ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1915, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

GERMAN PRIZE COURT'S DECISION. NO DISTINCTION IN CONJ TRABAXD*. Received August 31, 9.30 p.m. London, August 31. The Foreign Office : states that the ef-' 'feet of the decision of 'filic Hamburg Prize Court in the case of the Batavier. and the refusal to pav indemnity; for the Maria, a wheatladen ship sunk by the Karlsruhe in the Atlantic last September, appear to abolish, in practice the distinction between absolute and conditional contraband. The Daily Chronicle points out that the decision maikes practically any port a fortified place or base, and deprives an owner of the power of exercising his right in international law to robut the German contention that the goods were intended for military use. A TALE FOR THE MARINES. REPORTED SINKING OF CANADIAN TRANSPORT. Received August 31, 9.55 p.m. New York, August 31. A Berlin wireless message states that passengers by the steamer Ryndam. which arrived at Amsterdam, reported that a British transport, with two thousand Canadian troops aboard, was torpedoed on August 15tli, off the Scillys, a thousand lives being saved. The Canadian officials state that all troopships hare arrived at their destination safely.

ARABIC'S ASSAILANT MISSING. SUPPOSED TO BE SUNK. flecerred September 1, 13.15 a.m. London, August 31. sEbe Daily News' Washington oorreeptmdamt understands that owing to the absence of a report from the submarine wMch samfc the Arabic, and failure to get into tourih with the • commander, Germany practically concludes that the was sunk. RUSSIA'S TASK. ENTRAPPING THE EAGLE* GERMANS EXPECT WINTER CAMPAIGN. ' _■ ! ■ Eeceived Sept. 1, 12,25 a.m. Petrograd, August 31. Portion of General Mackensen's army, with tie Austria us, endeavored to expel the Russians from their last hold in Gaficia. General Mackensen, while developing the offensive at Zlotalipa, start-, ed a turning move on thcS Lutzk, and southward of Vladimir and Volynski. The only result was that a Russian rearguard was engaged in a stubborn fight at Lutzk, coveriig the retreat of the main forces to the Polish region, which is unfavorable to a rapid German advance. It contains thick forests, coveting an area of 550 miles, with swamps and numerous streams, preventing the enemy moving compactly on a wide front.

Captured German cavalry scouts brought to Vilna a report that tlxe troops are expecting new clothes before the winter campaign, for Which Germany is,actively prspftrjnfff; Vll „ ~ OFFICIAL REPORT. • STILL ON THE RETREAT. Received August 31, 9.55 p.m. Petrograd, August 31. A communique states: The Germans are attacking Eckauneunut railway and Biefshalen. There is no important change on the Dvansk. At some points we have assumed the offensive. The enemy passed to the right of the Niemen, in the region of Olita. Our armies continue to retreat on the rest of the front, along the middle of the Niemen, and towards the south as far as the river Pripet. Our main forces are covered by rearguards, which on August 28th repulsed attacks in th» region of Lipsk, inflicting heavy losses. There is also a stubborn offensive by large enemy forces from the west on th« • front from Pronjamy to Gorindetz. THE DUMA. ' TO HAVE. MORE SAY. Petrograd, August 30. Since the assembly of the Duma numerous efforts have been on foot lo devise means whereby" the Government and the Duma may co-operate more effectively. There is much opposition to the immediate introduction of parliamentary government. Arrangements arc being discussed whereby five members of the Duma and five Imperial Councillors shall enter the Cabinet, and many ministers, governors and minor officials who arc regarded as indirectly responsible for the recent defeats are being replaced by men in whom the Duma has confidence. The newspapers are permitted practically free comment. ENEMY PAY DEARLY. FOR CAPTURE OF FORTRESSES), Received August 31, 5.5 p.m. Geneva, Aug. 30. The Russians between Brest Litovsk and Bielsk ate inflicting fifteen thousand losses on t'ie Germans daily, and those between Bielsk and Grodno twenty thousand daily. The capture of the town of Nare'w cost the C-rmaiiy thirty thousand men. AN ARROGANT CLAIM. THAT RUSSIA IS DEFEATED . Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received August 31, 7.50 p.m. London, August 31. The Frankfurter Zeitung, writing on the fall of Brest Litovsk, declares that, the campaign against Russia is definileitely won. Russia's plan of withdrawing her armies to avoid annihilation has been unsuccessful, because her losses in prisoners and guns are equivalent to a crushing defeat.

TRADE AND INDUSTRIES. .ENGLISH CO-OPERATION WELCOME. Received August. 31, 0,3b p.m. London, August 31. The Daily Telegraph's Petrograd correspondent reports that Prince Shahovski, Minister of Commerce, in an interview, statecj that the war had dealt German'trade with Russia a crushing Mow. If public opinion had its way Germany would never ibc allowed to recover her former position and we should particularly welcome the co-operation ■ of Englishmen, in the industrial sphere. All mills and factories at Warsaw that are directly useful to the State have ■been transferred to the interior. Many of these were. Russian, but their propinquity to the frontier made them susceptible to German influence. The opening of the Dardanelles would mean a steady gravitation of Russian industry to the Black Sea basin. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. Amsterdam, August 30. A. German communique states: General von Bulow is fighting for a bridgehead southward of Friedriehstadt. General von Kichorn lias reached the district north-east of Odytu, capturing 1600 men. We stormed Lipsk, on the Bobr, forcing the Russians in the direction of Urodno to evacuate the Sidra sector. We passed through Sokolka and reached several points on the eastern border of the forests northeast and east of Bialystok. Prince Leopold is fighting in the Bialowieska forest for the upper Narew crossings. General von Wayrsch'i Austro-Germans ejected the Russians from positions at Buchopol and are sharply pursuing the Russians who, in order to enable a detachment to retreat through the marshy district eastward of Pntzant, gave battle to Genera) von Ma«kensen on the Paldubno line south of Kobrin. They were defeated, although a portion of the retreating ! troops returned to their resistance.