Page
THE WAR.
ALLIES HEAVILY ATTACKED
IN MACEDONIA.
RETIREMENT TO NEW POSITION.
GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S TIRADE.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, DECEMBEK 11TH, 1916,
CHARACTERISTIC SPEECH IN REICHSTAG.
AMERICAN TOWN DESTROYED BY FIRE.
THE BALKANS.
(THROUGH REUTER'8 10ENCY.) BRITISH POSITIONS.
BEING VIGOROUSLY ATTACKED. GENERAL SURVEY OF SITUATION.
LONDON, December 9th. Fragmentary intelligence regarding the situation of the Allies in the Balkans indicates that the British are holding a, position worth-west of Lake Doiran, cast of the River Vardar, and to the right of the French, who are west of the Var dar. The latter's principal position is on the Demirkapu defile, 20 or 30 miles west of the point where the British are being attacked.
It appears that the heavy Bulgarian artillery fire which opened the attack, was of short duration, as the batteries were located by aeroplane, and the deadly presision of the Anglo-French response resulted in the destruction of the Bulgarian batteries and in panic in the enemy camp, which might have been followed up if the Allies at present in- tended a serious offensive,
ALLIES' LINE A MAGNET.
(THROUGH REUTER'S ADENCY.]
FRANCO-BELGIAN FRONE.
(THROUGH ARUTER'S AGENOT.] BRITISH ACTIVITIES. ARTILLERY DESTROYS ENEMY WORKS.
USEFUL WORK BY AIRCRAFT, -
TONDON, December 10th. The British Hondquarters in France re port that two arcoplanes went out on a reconnaisance on the 8th Inst., and have not returned.
The distraction of the enemy's parapots
and entanglements et various points by our artillery continues.
In reply to a successful bombardment of the enemy's position near Pilken on the 8th inst. the enemy heavily shelled the Ypres area to the northward. Little damage was done.
The bad weather hes limited activity in the air, bus our airmen were able to, de useful work.
As a result of & successful enterprise
| SEVERE BULGARIAN ATTACK | south of Arras a small party of ours enter. ed a German trench and bombed the occupants, withdrawing successfully after completing their mission.
ON BRITISH. WITHDRAWAL TO NEW LINE..
LONDON, December 9th.
A War Office communiqud says that the
AUSTRO-ITALIAN: FRONT,
(THROUGH REUTER'S. AORNOT.J
| MINOR ITALIAN SUCOESSES.
ROME, December 10th.
A communiqué says that in the Mon tenero zono detachments, under cover of fog, penetrated one of our entrenchments on the Rodil spur, but were immediately ejected.
[SHROUGHII REUTER'S AGENOT.)
AMERICA'S FINANCIAL
STATUS.
STRONGEST IN THE WORLD."
WASHINGTON, December 9th. The "extraordinarily sound" economie and financial conditions of the United States form the theme of the annual statement of the Secretary to the Trea Bury. He says railways, iron, steel and cotton are all phenomenally prosperous, and there have also been splendid crops. The financial resource are the reatest in history and the banking system. the strongest in the world.
it Our
economically condition
and financially
"is In minor offensive operations on Montsetter than that of any other nation."
Bays the Secretary. San Michele we captured 71 prisoners.
On the Calvario Height we occupied in enemy elielter, capturing 80 rifles and ammunition.
GENERAL.
(THROUGH BEUTER'S AGENCY.]
SPEECH BY GERMAN CHANCELLOR.
TIRADE ON * BRITISH
HYPOCRISY,”
AMSTERDAM, December 9th. On the occasion of the re-opening of the Reichstag the House and galleries
were crowded.
Bulgarians on the 6th inst, after a heavy DAILY BRITISH BULLETINS. and said the Entente profited by that bombardment, attacked the British west- word of Lake Dairan. Small parties entered our advance trenches but were immediately driven out by the bayonet.
The Bulgarians again attacked us on the 7th, and their superior numbers drops out the British from their positions. The British were withdrawn under cover of darkness to a new line.
Reports of the British losses have not yet been received,
The British on the 8th successfully re- pulsed all attacks, and in the evening withdrew to a new position in order to conform with the general alignment. BULGARIAN CONCENTRATION
now
The stock of gold (2,198 milion dollars). is the largest ever held by one country and will be greatly augmented in the im mediate future from Britain, South Africa, Canada and Australia,
THE PERSIAN SITUATION,
WELL-EQUIPPED ENEMY ARMY AT HAMADAN"-
LONDON, December 9th. In the House of Commons, in reply to Mr. Dillon, Lord Robert Cecil said the Fersian Government had endeavoured to
at Hamadan, take effective measures where there was reason to believe the Ger mans had stored a large amount of war material. He would enquire whether there
wis
not well-equipped Army at Hamadan under German command.
RUSSIANS OVERTHROW
INSURGENTS.
Dr. Bethmann Hollweg's speech was noteworthy for his outburst of hatred and rage against England, in which he was West of Fricourt we successfully explod unable to conceal his uncasiness at the ed n large mine,
continuance of the war. He admitted that British Sea Power was dominating,
power to oppress Greece with bratal mansor. He déclared it was impossible
PETROUBAD, December 8th. that such oppressors should longer play It is officially announced that Russians the hypocrite. He would repeat this defeated near Hamadan, Persia, a force before the world as often as Great Bri- of 500 cavalry and infantry of the in- tain tried to hide her true features bo-surgent gendarmerie and 1,200 German hind a cloud of calumny. The Chancel and Turkish mercenaries, with two guns. log mad garbled extracts from English The enemy fled, leaving a great number newspapers in support of his assertion killed and wounded. The Russians are that not pity for Belgium but the desire pursuing the offensive. to master Germany was Great Britain's reach for taking up arms, and said this was the reason why at Great Britain's command, the murder of nations con tinued
LONDON, December 9th. In the House of Commons Sir John Simon announced that daily British bulle tins concerning operations on the Western front would shortly begin...
GERMANS IN CHAMPAGNE BOMBARDED.
PARIS, December 8th.
......
A violent bombardment of the German positions in Champagne continues, the French blowing up an ammunition depot. To-day's communiqué says tha
counter-attacks at Sousin pushed the Gor.
The Imperial Chancellor (Dr. Beth- mann-Hollweg) in his speech referred to the intervention of Bulgaria or the side of the Central Powers, despite the En- tentes liberal promises to King Ferdin | and, including even part of Serbia, "for
chained war."
whose menaced integrity Russia had un- mans back, and they now only hold a por-East was of inestimable value economi The opening of a way to the Near tion of an advanced trench which has beoneally and militarily. After peace this completely wrecked.
bridge would resound not to the tramp of marching battalions but to the works of The French had a minor success in the peace and Kultur Friendship consoli dated by comradeship in Arms would Argerne.
enable us to participate actively in the
of vigorós development.
AGAINST FRENCH.
ATRENS, December 9th. The activity along the French front is daily increasing, and the Bulgarians are INTERMITTENT CANNONADE. rise of the countries and peoples capable
concentrating against the French. It is affirmed that the Allies are establishing a
It is exproted that the Bulgarian pres sure on the British will become increas ingly severe, as the Franco-British line is acting like a magnet now that the Ser- bians are dispersed in the wild of Mon- | HEAVY BULGARIAN ATTACKS, tenegro, Albania and Epirus.
The latest despatch from Salonika states that a portion of the retreating Serbian Army has skirted the eastern shore of Lake Chrida and has reached Epirus, the main body having taken refuge in Albania,
The first Anglo-French supplies for the Serbians arrived in Albania some days ngo. There are strong British reinforce ments at Salonika, and the British posi- ition is strong, but the facilities for tran-. sport are scanty, while the weather is un- Favourable
INTENSE COLD IN MACEDONIA.
The cold is very fierce. Reuter's cor- respondent at the British Headquarters in Macedonia, describing the cold, says the hot water bottles of the French am- bulance are found frozen in the morning in the beis, patients' eggs have exploded with the cold while freezing ou the plates, and ink froze in fountain pens. At one point where the troops saw the Enemy 200 yards distant, both parties were too overcome with cold to think of fighting. The thermometer shows 39 del grees of frost, which is accentuated by a piercing wind. There are numerous casualties from frost-bite,
FRENCH FRONT SHORTENED, GRADUAL AND ORDERLY. WITHDRAWAL.
SALONIKA, December 9th. Reuter's Special Correspondent at Read quarters in Macedonia says, in a message dated the 7th inst., that the withdrawal of the French from positions northward of Demirkapu was necessary in order to shorter the front and to take up winter
new ling nearer their buse.
REPULSED WITH GREAT LOSS.
PARIS, December 10th.
A Paris communiqué says tho Bulgariens violently attacked at several points on our Eastern Front. They were everywhere re pulsed with heavy loss. Fighting con- tinues before our bridgehead at Gradec, on the Vardar.
BULGARIAN CLAIMS.
AMSTERDAM, December 9th. A Bulgarian communiqué claims that the pursuit of the French was continued on Tuesday on both sides of the Vardar..
The communiqué says:-We occupied the railway station at Demirkapu, and we encircled the village of Grabica on thres sides. There was a hot battle till midnight We attacked the Anglo-French forces along the whole Strumnitza front, the battle being most stubborn.
at
PAR18, December 10th:
The evening communiqué says there was an intermittent cannonade at various
points on the Western Front.
NAVAL ACTIVITIES
>
(THROUGH REUTER'S LOZNOY.)
THE ANCONA OUTRAGE. SITUATION CALLS FOR GRAVE CONSIDERATION.
WASHINGTON, December 8th.
Mr. Lansing framed the Ancona Note, with the entire approval of Presidant Wilson. Its brevity is due to a desire to settle the question immediately, and to avoid the Lusitania” procrastinotione.
High oficials are of the opinion that the Bituation calls for grave consideration. The affair is complicated by the fact that since the despatch of the Note there have been further attacks on American ships
in the Mediterranean,
BRITISH VESSELS SUNK.
LONDON, December 10th,
The British steamer Helmsmuir has been
The communiqué claims, also, that the sunk Bulgarians took 18
Sorbian guns Djakovs,
ATTITUDE OF GREECE.
ALLIES' DEMANDS FOR
QUARANTEES.
ATHENS, December 9th. The Russian and Italian Ministers have been in conference with M. Skouloudis, which is taken to indicate that they associate themselves with the demands made for guarantees concerning the Anglo-French forces.
GREEK INSTITUTIONS IN
MACEDONIA.
ATHENS, December 9th.
steamer Goulandir have also been sunk.
AUSTRIAN WARSHIPS BOMBARD DURAZZO,
贱
Turning to the situation in Gretory he said that under the threat to employ the dominating power of the British Flect the Entente Powers had extorted promise of benevolent neutrality. They proceeded to interpret this as they Like, but the matter was not yeb at an end. The Chancellor proceeded with a tirade on British hypocrisy," and ridiculed the idea that Britain went to war over Belgium.
Reviewing the Military position he said-Wo hold in the East a strong de fensive line, ever ready for further ad- vante In the West, it is true, the French and British, with great contempt for death, squeezed in our front at some points, but the attempt to break through faile The positions against Italy ver choically held against continual Italian attacks, attended with gigantic loss of life.
The Chancellor reviewed in eulogistic terms the German administration in Bel- gium and Poland, and complained that England was strangling Belgian indas- try by preventing exports overseas. He conduded- I have tried to give a clear description of the theatres of war. Against the logic of facts eren the enemy is powerless. Our calcalations contain try's unshaken confidence in its invinci- no uncertain factor to impair the coun bo strength. He would try to make us believe that we, who are going from vic tory to victory far out in enemies' coun trics, would be inferior in endurance, activity, and internal moral to our ene mics, who are still dreaming of victory. No, we will not yield to words, but shall resolutely continue the war in order to complete what Germany's future de mands."
GERMANS DESTROY AMERICAN TOWN.
IN FUTILE ATTEMPT TO BURN. POWDER FACTORY. RICHMOND (VIRGINIA), Dec. 10th. Fire practically destroyed the town of Hopewell, where the new Dupont powder factories are located. The latter were how- ever, unharmed. The Governor ordered the troops to help the town. Two men were found in possession of explosives near a Dupont warehouse, and were arrested. They are believed to be German agents..
AMERICA AND VIOLATION
OF NEUTRALITY.
WASHINGTON, December Oth the Cabinet held a preliminary discussion On the suggestion of President Wilson concerning plans by the Administration to prevent and punish violations of neutrality.
AUSTRALIA'S WAR EXPENDITURE.
BRISBANE, December 9th. The Hon. Mr. Hughes, in a specch delivered here, said the Commonwealth war expenditure in 1916 would certainly exceed £50,000,000,
BREAD MONOPOLY IN AUSTRALIA.
BYDNEY, December 9th, The State Labour Party has endorsed the establishment of a Stale monopoly of
£600,000. bread-making and selling at a cost of
ALLIES' CO-OPERATION,
LONDON, December 9th. Edward Grey and Lord Kilchener weat The Press Bureau announces that Sir to Paris yesterday to confer with the
French Government,
ALLIED WAR COUNCIL.
LONDON, December 8th. In the House of Commons, Mr. Asquith said that the British representatives at the Allies' War Council were Field-Marshot Sir John French, General Sir W. A Robertson, and General Sir Archibald Murray.
The Chancellor emphatically asserted The British steamer Ferie and the that there were sufficient provisions if rightly distributed. The enemy think we are on the eve of collapse, and repre-
PREMIER IN CONFERENCE sent us as begging for peace, and that Prince Buelow in Switzerland. Dr. Solf
WITH KING, at Tho Hague, Prince Max Baden at Stockholm, and Cardins) Hartmann at
LONDON, December 10th. Roer are all credited with missions to
The Premier had a prolonged audience promote mediation. There is not a word of His Majesty the King on Thursday of trath in these legends. This Press evening. campaign began when the Entente policy: in the Balkans threatened to colapso, and the enemy attempts to break through in the West failed.""
LONDON, December 30th,
A Montenegrin communiqué saya tho nine Austrian warships bombarded Durazzo and an Italian wireless station and sank a number of Montenegrin and Albanian sailing craft. THE NEAR EAST
[TATOUGH RETTER'S AGENCY.] DARDANELLES OPERATIONS.
PARIS, December 9th. The French at the Dardanelles explod
quarters. The line was only thrown north- It is stated that negotiations are proed an ammunition depot. ward in an endeavour to help the Serbiansgressing for the restitution of Greek
It is reported that the French have schools and Churches taken by the Bul
blown up the Demirkapu Tunnel bridge.
The withdrawal was very gradual and most orderly, and all material was brought
The Bulgarians did Bway.
not press vigorously, though they blazed away shells
The new Frange-British positions are very strong-
garians in Serbian Macedonia.
CEREALS FROM BULGARIA,
ATHENS, December 9th. The Greek newspapers emphasise that there is no difficulty in obtaining cereals
from Bul
BRITISH MARCH ON BAGDAD.
LONDON, December 10th.
In the House of Commons, in reply to Mr. Bryce, Mr. Austen Chamberlain said that the advance on Bagdad was authoris ed by the Government after full considers tion of the reports of General Nixon and the views of the Raj and the General Staff
and all ether, arxilable information:
Alter the speech, the Reichsting dis- cussed a Socialise interpellation, asking whether the Chancellor was prepared to state the conditions on which he would be disposed to enter on peace negotia tions
Herr Scheidermann, introducing the discussion, said if the war continued the United States would be the only vic- icrous Power, as Europe would have committed suicide. He said the Chan-. cellor know that the whole world was waiting Germany's overturca for peace, which the peoples everywhere desired.
The Chancellor replied-As long se the foreign rulers persisted in their guilt and ignorance any offer of peace by us would be folly. If our enemies sub- mit to us proposals commensurate with the dignity and safety of Germany we shall be ready to discuss them. Fully COBscrons of our successes, we disclaim
MILITARY MISSION TO RUSSIA.
FETROGRAD, December 9th. A Franco-British Military Mission, headed by Colonel Mangin (French), has arrived here.
RUSSIAN NAVAL MISSION: IN FRANCE.
PARIB, December 10th... The Russian Admiral Roussine, Chief- Mission. He attended the Allied War of Stoff, has arrived here with a Nava!
Council "in the afternoon.
ENEMY AEROPLANE
CAPTURED,
DWINGE, Desember 9th, A large German aeroplane landed in the onsibility for the continuance of the Russian lines through engine defects The war. One thing our enemies, must gairmien, one of whom was a Colonel; en- Com prester will be the guaran-The Colonel attempted to swallows paper, cognise, namely, the longer and bitterer rendered after an obstinate resistance. ben we gall demand.
but was prevented.
|
[TABOUGH BAUTER'S AGENOY.)
WOUNDED NEW ZEALANDERS
ACCORDED GREAT RECEPTION AT CAPETOWN.
CAPETOWN, December 9th. One hundred and thirty wounded New Zealanders, who have been invalided, and are now returning to New Zealand, werd given a magnificent reception at the Opera House at Capetown General Botha was unable to be present, but he sent a message in which he paid a tribute to their brava ond noble conduet" which, he said, was an inspiring example to the manhood of the Union.
ENEMY TRADING
RESTRICTIONS.
LONDON December 9th. In the House of Commons Lord Robert Cecil intretuced a Bill empowering the extension of enemy trading restrictions to persons of enemy nationality or associa tion outside enemy territory,
GERMANY'S WAR EXPENDITURE,
AMSTERDAM, December 9th. Well-informed circles in Berlin believa that a second supplement to the Imperial Budget of 1915 asking for a credit of 1,000 millions of marks, will be submitted to the Reichstag.
ARMY APPOINTMENT.
LONDON, December 9th. Sir A Lawley, G.0.8. I., formerly Governor of Madras, has been gazetted a temporary Colonel.
INDIAN PRINCE AND FRENCH.
LOAN.
LONDON, December 9th. H.H. the Raja-Rajgan of Kapurtha la, on returning from a visit to the Fremon front, subscribed half a million francs to. the French War Loan.
HUGE BRITISH INDUSTRIAL ALLIANCE.
Logos, December 9th. The most important Trades Union Con ference ever held formally agreed to the establishment of a triple industrial alliance of miners, railwaymen, and transport workers...
LIFE OF PARLIAMENT TO BE EXTENDED.
LONDON, December 9th.. In the House of Commons. Sir Joh Simon introduced the Parliament and the present Parliament until 31st January, Registration Bill, extending the life of
1917. He said the year 1916 world bo treated for the purposes of the Parliament Act as if it followed immediately after 1014. There would be a special provision ensuring that soldiers would not lose their opportunity of voting.
GENERAL CARRANZA
RECOGNISED.
LONDON, December 8th.. Lord Robert Ceci) (Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs) intimated in the House of Commons that Great Bri- tain had recognised the Carranza : Goy-. ernment.
WASHINGTON, December 10th. Diplomatic relations between the Unite! States and Mexico have been restored with the appointroent by General Carranza of Sen. Arredonndo as Ambassador at
Washington.
Mr. Fletcher, who is now at Chile, wil probably be the American Ambassador to Mexico.
OBITUARY.
MR. STEPHEN PHILLIPS.
LONDON, December 10th. The death is announced of Mr. Stophen Phillips, one of the greatest modern British dramatists. He will especially be remembered for his "Paolo and Fran-· cesca," and "Ulysses.""
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.].
CHINESE OPERATIONS AGAINST MONGOL BANDITS.
PRKING, December 10th. The Chines military operations against the Mongolian bandits have been success- ful. Kola Dan Shib, the Lama Khan of Yoguchi Temple, the leader, has been captured, and important documents were seized. The brigands in Inner Mongalia, under the leadership of Pabuchabu, have dispersed.
JAPAN URGED TO DEPORT SUN YAT-SEN,
PERING, December 10th.
deport Bun Yat-sen or a conspintor The Peking Daily Neirs urges Japan to against a friendly country,
MONARCHICAL ELECTIONS.
FERING, December 10th. The Lifayuem meets on the 15th inst. for the final count of the ballots
There will be special conference next Government and the nomination of th day and a pronouncement of the form of
President