Page
THE
WAR.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19mm 1018.
RUSSIAN STROKE IN ARMENIA.
HOW ERZERUM WAS CAPTURED..
SHIPPING PROBLEM DISCUSSED.
EMPIRE'S DEPENDENCE ON MERCHANT NAVY,
GERMAN SOCIALIST'S THREAT.
ENGAGEMENT IN EAST AFRICA.
RUSSIAN FRONT
(TRROJOM KIUTER's 'AGKNOT:)
RUSSIANS' GREAT STROKE IN ARMENIA,
HOW THE KEY TO ASIA MINOR WAS CAPTURED.
GBEAT POSSIBILITIES,
LONDON, February 18th.
The German attacks on the Western front were promoted with a desire to im press neutrals, especially Eastern neu- trals, but the Russians great Erzeruta stroke is far more effective in that direc- tion,
Ergorum is the key to Ain Minor, com manding the sole road open to the Russians towards the Bosphorous from Asia. Trebi- rond is not likely to long resist, and then the Allies will have an unbroken line from the Black Sea to the north-eastern edge
[THRоvon AZUTEN'S AGRNUX-] ENORMOUS IMPORTANCE OF
ERZERUM.
PETROGRAD, February 17th. Erzerum is of enormous importance, be-1 cause it is the centre of military adminis Itration, with a huga amaansition magazine. It opens for the Russians wide access northward and southward, foting the plans of the German staff. Naturally,
NAVAL ACTIVITIES.
[TREOUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
FRENCH WARSHIPS IN ADRIATIC.
SINK ENEMY SUBMARINES.
PARIS, February 17th.
[TURODGA REUTER'S AGENCY.] BRITISH SHIPPING PROBLEM. CONGESTION IN PORTS.
LONDON, February 17th. Mr. Basil Feto, in the House of Com. mans, suggested that there should be a eshtra export authority to control ship
(THAOUGE PRUTKI'S AGENCT.Į DEFENCE AGAINST
ZEPPELINS. CONSTRUCTION OF ANTI-AIR- CRAFT GUNS,
LONDON, February 17th. In the House of Lords Lord Kitchener
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.)
THE SILVER MARKET.
LONDON, February 17th. - Messrs. Montagu's circular says tho silver market is most inactive and is in- clined to sag in the absence of support from the Home Mint. Amrican supplies
M. Hutin, in the Echo
e Paris, assorts ping. He said that the congestion in the said that anti-aircraft guns had now pri- are almost cut off as the price fell away. that during the last three days the French Porta was largely responsible for theority of construction, Aeroplano attacks on Business shrank to very small dimensions. worships in the Adriatic have sunk two,
・Bhortage of tonnage.
There was a continuous slight demand and perhaps three, enem, submarines,
HOLLAND. DISAGREEABLE " ARTEMIS " INCIDENT.
Mr. Balfour said he did not doubt that improvement was possible, but he did not
Zeppelins at night were attended with great difficulties, but he believed that from China till yesterday when Contin- these would eventually be overcome.
ental and other demands carried the price
A
GERMANY APOLOGISES TO think much could be done, owing to the system had been adopted whereby suff. beyond China's buying limit. -It-is-stated Admirals and Generals lacking commercient warning would be given of impond to coin silver for Serbia and Montenegro. that the French Mint has been instructed cial training It was impossible to re-ing airship attacks. quisition all British shipping. Eighteen GERMANY'S COSTLY AIR RAID ship-owners of the highest standing were giving the best advice to the Government as regards shipping.
፡፡
AMSTERDAM, February 17th, The German Government has informed Holland that its enquiry had proved that the commander of the Dutch oil-tank ship' Artemis was blomeless, and it admits that the torpedoing of the vessel was a blunder on the part of the commander of the German torpedo-boat. The Government disapproved of his action, and had taken the necessary motsures. It apologises for the incident, and offers an indemnity. GERMANY'S SUBMARINE
POLICY. AMERICA DEMANDS MORE ASSURANCES.
LONDON, February 17th.
In the House of Lords Lord Kitchener said there was very good reason to believe that a second airship had been placed cut of action in the last Zeppelin raid,
PRICES OF FOOD." COMPARISON IN INCREASES.
LONDON, February 17th,
Mr. Runciman, in a comprehensive re- view of the shipping problem, said it was the greatest economic problem of the day. The sole cause of the trouble was trying to pour a quart into a pint-pot, to set a limited mercantile marine to do more than could ever be done in peace. A considerable portion had been requisi-
The Board of Trade Labour Gazette announces that the prices of food in Great tinned, Whore; there were 100 ships be Britoin leave increased 47 per cent. com- fore the war, there were now 07, of whichpared with 89 per cent, in Germany and 21 to 24 were neutral. If we drove off the latter by fixing maximum rates below the world price we would starve. Dent. ing with the congestion in the docks, he said that men were being brought back the dock, and railways to relieve the
throughout the country had been engaged for Naval purposes. The need of all
112 per cent, in Austria,
RISH IN FOOD PRICES IN GERMANY. SOCIALIST'S THREAT IN DIET.
AMSTERDAM, February 17th,
WAR NEWS.
PESSIMISM IN BAVARIA.
The report presented by Secretary Kohi at the annual meeting of the Bavarian In. dustrial League is in marked contrast to the flamboyant cone of Herr Hefferich, the German Finance Minister, in the Reichstag, says the Zurich correspondent of the Cen- tral News,
This report expresses the gravost doubt as to the power of the country to face the inter- ests and amortisations of the war loans, valids, and other enormous charges ou the the pensions to widows, orphans, and in- revenues and capital of the Empire and Federal States alike.
The report adds pathetically that "it is doubtful whether the enemy, can be made to pay adequate indemnities."
THE PLEET OF ZEPPELINS. Since the first of all the Zeppelins, con nchced in 1808, was launched from a Aoating shot at Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance, on July 2nd, 1900, the records. disaster.
WASHINGTON, February 17th. Mr. Lansing hag informed Count Bern- storff that Germany's latest Lusitanic the Turks will try to repair, the disaster. formiula would be acceptable for that shortage of labour. Shipbuilding yards In the course of a debyte in the Prus those airships contain many stories of
particular case, but he demand
assur anors that Germany's new submarine
but the Russians will speedily consolidate the positions.
THE BALKANS
s'an Diet a Socialist threatened to call the workers out, on strike if the rise in
The Russian Press is particularly pleas. policy would not be extended to passenger kinds of craft still remained. Tho Ad food prices continued ed, and point out that it will facilitate the carrying liners, even though defensively miralty were acting most wisely in “in- British operations in Mesopotamia, besides armed
creasing craft to deal with our most re-celong in the Balkans, Persia and in
imminent dangers from submarines, mines, and the like, but it had been Afghanistan.
arranged for 45 vessela nearing comple. tion to be continued, and less urgent Ad mirally work deferred. Another 140 chips had been declared to be war work. Every
FALL OF IMMENSE POLITICAL IMPORTANCE?
LONDON, February 17th.
A British diplomatist, who hay long
on the
of Mesopotamia. Besides the Erzerum reside in Erzerum, interviewed by a victors, the Russians have two armies in Beuter correspondent, dwells the Caucasus; one on
the Black Sea immense political importance of the fall
of the "Metz of East Turkey.".
littorah and the other in the Lako Van
It is
region,
認
more "momentous, he declares, even than
(THROUGH NEUTER'S 401KOT») SLOW AUSTRO-BULGARIAN ADVANCE,
LONDON, February 17th. Italinas reports show that the Bulgarian and Austrian advance in Albania is of the lowest Tho Bulgarians especially are hampered by lack of transport and roads. Montenegrins who have arrived at Brindisi state that the Austrian at
IMPORT RESTRICTIONS.
LONDON, February 17th. In the House of Commong Mr. Walter Runciman announced that the import of fruit from a parts of the Empire would be oxempted from restriction.
PRUSSIAN SOCIALISTS. DISAPPROVE OF SUDMARINE WARFARE..
chantoun bring constructed was being declared to by war work now, because the Government had come to the conclusion that they were ag necessary as munitions
AMSTERDAM, February 17th. and warskips. Note single sailor had The Socialists in the Prussian Diet have roused to sign because of the perils of disapproved of the Government's submarine
The capture of Erzerum removes the chief the fall of Bagdad would be. As obstacle to raids on the Turkish communi- the key to the Ottoman defence tempta to discover the hiding-places of the sea. To limit the re-production of campaign against merchantmen.
cations with Mesopotamia, end facilitates it is regarded as impregnable, where-
the linking up of the Anglo-Russian að- vances towards Bagdad. It is noteworthy that the masstere of Armenians has been directed from Erzerum,
The Russian capture, in the depth of winter, of a fortress situated at a height of 6,000 feet, notorious for blizzardu,
...
WA
to
most heroic. The operations began in January with a series of masterly. actions by which Geners Judenich cleared his thanks, forcing the Turks, evacuate Melazghert, south-east of Erzerum and to retreat from Mush. They then occupied Keprikoui and Hastankale, both un the great Kars--Erzeram road. It is estimated in Petrograd that the Turks, three weeks prior to the assault on the forts, had lost 80,000 men out of 200,000,
总帖
Bagdad 14 merely an Arab
metropolis. He points out the moral effect upon the Allies and their friends and the consternation it will produce in Turkey and Bulgaria,
ERZERUM'S GARRISON AND GUNS,
PETROGRAD, February 17th. The official Azzaenjer estimates that Erzerum had a garrison of 100,000 and 467 guns, while the advanced forts poussed sa gung and the central forts 200 guns.
RUSSIAN BOOTY.
PETROGRAD, February 18th. A communiqué says that in addition to those previously reportal 25 gung were captured in the storming of the Erzerum first-line forts and 1.452 prisonera were taken near one of the northern forts, 12 miles distant from the fortress, which the Russian troops occupy. The town is and that of the remainder only 75,000 werafire in many places. The registration efficient organised tinits, of which 40,000 were required to hold the forts. Thus the Jack of a field army to hold the outer re doubts enabled the fortress to be destroyed ty long-range fire,
treas.
which
WES
most
Lai-prisoners and-booty-is-proceeding
FRANCO-BELGIAN FRONT.
{THROUGH KIVIKE'S AUKNCY.] MINE WARFARE,
Prince Mirko and General Martinovitch are unsuccessful, The people were un- moved by the offer of bribes and the threat of starvation..
GREEKS INRACTION. BULGARIANS ROUTED.....
the power of our Merchant Navy, on which mainly our Empire now depended, would be most disastrous.
Mr. Peto's amendment was withdrawn after the statement by Mr. Runciman, and the House adopted the Address,
WAR AND DISEASE, LABOURITES ASK FOR PENSIONS.
LONDON, February 17th..
Is the House of Commons, replying to
SALONIKA, February 17th The Greeks, after a two hours' fight, routed another band of Bulgarian comitad jis, who were penetrating Greece. The Greeks are now vigilantly guarding the the Labourite amendment to the address whole of the frontiers her, vodamailemand!
inding pensions for those who bave ARRIVAL OF ITALIAN TROOPS.ontracted disease while serving with the
CORFU, February 17th. The Austrians have censed their offensive against Durazzo-owing to the arrival of Italian troops, Generalissimo Putnik has joined the Berbians at Corfa,
GENERAL SARRAIL,
SALONIKA, February 17th.
Colours Mr. Henry Forster announced thas the Government had established a new body to deal with such cases, which were outside the limits of the pensions
Labourites were unsatisfied, and jutimated that they would again press the patter.
ANOTHER FALL IN GERMAN EXCHANGE.
LONDON, February 17th German exchange has dropped a point to the record low level. CROWN PRINCES COMMAND.
LONDON, February 17th.
It is announced that the Crown Prince commands a group of Armies in the Argonne and Alsace Lorraine. GOVERNMENT'S WAR POLICY. UNSATISFIED M.P. RESIGNS.
LONDON, February 17th.
Sir Wilfred Lawson, M.P., has resigned his seat in the House of Commons, disap
proving of the Government's war policy. 1. WINSTON CHURCHILL
A LIEUTENANT-COLONEL.
LZ 25 was the last Zeppelin to appear hefore war broke out and ay twelve of these were then useless, either from old age or mishap, there were 13 ships re- maining fer service at the beginning of August, 1914, namely, LZ 9. (Ersatz Z II); LZ II (Victoria Luiso); 12 (2 111); LZ 13
Suchen "); LZ 19 (Ersatz Z 1); LZ 20 Hansa); LZ 16, (ZIV); LZ 17 (ZV); LZ 21 (Z VI); LZ 2 (ZVII); 25 (Z IX.) LZ 23 (2 VIII); LZ 21 (1. HII); and LZ
#
LZ 26, 27, and 31 were reported from Switzerland as being launched at Fried. richshafen soon after the outbreak of war so that presumably LZS 97, 20, and 30 were alloted to the new Zeppelin works at Potsdam which started operations early in 1914, being originally a large repair shop, capable of rebuilding a Zennelia throughout. There is good reason to be............ lieve, says the editor of The Aeroplane, ubles them to produce between them a new that the output of both the workshops ea- Zeppelin once every three weeks.
known losses are round about twenty,
Since the war began the Zeppelin haa had rather a chequered career,
as the
DARING BELGIAN'S ESCAPE. CARRIED 2.000 LETTERS ACROSS THE FRONTIER.
The Germans responsible for watching the Belgion-at.h frontier are particularly de- sirous (anys a: Central News Rotterdam moesage) of setting hands upon a daring Belgian, M. Eugène Ackx, for reasons advised reticence as to details, by the Echo which are explained, though with well- Belje, RIA
Eelgium in May. Jast, but succeeded in M. Ackx was arrested by the Germans escaping. In October be boldly recrossed the frontier into Belgium, carrying with him to fewer than two thousand letters.. How he did it is a mystery, and the few in the secret are not likely to clear it up.
On the following day, the exploit having pounced upon him at Wilrijck, and he was been discovered, two German
officers
imprisoned at Antwerp. He was to have
been brought before the Kommandantur on November 2nd, but that very day he got away through one of the prison Windows, leaving behind him the following message
on a card:-
General Sarrail shortlist King CONQUEST OF CAMEROONS. mentioned by Mr. Tennant in the House will be in Holland. It is useless to look for
Constantine.
SALONIKA IMPREGNABLE,
LONDON, February 17th. The correspondent of the pro German paper, Zurich Zeitung, in a long descrip- tion of the Salonika defences, says that thep are impregnabię. GENERAL.
"There were fierce actions before the
LONDON, February 18th.. Turks were finally driven into the for- General Sir Douglad Haig reports that Оде retreating detachment, the encoy on Thursday morning sprang
anxious to save two mines near Fosse, and eight others. park of new German field south of Loos, and attempted to occupy kitchens, formed them into a square the crater of the latter, but were repulsed. and the Bussina gan, smashed them up.
We hold the lip of the crater. When the infantry rushed up they found the hungry Turks licking up the soup and stews, Then a strangely distributed body of Turkish irregulars on the hill south east of Erzerum were ent off and they pro mised to surrender in the morning. They ENEMY POSITIONS SHELLED. transference of labour to the building of
Our artillery to-day bombarded enemy: trenches near the Hohenzollern Redoubt
and east of Armentieres.
The situation is unchanged between the Ypres Comites Canal and railway.
made no sign at dawn, and the Russians,
PARIS. February 18th. cautiously clambering up, found the de-
The evening communiqué says that there fenders frozen to death. The mountains was a bombardment of the enemy defences in Belgium and between Soissons and surrounding the fortress were also littered Rheims. The French occupied the crater. with frozen corpses. Thousands of tons of of a mine which the enemy exploded in abandoned munitions and stores, were Ařtoia. found, and it is known that scattered enemy detachments are locked up in
some of the valley, by avalanches starving to death,
CALM.
PARIS, February 17t
A communiqué states that there is nothing to report
[MILLOUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.].
MUNITION FACTORIES.
AN APPEAL TO BUILDERS,
LONDON, February 17th Mr. Lloyd George urges the temporary cessation of building, and the temporary
LONDON, February 17th Brigadier-General Dobell reports that active operations have practically ended, and the conquest of the Cameroons is con plete except for the isolated position of Mara ni
The French columns have closed the frontier eastward of Ngow, and a coniun has only a few miles to travel to clare the line from the sea, RECONNAISSANCE IN EAST
AF IC
LONDON. February 17th.
LONDON, February 17th, The fact that Mr. Winston Churchill
Gentlemen,-By the time you receive. has been made a Lieutenant-Colonel was this card, No. 104 (the number of his cell) of Commong last evening.
[AVAS CERVICR FRENCH HELP TO SERBIA.
PARIS, February 16th. The Tsar has sent his congratulations to President Poincaré for the effective help granted to Serbia.
[THROUGH ELUTER'S AGENCY.] THE FLOODS IN HOLLAND. INCREASING IN MAGNITUDE.
bim."
"
His words were true, He safely passed the frontier, and, for the present at any rate, has no intention of going back.
A NEW GIBRALTAR,
AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT'S ADVICE TO THE ALLIES,
Mr. Granville Fortescue, is his recently published book "Russia, the Balkans, and the Dardanelles," spoke of the possibility of a withdrawal:-
If the worst should come, and the land- ings at Gaba Tepe and Suvla Bay become unpossible because of the storms, they It is officially announced that in East
AMSTERDAM, February 17th.
might be abandoned. This would be a bit The north-west storm is imperilling New Zealanders, who have held on to the ter disappointment to the Australians and Africa a reconnaissance on the 19th inst Holland. The waters are rushing into ground that they won at the cost of so much. against Sulaita Hill to ascertain the Monnikendam, and the inhabitants are blood like human bull-dogs. But if it be enemy's qusition and strength found the again evacuating the place. The Volendam a question of starving er surrender. hill strongly held with the main German railway and the dyke between Purmerend This or a withdrawal "
ing, the last alternative must be chosen. reserves in the neighbourhood. Our and Oostzaan have been · destroyed. Mr. Lloyd George and Mr Bunci casualties sumbered 172, of whom 130 be threatening a fresh catastrophe. Large have conferred with distillers with a view to increasing the outpat for explosives longed to the 2nd South African Brigade, force of troops are striving to stem the Hoods The rupture of the dykes at which had its first experience of bush Aalsmeer, near Amsterdam, appears to be fighting A branch of the railway was inevitable. This would involve several carried within two and a half miles of polders. Salaita
munition fuetorics.
purposes.
LAST INDIAN WOUNDED LE VE BRIGHTON,
LONDON, February 18th.
It is announced that the Last of the Indian sick and wounded have left Brigh
ton
GERMANY WITHIN,
LONDON, February 17th, Germany starts buller tickets on March
AMSTERDAM, February 17th. Much anxiety is felt regarding the floodt, which have not abated. The habitants of the Thea districts are fleeing to Amsterdam. The Queen is visiting the sufferers.
But of one thing Mr, Fortescue is cer taia
"The ground gained at Sedd-ul-Bahr must never be given up. A new Gibraltar will one day arise at this point. The old. fort cumards the entrance to the Straits. of the Hellespont against any enemy. It Properly rebuilt it would keep the entrance is a key position,” s
Let us pile up supplies and ammunition and land fresh men during the winter, he urges, and begin afresh in the spring,
Officers and men will suffer, as no topa have been called to suffer in known mil tary history But if they succeed in hold- ing, I am almost templed to say they will win the war for England