EL ARISH FORT DESTROYED.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 119, 20 May 1916, Page 5

EL ARISH FORT DESTROYED.

STRONGHOLD BOMBARDED. JpME USEFUL AEROPLANE WORK. THE SUBMARINE QUESTION CLOSED. GERMANY MAKES NO FURTHER REPLY. THE IRISH REBELLION COMMISSION. MR. BIRRELL GIVES EVIDENCE. ‘ALLIES PROGRESS ON WESTERN FRONT. THE LATEST NOTE TO GERMANY. THE SUBMARINE QUESTION CLOSED. SOME PLAIN TALKING BY ROOSEVELT. (Reed. 9.20 a.m.). WASHINGTON, May 19. Confidential advices from Germany report that the German Government will not reply to the last American Note, considering the submarine question closed. < - * Speaking at Detroit, when he urged the United States to prepare in case war broke out, Mr Roosevelt advocated universal military service, declaring that if Germany had at any time gone to Avar with the United States the latter would have been obliged to pay a crushing indemnity, costing more than the whole expense of preparing. It was plain that the United States was absolutely refusing to learn any lesson from the European conflict, or of making the slightest attempt to uphold its National rights or honour. THE IRISH REBELLION COMMISSION. THE SECRETARY FOR IRELAND GIVES EVIDENCE.' IRELAND STILL REMAINED PATRIOTIC. (Reed. 8.45 .a.m.). LONDON, May 19. At the Commission Mr. Birrell did not desire to add to or modify the nation’s statement. He , read his own, remarking upon the folly of Sinn .Peiners who lead many brave fellows to doom in the belief that any revolution wa s better than none. If at the ohtset of war Home Rule had not bjkn placed on the? Statute Book, there might have been a revolt. He contended that gun-running, the orange covenant and the provisional government, with all the pomp and circumstance of rebellion had produced a prejudicial effect on. disloyalists elsewhere. It was the spirit abroad that what others had been allowed to do, they could do. Ireland through Mr. Redmond’s patriotism presented in war time an unbroken front, but many did not agree with Mr, Redmond’s attitude. It was impossible to overestimate the effect which Sir Edward Carson's entering the Cabinet had t produced on the minds of the people. Had Mr. Redmond entered the Cabinet he would not have remained leader of the nationalists. No doubt, German assistance was at the bottom of the rebellion. The war had turned many heads and upset all prudent calculations. Replying to Lord Hardingo Mr. Birrell said he realised that during the ! past two years there was a dangerou s movement afoot. He had evidence that disarmament would have been a. dangerous policy. Mr. Redmond had stated in the House of Commons that Sinn Feiners were a negligible quan tity. I did not attach much importance to his opinion in that matter, because I was quite sure they were dangerous. Mr. Dillon also strongly j favoured non-intervention. \Je had daily reports from the constabulary In j all parts enabling us to form a correct opinion. MR. BIRRELL WANTED MORE SOLDIERS IN IRELAND. .. • HE FELT IGNORANT AND NERVOUS. ; £i r * -’ CJSi- * ■ i * _ j •.. - » tefiasT.: .-V 1 ' - • ““ ' What german invasion might have meant. ~ i i ■ ' (Reed. 9.5 a.m.) r Continuing Mr. Birrell s aid, I always felt ignortnat and nervous about what was occurring in cellars at Dublin. Towards the middle of April I ! heard the Castle was to be attacked, and had conferred with Lord Kitchener : atid French on the 20th and 27th March, urging them to send more sol- j -triers to Dublin, believing that if they parade with bands and bayonets it j would have a good effect. They were busy training men and unable to i spare any; but in the event of trouble they could have moved troops from I Liverpool quickly. Lord Wimborne’t view was as strong as mine, and was submitted to the military authorities. Although unable to reside in Ireland except at Christmas, Easter attd Whitsuntide, and for a short time in the summer, I have visited more parts than any of my predecessors. Events have shown that the Irish Government was insufficiently provided with a criminal investigation department. The revolution was doomed to failure, but if there had been a German invasion, the whole population ■ might have risen fOf or against us. No effort was made towards general disarmament because it was considered dangerous. Mr. Justice Shearman said meanwhile the Germans might have landed. .Why wasn’t overt drill- : ing suppressed? Mr. Birrell replied, we thought it difficult to prove association with the enemy; it would have required soldiers and bloodshed would have resulted in the west, north and south-east. The poliev of non-intervention in the case of Ulster was owing to Cabinet’s decision, not so in the case of Sinn Feiners. The inquiry is adjourned to Monday. HEAVY BOMBARDMENT OP THE SYRIAN COAST. ’ concentrations of the enemy attacked. V ' PORTS reduced to ruins. (Reed. 9.20 a.m.). ’ LONDON, May 19. |p Official: Warships, aeroplanes and seaplanes bombarded El Arish. an important post on the enemy’s Syrian communications, on the mprnmg of the 18th. The ships shelled the fort and it Is believed they reduced it to ruins. Seaplanes opened an aerial bombardment, aeroplanes following engaged hostile aircraft. Special attention was paid to enemy camps; three bombs exploded among a column of troops a thousand strong. All camps were successfully bombarded, and ail ships and machines have returned to ' safety. ; The weather during the past week was abnormally hot, but the troops’ heath is good. Bryan Mahon commands the western frontier in ■ Egypt and Francis Milne commands a Salonika. :

VON MOLTKE INTERVIEWED IN AUSTRIA. GERMANY HAS PLENTY OP MEN IN RESERVE. THE ALLIES WERE MUCH WORSE OFF. / LONDON, May 19. Von Moltke, interviewed at Buda Pesth, said that the Germans were well supplied with men, and had no fear regarding reserves. The Allies were worse off, almost the entire French reserves-being on the battle-field, while British compulsion would only bring in a few hundred thousands, which would be necessary to replace loses ,and would not affect the military situation. He admitted that the Allies’ production of munition was equal to that of the Central Powers. DESPERATE ENEMY ATTACKS ON AVOCOURT WOOD. ALL GERMAN EFFORTS WERE REPULSED. CLEVER FRENCH AVIATOR'S TENTH CAPTURE. J LONDON, May 19. In the Western Argonne the enemy, following a mine explosion, attempted to penetrate a small salient forming the line near St. Hubert, Our curtain fire stopped them and tkrew them back into their trenches. On the left bank of the Meuse, yesterday, Germans renewed attacks in the regicu of Avocvourt Wood, and Hill 304; they were extremely violent attacks and were carried out by large effectives, apparently two newly arrived divisions, but they were unable to dislodge the French from Avccourt Wood and positions on the rest of Hill 304. In the centre, however, the enemy obtained possession of a small earth work south of Hill 257. On the right bank of the Meuse and in the Woevre there is moderate artillery activity. ' \ On Thursday night seme enemy aeroplanes dropped three bombs on Genardmer doing insignificant material damage. A German aeroplane wag forced to descend, yestedray, near St. Menehould, the enemy aviators were mad© prisoners. - .' Sub-Lieutenant Navarra brought down his tenth aeroplane, the German machine crashing to earth near Bolake in the Argonne. - -

LAST DAYS OF KUT. SOME PATHETIC INCIDENTS. A SOFT-HEARTED BUTCHER. TURKS TREAT B’RITISH HANDk SOMELY. ' L ‘ , LONDON, May IS. [ Mr. Chandler states that wounded , officers at Kut who have arrived at ! Headquarters narrate that the real privations commenced in the middle of February, when milk gave out. Hospital diet wag confined to cornflour and rice water. Prior to the capitulation the regiments holding the front line were not relieved for a fortnight and were too weak to carry back their kits. All artillery, cavalry and transports animals were eaten before the end. The last mule slaughtered had the ribbons of three frontier campaigns around its neck. The butcher was twice sent back, but the end came. Mule flesh was better than horse. Mule dripping was good. It also supplied a substitute for iamp oil. After the tobacco had been consumed the j men smoked lime leaves, ginger and j baked tea leaves. English “baccy” in January sold at 48 rupees per halfpound box. Cheap Indian cheroots brought 204 rupees per tin, and- con- j densed milk 34 rupees. Just before j the investment a large consignment of warm clothing arrived from the British Red Gross, and it saved many lives as the men had only their summer kit. In the early days of the siege | Turkish shells, machine-nns and rifles swept the entire camp day and night. The troops only left their dug-outs on the most important work, The fire slackened later, but the men had no j j strength for unnecessary walking, i Games and exercises were impossible, j The battalions at the liquorice factory were better off for there was a cricket and hockey ground, 50 yards by 20 yards, the men using pick handles and a, rag ball. They also fished. A hospital ship with 100 British anc|,. 963 Indians arrived, Turks being sqnt,in exchange. ■ The Turkish officers gave every, Bri- ; tish soldier a handful of cigarettes when he left Kut. The officers go to ; Constantinople and the men to Aleppo. „ ■ 'f qp - , ..

1 FINANCING THE WAR. LONDON, May 18.', Mr. Asquith moves a further Credit Note on Tuesday in the House of Commons. AN AMERICAN REQUEST. ' JEREMAH LYNCH’S EXECUTION. i | Received 8.45 a.m., May 20. 1 WASHINGTON, May 19. ) President Wilson has cabled to the British Government, asking for delay in the execution of Jure mail Lynch until the American Government had time investigate. MASTERY OF THE AIR. "ccEssEroF theTfrench. 67 ’PLANES DOWNED IN TWO MONTHS. PARIS, May 18. French airmen downed thirty-five German machines during March, and thirty-two during April. The French in the same period lost nineteen machines. Aviation-Lieut. Navarre still leads. He has now downed seventeen machines. He marks each victory by a notch on his machine gun, - ! BRITAIN’S AIR DEFENCE. } GREAT IMPROVEMENTS MADE. | A CRITIC'S ADMISSIONS. , LONDON, May IS. Little progress was made to-day at the air inquiry. Mr. Joynson Hicks admitted that great improvements had been made in air defences since his charges were formulated. We might be superior to the Germans, hut that was not the same as saying we had mastery of the air. He demanded • more and stronger aeroplanes. He -efused to divulge the names of his nformants, who were flying officers. VTr. Pemberton Billing did not attend.

POPE AND PEACE. NO representations made. LONDON, May IS. Sir Edward Grey, in reply to Mr. Ivor Herbert, said that the Vatican had been in communication with no one concerning the possibilities of peace, but had made representations to Germany in order to induce that Power to abandon submarine warfare. GERMAN STEAMERS SUNK. TORPEDOED IN THE BALTIC. BY ALLIED SUBMARINES'. STOCKHOLM, May IS. A submarine, believed to be Russian, shelled the German steamer Kollga for twenty minutes off Landsort Island, forty-five miles south of Stockholm, on Tuesday, and then torpedoed and sank her. Two of the crew were injured, while the captain and three others are missing. The German steamer Bianca was shelled, torpedoed and sunk at the same spot an hour later. The captain was taken prisoner and the remainder ware rescued. A Russian submarine torpedoed the German steamer Hera near Landsort the same day, the crew being saved. Some reports received at Copenhagen attribute the sinking jo .British submarines. ■ o.;- i