Rheims Tragedy

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 104, 25 September 1914, Page 5

Rheims Tragedy

PO.SSIBL3 OF RESTORATION'. 1 TIIE GERMAN" EXPLANATION". Received 24, 10.15 p.m. London, September 23. An eye-witness describee Rheims Cathedral as not completely gutted. It is possible to restore the main features of the outline. The official German version states that "since the twentieth the whit# flag hoisted on the spire of the cathedral had been respected by our artillery. We then discovered that the French were using the spire as an observation post, and it was therefore necessary to remove the post, which was done by the field artillery, the heavy artillery not being allowed to fire, and the bombardment ceased immediately the post was removed. The French were alone to blamo for misusing the white flag."

| GERMAN EXCUSES. Received 24, 5.30 pjn. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, September 23. Prince Heiry of Prussia stayed at fiheims last week. As a guarantee for ton safety, four hostages passed the ■igit iB adjoining rooms. After the 4rat bombardment, the German Staff explaiaed that it was due to the envoys •ent on the previous evening not returning, the Germans having concluded that they were detained as prisoners.

HOLLOW GERMAN PRETENCE. Amsterdam, September 23. Headquartcri i» Berlin indignantly proteat against the accusation that German troops for lust of vandalism destroyed historical monuments. They deay that Rhcima Cathedral was used as a mark for the bombardment. The proteat concludes: "If it is true that the Cathedral suffered, nobody will deplore it more than ourselves." THI TAPESTRIES .SAVED. Received 24, 7.50 p.m. Pari?, September 23. The famou* tapestries in the nave of the Rheima Cathedral were removed before tn« destruction.