TRANSATLANTIC AERIAL FLIGHT

Taihape Daily Times, 12 February 1919, Page 5

TRANSATLANTIC AERIAL FLIGHT

Received 10.10 a.m. NEW YORK, February 9. Mr. Daniels admitted the navy is completing plans for a trans-Atlantic flight in the hope of establishing aerial transportation between America and Europe. He said he expected to beat the -world in making the flight. It is expected the flight will be made from New York via the Azores. IN PORTUGAL. ROYALISTS DEFEATED. Received 8.55 a.m. LISBON, February 10. The Republicans have begun to occupy the left bank of the Duoro after routing the Royalists at Larnego. CHINA AND JAPAN. WAR THREATENED. Received 9.20 a.m. WASHINGTON, February 11. The State Department hints that Japan has threatened war against China if China publishes the secret treaties or fails tc carry out her undertaking. China is relying on the Peace Conference’s support, especially that of Britain and the United States. FIGHTING BETWEEN POLES AND GERMANS. Received 10.10 a.m. COPENHAGEN. February 11. A message from Berlin states the Entente has ordered a cessation of German and Polish hostilities .

HUNS' PREMEDITATED DESTRUCTION. Received 9.20 a.m. PARIS, February 10. Official: At tlie War Council M. Klotz submitted a work published in 1916 by the German General Staff providing- the premeditated and systematic character of destruction of French industry, and the advantages which would accure to Germany through the annihilation of French industry. The matte'r was referred to the economic committee. The Ports, Waterways and Railways Commission, after discussing the French and British draft programmes, appointed a sub-committee of five representatives of the great Powers and four of the minor Powers to study to which particular ports, railways and waterways that the regime of internationalism shall be applicable. A second sub-committee was appointed to study all that which was relevant to the general question. THE KING’S SPEECH. Received 10.10 a.m. LONDON, February 11. The King’s Speech said no tenderness must be shown towards acknowledged abuses which prevent the attainment of social ends. Violence may retard, but will not prevent them. LORD JELLICOE’S BOOK NEW LIGHT ON JUTLAND. LONDON, February 9 Cassells’ have published Lord Jellicoe’s book, a highly technical detailed description oA the creation and development of the Grand Fleet in 1914-1916, He mentions that a regrettable collision in a fog between the Australia and New Zealand on April 22nd deprived the Australia of the glory of participating in the Jutland battle. The book reveals that Lord Jcllicoe’s proposed bottling Zcebru-gge in 1914. The Admiralty considered it impracticable but Lord Jcllicoc’s plan was adopted in 1917. There was much anxiety in the early part of the war because the margin of safety between thS Grand Fleet and the German High Sea Fleet, was too small. At the end,of 1914 the Grand Fleet had only seventeen effective battleships, five battle cruisers, and forty-two destroyers, compared with fifteen German Dreadnoughts, four battle cruisers, and eighty-'oight destroyers. The Germans in some cases were superior to the British in material. The failure of the British condenser tubes on a largo scale added to the difficulties. The heavy losses in the early part of the Jutland battle were due to the British boats being inadequately protected by armour compared with similar German vessels. The German armour was thicker and the watertight compartments more complete. The Germans also possessed delay action fire, which, combined with | a highly efficient armour piercing projectile, ensured a shell bursting inside the armour instead of .outside or during the passage, as did a similar British shell. After Jutland, the British adopted a new projectile with a now burster, which doubled the offensive power of the biggest guns. Unfortunately, the surrender of the German fleet’ gave

no opportunity for testing the mat-

erial perfected during the war. Had the Germans come out terrible punishment awaited them.

In view of the criticism of Lord Jellicoe’s handling of the battle fleet at Jutland, special interest attaches to a hundred pages of diagrams justifying the time, methods, and deployment of the battle fleet. Summing up the difficulties of the British position, Lord Jellicoe points out the German superiority in destroyers, It was essential to prevent the German destroyers 'attacking ' during deployment. Later there was difficulty in keeping in touch with \ the enemy when the Germans made a very large turn westward under cover of a smoke screen. The possibility of an attack by German destroyers also made a British night attack impossible. Lord Jellicoe pays a tribute to Admiral Beatty’s able and gallant leadership. He showed fighting qualities of the highest order and imbued his force with his own indomitable spirit. Lord Jellicoe clears up the Hampshire mystery, stating that she was sunk by moored mines laid by enemy submarines. i * THE WOOL COMMANDEER. o MR. LYSNAR CHALLENGES THE GOVERNMENT. WELLINGTON, Febw 1L Mr. W. Douglas~Lysnar, of Gisborne, who was so prominent in opposition to the extension of the wool commandeer, is challenging thei right of the Government to become possessors of his clip under the present commandeer eondii tions. He claims the right to have the true value of his clip fixed by arbitration, as provided by regulation. In a letter fo the Department, Mr. Lysnar says he will not deliver the balance of his clip otherwise, and says if the Government seizes the clip under regulations, he will proceed for I compensation. The Department has I reminded Mr, Lysnar of the prohibi- | tion to export or to sell to other than | the Government and adds that the proj hibition may remain in force for at {least two years after the termination |of the war by treaty of .peace. Mr. Lysnar’s grounds are that the marketing of the wool should now he treated as a commercial and not a patriotic one, seeing the war is practically won.