GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 92, 15 November 1916, Page 5

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

>~. A new Japanese battleship of 31,000 tons, with a speed of 23 knots, and carrying twelve 14-inch guns, lias been launched at Kobo. The issue, abroad, of Russian Treasury bonds totalling 2,000,000.000 roubles has been authorised.

The Marconi Company and the Japanese Government will inaugurate, on Thursday, a commercial wireless service to California, Honolulu, .Japan, and the trans-Pacifie. The tariff is 3s 4d per word, full rate, and 20d, deferred, compared with the present rate of ss. The steamer Batavier lias been taken to Zcebrugge. The Kaiser visited Dr. Batoeki’s food department, and conferred lengthily as to the future internal politics with the Socialist official, Dr. Muller.

The Daily Chronicle’s Rome correspondent authoritatively states that the Pope and King Alfonso are formulating urgent joint action to stop Belgian deportations.

A conference between Mr Massey, Sir Joseph Ward, and the representatives of the colonial meat trade, discussed the manner of handling the surplus New Zealand meat in England.

Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, in the afternoon, met the executive oi the New Zealand War Contingent Association and discussed the methods of dealing with the wounded and invalided men. The Board of Trade has ordered the winding-up of August Brehmner, bookbinding machine dealers. The Evening News states that tin 1 Covernment is considering the desirability of instituting a standard war loaf of uniform quality. A special committee is investigating the whole question.

The Yossiche Zeitung says that Germany has suffered long enough Norway’s methods under Britain’s pressure, ft is not necessary to declare war, but, unless strict neutrality is maintained, Germany must take what stops she thinks lit. The Allies, finding it impossible to conquer Germany, seek to prolong the war by compelling the small Powers to fight her economically. The Telegraaf (Amsterdam) states that Cardinal Mercier and the Belgian bishops have protested against the deportations, which are a violation oi von der Goltz’s word of honor that no civilians capable of bearing arms should be sent to Germany, make munitions, or engage in forced labor. The protest movingly appeals to all souls, believers or unbelievers, in the allied, neutral, or even in enemy countries, to do their utmost to secure the abolition of the system of slavery whereunder able-bodied people arc transported no one knows whither. Gangs of 800 to 1200 are daily senv from some districts, each deportee representing a German worker who can he transferred to the army.