INTIMATIONS
THE HONGKONG DAILY FRESS, MONDAY, AUGUST 17th, 1914.
official sources that a great battle had actually taken place, it seemed difficult to resist the conclusion that it must be true, Bosing that the German Fleet was not in a position to make the sens, with the excep tion of the Baltic, unsafe for British
A. S. WATSON shipping. However, as we must now con»
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clude that no battle has been fought in the North Sea it is only possible to say, as a REUTER's telegram says of the British Squadron in the Far East, that the British Fleet his circumscribed the action of the German ships." The battle has yet to be fought in the Far East, as well as in the WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANTS. North Sea, but with the German Fleet
bottled up
in the Baltic and the German Eastern Squadron apparently blockaded in the barbour of Tsingtau, the question of naval spremacy can be considered as already decided in favour of the British Fleet with out a fight. The outbreak of War must have found practically the whole German Fleet assembled at Kiel, with the British Fleet blocking the exits into the North Sea.. It is impossible to believe that the German Fleet retreated into the Kiel Canal before the British Fiest, because none can know better than the Germans that once entrapp
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119
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The Daily Press,
"HONGYONG, August 1723, 1914. -
German warships may as well be dis mantled for all the use they are likely to
in the War, except to protect the Baltic coastline of Germany. They are impotent to interfere outside the Baltic with the merchant shipping trade of their enemies, and impotent to protect their own anywhere but in the Baltic Ses. The KAISER both on land and sea has been "surprised" by his enemies, in a way that he of all men least expected. It is not that the to be supposed, however, history of the War will be one long and uninterrupted story of German defeats.
The news so far received seems almost too good to be true, but the public is placed at a disadvantage in judging of the reliability of the news by the fact that the censorship permite us to learn only one version of the story. What is being thought and said in Germany is a sealed book to the rest of the world, but if we may gusas at the German view from the nature of the latest telegrams it is that all that has taken place hitherto, although it has cost Germany many thousands of men, has been in the natura of mere preliminary skirmishes, and that the great battle for which the opposing armies are now concentrating will afford a more accurate measure of the probable results of the War. The coming week will live in history as the period of a war which is certain to be one of the greatest and the most sanguinary in the history of the World.
The Sang (Capt. J. Smith) on her voyaga down from Swatow picked up four shipwrecked Chinese on the night of the 15th inst
The P. & O. Company advertise the despatch of the Oriental for Bombay on Wednesday with cargo for transhipment to European ports. She is also carrying. mails,
Mr. W. A. Hannibal announces that he has established himself in business as an Export and Import Merchant and Com- mission Agent under the firm name of W. A. Hannibal & Co.
Six months imprisonment and four, hours' stocks was the sentence imposed: on a Chinese the Magistracy on Satur day for being in possession of and uttering counterfeit ten-cent pieces" at WanohaŁ
His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to re-nominate Mr. C. Montagua Ede to be a Member of the Court of the University of Hongkong for a further term of three years, with effect from the 22nd April, 1014...
AFTER all the rumours we have been hearing during the past week what are we to think of the warning given by the Official Press Bureau to the British public against giving credence to rumours of the arrival of wounded men or disabled ships at the ports of Great Britain, rumours which It is announced in the Gazette that the Bureau emphafically declares to be with- His Excellency, the Governor has been out exception baseless? Moreover, the pleased to recognise Mr. AE. Carleton, American Vice-Consul-General, as being public are assured that the successes or the in charge of the Imperial German reverses of the British Arme will be Consulate at Hongkong. announced officially without delay. Surely
Kaisha
charged WAB-
on various counts at the Supreme Court 00 Saturday with embezzlement involving a total sum of about $1,000. It was alleged that the prisoner collected the money and converted it to his own use. He was arrested by a Chinese detective at the Kowloon Railway Station when about to leave by train for Canton. He had $130 in his possession and it was ascer- tained that he had just returned from Macao. Prisoner pleaded guilty to all the charges and was sent to prison for six months. He had been in the employ of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha for four
Ping Hi, formerly employed this announcement completely disposes of the as a clerk by the Nippon Yasem rumours that a great sea fight took place ou the 5th inst. in the North Sea. We can only conclude that if the German Fleet came out from Kiel into the North Sea, us was reported from Copenhagen, it must have returned without fighting and is now bottled up there by the British Fleet. Or, the German Fleet has not yet ventured into the North Sea. Only in one of these ways can we account for the fact that the shipping routes are safe. It years. seemed absurd that the Admiralty should be announcing the comparatively small incidents of the naval warfare and con- cealing all information of a momentous battle which is alleged to have taken place teu or eleven days ago. Yet when the rumours get abroad that reports had reached the East through foreign.
TYPHOON WARNINGS.
The following messages were received as the American Consulate yesterday from the Manila Observatory 12.23 p.m. :-
Typhoon N. of Western Carolines, fill- ing up.
Typhoon near or over the Northern Ladrones or Marianne Islands, direction
unknown
CHL
THE
WAR.
(THROUGH REUTNES AGENCY.]
IMPENDING GREAT
BATTLE.
SEVERAL MILLIONS OF MEN TO BE ENGAGED.
A FRONT EXTENDING OVER 250 MILES.
THE BEGINNING OF THE BIG BATTLE IN BELGIUM.
LONDON, August 18th.
4.16 0.01,
A cannonade was heard at Tirlemont from the direction of the neighbouring villages of Bost and Hougaerde at three o'clock on Saturday afternoon. It is believed to be the beginning of the big battle
GERMANS TRYING TO ENVELOPE THE EXTREME LEFT- OF THE ALLIED FORCES.
LONDON, August 15th.
3,30 p.m..
The Official Press Bureau announces that there are indications that the Germans are endeavouring to envelope the Extreme Left of the Allied Forces. There have been one or two engagenients, but mainly
outpost affairs.
The French and Belgian Artillery continues superior, while the German Infantry do not determinedly face the bayonet.
PREPARING THE PUBLIC FOR THE GREAT BATTLE.
LONDON, August 16th,
5.55 a.m.
The French Government has issued a communegue preparing the public for the impending great battle. It says that owing to the facts that several millions of men will be engaged and that the front will extend for 250 miles no definite result can be expected for at least a week; and possi- bly more. The Government appeals to the public to follow the phases of the operations coolly and intelligently.
THE FRENCH BEGIN THE OFFENSIVE IN FORCE.
LONDON, August 16th.
12.45 p.m.
It is officially announced that the French began the offensive in force on Friday night along a line extending from Saarburg to Luneville. The movement was successfully continued yesterday.
BAVARIAN ARMY CORPS DEFEATED BY THE FRENCH.
LONDON, August 16th.
4.1 a.m.
The French have brilliantly defeated the Bavarian Army Corps at Avricourt and Cirey, on the borders of Lorraine. The enemy fled leaving
many dead, wounded, and prisoners...
The French continue their advance from the Vosges inte Upper Alsace where they have recaptured Thann..
AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT
LONDON, August 16th. The report of the death of the German General Emmich at Liege
is totally unconfirmed.
TURKEY BUYS TWO GERMAN CRUISERS !
LONDON, August 15th.
6.05 p.3.
The Official Press Bureau says there is no reason to doubt that cruisers - Gözben and Turkey is about to replace the Germans on the Breslan (now in the Dardanelles) by Turkish officers and crews.
This official statement shows that Turkey has purchased the
LONDON, August 16th.
4:15 am
Vessels.
Reuter's Correspondent has arrived et Mitylene from the Darda nelles and states that the Goeben and Bresun were still flying the German flag on the 13th inst, and that there is a bitter anti-British feeling on the part of the Turks.
12.35 p.m.
A Paris telegram says the Allies will demand of Turkey that she shall disarm the Goeber and the Breslau, and it is anticipated that Turkey will agree.
AUTONOMY FOR POLAND.
LONDON, August 15th.
The Tear has conferred autonomy on Foland under a Viceroy.
LATER. The Tsar's proclamation of autonomy for Poland includes German and Austrian Poland.
GREECE AND TURKEY.
LONDON, August 16th.
12.45 pm Greece is demanding explanations of the Turkish mobilisation. Greece will mobilise if the reply is unsatisfactory.
INFLUX OF GOLD INTO THE BANK OF ENGLAND.
LONDON, August Loth.
The influx of gold into the Bank of England during the past week has amounted to £5,250,000.
[FROM THE "CHUNG NGOI SAN PO."
CHINA AND THE WAR.
GERMANY WILLING TO RETROCEDE TSINGTAU TO CHINA, PERING, August 18th. The British Minister has intimated that be will endeavour
keep the East peaceful.
It is reported from the German Legation that Germany is prepared to retrocede Tsingtau to China, but that the Chinese Government is unprepared to accept it at the present time.
The Chinese Government has declared that the ports of the various Foreign Settlements in China are neutral and are not to be mined or
blockaded.
The cost of the preparations necessary to preserve the neutrality of China is estimated at 8500,000. This has to be provided by the different Boards and Provinces.
The Telegrams printed below were published yesterday morning in an Extra,"
[THROUGH REUTERS AGENCI.]
NAVAL NEWS.
THE NORTH SEA BATTLE RUMOURS.
LONDON, August 15th..
4.5 s.m..
The Official Press Bureau warns the public against rumours of the arrival of wounded men or disabled ships in Great Britain, and declares such rumours to be, without exception baseless. The Bureau says that the successes and reverses of the British arms will be announced officially
TURKEY'S NEUTRALITY HELD TO BE VIOLATED.
LONDON, August 14th.
The fact that the Goeben and the Breslau have not yet disarmed is
regarded as a grave violation of Turkey's neutrality. The Allies, and also
Italy, are considering what steps are necessary to secure Turkey's strict
neutrality.
Greece is perturbed at the possibility of the vessels being used
contrary to the Greek interest in the Aegean Sea.
NYASSALAND STEAMER SURPRISES AND CAPIURES.
A GERMAN GOVERNMENT VESSEL.
LONDON, August 14th
11.30 p.m.
It is officially announced that the Nyasaland Government armed
stenaner Gwendolen completely surprised the German Government, armed steamer Wissmann on the eastern shore of the Lake. The engines and guns were removed, and the captain, engineers, and mechanics were made
prisoners.
EXPECTANCY OF WAR BETWEEN JAPAN AND GERMANY.
LONDON, August 14th. 1.50 p.m.
The British Fleet is gradually circumscribing the action of the German Fleet in the Far East. The Germans are concentrating at Tokyo and Yokohama preparatory to leaving, owing to the expectancy of war between Japan and Germany.
THE LAND OPERATIONS.
BELGIANS DRIVING THE ENEMY.
London, August 14th.
5.20 p.m.
The Official Press Bureau announces that the Belgians we so driven the enemy eastward that no German cavalry are between Hasselt and
Ramillies.
The forts at Liege are plentifully supplied.
THE RUSSIAN MOBILISATION.
LONDON, August 14th.
4.20 p.m.
The Russian mobilisation has been unexpectedly expeditions. Naturally, the movements have been carefully veiled, but there are indications that masses of Russians are beginning to move. This, combined with the checks in Belgium, is likely to upset the German time-table
RUSSIAN VICTORIES OVER AUSTRIANS,
LONDON, August 15th.
5.16 p.m.
A French official despatch says the Russians have been victorious The Fourth Austrian Infantry Regiment and the on the Dniester.
The Russians First Austrian Cavalry Brigade have been annihilated, destroyed the railway and telegraph lines at eleven points along the River Memel to Tilset,
HOME RULE FOR POLAND.
THE REALISATION OF A SACRED, DREAM,
LONDON, August 15th.
12.30 p.m.
The Grand Duke Nicholas has issued a stirring manifesto fore- He says that the hour has come shadowing Home Rule for Poland. when the sacred dream of the Poles may be realised. "The Army brings you solemn news of reconciliation with Russia. Under the Tsar's sceptro Poland will be reborn, free in religion and language?