GREAT BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 166, 19 December 1914, Page 5

GREAT BRITAIN.

NAVAL ENGAGEMENT OFF HARTLEPOOL. Received 18, 10.5 p.m. London, December 18. Patrols on the east coast have been ordered to shoot prisoners signalling in any manner, or exhibiting any lights visible at sea. Ten were killed and eleven wounded , during the naval engagement off Hartle- [ pool. ' ' XO NEWS OF THE RAIDERS. London, December 18. The Morning Post says that six German vessels were engaged in the raid, and it is unknown whether the (ire of the shore batteries had any effect. The Daily Express says the Germans dropped mines to prevent pursuit. AX ATTEMPTED JUSTIFICATION. Received 18, 10.55 p.m. New York, December 18. Captain Von Papen, German Attache, has issued a statement that the attacks on the English coast did not infringe the Hague Convention, as 'Article 1 only prohibits attacks on unfortified or unde. fended places. The English towns were fortified or defended, hence the attack. AN AMERICAN ADMIRAL'S OPINION. Received 18, 3.15 p.m. Washington, December 17. Udmiral Fiske, before the Naval In. vestigating Committee, said an adequate number of submarines along the English coast would have prevented the German raid. Germany evidently thought a strong British navy world be kept along the English coast in order to prevent raids, and she would then endeavor to destroy vessels in detail. If the German cruisers were speedy, and were kept moving, however, the subOUR COAST DEFENCE SYSTEM EXPLAINED. Received 19, 12.35 a.m. London, December 18. The Times' naval correspondent says that, owing to the weather conditions, and the distance from which the Germans fired, it was difficult to ascertain the number, but it is probable that there were five ships, specially chosen for their heavy armament and great speed, probably the Von der Tann, Moltke, Seydlitz, Blucher and Roon. Our coast defence system is based on the principle that only ports containing resources of national importance ought to be fortified, anit other places, such as those unlawfully bombarded, should be protected by their unfortified condition. !A DREADNOUGHT AMONG THE RAIDERS. Received 18, 1.25 a.m. London, December 18. The captain of the Hull trawler Cassandra, which was thirty miles from Scarborough after the bombardment, reports that he saw a German Dreadnought and seven other warships rapidly approaching and steaming past Stfnthsea, firing shells, which hissed overhead. 'The British squadron, ten miles in the rear, followed, tiring for half an hour, but gradually relinquished the chase. Correspondents on the east coast sug. gest that the Germans followed the British trawlers, knowing this would be a safe position, and that they would he abb- to reach England without much danger of mine-fields. The total losses on the east const were 110 killed and 405 wounded, including Hartlepool's 83 civilians, eight soldiers, ; and four sailors. 1 BRITISH ENQUIRY INTO GERMAN 1 OUTRAGES. London, December 17. The Government has appointed a comt mittee to inquire into German outrages . and breaches of the laws of war. Lord Brvce is chairman and the committee consists of Sir Frederick Pollock, Sir Edward Clarke, Sir Alfred ITi>|ikitison, Professor Herbert Fisher, and Mr narold Cox. The German, Vausch, the ringleader in the riot at the Douglas aliens camp, has been sentenced to five years' imt prisonment. Times and Sydney Sun Services. t London, December 17. Miss C'hristobel Pankhurst writes from " New York: "The instructions to our 1 troops to respect German women have e had a wonderful effect here. I wish 3 the French would issue similar instructions."

\ THE BRITISH COAST BOMBARD- < MENT. THREE SHIPS LOST. GERMAN PRESS JUBILANT. London, December 17. Several shells did not explode at Hartlepool. ' Official. —Fifty-five were killed and 115 wounded at Hartlepool. Three steamers were destroyed by mines off Flainborough Heads last night. Several men were drowned. It is believed that one of the vessels was a passenger ship. Mr MacXamara, addressing engineers at Cathcart, said the Germans were rapidly becoming desperate and launching venom and hatred at Britain. He did not know what military purpose the bombardment was hoped to serve, but it was worth two new army corps. The Berliner Tageblatt declares: — "Once more our ships have braved the scattered mines and shelled English fortified places." Other German newspapers are enthusiastic over the performance. Stockholm, December 17. Through mines Sweden has lost eight vessels and nearly sixty lives, Denmark six vessels and six lives, Norway five vessels and six hves, Holland three vessels and fifteen lives. Sweden's loss is estimated at half i million sterling. NO NEED FOR ANXIETY. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 18, 5.45 p.m. London, December 18. The Times' military correspondent deTides the German raid oh the coastal towns, which merely exhibits a wild disappointment that our unbeaten and greatly superior fleet lias enabled 1,300,000 troops to leave. There is no cause for anxiety, for our land defences are adequate. •Underwriters had accepted large amounts of insurance oiT the east coast against bombardment, and have received many claims The Times' naval correspondent says the distance from Heligoland to Hartiepool is 300 miles, and rather less from QSorkum. Vessels doing 20 knots could Cover the distance in fifteen hours. It is Quite dark now at 5 o'clock in the after. Soon. If the warships left at this hour, the} 7 would be off our coast by S o'clock next morning. We cannot have a superior force at any and every place the enemy Selects for a hasty raid on our eastern coastline, which is COO miles long. The fleet has other duties to perform. COWARDLY I AND MURDEROUS MALICE. THE NATIONS INDIGNANT. Received 18, 10.5 p.m. , London, December 18. The Daily Telegraph's New York cor. respondent says that the Wall Street Journal describes the bombardment of undefended places as an act of cowardly and murderous malice, which will <lo Germany more harm than good. One of the prevalent views in America ft that the confusion apparently dominating Germany's military staff has extended to the high sea fleet, whose en- j forced inactivity must have been very j galling. I Rome, December 18. . Newspapers severely censure the bombardment of open "towns which are not situated in the region of war opera, tions." They quote this latter phrase from an official German communication of 10th December, in which Germany protested against the bombing-of Freiburg. Rome, December IS. The newspaper Messagero says that the aviators flew over Freiburg merely to bomb the military buildings. THE CASUALTIES. ' A PLUCKY COASTGUARD. London, December 17. The casualties on the east coast amounted to 81 killed and 31 wounded. A shell killed fifteen schoolboys at Hartlepool. A coastguardsman at Scar, borough stuck to his post through a Tain of shells until his signals reached the authorities. The station was blown to atoms after he quitted it..