FRENCH SHIP SUNK.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 142, 18 February 1915, Page 5

FRENCH SHIP SUNK.

BY GERMAN SUBMARINE. (Reed. 12.45 p.m.) PARIS, Feb 17. German submarine No. 16, on Tuesday, blew up and sank tbe French steamer Villede Lille, between Cherbourg and Dunkirk, giving the crewten minutes to escape. The submarine w r as about to sink a Norwegian steamer when'torpedoers arrived, and the submarine Rsnupoorad.

| A SUBMARINE LIFEBUOY. I FOUND OFF DUTCH COAST. I 1 (United Press Assn. —Copyrtgu',j | (Reed <?.4r> a.m ) AMSTERDAM, Feb 17. I A lifebuoy, apparently belonging to the German submarine, Number 12, was found at Zuyit Code. GERMAN AEROPLANES. SWISS DEMAND APOLOGY. (Roc. 5.15 a.m.) BERNE, Fob. 17. An official enquiry established the, fact that a German aeroplane recently flew over Swiss territory. The Swiss .Minister at Berlin has been instructed to domaud the German Government’:} apology. A LEARNED OPINION. GERMANY AND AMERICA. (Rec. 0 a.m.) LONDON, Fob. 17. Mr. Sidney James Lowe, writing to the Daily Chronicle, asks, does Germany want the war to extend to the United States? Ho argues that it would suit German diplomatists, who do not wish to be left alone in the day of their humiliation. The United States would make a convenient shock-absorber, or at least, they might obtain easier tonus for the beaten. We may conjecture that Germany might not object to giving America a locus standing in future negotiations. From a Potsdam and Berlin standpoint it may he desirable for the United States to come in as an enemy rather than not at all. The Bevnstorff and Doniborg crusade to gain American friendship lias failed, but something might be done through American enmity. Even if America was in cited to go to war with Germany the military and naval position cannot be worse than it is. and Germany would be able to save her face by saying she would have waged a victorious war with the Allies and they only gave wav when the tremendous weight of the great Republic, was thrown into the scale against her. Furthermore, it would be in the interests of Germany to have a United States plenipotentiary when peace is discussed, as from the Allies she knows she will have no hope of .indulgence. The American, not having any motive for hardening his heart, would come to the conference in a detached frame of mind.

A BERLIN REPORT. GREAT RUSSIAN DEFEAT. (Roc, 0.10 a.in.) BERLIN, Feb. 17. An official message claims that after a nine days’ battle at the Mazurian lakes, the Russian army' was thrown across the frontier with great loss. Fifty thousand prisoners were taken and forty' cannon and sixty' machineguns were captured. They also claim to have occupied Flock. DE WET'S TRIAL (Reed. 1.15 p.m.) BLOMFONTEIN, Feb !d. De Wet’s trial opened to-day DUTCH TLLFSIONMENT. Ree. 0.10 a.m.) CAPETOWN, Feb. ,17. Evidence at the trial discloses that during the engagement at Doornburg Do Wet directed the storming of the Loyalist position, but ordered that rifles should not be loaded, apparently not wishing to kill. Other evidence showed that the rebels believed that Moritz had captured Kimberley and imagined that march through Pretoria would be a picnic for the whole Dutch population. A REPUBLIC WANTED. CAPETOWN, Feb 17. ■ At the trial of De Wet a witness stated that Botha wrote to ex-Presi-dent Steyn urging him to use his influence fa prevent the rebellion. Steyn sent Hertzog to see De Wet, and Botha proposed that De Wet should go to Pretoria, under safe conduct, to negotiate with the Government. De Wet declined and tcjld Hertzog that Botha must resign and agree to the proelomation of a Republic, SOUTH AFRICAN REBELLION. AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW. VANCOUVER, Feb. 17. Mr. Gould-Adams, interviewed, said the South African rebellion was more anti-Botha than anti-British. The death of General Do La Rev was most fortunate, as he was on route to Pochefstroom to incite the burghers to rebellion with the object of marching on Pretoria to seize war stores. The rebellion would clear the air and improve the outlook for the future. REPORTED EVACUATION OF LODZ GERMANS HURRYING TO KALISCH, LONDON, Feb. 17. Paris has been informed that the Germans have evacuated Lodz and are hurriedly removing victuals and stores to Kalisch.—(Timcs-Syduey Sun Special Service).

: A COLLISE SUNK. I NO LOSS OF LIFE. j (Keen 8.45 a :n I LOMai.N', K-b, 17. The collier, Dulwich, was blown up by two explosions ell Cape Antifer. A Froncih cruitCT revcurU twenty-one. The rest were landed at Fecamp. A SHIP TOftPEDOED. WITHOUT WARNING. (Reed. 11 a.m.) PARTS, Feb. 17. The Dulwich was terpedeed on, a clear night without warning. THE BLUCHER'S CAPTAIN DIRS 'OF PNEUMONIA, ‘J.t-cd 8.45 a.m.) LONDON. Fob. 17. Captain Erdmaud, of the .sunken Blue her, died at Edinburgh of pneumonia. He was one of the greatest gunnery authorities in Germany. EXCHANGED PRISONERS. GERMAN INHUMAN TREATMENT. FOOD NOT FIT FOR PIGS. (Reed 8.45 a.in.) I ON DON, Fe b. 17. The 110 returning - British prisoners eagerly listened to the news and cheered on learning about the Falkland Island victory and the loss of the Bluche.r They state they were fairly well treated in hospital, but the treatment at interned camps was inhuman. They were almost starved,the food not being fit for pigs. They were kicked if they made the slightest complaint. The British and German wounded met at Flushing and chatted concerning their’life during imprisonment. ALLIES’ POSITION SATISFACTORY GERMAN TRENCHER TAKEN. LONDON, Feb. 17. Paris reports that on the whole front on the Kith the position was favourable to the Allies. Between the Oise and the Alsne, near Dcbaillv, their fire was very effective on an assemblage of automobiles. Progress was made in the Rheims district near Loivre .On the Champange from extending to Perthes, north of Beauesjour.we captured three kilometres o. Gorman trenches and took several huK dred prisoners. North-west of Pont-a-Mousson the Allies carried several of the enemy’s blockhouses in the Petreforest.

BRITISH TAKE GERMAN TRENCHES Rosieved 10 p.m., Feb. 17. PARIS, Feb. 17. Official: We had a favourable day on the whole front. The British mastered numbers of the trenches south of Ypres, where there was serious fighting for several days. GERMANS FAIL TO HOODWINK ALLIES LONDON, Feb. 17. Amusement has been created in military circles by the German attempt to mislead the Allies as to the number of their new corps. It has been abundantly proved that in numbering their new corps they deliberately skipped from 2S to 37. —(Times and Sydney Sun Special Service.) FINANCIAL DEMORALISATION OF N.Y, FOREIGN EXCHANGE. NEW YORK. Feb. 17. The Foreign Exchange is demoralised. Sight drafts on London have reached the lowest figures for MO years. A meeting of international bankers is pending to endeavour to adjust conditions. The situation is largely duo to being coupled with Britain’s refusal to release gold. THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN. PETROGRAD, Feb. 17. Official: We obstinately fought superior German forces at Augustovo which were trying to surround our wings. A German column is advancing from Grajevo to Osowiec. The enemy between the Vistula and the Skrawa have reached the line from Block to Racionz. The enemy captured Nadwornn, in Bukovina, and crossed the Sereth. FRENCH SUCCESSES. ' (Reed 12.45 p.m.) PARIS, Feb. 17. A communique states: We repulsed the violent attacks of at least three battalions near Tour fo Paris, inflicting heavy MsseL LPAno man- 1 ' prisoners. We captured bundled metres of trenches at Bois de Malin Court.