the battleship of the First Battle Squadron. The world is awaiting news of naval happenings, in the North Sea.

It is generally believed that there is less danger ot a dearth of food supplies in Britain than an artificial inflation of prices through the public’s unreasonable buying and the middleman's greed. Mr Henry Page Crolt, M.P., in a letter to the Morning Post, suggests that the overseas could save millions from distress by prohibiting the export of foodstuffs outside he Empire, supplying their British kinsmen at a good, but not excessive, profit. Such a helpful arrangement was worth many divisions of troops. The German fleet has passed through the Kiel Canal into the North Sea. A rumour - was circulated in Wellington this morning to the effect that a naval engagement had taken place in the North Sea between the British and German fleets, and that two British cruisers and fourteen German cruisers had been sunk. Also that the New Zealand was one of the cruisers destroyed. The rumour is without foundation in tact.