BRITISH AIR RAID

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 141, 17 February 1915, Page 5

BRITISH AIR RAID

ATTACK BY 34 AEROPLANES BOMBS ON MANY PLACES GREAT destruction wrought feirge TRENCH FIGHTING SIX THOUSAND BRITISH ENGAGED VICTORIOUS HAND-TO-HAND FIGHT “ GERMANY HAS MISSED THE TIDE”

THIRTY-FOUR AEROPLANES MAKE A DESTRUCTIVE RAID. ZEPPELIN SHED DESTROYED, RAILWAYS BLOWN UP. BRIDGE BADLY DAMAGED. j Pveps Association —Copyright (Reed 9.10 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Feb 16. A Dutch correspondent states that a raid of thirty-four aeroplanes badly damaged a bridge at Ostend, cutting off the railroad from the railway station. Bombs destroyed the station at Blankeburn, and the electrical work and coke factory at Zeebr'ugge*. also a workshop where submarines were being fitted up. Twenty workmen were wounded,and bombs totally destroyed a Zeppelin shed with its contents. TERRIBLE FIGHT IN A TRENCH. BRITISH REPULSE GERMANS. PARIS, Feb. 16. ,The Germans on Sunday morning threw a column against the British position before Guninchy. The massed attackers did not reach our trenches. A counter-attack was launched while the remnants were retiring in confusion. A few minutes later the British were in one of the longest German trenches, hacking, hewing, and wielding clubbed rifles. Six thousand British were engaged in the fight. The casualties were considerable. Those of the Germans were much heavier. TRENCH EPISODES. LONDON, Feb. 16. At one or two points the Germans have displayed unwonted friendliness, throwing cigarettes into our trenches. Our men smoked them while continuing to shoot at their loopholes.—(TiraesSydney Sun Services. A party of officers had a sensational escape. While sitting down to dinner in a dug-out, a bomb landed in their midst. When the smoke and dust hud cleared, the dinner had completely disapeared. None of the was hurt. The endeavour to get the better of the enemy in all sorts of little ways makes up the daily life of the soldiers. —(Times-Sydney Sun Special Service.) GERMAN PERSECUTION. i ' _ BELGIAN PRIVATIONS. A HORRIFYING REPORT (Reed 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, Feb 16. The report of the Rockfeller Commission that made enquiries into Belgium affairs states that 320,000 Belgian refugees are in Holland and 100,000 were in England, but there were many driven out of their homes still in Belgium The Commission found that people were living in cellars, lefts and cowstalls. They saw children that had been born in fowlhouses and pigsties. No estimates could be obtained of the total German military requisitions, but tpey must be enormous as they covered all classes of goods and livestock. The people were denied the use of telegraphs and mails, and there were no means of communicating with the outside world, except through German channels. The alleviating circumstances noted were that all classes took their share in the national trouble, and burdens were automaticaly distributed. Poor tenants did not pay rent, though the landlords were almost as impoverished as the tenants. The sale of intoxicating liquor was stopped.

BRITISH SHIPS TO BE bombed. IF GERMAN SEARCH IS MOLESTED Press Association— Copyright. (Reed. 8.?>0 a.raj ROTTERDAM, Feb 16. The German Consul in a memorandum to the Chamber of Commerce, adds that English merchantmen armed with guns and instructed to ram submarines will have bombs dropped on them if they come aongside to slay German searching parties. ALLIES’ POSITION REVIEWED. LLOYD-GEORGE ON GERMANY’S PROSPECTS. LONDON, Fob. 16. In the House of Commons, Mr. LloydGeorge was loudly cheered when, after emphasising Russia’s undeveloped resources, he said the suspension of alcohol had increased the productivity of her labour 30 to 50 per cent. It added a million labourers without increasing the expense of , maintaining them. France also had special difficulties. Britishers did not realise the strain this gallant country was undergoing. Bhe had the largest proportion of men under arms, and the enemy was occupying some of her richest territory; yet the French nation possessed wonderful confidence. He was assured that Germany had lost its tide and had no more chance of crushing France than ot overrunning the planet Mars. There were a number of small States looking to the greater Allies for financial support. They must see that Belgium did not suffer until the period of restoration and compensation comes. Servia was fighting her third war within three years with force, courage and brilliancy, but without wealth, revenue, exports or ' manufactures. Other States were preparing for war, obviously in our interests, and should be well equipped. Britain’s special difficulties were due to 2-3rds of her food being bought abroad. She had to create enormous credits. The only thing was for all Die Allies to bring all their resources into a common stock. The country with the most money must bring it. The collapse of the rebellion in South Africa ensured a large and steady supply of gold. It was arranged at the recent Paris conference that French and Russian bankers should assist if Britain’s stock fell below a certain point. Britain’s expenditure was duo to recruiting the new army, her huge navy and the liberal separation allowances. She was bringing troops from the ends of the earth, and waging war in Europe, Asia, and North, South and East Africa. The conference discussed a suggestion for a joint loan, but concluded that it was the very worst way of utilising their resources. Ft would have frightened every bourse and attracted none. He had been asked if the interest paid would be the interest at which we were able to raise money, or the rate France and Russia could raise money? If we paid a high rate, he said, we could never raise more money at a lowrate, and therefore it was decided that each country should raise money in its own market, but Britain, France and Russia would contribute proportionately to every loan of the small States, and later a joint loan would he floated to cover the advances. The Paris conference also arranged with Franco to access our markets in respect of the Treasury Bills issued in France, and initiated arrangements to help to restore exchange in respect to bills held in Britain against Russian merchants. Vv'e are prepared to accept Russian Treasury Bills against bills of exchange due from the Russian Government, and in return Russia would facilitate the export of produce the Allies required. The three days’ conference when representatives of the Allies wove face to face, cleared up misconceptions and misunderstandings which otherwise would have taken weeks to remove.