In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 11, 14 January 1915, Page 5

In the West.

THE APPALLING; COST OF WAR. £9,600,000 DAILY. DAMAGE IN BELGIUM £266,000,000. [United Pbkss Association.] (Received 9.10 a.m.) Amsterdam, January 13. The .Vorwaerts estimates that the daily cost of the war to all belligerents aggregates £9,600,000. The damage done to Belgian property is estimated at £266,000,000, and in East Prussia at two millions. RELEASE OF FIVE BRITISH ARMY DOCTORS.

London, January 13. Five British army doctors have been released, after five months' captivity at Magdeburg. They include Drs. Austin and Elliott, Red Cross officers. They were arrested in Belgium, where they had intended to establish a hospital. There were court-martialled for espionage, sent to Cologne, where, after a fortnight's solitary confinement, they were re-tried several times, and sent to Torgeux, where they were subjected to insolent treatment and poorly fed. OPERATIONS AT SOISSONS. Paris, January 13. Official: Northeast of Soissons, throughout the night, the enemy violently bombarded our positions on a chateau, a spur and hill, at" the latter point making an important attack. The result is unknown. There is nothing to report from the rest of; the front.

THE SCARCITY OF COPPER. (Received 8.45 a.m.) Paris, January IS. Some German regiments with copper helmets and pikes are sending them to Germany. DEATH OF SON OF CERMAN CHIEF STAFF. (Received 8.45 a.m.) Paris, January 13. In connection with the report that a German aeroplane at Amiens on the 11th had been brought down after an hour's pursuit, it appears that the pilot was only wounded, but the observer was killed. The latter was the son of General Von Falkenhnyn, successor to General Von Moltke. HEAVY CERMAN DESERTIONS. (Received 8.45 a.m.) Paris, January 13. Le Matin says that after the battle of Yser many Germans deserted. Eleven thousand deserted at Bruges between November 15th and December 15th. This accounts for the strict watch being kept on the Dutch frontier.

FROM KIEL TO ENCLAND. A VOYAGE THAT WAS CANCEL. LED. (Received 8.45 a.m.) London, January 13. A corporal describing the Christmas truce states that the Saxons said their regiments had previously heen in Kiel harbour for three months waiting to go to England.

NED KELLY HELMETS. IN THE LOOK-OUT TRENCHES. (Received 8.45 a.m.) London, January 13. Frenchmen in the look-out trenches are using improved helmets similar to Ned Kelly's. RED CROSS CONTINGENTS FROM JAPAN. (Received 8.45 a.m.) London, January 13. Japan is sending red cross contingents to England and France. FRENCH PROGRESS REPORT. (Received 8.45 a.m.) ■ Paris, January 13. A communique states : Bad weather impeded operations along the whole front. We maintained our positions at .West Spur, and 132 gave ground in the east. Artillery caused explo-. sions of the enemies' batteries at Champagne. There were violent artillery duels from Rheims to the Argon ne. We still hold the salient at Beausejour redoubt. GERMAN PROGRESS REPORT. (Received 8.45 a.m.) Amsterdam, January 13.

A German communique states: After a heavy artillery battle we captured the trenches at Palingabrug, a suburb of Nieuport, and finally repulsed attacks on the canal at Labasse, also at Laboiselle and Xouvron. Our counter-attack at Crouy completely defeated the French, who evacuated the heights north of Crouy and north east of Cuffies, which is north of Soissons. We repulsed the French sappers' tatacks near St. Mihiel, and occupied the heights north and northeast of Nomeny. COAL AND TIMBER FOR GERMANY. (Received 8.45 a.m.) Amsterdam, January 13. The Telegraf states: Tlio Germans are employing 40,000 miners in the collieries at Mous, Liege, and Charlroi,; and sending the coal to Germany. They are also sending timber from Namur, Brabant, and Haiuaul. CERMAN OPPRESSION IN THE FRONTIER VILLAGES. « Times and Sydney Sun Bebviom. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, January 13.

The inhabitants of the French frontier villages thought they were immune from German oppression, but have been startled to find the Germans billeted on them, while requisitions for cattle and food are*" very rigorous. Numbers are fleeing to Holland, but the Germans are attempting to head them off. THE GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS IN UPPER ALSACE. London, January 13. The Germans are rushing reinforcements into Upper Alsace, fearing the fall of Mulhausen. POISONOUS SHELLS IN USE BY THE GERMANS. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, January 13. The Germans are using shells containing certain proportions of phosphorous, the smoke enabling the gunner to note where the missile falls. The wounds caused by the sliells are poisonous, and are not capable of successful treatment.

THE KING OF THE BELGIANS. ANXIETY FOR THE WELFARE OF THE TROOPS. Timkb and Sydney Sun Bkbvice*. (Received 8.0 a.m.) Loudon, January 13. King Albert, while inspecting the lines with his staff officers .au Sunday, saw men dining in the trenches and looking very tired. He inquired how long they had been working, and on being informed that they had been at it fourteen hours, His Majesty sent them away for a rest, while he and his officers continued digging to relieve them. HUNS AND BARBARIANS. VON KLUCK HONOURED. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, January 13. General Yon Kluck's headquarters at the Aisne is a veritable fortress,' being surrounded by trenches and defended by a mass of batteries and machine guns. Von Kluck told a journalist: "They call us Huns and barbarians, but this is an honour to us, because it proves our strength is understood." MEETING OF FRENCH PARLIAMENT. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, January 13. One hundred and twenty-five French Deputies who are serving at the front will attend the opening of the Chamber on Tuesday. JOFFRE'S RIGHT-HAND MEN. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, January 13. General .Toffre's right-hand men are Generals Foeh and De Mandhry. Gen. eral Poch, who in July, was merely a commandant of an army corps, is a man of the greatest simplicity and directness. General Mandhry, who was a plain brigadier and originally a royalist, spent much of his life in the garrison towns on the eastern frontier. He is a dark agile little man, always ready for quick long inarches.