ADVANCE IN THE WEST

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 19 February 1917, Page 5

ADVANCE IN THE WEST

NEXT FEW MONTHS Will Till CAMPAIGN DENOUNCED BY HUNGARIANS MORE MEN WANTED IN BRITAIN EDISON AT WORK TO COMBAT SUBMARINES

AMERICA AND GERMANY. COUNTING THEIR CHICKENS. Received 8.55. ROME, Feb 18. The German newspaper Grazenport, says perhaps war with the United States would be a blessing, because after the war she would be the only Power able to pay a large indemnity to the Central Powers. The only result of the United States’ entry into the war would be to pay us money, while the Allies would pay us territory.. ANOTHER QUESTIONABLE INTERVIEW. PARIS Feb 17. i The “Matin” interviewed Mr. Ger- ( ard, who said the Germans failed to understand why Americans could not place themselves in other’s positions. This had caused all their errors. The Wilhelmstrasse policy was to terrorise individuals, then terrorise the American nation. It thought America . would be afraid, but was deceived. If Germany appeared to temporarily yield to President Wilson it was bccausdfcfhe hoped to disarm American opinion. Germany made her biggest mistake when she issued her declarattoa of a so-called blockade. Wr, Gerard subsequently repudiated the interview with the "Matin.” He states that the interview is the substance of a conversation with Hughes Leroux, a personal friend of the Amhassador.

THE JUTLAND BATTLE GERMAN DESERTER’S NARRATIVE. AMSTERDAM, Feb 17. The “Telegraaf” publishes a remarkable narrative by a German seaman who won the iron cross at the battle of Jutland, but deserted owing to bad food. He says be was aboard che Lutzow, which had a crew of IbCTO, of which 1000 were saved. Three hundred were wounded and drowned when the admiral ordered the Lutzow to be sunk to prevent her falling into the nands of the English.

German dockyards are now exclusively constructing submarines and iarge cruisers, but the Hindonburg and Baden will be completed for entire service in March, also a new 'Emden and Karlsruhe. It is estimated that Germany has 200 submarines in active service out of a total of GOO. Most of the submarines are not expected to return from their cruises. More submarines are lost than any Hermans dared admit. Training lasts mly six weeks. There are many acci’ants during trials. The Lutzow was torpedoed at !i /clock in the evening, the explosion killing and wounding many of the crew. Later she received four hits ■icm 15-inch shells. Her speed was reduced to three miles an hour and a thousand men were taken off by four destroyers. At three o’clock in the morning, when five English destroyers and two small cruisers threatened the Lutzow, one of the rescuing destroyers was sunk. Finally another destroyer was torpedoed. The Lutzow sank in a few minutes with the wounded, who were sacrificed fo prevent the enemy capturing the vessel. The English closed in upon fue sinning Lutzow, enabling three destroyers to reach Wilhelmshaven. Many German ships were severely damaged when proceeding homewards but they have since been repaired.

THE YARROWDALE SAILORS. AMSTERDAM, Feb 17. A telegram from Berlin states that the American sailors of the Yarrowdale have been released and handed over to the Netherlands Minister. They have been sent home via Spain. MERCHANTMEN TO BE ARMED. j WASHINGTON, Feb 17. The Cabinet considered the question of arming American merchantmen. It is believed Cabinet is convinced that arming forthwith is the only possible solution. It is expected that the navy will provide guns, and perhaps gunners, within ten days. CRISIS BECOMING ACUTE. ] WASHINGTON, Feb 17. The New York Times’ Berlin correspondent is given to understand that of merchantmen will make the crisis most acute, as it will prohibit submarines saving the lives of passengers and crews, even if other circumstances permitted. GERMAN CASUALTIES. Received 10'. 50 LONDON, February 18. A Press Bureau official message says the German casualties for January (though not necessarily incurred in January) were 77,533 whereof 14,192 were killed. j ‘ IN INDIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS. Received 9. 25. DELHI, Feb 18. War economics include the curtailment of railway services to the extent of 700,000 train miles monthly. The directorate of the woollen mills returned to the Government £23,000 of estimated extra war profits, and is investing its reserve of two hundred thousand pounds in the British and Indian war loans. department has been organisedalor the purpose of mobilising industrial and natural resources, which promises important fesuTfs, including large output in munitions production.

IN THE AIR. RAID ON BRUGES. Received 8.55. AMSTERDAM, Feb 18. Seventy were killed and injured ny Friday’s air raid cn Bruges, including many German soldiers. ZEPPELINS NO LONGER USEFUL. LONDON, Feb 18. Ihe Central News’ Geneva correspondent reports that a lady who dined with Count Zeppelin, says the Count admitted that Zeppelins were no longer useful, because the British had discovered effective means of combatting them. BRITISH FOOD PROBLEM. PRICE OF POTATOES. Received 10 p.m. LONDON, Feb 18. Frost is reducing stocks and interfering with the distribution of potatoes.

The War Cabinet, after conferring

with wholesalers regarding retailers, decided that growers are" entitled to charge dealers until end of March 180/ per ton, thereafter'2oo/; growers and others to charge retailers 210/ until the end of March; thereafter 230/; retailers’ price to be l?,d till the end of March; thereafter till end of June. ARMY RUGBY. Received 5.55. LONDON, Feb. 18. The Army and Navy team beat New Zealand at football by 21 to 3. The play of tho New Zealanders was a disappointment, and the forwards were much below their December form.

ON THE SE A. A DESCRIPTION. OF THE RAIDER. Received 9.15 NEW YORK, Feb. IS. One of the St. Theodore’s sailors, who arrived in New York took photographs of the German raider. The secret photograph shows a long, low, typical onefunneiied, two-masted freighter. The prisoners aboard the Raider were allowed half a loaf of black broad daily, with lard instead of butter, with bitter coffee in the morning, meat stew at noon, and tea at night. One hour's exercise on deck was allowed daily, otherwise they were herder in a single, ill-ventilated, large room. Neutral sailers were allowed to make purchases at the Raider’s canteen, where tobacco, sweets, lemonade, beer, spirits, and sausages were sold. The Raider’s mechanics transformed the St. Theodore with wireless, and strengthened the forcastle poop for guns. 187 CAPTURED SUBMARINES. BALTIMORE, Fob. 17. Au engineer of the American steamer Mongolia, which lias arrived here, states that while at Plymouth he counted IS7 captured submarines, including the Dcutchland. Captain Koenig and the crew of the Dcutchland are in gaol.

LATEST SINKINGS. , LONDON, Fob. 18. The British vessels Leonhardt, Marion Dabon and Queenswood, the smack Friendship, and the dredger Lcvcn. Three of the Queenswood’s crew were killed and one wounded. FRENCH SHIPPING. PARIS, Feb. IG. The average arrivals and departures have been maintained at French ports since February Ist. Britain ’s reduction of insurance rates to neutrals is expected to entice more from the harbours. As an instance a 0000-ton neutral engaged in carrying coal to Italy from Britain is now able to make £170,000 a year profit. TRAWLER’S CREW’S SUFFERINGS. LONDON, Feb. 10. Nine of the crew of the torpedoed trawler Ash wold rep ort terrible sufferings. They were seventy hours in a boat with three tins of corned beef and some bilge water. They were mostly frost-bitten when rescued. The Germans prisonered the skipper. A SIGNIFICANT ORDER. ROME, Feb. 10. The Brazilian warship Lcara, built in Italy, and which is leaving for Brazil, has been ordered to follow the usual route. MR MASSEY’S VIEWS. LONDON. Feb. 17. Air Massey, interviewed, said he had been authoratively informed that the submarines were being effectively opposed. New Zealand might suffer somewhat through want of tonnage, but sufficient was available to carry the main products.

LORD FISHER DENOUNCED. LONDON, Feb. 17 'Admiral Meux, addressing his constituents at Portsmouth, referred to the movement to bring back Admiral Fisher to deal with the submarine menace. He declared that if Admiral Fisher had wanted to stop the Dardanelles expedition he could have done so by threatening to resign. Lord Moux knew what tho fooling of the Grand Fleet was. It would be an absolute disaster to the Navy if Admiral Fisher was brought back. People disliked Sir .John Fisher’s society because he went about boasting of the number of officers ho had ruined. It was necessary to say those things, otherwise intrigue would continue to centre round Admiral Fisher’s name. A FORTNIGHT’S SINKINGS LONDON, February 16 One hundred and three thousand and ninety-seven tons of shiping were sunk by submarines during the second week of tho piracy campaign, of which 20,149 tons were neutral principally Nor- ■ wegiau.

The total submannings for the fort night were 202,202 tons, of which 28, 000 tons were neutral shipping.

■ft is known Hint the number of lives lost is over 200, including 50 neutrals, principally Norwegian and Greeks. The latest sinkings by submarines include the sailer Percy Ray, the British steamer Margarita, and the trawlers Ashwald, Ireland, Mary Bell and King Alfred. TLe master of the King Alfred,

was taken prisoner. The British steamer Malta and the Portuguese steamer Carado were sunk through collisions. The names of the colliding vessels are not stated.

There arc several steamers of the name of Malta, th olargest being a P. and O. liner of (3064 tons, and the smallest paddle boat of 138 tons registered at South Shields.

DENOUNCED BY HUNGARIANS. Received 5.55. BERNE, Feb IS. Many Hungarian papers condemn the campaign oi submarine frightfulness. M. Pestinaplo demands that Count Reventlow be placed under restraint. M. Mprana demands a cessation of the sea. murders. M. Hirlip quotes Count Karolyi, saying: “1 regret Hungary entered into the new declaration of submarine warfare. CHINESE AND GERMAN BANKS. Received 8.55. PEKIN, Feb 18. Many Chinese are withdrawing deposits from German banks in China. GERMAN INTRIGUE Received 10.50

A correspondent states that German and German educated Chinese are by a widespread bribery campaign endeavoring to prevent China rupturing with Germany. BRAVING THE BARRED ZONE. NEW YORK, Fob 17. Twenty-one ships, of which fourteen traversed the barred zone, arrived on Friday. The strictest watch is being kept over the Frederick VIII., which Bernstoff is aboard. Guards are everywhere. Communication with the shore has been cut off. The ship was strictly searched for possible contraband. EDISON AT WORK TO COMBAT SUBMARINES Received 10.50 WASHINGTON, February IS Edison the world-famed inventor, is working day and night in a closelyguarded building on a model sixteenfeet craft, which he claims will revolutionise submarines. THE CREW OF THE NETHERLEE. Received 10<50 LONDON, February IS. A British officer and twenty-seven of the Chinese crew of the Nethcrlec torpedoed on the 12th inst) have landed. The explosion killed an engineer and a greaser. The survivors drifted for several days in bitterly cold weather.

GERMANY EXPLAINS. Received 8.55. AMSTERDAM, Feb 18. Germany explains the accident to a Dutch steamer as the result of force majeure, and regrets that a Dutchman | lost his life, and undertakes to com- : pensate his family, also those wound- j ed. INCIDENTS OF THE WAR. BRITISH INTERESTS IN GERMANY LONDON, Peh 16. Press Bureau Official.—The Netherlands Minister at Bucharest proceeded to Berlin, where he has been attached to the legation with a special staff to take care of British interests. Four Dutch medical officers will shortly inspect the camps of the British prisoners of war. HORRIBLE ATROCITIES ON RUSSIAN SOLDIERS. Received 8.55. j i PETROGRAD, Feb 18. I The Russian Commission, inquiring i into the German atrocties, reports shocking cruelties to unarmed and wounded men, some of whom have been murdered in cold blood. jWar prisoners have been buried alive, and sisters of mercy violated. Explosive bullets have been enormously used, and quantities have been discovered. The sufferings of the wounded are horrible, the enemy pouring corrosive fluid over them. The report mentions that German Red Cross men twice shot with revolvers the wounded who asked for bandages. With a view of extracting information from Cossacks one was connected with an electric needle in a wounded leg for half an hour, but he heroically persisted in his silence. This was repeated the two following days, then red hot irons were applied to his feet. The Cossack eventually escaped.

NEUTRAL FOOD SHORTAGE. TROUBLE IN HOLLAND. Received 9. 25. THE HAGUE, Feb IS. A revolutionary Socialist demonstration to protest against the dearness of food was dispersed by the police, and all streets in the inner town are closed. The cavalry Bad numerous collisions with the people, and several were wounded,

ON THE WESTERN FRONT. CROWN PR.iNCE ' CONGRATU LAT> ED. Received 5.55. AMSTERDAM, Feb IS. The Kaiser congratulated the Crown Prince on the Champagne success, it is doubtful whether this presages an attempt to forestall the Allies’ offensive or is merely a local effort. A FRENCH REPORT. Received 10.50. LONDON, Feb 18. A French communique states that patrol encounters are especially frequent in the sectors of Troyon, Zestham Arettes, and north-west of Ballonvillers, and a detachment penetrated enemy trenches at Leprere, and destroyed works and dug-outs. PROGRESS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MEUSE LONDON, February 17 Sir Douglas Haig reports: We made a successful operation on both banks of the Ancre this morning and progressed considerably.

We attacked southward of the river and captured positions on a front of li miles opposite the villages of Miraumont and Petit Miraumont, We penetrated over a thousand yards and advanced our zone within a few hundred yards of Petit Miraumont. We captured northward of the river an important position on the upper slopes of a spur northwards of Baillescourt farm on a thousand yards’ front. We successfully repulsed a counter attack. The enemy’s losses were •heavy.

I We made raids southwards of Neuve j Chapelle and northeast of Ploegseert. IWe reached the second line at the 1 latter place. A large number of the enemy were killed and many dug-outs i ‘ ; were destroyed. j We repulsed hostile parties west- , ward of lines eastwards of Givenchy. NEXT FEW MONTHS WOULD TELL LONDON Feb 17.

Mr. Henderson, speaking at Manchester, said he shared fully the feeling that the next few months were going to test the Allies as never before. He was confident we had got , the measure of our opponents. The great Allied leaders would be bitterly disappointed if in the summer they do not strike such a blow as will lead to final victory. I A GERMAN CLAIM I LONDON, February 16 I A German official message states: j The Crown Prince attacked in the Champagne, southward of Pipont, and was completely successful. We stormed four lines on a front of 2600 metres, to a depth ofSSS metres and took SSS prisoners. Lively fighting is proceeding between the White Sea and the Dncister. MILITARY RIOT AT POLA. Received 8.55. ; ROME, "Feb IS. Austrian deserters say that Damiral Hans, commander of the Austrian fleet, was killed in a military riot at Pola. i MORE MEN WANTED

Received 10.50

LONDON, February is

Lord Derby, speaking at Bolton, said the war would bo long and even more bitter than hitherto. Three things were necessary to victory in the order of —

Money men, and munitions. People had given money, munitions had been supplied, but men were wanted, and must be had. It pleased us to hear Germany was at her last gasp, but though Germany was suffering in manner we hardly realised, she had enormous reserve power, and would make a gigantic effort to secure the supremacy of the sea. The critical period of the war would be the next six months but in the meantime many more restrictions on liberty, and many more privations must be borne. Snccesss depended as much on the people as on men in the field.

OVERSEAS WOUNDED. ENTERTAINED BY KING AND QUEEN. Received 5.55. LONDON, Feb IS. The King and Queen from time to time entertain the overseas wounded. The latest batch to visit Buckingham Palace included a number of New Zealanders, amongst whom were Captain Levien, Lieutenants Astley, Carroll, and Westmacott.

BRITISH WAR LOAN. HUGE SUBSCRIPTIONS. Received 8.55. LONDON, Feb IS. A feature of tbs War Loan is the huge contributions of new money by great industrial centres. it is estimated that Glasgow has subscribed one hundred millions, Birmingham thirty million, Newcastle eighteen mil lions, Belfast fifteen millions, and Hull, thirteen millions. It is estimated there are about five million industrial contributions. A MESSAGE TO THE TROOPS. FROM SIR EVELYN WOOD, V.C. Received 8.55. LONDON, Feb IS. Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C., has sent the newspaper Observer, a message for the men at the front, in which he says:— “I look forward with confidence to the issue, because I look back so far, historically and personally. In former wars our soldiers often won a battle under brave but incapable leaders. I have served with leaders, personally very brave, but who would not risk the loss of a company. Lord Kitchener and General Haig have both shown the qualities of hearDand head, indispensable to success. Haig tens us of the deep-rooted confidence of the troops, which I am sure is wellfounded, for all ray letters attest the soundness of his confident belief, and that the troops reciprocate his trust. Twenty-five years ago Lord French and I agreed that Haig was our best instructed junior officer. I believe he. having carefully estimated the value of his objective, will not shrink from asking the troops for any necessary sacrifice.

TURKEY AND HSR ALLIES Received 8.55. CONSTANTINOPLE, Feb IS The Grand Vizier, in a speech in the Chamber, declared Turkey had concluded a treaty for life or death with the Central Powers, and would not be indifferent to the claims of modern civilisation.