NORTH SEA BATTLE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 184, 13 April 1915, Page 5

NORTH SEA BATTLE.

OFF NORWEGIAN COAST. 14 GERMAN CRUISERS STOPPED BY BRITISH. AUSTRIA RECCING FOR PEACE TOTTERING TURKEY i" - THE BEGINNING OF THE END. GERMANY GENERALLY WEAKENING.

REPORTED NAVAL BATTLE,

OFF, NORWEGIAN COAST. V < CHRISTIANIA, April 11. The inhabitants of. South Bergen Island declare that three warships pursued some German ships along the coast. There was a violet cannonade, but it suddenly ceased/ It is believed that the German ships foundered; A storm was raging. COPENHAGEN, April 11. The captain of the Vostfoss states that he passed fourteen German cruisers in the North Sea., Reports from -Bergen state that the firing on Wednesday was very heavy, and lasted a considerable time. It is rumoured to have been due to cruisers trying to get into the Atlantic via the Norwegian coast in order to replace the Emden as commerce raiders. . LONDON, April 11. •’ Rumours of a North Sea battle continue- to arrive from Copenhagen,, They have been delayed in transmission. Ono states that the firing was in the direction of the island of Utsrie. A Bergen telegram states that there was a big battle until late at night off Samose four miles west of Bergen, .Searchlights were active, nad the gunfire caused the windows in Bergen to rattle.

THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN.

GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. LONDON, April 12. A Petrograd communique reports that the enemy on the 9th and on the following night attacked with serried columns, strongly supported by artillery, the Russians who were advancing*’ on the southern slopes of the principal mountain chain. The attacks were repulsed with enormous losses. We captured a battalion, 23 officers and also machine-guns. The Russians carried several heights at Uzsok, taking a thousand prisoners.

FRENCH SUCCESSES.

BRUGES BOMBED. PARIS* April 12. Official: After an all night struggle we captured three hundred metres of trenches in the Argonne and captured a new line of trenches at Bois d 'Ailly. Aviators bombed the maritime station and foundry at Bruges. GREAT BATTLE FRONTS. PARIS, April* 12. The Matin says the French occupy a front of 543 miles, the British 31 miles, the Belgians 17 miles, the Russians 856 milesj and the Servians and Montenegrins 218 miles. FIGHTING IN THE VOSGES. BASLE, April 32. There are 18 inches of snow in the Vosges and the bad weather is interfering -with the operations in the Woevre and the Mouse districts. The Germans for several days have been furiously attacking positions captured from them at Hartmanns Wollerkopf. The French guna practically destroyed the cover in the district, and the Germans were forced to attack through almost open country. There were many casualties.

TURKS ACTIVE AT SUE 27.

CAIRO, April ;!2. •Small bodies of Turkish cavalry eontimie to be lively in the vicinity of tlio Canal. Extensive camel transport has largely overcome the water difficulty. The strength of the British defences,at the Canal is undiminished.

TOTTERING TURKEY,

TREMENDOUS HAVOC CAUSED. LONDON, April Is. Letters from the Dardanelles show that the towns of Seddulbhr, Kum Hale, and Yenishesr were destroyed. There was not a single intact house, but 40,000 or 50,000 Turks, utterly reckless of their lives, dodged around the ruins, picking off the landing parties one by one. The Turkish losses were tremendous. A single British six-inch lyddite shell fell in the midst of 50 Turks, who were wiped out, there not being enough left to call a dead body.

PRO-WAR DEMONSTRATION.

UNREST IN ITALY. (Eec. 8.50 am.) ROl&E, April 12. Fifty persons have been arrested on account of pro-war demonstrations. The police prevented the crowds from marching on the Austrian and Gorman Embassies. Thirty were injured. Similar demonstrations took place, throughout Italy on Sunday. NORTH SEA OPERATIONS. GERMAN WARSHIPS MOVING. (Ree. 8.50 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, April 12 Further arrivals of Scandinavian vessels confirm the presence of German warships in the North Sea. A Norwegian steamer reports that a British cruiser warned her to keep as close to the coastline as possible.

CANNONADING HEARD,

OFF COAST OF YORKSHIRE. (Rec. 8.50 a.m.) LONDON April 12. Heavy cannonading at sea was heard at Bridlington on Saturday night. The liner Wayfarer, which was torpedoed, is now being towed to Queenstown. AUSTRO-GERMAN CUNNING j GUN SMUGGLERS CAUGHT. (Rec. 8.50 am) , PARIS, April 12. A Bucharest telegram states that German and Austrian diplomatic couriers were found to be smuggling spare gun parts and ammunition into Turkey, availing themselves of the regulations exempting baggage from customs examination. The Government is taking severe measures to stop the practice. BUSINESSLIKE ATTITUDE. MUNITIONS COMMITTEE WELCOM. ED. (Reccl. 1.45 p.m.) LONDON, April 11. Twenty-one engineering and shipbuilding. societies at a meeting at Newcastle resclvfed to send a message to the Premier welcoming the establishment of a Munitions Committee, on which men employers and Government will bo represented, and adds: We don’t want more speeches about failings, workers, j employers and Government want to pub together to get on with it. GOOD FOR EVIL.

LONDON, April .1?. The Morning Post declares that England would.be disgraced for ever if she avenged the deliberate German ferocity on British prisoners.

AUSTRIA WANTS PEACE,

NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA, PETROGRAD, April 12. According to the Bourse Gazette negotiations to obtain honourable terms of peace have been opened by the Emperor Franz Josef. Fear that irreparable devastation will be the fate of Hungary is reported to be the moving cause. England and France, it is said, have agreed to allow Russia to conclude separate peace, provided that Austria accedes to Russia’s demands and that Servla is allowed to realise her aspirations. It is understood that 'the Emperor Franz Josef personally appealed to the Vatican to aid the negotiations.

It is stated' that Russia will demand the surrender of the whole of Galicia, including Cracow, as portion of her terms. Germany is expected to protest against the last-named concession, 3f it would be regarded as a menace to Prussian Silesia, Nothing is known as to the full extent of the concessions the Caar will insist upon. RUSSIAN SENTIMENT FAVOURS MOVEMENT, LONDON, April IS. The Milan newspaper Secolo says the insistent reports heard in Russia regarding negotiations for peace ar« based upon the supposition that Austria will exchange some territory for guarantees for the preservation of Austrian integrity in provinces. Sentiment in favour of the movement is said to be increasing in Russia. AUSTRIAN OFFENSIVE ENDED. - GERMANS REFUSE TO FIGHT. PETEOGRAD, April 15.

Suhomlinoff telegraphs to the New York World that the Russians a fortnight ago ended the Austrian offensive, which had lasted eight weeks. The Germans who relieved the Austrian* suffered enormous losses. They had to renew their first line four timese, and now refuse to participate in the Austrian -offensive, as it imposes useless sacrifice of men.

THE POSITION OF GREECE.

ATHENS, April 12. Athens says the Government of which Venezelos was Premier was overhasty in advising Greece’s intervention. Trying to persuade the country to do so ended in failure. This was due to the Germanism of the King and the General Staff. The Venezelist newspapers deny that Venezelos is anti-monarchial, and hint that the King is overstepping the constitution. CANNONADE OFF BERGEN. GERMAN WARSHIPS PROBABLY SUNK. (Reed 2.10 p.m.) CHRISTIANIA, April 11, Th© inhabitants of South. Bergen Island declare that three warships pursued German s along tbje coast. A violent cannonade suddenly ceased, and it is believed the German ships foundered. A storm is raging.

GERMANY ANGRY WITH AMERICA THE ALLIES FAVOURED. LONDON, April 10. A German Note to the United Statjes complain s that the latter has accomplished nothing anent her rights to ship foodstuffs to belligerent civilians. America virtually acquiesced in the British blockade of German comm/eree. While the American Government insists on her legal right to sjhjijp Jar mb ahd ammunition -to itljfo Allies, she does not pursue the right to ship foodstuffs and other non-con-traband to belligerent civilians. The Note urges a better observance of the spirit of neutrality. WASHINGTON, April 100. Germany has addressed a Note complaining that the United States is not observing neutrality through failure to accomplish anything in diplomatic correspondence with the Allies in the direction of obtaining American exporters the right to ship foodstuffs -to the civilian population of a belligerent country. The Note qnote s the American embargo on the exportation of arms to Mexico in 1913 precedent to its demands.

AUSTRALIAN KEWS. Wsf

THE DEATH PENALTY. ili tf *. ■ (Press .Association. —Copyright.) (Reed. 9.45 p.m.) PERTH; April, 22. Cutay, who was found guilty of m.Ti£k dering a young girl, was executed to*day, death being instantaneous. A DISASTROUS FIRE. j (Reed. 9.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, April n. ' Smith, and Company’s store at Tab®* worth has been burned down. The daisy Sf*e Is estimated at £25.000. (* THE PRICE OF BUTTER. (Reed. 9.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 12. The Increase of the wholesale prici© of butter to 1/5 per- lb was sanctioned. Thje Commodities Commission recoin*, mended that the price of butter bo fixed to allow' retailers a profit of twopence per lb cash and 2Jd booked. This? would involve a further Inc pease to the consmoep. AUSTRALIAN MAIL SERVICES. (Seed, 9.45 tun.)- V *‘ SYDNEY, April 12. The Federal Cabinet rejected Mr 1 Nielsen’* American mail proposals. The Pestmaafier-Genisial says that the Stlez Canal route is quicker dud cheap, er and he l s satisfied with the international poundage rates arrangements' with the Pacific service. N:S.W. COMMODITIES COMMISSION (Reed. 9,45 p.in.) ! SYDNEY, April 12. A leading miller informed; the Commodities Commission : : that there is only sufficient wheat in New South) Wales to supply the Statje’s needs until November. THE FEDERAL SESSION. ‘ ; OPENS NEXT WEDNESDAY, * mmmm ~—— MELBOURNE, This Day. At the opening of the Federal session on Wednesday several important measures will be considered, including! a Bill dealing with senemy contracts* with the object of relieving the metal Industry, and a bill amending the Naturalisation Act Mr Fisher stated that he was again submitting the six referendum bills!, rejected by the people in 191 S,