The European War

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 65, 5 August 1914, Page 6

The European War

Al'STiii A\S FKii!TI.V(i CHIW. ANXIOUS J'i>K W'Ali. A !! KM AUKA I!LK S'ltDi'ilKCV. One of i lu' best ol' fureijrn pll itit's ill I'atropc I i:; - otllv lii!!| Tvh'J ■' I'l'esaw Ihe Ihilkan uar |ireilict.:'d that an .\usti'o-l!u i;ni war woai.l fiillow. Tlic laic Austrian »,rUi r, Alexander \ i,;i I Ye/., wrot,. .-hori'y h i'me his (ic;ii;'i: that I'iilii.ii'i:!, j-Vrvln ami .Moii'clll'Jll'o (lie 11 111 iL t (><l tilVri.'l w. 11111 t;,;l!;e war on Turkey before tiie mil of ami tjrnt llie Turks woti'il hi' lira ten. I liis rentali.aiile proof of foresight £»;ives va lie In the re-1 of lYe/.'s ppjiheeie-. W.lhin a co;;;ije m' ■, s - after the II likin war. 11 ri-1i I■ -1 < i jlunwary wouiil u',, to war wi,a li.issht in oriler (o settle, nitre lor a 1 , th" Itiviilin;.' Ijte'siion i f Slit*., lie wnihi-: rea-oits. "A Siav victory o\ r Tut 1 - key \vi Iso r:i:-e the ra v-con :■}> iMt-es.. of the Sav Stales ami of !h ir liii ml, Jiiis-i i. that All .triu will lie t;ire:it•■tiei! vkli ilisni|ition tlirouuh the sei-es-ioe of her i.wit Slavs. Oar Scrii , ero.it-, ami fiavonians at preset. i.w.h down oil the Serhs ;uul .Montenegrins of the Balkans; hut once tile latter justify themselves on the baltMielil, the' S Hv* everywhere will want to fount their own StMtcV Kifsia. he acilcd, would trv to lake the Slav Jeailersltip, so Unit "the only measure for Austria., if sli'O wishes to pxisl, wil.' be to 'real, ltlls*ia back into her p'ace.''

AN A XL'IK N'T <H'AI!I!KL. That wa; written le-s than three years ago, and it. wis ipioted at the Vienna Military Delia ling Socjd v recently as a reason why Austria and Russia must go to war. Tile speaker, llerr I.omacs, gave a long siimniarv 111 the ancient (jiiairel.* lie pointed out thai; Russia and Austria have never got oil since the Crimean war, when Austria refused to iliii p Nicholas 1., who had himself he pod Austria in IS-IS. Tliiis hatred has increased, and : t came to a climax in 1'IOi), when Czar Nicholas 11. made a detour of 1000 miles 011 his way to Raeconigi, in Italy, rather than undergo the pain of passing through Austrian territory. "The Austrian Army," added Loniats, "is now at the ■apex of military ef lu iency. and it needs a victorious war to ju-lify its : elf-conndi nce. Wc have now back with Us tin* ill .'it wild our army ofikient; the man \vl:o so persistently us that our armv exists, not to keep the peace, but to gain victories in war."

TUIU.MIMIS OVER TOES. These remarks were nnule twi:- 'a,.a.fter the return to the po-uion of c!ii< i" of stall' of Conrad von IloeU'.cndurf, tip most daring, nnilitant anil cap.tl.j'e so 'i! I ".' in all Europe, who, according to ys (onlay's cables, is to be generalissimo of Au-trian forces. Conrad von Hoetaeudurf had a surprising ti iumpJi over l.is foes. After a ipiarrel with the late I ount- von ri.'iit'i'-iI. he was dismissed in.ni the [ic.it of chief of stall', which he had ln-lil since 1 !)()(>, and wa. - given the far .es- influential post of inspector of the army. Conrad had t fl'cnded the peac"-!ov:ng Aelhreiith:!' by li's ti.'o hold | reparations and tin cn-tly cxpenditurc on tlie expected wai with ltal\. '1 iie army was furious, "i oimid will letiirii," was the prophecy, "and when he returns the war with Italy ivil'l I)e----•rlu." Ihi' liist part of tki, forecast Is:- - belt I'n UlVtl. t'oarad fcUs returned. and now Austria expects that '.he - ootid part will be fulliile-.l- with t'e l lillTi r.-iiM- that the war wid not, be with I;:• Iy. but with a >aiighta'r ■ppt !i. si 1 Kussia, I • • nea 1 t'oiirad von Hoet/endorf is the !:;o~t. io'.eo-lng personality Aa-tria has produ ( I -ieee the age of \\ a ii-'iistein. lie is a discovery of Archduke l-'rauz t'erdiiian ! one real claim to genius was his skill in finding brilliant men. Ten years ago l'i urad was known to the iiniiy at large only as a writer of books on tactics: bat in the army locallv, he was aduiirid and revered: and his kindly chivalrous character and exacting 'and severe method- as commander earned him the iiiceimruou.i nickname "Tlie denial Hangman." In i! ui-n days the chief in' stall' was old I:;ii on von lieck, a seieiiti!i" warrior who did everything according to the best book-rote; and had a typical Austrian delest.al.iou of original military talent. DOlNi; THE IMl'liA( TICAIILE.

lii IConrad was stationed at Inncsbruck in command of tin: Eighth hiiantr, division. l)u •■i«S tl'" in«.M,e U yn- S lie di'cu to'liinisclf the attention of both the cl-In!i{kl.- :i 111] of I!eck was imrrilicd. Conrad was doing mconi-prch.u--il)lo things which the Very lie.it military manuals said nothing alio it. According to the manuals, Conrad Ir.ul already put himself in a position where his divi.-iun must be taken prisoner. (In tin' strength of that ahine. t-lin chiei-ol'-ntall'. us 11111 ]>irc, had decided that Conrad's force was out oi action. In fact. hc_was surrounded." A few hours later Heck saw something which increased his horror. "The Mirronniled" Conrad's army, heavily laden with knapsacks, lilies, and several days' food was down a precipice which the best yuiile books anil the best military maps agreed was absolutely impracticable. Thus, Conrad's force won. (IKXICRALS WHO WANT WAR.

The "genial hangman" held that 1" these bellicose plans he was dainjj his best for Austria, ami has been backed by a ipoiip uf generals who want war, and t»i politicians who itnh! that the time has collie to elld for ever tile Ullo.siau Pan-Slav divani. Amoiio the m«ueinls i-, Conrad's nominal chief, the Mill-istr-r of War, Von krobatin. Krobatin is a capable soldier, but in all doubtful matters he succumbs lo the impetuous chief-of-stali'. Tint "genial hangman" is not moved by political u»n-ideratious. l!e is moved by the ardent faith that aimies exist for war. t I,at lifting is frlotioiTH and prohlalilo ami that thanks to 11i nim 1 11* Austria-limitary lias, porliap< the lim-st lifting army in tlit» world. Anil tin- army i- with liim. On thi' nijrlil it was announced that lie was coining hack to liis post. tin- old English toa-t. "A bloody war anil ifiiick promotion." was drunk at a In:;' dinner of olliivrs at the im]>i i ial iluti'l in \ irima. Aiid ilie scond toast was "W'c meet in Warsaw." • ohrad lirlii-vi's tliat arniic.- c\ist to make war: that jji vi-n too mui'h rest, they deteriorate: and thai, in this clash o! arms. ;m<l the roll ol cannon. ilic ylory of u'l-n.'ials and chiefs of stall' is to hi' I omul. III'I.KS OF I'.EI.I.l!; !:iil-:N('y. War having liecn I'nrnni'ly <U-i-lur.-iI in- , t< ni'itional ii-mjjos of war come into force i llv I In- principal prehistory ehui-es oi The llauui' Renulations it' i, strictly ftrhidilcii: to employ poison or poisoned aMiis; to kill or Momul tioaohoimsly jildividna's be'onjrinj; to tlic hostile nation o.' army; to kill or wound an ononis' who, having laid down anus or.liavinp lio longer means of defence. h® 3 surrendered at discretion; to doclanj tlwt-

in- quarter will be ifiveiL; to employ arms, projectiles or materia: of a nature to canst! sHjHjvllnous injilf.v; lo i)i;i improper use of a llug of truce liiv national llat; or military ensigns and tin: enemy's uniform a- well as the ili>tinctivc badges of tliu lit-neva I'onven lion lo destroy 01' seize ilu: enemy's pr ■pcri.y, iiurss such seizure or destruction lii' iiiipmiivel.v UniMinie.l by tin; usageof war; Lo attack or bombard towns, villages, habitations or buildings wliie.i arc not clefentleil; t<> pillage a town even when taken l>y as-anlt. On the otlier kind, i;uscs of war 1111,1 tile employment of means necessary to J obtain information about tin- enemy an.i tile country are considered alio wable. 11l sieges and bombardments all necei sary steps are to be. taken lo -.pare a< far as possib'e 'buildings' devoted to lcligion. art, science ami charity, hospitals and places where the sick anil wounded are collected, provided they are not used at the same time for mill iary purposes-, hut tJie besieged are to indicate these buildings or places by si me ]iar!icular signs and notify linen to the assailants, Willi regard to private property, 011 land. Hi;' following- cfcmsts ratify Die" right of requisition, while limiting it i,i its operations.

"Neither requisitions in kind or *ev vices can be demanded from inhabitant-; except for (he necessities of tlhe ar.jiy of occupation. They must be in pro-portion-to the resources of the country, and of such .1 nature as not to involve the population in the obligation of taking part in military operations agv.iusl their country. The contributions ill kind shall, as fai a#> possible, be paiil for in reads' money, if not, their receipt filial! be acknowledged and the payment of tlie amounts due shall be made as soon as possible." Bt'ILDINC OF DREADNOUGHTS. The Ausfro-nungarian Naval Department determined, in the autumn o"l ,11)12, upon accelerating a naval programme, which '.lsad not been authorised by the Oelcgations, and for which 1:0 money had bee;; voted. In accordan ' with this decision it became known that a new Dreadnought was quietly laid down at Trieste in the spring of 1913. This procedure corresponds'' with ti nt ado ited four years ago. Then the of the Dual .Monarchy refused the necessary credits for laying the keels of th> Dreadnoughts demande . by the X ival Department. Despite this aition, me vc-sel was immediately be gin, on [.initial of the (lovcninient — and Comp'eled in just over two years - and prep r.-atieus were made for hastening tile beginning of the other vessels in the programme. The authorities followed the sarnie course on the later occasion. An arrangement was made 'With the Stabililncnto feonico at Trieste for buildin'; Operations to begin, and tJie firm continued tiie work oil credit- ' The firm it: question i-? under Austro-Gerttuin control.

This vessel is the first of u now grow, 0 ; Dreadnoughts. Thev svere larjv'r than iinv l>:itt' then : ompi'eted .for tlie Kritish Navy, anil t< r.i-s oiided wif.li the latent vessels of lit. ; uieeii Elizabeth class, then builtliiiff. The new vesse's are to replace the old anil inaV batt'eships l of the Monarch !• I ass. Those little ships were In! 1 down 20 ynars ago. They are nf .V)' ! tons displacement; they are, in fan. small coa-t d"feuee vc«<e's, useful on!.« for service in the A-driatie. 'l'hev llave been repliced by vessels of i").11(10 tons, battleships of {he sea type,. with a. maximum radius of action, -and will) Hi' armament whicHi includes eijfht l:i. !i i gt:ns of new type which were tesleil it the |4k()d:i-Wcrke. They are nieii-of-war of, the most powerful type both in clfensi vo I'.iul defensive qualities. SKORKCY OHSKIIVEI).

'The only .surprising feature of this devii'op.n.Mit Wiis t'h<: secrecy observe.! in down the. first unit of the ne.v programme in defiance of the pub ic declarations made by the (lovernment's spokesmen. That the *hips would be construct ad there had for some time been no doubt. As loll# ago as the middle, of .November Dili, the Minister for t'lm Navy announced. that the Dual Government had approved of his .scheme, urolviiig an cxpcmlituru of fS.dOO.O'W on the iirst three of the. quartette, so that the four cost £10,(100,000, It was. however, announced that the project would be brought forward in ''Kilo.' About till! same time it was staled tl at tile Minister had asserted that tilwork could not be put in hand 'loo 80011."

it Was exp'ained by Austro-Ili-in-garian "Ministers that, the rjapid expansion of the fleet was » duty which they owed to the Triple Alliance. Ti. tile coiirsc of a naval debate at Hilda JVUI on November 21, 1012). it was officially atit.onnced: ''The development o l ' our licet, is necessary not only in the in tar sU of our position as a Clival Power, bat also because our allies, on whose support we can re.'.y for the proliction of our interests expect the .same support )'ro:n us." Til the.-e new circumstances, Austria Hungary lia- hui't, building e-r authorised by 'he (lovcrnni'mt. eight ships of 'lie Dreadnought or super-Dreadnought type. Of these,, it is anticipated that siie will have four, possibly five, completed in the summer of I!M.>, when the navy will also have six pre-Dreftd-mug!) (s serviceable for war. In addition to these vessels', Austria possesses three armoured cruisers and four of other types, :i(i destroyers, 12 torpedo boats and 1-t submarines. The person lie! comprises 111.000 men en a pea-..; fi oting. -11111 "20,0110 reserves.