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THE WAR.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 1916,
RUSSIANS CAPTURE ERZERUM.
FIGHTING ON BRITISH FRONT.
RECORD BRITISH WAR CREDIT.
MR. ASQUITH TO ASK FOR £400.000.000.
MORE INCENDIARISM IN
CANADA.
NEW DEVELOPMENT IN GERMAN-AMERICAN NEGOTIATIONS
THE RESTORATION OF BELGIUM.
RU881AN FRONT.
{THROUGH LEUTER'S AGENCY. I RUSEIANS CAPTURE EKZERUM SUCCESS WILL HAVE FAR REACHING EFFECT.
PETROGRAD, February 17th.. Au official announcement states that Erzerum has been captured..
Another dispatch states that the Rusians have captured Erzerum, and that the news has been welcomed onthusiastically, as it may mean that the Turkish resistance in Armenia will be broken for good. It will also have an excellent moral affect on the campaigns in Mesopotamia and Persia,
MESSAGE TO THE TSAR
PETROGRAD, February 17th. The Grand Duke Nicholas has telegraph- ed the Tsair ag follows--" God has accord. of the valiant troops of the army in the Caucasus tach great help that Errain Las been taken after five day's of unpre condented assault. I am inexpressibly. happy to inform your Majesty of this victory."
DESPERATE PRELIMINALY
FIGHTING,
LATER. There are still no details of the fall of
Erzerum,
(THEOUGH REUTER'S AGENCT.] FIGHTING ON THE BRITISH
· FRONT,
AN INTERNATIONAL TRENCE.
LONDON, February 17th. General Sir Douglas Haig, in a com muniqué, reports that there has been recip rocal artillery bombardments and heavy grenade fighting for the past twenty-four hours between Ypres and the Comines canal, and Yates and the Comines railway. The fighting continues.
Otherwise, the day has been quite elong the whole British front.
The capture of 600 yards of our front line of trenches, reported yesterday, was preceded by & heavy bombardment and the explosion five mines which rendered the trenches untenable. The attacks, which, ex- tended. along a 4,000 yards front, were repulsed everywhere else, the enemy losing considerably.
The captured tronch has frequently changed handa during the past year, hence it is called the International Trench.
GERMAN "SUCCESSES.” EXPLAINED BY THE FRENCH.
PARIS, February 18th.
A semi-official announcement ebates that the Germans are trying hard to exploit a
the result of local attacks. The assault
bombardment.
[TENOTAR REUTER'S AGENCY.]
GERMANY'S SUBMARINE
POLICY.
NEW DEVELOPMENT IN AMERICAN NEGOTIATIONS,
WASHINGTON, February 17th Count Bernstorff has conferred with Mr. Lansing relative to the advisability of post- poning the application of Gerunny's sub- inaring order in view of further negatia-
tions.
Count: Bergstorff said that Germany did not intend to sink liners.
Mr. Lansing welcomed this statement, and added that Germany's threat to sink armed merchantaion withon warning, re- opened the entire question of submarine warfare. Also, that the, Lusitaniu agree- ment cannot be finally accepted natăl the United States has determined whether ang thing therein will conflict with the new sub marine policy.
Prior to the conversation between Count Bernstorff and Mr. Lansing, the former presented the draft of the final German Lusitanta Note, embodying the verbal changes suggested by the American, Govern ment; alio another draft suggested by the
German Governmênj. ›
Mr. Lansing's announcement that the submarine controversy would be re-opened astonished diplomatic and other circles, as the morning papers announced that the Lusitania affair had been settled.
ARMED MERCHANTMEN.
AN AMERICAN CONCESSION.
WASHINGTON, February 18th. It is announced that the United States concedes that the Entente are within their rights in International law in arming. merchantmen for defence,
AMERICA DISAPPROVES OF GERMANY'S INTENTION.
WASHINGTON. February 16th.. The American Government dannot approve of Gormany's intention regarding
the torpedoing of armed merchantmen, and the United States has no intention of changing the law on the subject of arming merchantmen,
RECENT GIRMAN LIVELINESS. DUE TO COMMISSIONING OF NEW VESSELS.
LONDON, February 18th.
It is opined that the recent liveliness in the German fleet is due to the oppoiut-
missioning of new vessels.
There was similar activity last, Sprias when Admiral Pohl was appointed.
GENERAL.
in Artois. was long prepared and ment of a new Commander-in-Chief in was preceded by formidable mine explo-uccession to Admiral Pohl, and the com- sion, which took months to arrange, and a
Jong
Nevertheless, the Germans merely gained a footing at a few points from which they were driven by grenades. Their losscy were entirely out of proportion to the results gained, amounting to half of the very large num ber of effective, which were engaged.
ENEMY WORKS SHELLED.
A Petrograd communiqué refers to thesemblance of military successes gained as fighting immediately preceding the fall, and says that seventy guns, besides muni- tions and prisoners, were captured when the nine forts belonging to the covering position of Doveboynu were taken. The fighting in the last stages when they were Lakda was desperate. the Turks only yielding to force bayonet onsipughts. The communiqué adds that this success is now being developed, despite the rigorous The southern cold and local obstacles, part of Erzerum is already in flames,
The Turks are hurtying up troop, from the west and the south in an attempt to
relieve the fortress.
The Rassing continue their successful offensive elsewhere in the Caucasus. They have disledged the Torks from series of mountainous positions in the region of #be Black Sea littoral, throwing them back across the river Vitizėsu,
THE ERZERUM FORTS.
PETROGRAD, February 16th,` The forta captured by the Russian, at Erzerum belong to the outer line, com-
the prising fifteen forts situated on heights, and varying from four to sixteen miles from the citadel, with intervening marshy ground.“
THE BALKANS
PARIS, February 17th,
1-6 am.
A communiqué states-Enemy works and supply convoys have been shelled at various points. Otherwise there is nothing doing.
NAVAL ACTIVITIES,
THROUGH ELUTER'S AGENCY.] DAILY CLIMATE ALLOWANCE. FOR SERVICE IN RED BEA AND GULF OF ADEN.
LONDON, February 16th
daily An Order-in-Council grante climate allowance of three shillings to Commissioned Officers, one shilling to Warrant Officers, and sixpence to the ships's company on vessels employed for more than ten days in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden between the 33rd and 30th Meridians, taking effect from June
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
FRENCH AIR RAID.
SALONIKA, February 17th. Thirteen French seroplanes dropped 150 | 1st, 1915, bombs on the town and camps of Strumnit- 20, causing fires. All the machines returned andamaged,
FRANGO-BELGIAN FRONT.
(TE2OUGH REUTER'S AGENOT.)
MORE GROUND RECAPTURED,
PARIS, February 16th. -4.25 p.m.
A communiqué states:-We have recap tured more ground at Tabure. -
SUBMARINE WARFARE.
LONDON, February 16th. The steamer Tergentea has been anak off the East Coast.
-The crew have been landed.
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.] SOUTH AFRICA'S LOYALTY. GENERAL BOTHA AND THE WAR
CAPETOWN, February 17th. General Sir Luis Boths, in the House
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
RECORD WAR CREDIT. ¿ MR. ASQUITHI TO ASK FOR £400,000,000.
LONDON, February 17th, The Daily Telegraph states that Mr. Asquith on Monday will ask for a vote of credit for, possibly, £400,000,000, which is the largest in history,
BRITAIN'S AIR SERVICE.
REGRETS ON LOOKING BACK.
LONDON, February 17th.
The House of Commons" discussed the amendment to the Address, and regret was expressed that the speech from the throne did not mention the measures taken to strengthen the air services.
Mr. Tennant said that the air service was not intended as an offensive measure, but for protecting vulnerable points. Naval aircraft were watching the const and the army aircraft the land, Admiral Sir Percy Scott was stilt in command of air gunnery, but was now under the War Office.
Mr. Balfour said that the air service at the front was one of the glories of the British arms. He denied that the present
position as regards defence was the out- come of a policy of drift. The expansion of the air service had been prodigious, but the problem was largely one of sup plying material, which was still behind. hand though every nerve had been strained. In looking back he regretted that we did not develop the Zeppelin type of airship. The Admiralty were doing what they could to remedy this but, there was no immediate probability of over-taking the enemy's ten year's start.
The amendment was withdrawn.
MYSTERIOUS NEW YORK FIRE.
TWO STEAMERS SERIOUSLY DAMAGED.
New Yoлx, February 17th.
A fire, which is believed to be the work of an incendiary, destroyed the steamers Bolton Castle and Pacific, Scores of scows and lighters and 900 feet of the pier "at" Brooklyn, where the steamers were loading for Vladivostok, were also destroyed.
the Over
Ad explosion in the boilers forced season to jump into the water. twenty-five of the firemen of the Bolton Castle are missing.
The loss is put at over a million dollars,
LATER.
The owners of the Bolton Castle and the Pacife stats that both steamers will be saved, but that they are seriously damaged, - The pier was destroyed
The fire was not due to an incendiary, but to electric wires.
A NEW MACE. PRESENTED BY LONDON "ELDERS"
TO OTTAWA.
OTTAWA. February 18th, The Government have gratefully accept
London a new Mace for Parliament,
They are sending a portion of the Mace found in the ruins of the Parliament buildings to be incorporated in the new Mace.
of Assembly, emphasised his absolute logaled from the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of ty to the Empire. He was prepared, if necessary, to take up arms and to do his utmost to successfully conclude the war. About 17,000 Union soldiers were in the field, and possibly more would be there shortly. Up to the present $2,800,000 had been spent by the Union for war purposes, THE ENTENTE AND BELGIUM, FURTHER ASSURANCES OF CONTINUED SUPPORT,
FIRE DUE TO INCENDIARISM. At the investigation into the cause of the fire at the Parliament buildings, the Chief of the Fire Brigade expressed the opinion that it had an incendiary origin. Dr. Sproute, an ex-Speaker, concurred, THE HAVRE, February 17th... and mentioned that warnings against in- The Italian Minister and the represencendiariam were received when he was tative of Japan have associated themselves Speaker. in the assurances given to the Belgian Foreign Minister by the Russian Minister,
SERIOUS FLOODS IN HOLLAND.
on behalf of the Entente, that hostilities WHOLE DISTRICTS THREATENED will not cease before Belgium's political and economic independence is restored, and a liberal indemnity paid, and that the Entente will aid in Belgium's commercial
and Spancial recovery,
FOREIGN SERVICE. NO OPTION FOR TERRITORIAL OFFICERS.
LONDON, February 16th. DUTCH STEAMER DAMAGED. The Kent Territorial Officers who have
LONDON, February 17th. signed for Home service have been of The Dutch steamer Bandong, from cially informed that they must undertake Batavia to Rotterdam, is being towed to the obligation for foreign service or
resign their commisiona Northfleet in a damaged condition.
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.} MORE INCENDIARISM® IN CANADA.
AMERICAN CLUB DESTROYED.
TORONTO, February 17th, Following an explosion in a top-storey building, a fire destroyed the American Club. One person was killed and two injured.
Incendiarism is suspected.
INTENSE INDIGNATION. A later despatch states that two per sans have perished in the are at the Ameri can Club, one being an American.
HINDENBURG AS A HUMORIST.
SORRY FOR THE ALLIES. "WHY DO THEY KEEP ON FIGHTING 1 ”
Field-Marsha! v Hindenburg's chatty impressions of the military situation, peaco prospects, and his own popularity, as sup- plied in a dinner-table interview: at his Russian leadquarters with Dr. Paul Gold- mann, of the Vienna Neue Freie Presse, are given great prominence in the German newspapers,
The most interesting of "Napólcon von Hindenburg's observations, which ap- pear to have been couched in term of the
Two eighteen pound shells were found by graf humour, which legend now associates the firemen,
Three explosions wore heard, Indignation is intense,
MILITARY APPOINTMENT.
LONDON, February 17th, "His Highness the Duke of Teck has beau gazetted Military Secretary, with the rank of temporary Brigadier.
Á RISKY AIR DIVE.
BRITISH PILOT'S FINE EXPLOIT.
The folowing account of an air combat has been circulated to Home papers
A recent liga, in which two acreplanes from the squadron with our corps were engaged against heavy odds, deserves description in some detail. One of our maenie to which another was acting as decort, was engaged in reconnaissance work over Cambrai on the morning of December 29. They were attacked by six Gorman Fokker machines, firing through the propeller. The l'ukker is a monoplane, expressly built and contrived for fighting and for pursuit of the enemy, to whien duties at wctivities are by strict order confined, and for which its specially attapted on account of its bigh speed. It is not allowed to expose itself by venturing across our lines ou reconnaissance work
As a result of the machine-gun fire of the six Fokkers pur escorting machine was immediately shot down, but its occupants geomed to reach the ground safely, so land- ing us to effect intentionally the destruc- tion of their machine without injury to themselves. It was followed to the ground by two of the Fokkers. Our remaining machine succeded in driving off and ap- parently in seriously injuring by its fire the first Fokker which had attacked it It was out of control when last seen, and was nose-diving with every prospect of injury or death to its occupants,
TWENTY TEST FROM THE GROUND. Our machine was then attacked by the three other Fokkers, which it fought for fifteen minutes and then, its machine
with him, are as follows:-
Yes, war is greaing with me like a trip to the seaside. An especially fine day this; I've been potting pheasants. But to make up for it we'll have to remain locked up in our work-rooms for days at a time, folly rotten luck, especially when a painter cones, to whom I have to sit. And not a few come. People are very good to me. I'm very thankful. But after all I've only done my duty.
"My triumphal entry into Berlin'? That already keeps me awake o' nights. If Lhad my way I wouldn't enter Berlin at all, but leave the train at Cottbus, (This is like coming to London and getting off the train at Billericay.) I don't like to be made a fuss of Cincinnatus, who went back to his plough, was an inspiring. figuro.
But talk about entering Berlin is taking time a little by the ferrinck. At prosent our enemies don't care to make ponce. They're not crumpled up enough yet, So we bave to hammer them some more, because they refuse to take hood of any of our successes The French are the worst of all. Even today they keep on wasting Alsace-Lorraine, even though they haven't so much as reached Strassburg, while we're at Lille. Moreover, if they are really determined to have Alsace Lorraine, well-let them come aid take it!
The English, too, seem just as detez- mined to continue the war. News is arriv- ing from India which is perhaps designed to damp English war ardour a little, But we must wait to see if the news is true. At any rate, England bas her Achilles heel, and when I say that I'm not thinking of India.
"DOESN'T LOOK LIKE PEACE.'*- "In Russia, too, the Czar and the Government seemingly are for continued prosecution of the war. The strangest thing is that none of these nations appears to realise how they're only sacrificing them- selves for England.
"It doesn't look like peace, and there fore Germany can't sheathe her sword. Of course, there isn't a German who wouldn't greet peace with joy, if the terrible blood- fault that blood is still flowing. Just as spilling could be ended, but it isn't our we were forced to make war, so we're now being compelled to continue it. We must keep on fighting, and shall do so until our fees are convinced of their defeat, in which
At this juncture in the conversation to-day they still refuse to believe? General von Ludendorf. Hindenburg's chief of staff, intervened to remark
We must preparo to continue the war
gung being temporarily out of action, its a very risky dive to within pilot decided that escape could only be
of the ground-risky in that it neces sitated a descent by very steep spirals at speed of quite 100 miles an hour, with little roum to recover Only very delicate and confident handling could ensure the success of this manoeuvre, which only the absence of other means of escape could It was prompted by two other considerations. In the first place, a Fokker, being in 2016, of the ground, the for a long time. Anybody who wants it
would not dare to pares within 20ft. being so very restricted; and, secondly, enemy Then he'll have the best answer. margin for recovery after the nose-diving kanw how long the war's going to last should ask :. 'How do things look with the if our machine was once more to reach friendly territory in safety, it was desir So the watchword is as before, Hold able that it should conceal from armed out!""" enemies to
be surmounted in its front ite nationality as displayed by the rings painted on the lower surface of its planes, and thig it could only do by skimming over the ground at as low an elevation as possible.
Skimming along just above the ground, ng skims a grouse under a hawk, our chine, hard pressed, turned westward for home, whereupon one of the German ma chines, all of which had maintained elevation of 1,000ft., swooped towards it, but was promptly driven off by rapid fire, one gun by that time having been paired.
re-
"No," interrupted Hindenburg," the watchword is not alone Hold ont, but Win! That is the motto of my general stuff."
Continuing, the field-marshal said:
"The tactical_position is excellent. Especially in the East, the German Army has attained the most favourable possible. strategic line The military value of the `Russian matériat is considerably less than that of the Russian troops in the first year of war. The soap gets thinner all the time. With the reserves now being called up, the Russians can fill up the units already in hand, but they can't create any more armies, Shortage of officers also prevents. their doing that.
GERMANS GIVE UP THE CHASE. The fight continued half-way to the British lines, when two Fokkers gave it
It's nothing but an idle pretext for up. The British pilot and observer at once started climbing to attack the single the Russians to excuse their defeats on the remaining Fokker, but this brought background of lack of munitions. In the great the two tempiginal elevation. The three battles of July and August the Ruslans resumed
may now and then have hoen a little short machines ultimately turned of munitions. But at very decisive points German back, giving up the chase when-about-à
of the front they had more than enough at mile from the German lines, bofore cross-
their disposal. At Kovno we found whole ing which the British pilot naturally mountains of munitions, and it turned out sught to climb; but, our aeroplane being unable to rise higher than 900ft owing that only the demoralisation of the Army was responsible for the abandonment of such to the ging having been hit in the fight,
a position. pilot and observer were subjected to very heavy rifle, machine-gun, and field artil lery fire, which the machine fortunately survived, although its planes and apars were damaged, and more than one of its stays nearly severed.
CAPTURE OF A GERMAN FLAG.
A PRIVATE'S DARING FEAT.
A new Russian offensive is not probable.. But it may come yet. In war one learns that the best thing as to give up prophecy."
KUNITIONS.
Dr. Goldmann evidently tried to "draw" Hindenburg on the question of mucit.ons, bat "Lieutenant-Colonel H." was apparently deputised to reply, and said:
"As to whether munitions in modern warfare are realy of decisive importance, it cannot be denied that positional warfare more and more takes on the character of a war of munitions,"
Private Charles Sedgwick, of the 1st Buffs, who has been killed in action, per- formed a daring doed in the capture of a German flag, which is now in the custody.
Someone at table brought up the ques of the commanding officer at the Buffe depot, Canterbury, says the fanchester | tion as to whether the extension of the war AMSTERDAM, February 17th Guardian of December 13th...
to all Europe did not compel the helliger-
-A storm which has lasted for two dava
The flag was stuck up over their trench ent Powers to split up their Forces in costly by the Germans in order to provoke our manner, which, in certain circumstances, the threatens again
district of men, and Sedgwick made up his mind to might spell disaster for one of them. Hin- Zuiderzee, especially Monnikendam, secure it. Crawling out under a heavy denburg replied.
fire one evening he managed to reach the
The extension of the war over the whole Hundreds of workmen are tailing through enemy's trench, but hesitated to pul ap of Europe was a peril for- Napoleon and the flagstaff, thinking it might be a trick
one of the reasons of his downfall. To-day, out the night to prevent a fresh breach of the enemy and that it might be con in the age of railways, distances are no
pected with a mine. He accordingly
piece of string to the staff and crawled longer a danger to the conduct of war Huge waves toppling over the dyke fuck to his own trench under fire. While THE PRINCIPAL CULPRITS
The Vienna journal's representative did swept off the material immediately it trying to pull the flag into his trench the
atzing broke, and Bedgwick, determined not allow the dinner confab to end without was laid down It is feared that two to were the trophy, crawled back again extorting from Hindenburg some crum thirds of Monnikendam will be ander and this time pulled up the flag and took of comfort the Austrian Army. "The it back to his comrades in triumph: field-marshal made to say that in the water if the storm continues
Although under fire each time he escaped defense of the south-western front Ger The water is already reaching the houses uninjured, but some time afterwards he many's ally had again performed magni- was killed while doing duty as a bomb-ficent feats and in the future would gon." tinue to be victorious over the Italians."
of the dyke
at Purnierend. Necherstraat and Spoordyk.. thrower:-