ARMISTICE TERMS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1918, Page 5

ARMISTICE TERMS

FULL DETAILS. 5000 Guns to be Given Up. 5000 Locomotives and 5000 Motor Lorries. Stringent Naval Conditipns. Germany Made to Disgorge.

By Telegraph.—Pi ess Association. Wellington, Last Sight. The followiug telegram, dated London, ftovewber 11, embodying tiie full terms of the armistice with Germany, has been received by the Governor-General Irom the Secretary of State lor the' Colonies. Th» elauses relating to the Western front are as follow:

1. Cessation of operations by land and air six hours after signature of the armistice.

2. The immediate evacuation of invaded countries of Belgium, France, Al-sace-Lorraine, and Luxemburg, so ordered as to l>e completed within fourteen days from the signature of the armistice. German troops which have not leit the above-mentioned territories within that period will become prisoners of war. The occupation by the Allied and United States' forces jointly will keep pace with the evacuation in these areas. All movenients of evacuation and occupation will be regulated in accordance with the Noto

3. The repatriation, beginning at one*, to be completed within fourteen days, of all inhabitants of countries above enumerated (including hostageß, persons under trial or convicted). 4. Surrender in good condition by the German armies of the following equipment—Fiv* thousand guns —two thousand five hundred heavy and two thousand five hundred. :;ia-chine-guns, three thousand mineweri'er, two thousand aeroplanes—fighters, liombers, day and night bombing machines. The above to be delivered in situ to the Allied and United States' troops in accordance with the detailed conditions laid down in the note.

5. Evacuation by the German armies of the conutries on the left bank of the Rhine. Those countries on the left bank shfc'l b» administered by local authorities under the control of the Allied and United States armies of occupation. The occupying of these territories will be carried out by Allied and United States' garrisons holding the principal crossings of the Rhine (Mayence, Coblenz, and Cologne), together with the bridgeheads at these points, of thirty kilometres radius on the right bank, and by garrisons similarly holding strategic points of these regions. A neutral zone shall be set up on th» right bank of the Rhine between the river and a line drawn ten kilometres distance, starting from the Dutch frontier to the Swiss frontier. In tho oa=e of the inluiibitauts, no person shall be prosecuted for having taken part in any military measure previous to the signing of the armistice- No measure of a general or official character shall be taken which would have as a consequence the depreciation of industrial eftablishments or reduction of their personnel. The evacuation by the enemy of the Ehinelands shall be ordered as to be completed within a further period of eleven days days, and in all twenty-five-days after signature of the armistice AH movements of evacuation and occupation will be regulated according to note.

G. In all territory evacuated by the enemy there shall he no evacuation of the inhabitants. No damage or harm shall be done to persons or the property of the inhabitants. Xo destruction of any kind to be committed. Military establishments of ail kinds shall tie delivered intact, as well as military stores of food, munitions; equipment not removed during the periods fixed for evacuation. Stores of food of all kinds for the civil population, cattle, etc., shall be left, in situ Industrial establishments shall not be impaired in any way, and their personnel shall not be moved.

7. Roads and means of commiinica#tin of every kind, railroads, waterways, main roads, bridge, telegraphs, and telephones shall bs itt no manner impaired All civil and military personnel at present employed on them shall remain. Five thousand locomotive*. o»e Iwrnared and fifty thousand waggons, and five thousand motor lorries iu good working order, with all necessary spire parts and" fittings, Khali be delivered to the associated Powers within the period fixed for the evacuation of Belgium and Luxemburg. The railways of Alsace-Ixirraine sliall.be handed over within the t;\me period, together with all pro-war personnel and material. Further material necessary for the working of railways ia tho country on the left bank of the Rhine shall be left in situ. All stores of coal and material for the upkeep of the permanent way, signals, and repair shops shall he left in situ, and kept as far as tneans of communication are concerned, in an efficient state by Germany during the whole period of the armistice. All barges taken from the Allies shall be restored to them. 8. The German Command shall be responsible for revealing all mines or delay . action fuses disposed on territory evacuated by German troops, and 3hall assist ht their discovery and destruction. The German Command snail also reveal all destructive measnres that may have bee?; taken (such as poisoning or pollution of sprigs, wells, etc.) under penalty of prisals9. The right of requisition', shall b* exercised by the Allied and 'TJnfted States armies fn all occupied territory, save for settlement of account wjfi authorised persons. The upkeep; of the' troop* of occupation in Rfcbietend (exel»'?Wg Al-sace-Lorraine} ehtJJl be charged to the 'German Gowaannent.

10. Immediate repatriation, without reciprocity, according to detailed conditions, vrmk shajj.'bo fixed, of all Allied and United States' prisoraw. of war. Tile towers and United Stees of America shall be aMe to dfepoee-of these prlecmers a* they wish, however. The re- , turn of German prisoners of war ratero»«r Jnrffofland and Switzerland shall coniSnue as heretofore. The return, of German -prisoners of war shaH-bo settled at ;stb<*-Ee*» -preliminaries.

IfeSiek awd wouaded who cannot he removed iiom the evacuated territory will be cated for by the German pervuonnel who will be Jaffc on the spot ■with

B—CLAUSES RELATING TO THE EASTEM FRONTIERS OF GERMANY.

12. All German troops at present in any territory whieh, before the war, belonged to Russia, Rgumania, er Turkey, ..snail withdraw -.rithin the frontiers of Germany as they existed on August 1, 1814. A4l German troops at present in territories Which, before the war, formed part of Russia, must likewise return within the frontiers of Germany as above dottned as soon as the Allies think the moment suitable, having regard to the internal situation of these territories.

13. The evacuation by German troops to begin at once, and all German instructors, prisoners, aud civilians, as well as military agents on the territory of Russia (as dolined on August 1, 1014) to be recalled.

I' 4. German troops to cease at once all requisitions and seizures and any other undertaking with a view to obtaining supplies intended for Germany in Roilmauia and Russia, as defined on August 1, 1914. 15. The ahandonmsnt of the treaties of Buelmrest and Brest-Litovsk and of the supplementary treaties.

18. The Allies shall have free access to the territories evacuated by Germans on their Eastern frontier, either through Dantzig or by the Vistula, in order to convey supplies to the population of those territories, or for the purpose -of maintaining order.

C-jCLAUSE RELATING TO EAST AFRICA.

17. The unconditional evacuation of all German forces operating in East Africa within one month. D-GENERAL CLAUSES. 18. Repatriation, without reciprocity, within the maximum period of one month, iu accordance With the detailed conditions hereafter to be fixed, of all civilians interueu or deported who may be citizens of other Allied or associated .States than those mentioned in clause

10. With the reservation that any future claims and demands of the Allies and the United States of America remain unaffected, the following financial conditions are required as reparation for damage done. While the armistice lasts, no public securities shall be removed by the enemy which _gan serve as pledged to the Allies for recovery or reparation for war losses. The immediate restitution of the cash deposits in the National Hank of Belgium, and, in general, the immediate return of all' documents, specie, stock, shares and paper money, together with the plant for the issue ihereof.

Touching the public or private interest? in the invaded countries the restitution of Russian and Roumanian cold, yielded to Germany or taken by that Power. This gold is to be delivered in trust to the Allies until the signature of peace. E—NAVAL CONDITIONS.

20. The immediate cessation of all bostilities at sea, and definite information to be given as to the location and movements of all German ships. Notification to be given to neutrals that freedom of navigation in territorial waters is givefi, to the naval and mercantile marines of the Allied and associated Powers, all questions of neutrality being waived. 21. AH naval and mercantile marine prisoners of war of Allied and associated Powers in German hands to be rehired without reciprocity. In order to meet our wishes, the text will be modified as follows:—The handing over to tho Allies and the United States of all submarines (including all submarine cruisers and mine-layers) which are present at the moment, with full complement, in ports specified by tho Allies and the United States. Those that cannot put to sea are to be deprived of crews and supplies, and shall remain under the. supervision of the Allies and the United States. Submarines ready to put to sea shall be prepared to leave German ports immediately on receipt of a wireless order to sail to a port of surrender. The remainder are to follow as early as possible. The conditions of this article shall be carried out within fourteen days after the signing of the armistice. 23. 'Ke folowing German surface warships, which shall,be designated by the Allies and the United States of America, shall forthwith be disarmed and thereafter interned in neutral ports, or, failing them, Allied waters, to be designated by the Allies and the United States, only caretakers being left on veillance of the Allies and the United States, only caxetkers being left on board, namely, six battle cruisers, ten battleships,, and eight light cruisers including two mine-layers, and fifty destroyers of the most modern types. All other surface warships (including river craft) are to toe concentrated in German naval base*, to be designated by the Allies and the United States, and are to bo paid off and completely disarmed, and placed under the supervision of the Allies and the United States. All vessels of the auxiliary fleet (trawlers, vessels, etc.) are to be disarmed. All vessels, specified for internment shall be ready to leave tho German ports seven days after the signing of the armistice. Directions for the voyage will be given by wireless.

Note. —A declaration lias been signed .by the Allied delegates and handed to the German delegate* to the effect, that in the event of the .ships not he,iug handed over, owing to the mutinous state of the fleet, the Alies reserve the right to the occupancy of Heligoland, as an advanced base, to enable them to enforce the terms of the armistice. The German delegates liavc, on their part, signed a declaration that they •will recommend the Chancellor to accept this. (24) The Allies and United States of America shall have the right to sweep up all mine fields and obstructions laid by Germany outside German territorial waters, and the positions of these are to be indicated.

(25) Sreedom of access to and from . the Baltic to be given to the naval and mercantile marines of the Allied and associated Powers. To secure this, the Alßes, and the United States of America shall Ije empowered to occupy all German ports, fortifications, batteries and defence works of all kinds, in all entrances from fhe Oattegat into the Baltic, and to sweep up all the mines and; obstructions, within and without German territorial waters, without any questions of neutrality being raised, and the positions of all such mines and ob-structions-ate to-be incficated.

(26). Stdstteg blockade conditions set up bytteiUUed and associated Powers are to retoairi unchanged, and all German merchant ships found at sea are to remain Bible to capture, The Allies and. the Uttste& States- contemplate the provisionisg of Germany during the armis-tice-as flwalba found necessary. (27), AU naval aircraft there- to b$ neeatoW and immobilised l..ises to be. speeifled by the Allies and the Ujjted States. 4Sg> 3ft wacuating-tljfl.BeJgJim.xoaiSk.

and ports, Germany shall abandon aH merchant ships, tugs, lighters, cranes aucl all other harbor materials, all material for inland navigation, all aircraft mi ■air materials and star™, all arms fidl armaments, and all stores -and fcppatatiW of all kinds.

{2ofl All the Black Sea #orts are to. tie evacuated by Germany. All Russian warships of all descriptions seized bf Germany in the Black Sea are to be handed over to the Allies and the United Statos of America. All neutral merchant ships seized arc to be released. All warlike and others materials of all kinds seized in those ports are to be returned) and German materials, as specified In clause 2S, arc to bo abandoned. (30) All merchant ships in German .hands belonging to tire Allies and associated Powers are to be restored in ports to be specified by the Allies and v the United States, without reciprocity. (31) No 'destruction of ships or materials is to be permitted before the evacuation, surrender or restoration. (32) The German Government shall formally notify the neutral governments of the world, and particularly the Governments of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Holland, that all restrictions placed. on the trading of their vessels with Allied and associated countries, whether by the German Government or by private German interests, and whether in return for specific concessions, such as the export of shipbuilding materials, vt not, are immediately cancelled. (38) No transfers of German, mer* chant shipping of any description to any neutral flag are to take place after the signature of the armistice.

"F" DURATION OF ARMISTICE.

(34) The duration of the armistice isi to be thirty-six days, with the option to extend same during this period on failure of execution of any of the abowi clauses. The armistice may he denounced by one of the contracting parties Olj thirty-eight hours' previous notice.