The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, August 11, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1283, 11 August 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, August 11, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The war news that is allowed to come through the cables is very patchy and contradictory. New Zealand is expectant of startling news of a great naval battle. The awful details of the fighting around Liege and the gallant defence by the heroic Belgian troops, and the entry of the French into Alsace does not satisfy ns. We want to know something of the naval movements, but up to the time of going to press no naval news has come to hand. The Germans are in possession of Liege but the plucky Belgians still hold the forts. Unless reinforcements soon arrive it is safe to assume that the Belgians cannot hope to hold out very long against overwhelming odds. The battle of Altkirch ended in a complete rout of a German brigade from a strongly fortified position, and a demoralising pursuit by the French cavalry. The Austrians are sending some picked forces to reinforce Germany against the French advance in Alsace and Lorraine. Kitchener’s plan of campaign, so for as the English forces are concerned is not revealed. The censor has made meaningless a sensational message that Japan has issued au ultimatum, probably to Germany.