UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1918, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

INCENDIARY FIRES. TWO MILLION DAMAGE. Washington, .Tan. 2. A series of explosions and fires destroyed an important section of Norfolk City, Virginia. The damage is estimated at two millions. Five arrests have been made and the city is under martial law. AMERICAN ARMY. ' NOW MILLION AND A HALF Washington, .Tan. 2. The United States army personnel before the war was 205,000. It. is now 1,500,000, and at the end of 1918 will be 2,000,000. JAPANESE AMBASSADORS. LACK OF STEEL IN JAPAN. v New York, Jan. 2. The Washington correspondent of the New York World states that it is expected Baron Sato will not retain the ambassadorship. Discussion on his prob- | able successor mentions Baron Ishii. It is believed that/- the American embargo on the export of steel js retarding Japanese shipbuilding. I GRIM EARNESTNESS. TO FINISH THE WAR THIS YEAR. Times Service. Received Jan. 3, 8.4") p.m. London, Jan. 2.

The Times' Washington correspondent describes the grim earnestness with which America is rushing her efforts to terminate the war in 191S, this being regarded by America as the best reply to the Brest Litovsk negotiations.

UNCHECKED SWING OF TROOPS. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC. SUBMARINES BAFFLED. United Service. Received Jan. 3, 8.4.5 p.m. London, .Tan. 2. Although the necessary vigilance obscures the details, it is known that, on America coming into the war tliere was a swift, quiet, unchecked swing of troops conveyed continuously across the Atlantic in varying numbers and in snips of every description, baffling the submarines, with which a ceaseless warfare was carried on, thousands of craft hunting the submarines, which were ordered to accept extreme risks in attacking. It is reported that the German shipyards arc building at the highest pressure more powerful submarines to attack troopships. The American training and aerial preparation iu France is assuming a great scale. : THE FIGHTING CHIEF. OF AMERICA'S FORCES IN FRANCE. Received Dee. 3, 8.-15 p.m. Washington, Jan. 2. Official: General Bullard succeeds General Fibert in direct charge of Genera] Pershing's expedition. BRITISH AMBASSADOR ON LEAVE. Washington, Jan. 2. Sir Cecil Spring Rice, British Ambassador, is going to England on leive. Speculation is active as to whether he will return in an official capacity.