ALLIES ADVANCE

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 92, 18 December 1914, Page 5

ALLIES ADVANCE

IMPORTANT CHANCES

lar mm »■ H ■■ ■ ■ '■^

NOT WAITING TILL SPORTING

THE NAVAL RAID

REPORTED SINKING OF CRUISERS ENGAGED

SERVIANS' IMMENSE SUCCESS

THE GERMAN RAIDERS

CHASED BY BRITISH SQUADRON.

ESCAPE IN A MIST.

Press Association —Extraordinary. The High Commissioner reports Loudon, December 17, 12.30 p.m.:-

On the morning the German cruiser force made a demonstration upon the Yorkshire t'oast, by shelling Hartlepool, Whitby and Scarborough, a number of Germany's fastest cruisers were employed for the purpose. They remained for about an hour, and as their presence had been reported, the British patrolling squadron endeavoured.to cut them off. On sighting the British vessels the Germans returned at full speed, and favoured by mist, succeeded in'making good their escape. The losses on both sides were small, but. full reports have not yet been received.

EERLIN REPORTS THE RAID.

GERMAN PRESS JUBILANT. (Reed. 8.50 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17. The Berliner Tageblatt declares that once mere c-ai* ships have braved the scattered mines, and shelled English fortified places. Other German newspapers are enthusiastic over their performance.

ENGLISH COAST BOMBARDED

THE ADMIRALTY REPORT. (Reed. 2.35 p.m.) LONDON, JOec. 17. The Admiralty announces that a number of the fastest German ships demonstrated en the coast of Yorkshire. Ttfey remained an hour, and when the patrolling British squadron was endeavouring to cut them off they put on full speed and escaped in the mist. The losses on both sides was small. 50 KILLED, 115 WOUNDED (Received 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17 Several of the German shells did not explode at Hartlepool. The official statement of lesses is 55 killed and 115 wounded at Hartlepool.

RAID ON ENGLISH COAST. DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. HARTLEPOOL, SCARBOROUGH AND WHITBY SHELLED. NUMEROUS CASUALTIES AND CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE'.

ENTIRE ABSENCE OF PANIC

RAID FULLY EXPECTED.

(Reed. 7.40 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17

The War Office announces that two German battle cruisers and armoured cruisers commenced the bombardment of Hartlepcol at 8.15. The land batteries replied, and apparently hit and damaged the enemy. Firing ceased r«.t. 3.50, and the enemy steamed off. None of cur guns were touched. A shell fell in the. Royal Engineers' lines, and several in the lines of the 13th Service Battalion cf the Durham Ligh' Infantry. The casualties to the tree; • were seven killed and 14 wounded. There Avas seme damage to the town, and the gasworks were fired.- Ver- " during the bombardment, especially West Hartlepool, crowded the street Approximately 22 were killed and 5( wounded. Simultaneously, a battle cruiser and an armoured cruiser fired 50 shots at Scarborough. There was Considerable damage, and 13 casualties. Two battle-cruisers at Whitby fired ishcts, damaging buildings. Two were Killed and two wounded. The War Office adds: "At all three places there was an entire absence cf panto : ■ "'hn ! , e , ""e'"nur cf the people ivas everything that could he rtQaired,''

"THE TIMES" ON THE INCIDENT

LONDON, Dec. i 7

''The Times," in a leader, say.*-: The possibility of such a raid was widely known, especially on the east coast.

Wo fully expect the Germans to come again until they come once Loo often. They think to frighten u<3, but \v.j arc .not easily frightened. They might as well throw pebbles at riic Rock of Gibraltar."

INTERESTING DETAILS

STATEMENT BY THE ADMIRALTY

DELIBERATE BREACH OF HAGUE CONVENTION.

RAID DEVOID OP MILITARY

SIGNIFICANCE

(Reed. 10.35 p.m.)

LONDON, Dec. .I r

Whqn the destroyers appeared the enemy's bigger ships desisted from the bombardment and retired. There were some minor engagements unproductive of;decisive results to either side.

Narratives show that men, women and children were kiUe.j and others wounded The indignation universally aroused by the attack, which in the case of such undefended towns as Whitby and Scarborough, is a manifest' violation cf the Hague Convention, is exceeded cnly by sympathy for the victims of the barbaric act l t - is generally agrees by experts that the bombardment was out of the control of the North Sea fleet, which canr-c- be every. where. Moreover, the 'o'ockade of the German coasts is not a c'.vifi blockade as in olden wars. The Admiralty point. out that demonstrations of thlf character against unfortified towns and commercial ports are p as> of accomplishment, provided a certain amount of risk is accepted, and are devoid of military significance, thovgh they may cause loss of life to civilians The incident inust in no circumstances be allowed to modify the general naval policy which is being pursued.

AN UNOFFICIAL REPORT. RAIDING VESSELS SAID TO HAVE BEEN SUNK.

(Reed. 10.35 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17

An unofficial report from jSlyth states that all the German raiding vessels were sunk.

30 KILLED AND 64 INJURED AT HARTLEPOOL.

LONDON, Dee. 17.

A message from Stocktori-on Tees states that .HO wore killed and 64 injured at Hartlepool.

HOW SCARBOROUGH WAS STARTLED.

BREAKFAST RUDELY DISTURBED

WHOLE SEA-FRONT SWEPT BY SHELLS.

NEARLY A HUNDRED HOUSES DESTROYED.

LONDON, Doc. 17,

A couple of flashes and the roar of big guns startled the people of Scar- ' ■ 'i'h, who were mostly breakfasting

y gaslight as it was an unusually drrk morning. A light cruiser came i ' .se to tlie shore, and the bigger ves- :•< 1 remained at a distance, firing reck--ly. The whole sea-front was swept ".," a rapid suecession of shells. Sheiis •Iruck the General Hospital and the '' '.yal Northern Infirmary, where there • tc wounded soldiers. None were in- ;• 'red. The Town Hall and several churches were damaged. The western part suffered badly, many being demolished. The guns were fired in threes, and after a few seconds' pause terrify! stg explosions indicated where the shells bad lodged. Three struck the Grand Hotel fnd occasioned heavy dama^.,. A wounded resident arriving in London estimates that nearly n Ti .n<W3.

Houses were destroyed in East ►Scarborough. The population was gem.->» ally calm. <

The objects of the raid were to relieve the depress'.>n in Germany, ami create a panic in England, in the hope of retarding reinforcements to the Continent, Another object, equally futile, was to divert some of the warships guarding the North Sea and thereby enable would-be raiders to reach fho trade routes, or contraband to enter Germany. The Emden's fate and the result of the Falkland battle were great factors, and the newspapers recall Reventlow's recent statement that Germany must see clearly that in order to fight willi success they must tight ruthlessly in the proper meaning of the word.

THE BOMBARDMENT OF WHITBY.

DAMAGE NOT SERIOUS.

LONDON, Dec. 17.

Under cover of a haze the waships approached to within a mile of Whitby. The first shot lodged on Easteliffe. Thou they got the range, and.raino shells on the town. It is estimated th»i» two hundred were fired. Many fell short, they were directed at the coastguard buildings, winch were slightly damaged. Windows were broken throughout the town otherwise the damage apparently was not serious. Many precautions were pre-arranged on the east coast. Gas was cut off at North Shields. The military guarded the post-office.

RECRUITING- STIMULATED

LONDON, Dec, 17

News of the raids at many places, both on the coast and inland, caused a marked spurt in recruiting.

TYNE FLOTILLA ATACKED

LONDON, Dee. 17

A wounded lieutenant and six men of a desrtoyer, ,in hispital at South Shields, stated that three German cruisers and four destroyers attacked the Tyne flotilla. A shell exploded aboard a destroyer and wounded others besides himself and the six in hospital.

TRAGIC INCIDENTS

MANY CHILDREN KILLED

(Reed. 12.15 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17

The killed at Scarborough include several children of Mr John Hall, an ex-alderman. A postman was about to hand a letter to a servant when a shell exploded between them, killing both. A mother and daughter fleeing from a house were killed.

William Avery, Salvation Army :;<»- jutant, was killed at Hartlepool, lie first heard at West Hartlepool, the inhabitants regarded it as gun practice. Then they heard explosions in the direction of the railway station and shipyardSj and saw the gasometer and tim-ber-yards on the waterfront burst into flames.

The weather was hazy and nothing was visible except sudden jets of flames.

The forts came into action, and all the troops paraded to prevent a possible landing. Shops and offices were emptied, and business was suspended. The waterworks was partly damaged, r.nd .several houses in the higher parts of the town wore wrecked.

Many people inn to the park, and several shells fell in their midst, but nobody was hurt. Residents of Blackhall Socks, five miles from West Hartlepool, saw' ships firing broadsides, then turning and firing opposite broadsides.

It is reported that the warships displayed British signals and wero taftfcn for friendly vessels until they opened fire.

One family—father, mother and sTx children—at Hartlepool, were killed. In another ease, one child out of a family of four escaped. Several children proceeding to school were killed.

A shell burst among a group of volunteers find killed seven.

PROGRESS OF RUSSIAN OPERATIONS.

AUSTR'JANS CHECKED IN CARPATHIANS.

(Reed. 10.15 p.m.) PETROGRAD, Dec. 17

Official. —The Germans are makingobstinate attacks on the left bank of the Vistula, mainly towards Kernoti. We wer obliged to resist attacks near Sochatshev under conditions of local disadvantage, and retreated slightly. Our counter-attacks elsewhere along the front held the enemy to his positions. The progress of the Austrians In the Carpathians has been checked. SQUADRON'S SUNDAY WORK. (Reed 8.45 a.m.) ATHENS, Dec. 17. A British squadron bombarded Turkish troops in the Gulf of Saros on Sun. day.

HYFOC'IUTCAL GERMANS

PRAYING IN MOSQUES

Dress Association-—Copyright. (Reed. 8.50 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17

Guen Mussulmen favour Germans in Turkey who pretend they have embraced Islam and pray in the mosques. Sentinels are posted outside, some cf whom wear armlets bearing in Turkish, "There is but one God, and Allah is his prophet."

THE SULTAN'S HOLY WAR

(Reed 8.35 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Dec. 17

A despatch from Constantinople says the Sultan declared that the action of the Allies compelled him to proclaim a Holy war against the Christian world, in defence against their concerted policy which threatened destruction to Mohammadenism. INTERNED GERMANS AT DOUGLAS WRITING IN INVISIBLE INK. LONDON, Dec. 16. It has been discovered that prisoners at the Douglas internment camp were writing to Germany in invisible ink. One of them was sentenced to two months' imprisonment.

THE PROPOSED 'XMAS TRUCE.

LONDON, Dec 17

The Kolnische Zeitung states that France equally with Russia rejected the Pope's Christmas truce proposal.

STATIN PASHA RENOUNCES BRITAIN.

HIS DECORATIONS DISCARDED.

(Reed. 8.35 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17

The Vcssiche Zeitung states that 3tatin Pasha, late British InspectorGene,"al of the Soudan, whom Franz Josef recently made a privy councillor, has renounced all his FJnglish appointments and decorations.

ALLIES AEE ADVANCING

NOT WAITING TILL SPRING

GERMANS TO BE DRIVEN OUT

(Reed. 8.25 a.m.)

LONDON, Dec. 17

Reports indicate that the Allies advance movement alj along the battle line has immediate object of driving out the Germans from Belgium. This is the result of a change of plans by General Joffre and French, and means that the campaign which was to have started in spring is now under way.

it is stated that the generals, in making the change, were largely acby the discovery that in making estimates of effectives under their command they had erred on the right side. General French's first line of regiments needed less time to recuperate than was allotted, and Lord Kitchener's new army of territorials is ready for the firing line a month earlier than it was intended to send them to France.

GREATEST ADVANCE SINCE WAR COMMENCED. ALL POSITIONS FIRMLY HELD. (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) PARIS. Dec. 17. On the Yser the British warships, and barges armed with cannon participated in Tuesday's fighting. The Allies advanced from Nieuport to Lobuertzyde and Saint George, a further step onwards than any made since the beginning of the war. They resisted sev>'/al countetf-alttadkte. Violent artillery duels proceeded all night, and en Wednesday the Allies held all the captured positions, including the important cue of Grocto Ramburgh.

IN THE CARPATHIANS.

GERMANY IMMENSELY REINFORCED. (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) PETROGRAD, Dec. 17. German flanking operations in the Carpathians and on the Vistula are being conducted on an immense scale. With reinforcenients General Hindenberg now has twenty corps on the Polish front, enabling him to send two corps to Hungary. One hundred and seventy thousand Austrc-Germans crossed the Carpathian passes. They include three Austrian corps recently withdrawn from Servia.

WHY THE TURKISH WARSHIPS" SANK. KHEDIVE VISITS VIENNA. AMSTERDAM, Dec. 16. A Coins La ntinoplei telegram sitaftefe that the Messoudich sank owing to a leak. The crew was saved. It is reported that the Khedive has gone to Vienna.

GERMANY AND SWEDEN.

WATCHED WITH INTEREST. Press Association —Copyright. (Reed 5.35 a.m.) ' LONDON. Dec. 17. The Daily Mail's Petrograd correspondent says: The attitude of Sweden is being watched with the greatest interest. The German Minister at Stockholm is daily addressing threatening notes to the Swedish Foreign Office, remarking ' upon the alleged transit- of articles, which Germany ciaims to be contraband to English and Russian ports, and is making a systematic attempt to coerce Sweden into the conflict.

In Austria it is recognised that Swedish public opinion is, more friendly toward Russia than it was at the beginning of the war.

THE GREAT AUSTRIAN ROUT. HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS. IN AUSTRIAN LARGE CITIES. (Received 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17 Renter states that the Servians victory has provoked demonstrations in all the large cities of Austria-Hungary against the methods for carrying on the war and denouncing General Potorik. , The police at Budapest dispersed the demonstrators.

Details of the rout show that France supplied Servia with several of the most modern battries and an abundance of ammunition.

The Austrians lost two entire army corps in casualties an prisoners. The latter include 400 Italians, who Servia offered to send to Italy. The prisoners tell heart-rending stories of hardships. Numbers died from exhaustion and frost, and many were foodless for 72 hours. Many of the Servians were also in a pitiable plight owing to the lack of hospital appliances.

LOSSES BY MINES

(Reed. 8.45 a.m.)

STOCKHOLM, Dec. 17

Through mines Sweden has lost 8 vessels and nearly sixty lives-. Denmark, six vessels and six lives. Norway, five vessels and six lives. Holland, three vessels and fifteen lives. Sweden's loss is estimated at half a million sterling.

A PRO-GERMAN MAULED

A TERRIFICALLY EXCITED MEETING. (Reed. 9.10 a.m.) PARIS, Dec. 17. Mr Bourassa, the Nationalist Leader, attempted to speak in the theatre of this city. An immense crowd assembled and howled him down. The soJdiers connected with the Second Canadian contingent smashed the doors and windows and forcibly draped the speaker's table with a Union Jack. They sang patriotic songe continuously. One soldier attempted to compel Bourassa to wave a flag. Bourassa refused. The terrific excitement was quelled by the intervention of the police, who were obliged to protect Bourassa, who is unpopular with both French and British/, owing 'to ftits attitude on the war.

ALLIES' SOLID PROGRESS

(Reed. 9.10 a.m. i PARIS, Dec. 17

A communique states: We have taken several trenches with bayonet charges from the sea to Lys. We have consolidated our positions at Lombaerzde and Staint George's. Also to the west of Gher and Ivelt. We have progressed to several points in the Vermelles region.

SHIPS SUNK OFF FLAMBOROUGH HEAD.

GERMANS BECOMING DESPERATE

(Reed 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 17

Three steamers were destroyed by mines oft' Flamborough Head last night. Several were drowned. It is believed that one was a passenger ship. Mr McNamara, addressing the engineers at Cathcart, said: The Germans were rapidly becoming desperate, and were launching venom and hatred at Britain. They did not know what military purpose the bombardment was hoped to serve, but it was worth two new army corps to Britain.

SYDNEY PRIZE COURT.

JUDGMENT RESERVED IN ZAMBESI CASE.

(Reed. 10.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 17. Judgment was reserved in the Zambesi case.