Page
THE WAR.
NEW GERMAN OFFENSIVE.
NO CAUSE FOR ANXIETY,
GERMAN FLEET
ON THE
MOVE.
TURKISH CAUCASUS CAMPAIGN
BROKEN.
FIRST LORD'S REPLY TO MR. CHURCHILL.
TRADE WAR BY DOMINIONS.
FRANCO-BELGIAN FRONT.
{THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE.
NO CAUSE FOR ANXIETY,
PARIS, March 8th.
2.40 p.m. Military writers cuphasise that there is no cause for anxiety at the new German thrusts on the left bank of the Meuse. where the Germans are now hurling a roserve of 100,000 men, having failed at
Dauzuinont
"
The vigour of the enemy's offensive is considered good for the Allies, as it will prevent another German offensive in the West for a long time, whereas the French possess large reserves which they have not yet used.
So far, five German Generals have been killed at Verdua.
It appears that the Germans have been compelled to change their methods, Generals and Commanders now heading the troops in assaults.
NO CHANGE AT VERDUN.
[THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.) UNSUCCESSFUL GERMAN
ATTACKS.
FRENCH AIR BOMBARDMENTS.
PARIS, March 9th.
2.40 a..
TAB-BONGKONG DAILY PRERA, FRIDAY, MARCH 10m. 1816.
(THROUGH ZHUTER'S AGENCY.)
GERMAN FLEET ON THE MOVE
FIFTY BIG WARSHIPS AND OTHER CRAFT SIGHTED.
AMSTERDAM, March 9th
A trawler which has arrived at Ymuiden reports that on Monday afternoon it sight ed off Terschelling at least fifty big Gor- man warships, a large fleet of armed trawlers, two Zeppelins, and numerous Five sabmarines travelling westward. large cruisers of unknown nationality pass ed Ymuiden et five on Monday morning steaming at full speed.
[Terschelling is" sy island in the North Sea-j.
THE NAVAL DEBATE.
MR. BALFOUR REPLIES TO MR. CHURCHILL,
LONDON. March 8th.
[THROUGH REUTER'S AQRKOF.}
*(TSROUGH REUTER'S AGENCT.) TURKISH CAUCASUS REBEL ATTACKS IN CANTON
CAMPAIGN BROKEN. PEACE RUMOURS IN NEW YORK.
LONDON, March 8th,
It is stated in New York that definite information has reached Washington to the effect that the backbone of the Turkish campaign in the Caucasus has been broken, and that Turkey has approached Russia on the subject of a separate peace. GENERAL
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.] THE DOMINIONS AND WAR PROBLEMS. IMPORTANT MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED.
LONDON, March 7th,
The Hon. Mr, W M. Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, interviewed by: Reuter, said that Australia intended to cradicate German trade root and branch. In the House of Comins, Mr. Balfour, He came to England on the invitation of the Imperial Government to discuss war First Lord of the Admiralty, replied to
matters, including the position of the Mr. Churchi, saying that kis speech was very unfortunate both in form and sub. Dominions at the Percy Conference, the stance. He re-allirmed that the Admiralty policy for the Pacific question, and also policy of construction compared most lay-regarding German influence in the trade ourably with anything ever accomplished. of the Empire. He had proposals to cul- and pointed oat, caustically, that under thimit in relation to all theso inatters, Churchill regime skilled shipwrights were allowed to enlist, and that Mr. Churchill used the guns and gun-mountings destined for dreadnoughts for monitors. Neverthe
A communiqué states.-The enemy, wastess, the Fleet was more powerful than in of the Meuse, attempted to re-advance Mr. Churchill's time, and would became under cover of an intense bombardment. stronger every month. His attack, which was made with great
Mr. Balfour concluded by remarking that he had listened to Mr. Churchill's strength against Bothencourt. was re pulsed. A French counter-attack in Cor-suggestion to recall Lord Fisher with beaux Wood, which the Germans pene- profound stupefaction. He paid a wary trated on Tuesday, ejected the enemy from tribute to Sir Henry Jackson, and declared the greater part of the wood, of which the that he would hold himself to be contemp- Germans now hold only the castorn ex- tiblo if he yielded to the demand for Sir tremity. The bombardment on the right Henry Jackson's rem.... bank of the Mense was again moal intens in the region of Donaumont, where the Corinaus unsuccessfully attempted to at tack our lines east of the fort.
An enemy infantry attack re-occupied the Hardaumont Redoubt which we cap tured on Tuesday. There has been a severs canonade in Woevre. Our batteries on the heights of the Meuse are vigorously replying to the German artillery. A bomb attack in Upper Alsace regained us trenches east of Seppois which the Ger- We mans occupied on February 19th, destructively bombarded enemy works north of the Aisne, jo Argonne.
Sixteen French aeroplanes dropped 124 There is no change north of Verdu. The bombs on a station on the Metz-Sablon railway, hitting trains. A German squad. rou tried to pursue, but the French ma
MUCH ARTILLERY ACTIVITY,
LONDON, March 8th.
3.35 p.in.
A French official announcement states!--
›
Mr. Churchill rose immediately, and asserted that he had tried to impress the country with the necessity for construction to be continued at the highest spoed; aud in order that a note of warning should be
sounded,
MR. CHURCHILL'S INTERVENTION CAUSES A SENSATION.
LONDON, March 8th. Lord Fisher listened to the debate in the House of Commons, and was loudy. cheered when he rose to leave,
The Tines says it is understood that Mr. Bonar Low will begin his conferences with Mr. Hughes to-morrow,
There is reason to believe that the weetings between Mr. Hughes, Mr. Massy (Prime Minister of New Zealand) and Sir Robert Borden (Prime Minister Canada) have resulted in an agreement on many impartaut points. Mr. Hughes, therefore, meets the Imperial Government in the unique position of representing three Dominions.
Mr. Hughes, during his five weeks' stay intends to speak frankly in public on after-the-war problems,
Sir Robert Borden will soon be in Eng land, and ho and Mr. Hughes will meet, and will later confer with Mr. Massey in Canada if the last-nimed does not reach England before they leave.
PROPOSED MINISTRY OF COMMERCE-
MR. ASQUITH RECEIVES DEPUTATION.
LONDON, March 8th.
RIVER.
EASILY REPULSED.
HONGKONG, March 9th, A local Chinese newspaper statee that the rebels attacked the Whampon forts in the Canton River and also the cruiser Chavhae.
The attacks were easily repulsed,
THE NELLORE."*;". FIRE EXTINGUISHED AND VESSEL BEACHED.
RUSSIA'S GREAT ARMY..
NINE MILLIONS NOW HELD IN. RESERVE.
Dr. Philip Nowton, of Washington, who returned to New York wearing the uniform of a Brigadier-General in the Russian Army and the Cross of St. Anne, which was bestowed upon him by the Czar, said that Russia had just drafted 5,000,000 men for war service and had 9,000,000 Tho more in roserve to be called up. doctor said that he went to Russia ng the beginning of the war to effer his services and was attached to the 42nd Regiment of tho Sixth Army and took part in the re treat from Warsaw. We started with 46,000 officers and men and only 3,000 sure. vived the march All the rest were other, killed, wounded or captured.. The 5,000,000 troops recently drafted makes 9,000,000 The fire on the P. and O, Nellore is being Russia has put in the field, and she bas an equal number of good troops in reserve- got unler,
She is receiving plenty of ammunition from Britain France, the United States and Japan. Russin is getting a supply of big guns from Japan, and the irony of it is that she is sending to Moscow over the trans-Siberian railway the Krupp guns that were originally shipped from Ham- burg to Japan.. The outlook for Russia was better when I left Petrograd. three weeks ago than it has been during the war."
LONDON, March 9th.
LATER.
Lloyd's agent at Malta reports that the Nellore has been scuttled and beached at Sliema Crock; and that the fire has hon extinguished.
GERMAN MAN-POWER. LIMIT REACHED BY AUGUST.
AVERAGE OF LOSSES.
The following despatch has been received. from Mr. H. Warner Alen, special corres pondent of the British Pross with the French armies:-----
Up to the present there has been aó evidence to upset the estimated average of German losses arrived at many months ago, and we have every reason to believe that they have lost, and are continuing to lose, on average of 200,000 men per month, dead or otherwise permanently disabled. From calculations which have recently appeared in the French Press, and which estimate nize millions, it appears that on January the total man-power of Germany at about 1st 1016, the Germans had available, to keep up their numbers, a reserve of about 800,000, including their 1917 contingent, which has not yet been called to the maintained, this reserve of 800,000 men colours. If the present rate of wastage is should be exhausted at some time during the month of April, In these circum stances, it is clear that Germany must seek for more reserves.
On November 1st last the German mili- tary authorities called up all the categories of men liable to military service through out the empire, with the exception of the 1017 contingent. Every man belonging to the activo army, to the reserve, the Ercatz reserve, the Landwehr, and Land- untrained), and the 1916 contingen has sturm (Brst and second han, trained and been mobilised. Further reserves can only be obtained by extraordinary measures, and these measures have already actually been taken, or are under consideration.
MEDICAL STANDARD RELAXED,”“” On the one hand there is the possibility of finding a certain number of men more or less serviceable among those who have heen declared unfit for service. Already the medical restrictions have been very much relaxed, as proved by the physique of the prisoners taken recently. It does not appear likely that this measure wall provide the German army with many As a general rule, Germany rejects unfit only between 23.000 and 50,000 men out of a yearly contingent of between. 800,000, and 600,000. The smallness of the percentage thus rejected suggests that the general physical average of these men must be very low, and it would be an optimistic German who would believe that more than 100,000 second-line troops could be, secured by this means,
men,
Mr. Asquith, receiving a deputation from the Chambers of Commerce of the Mr. Winston Churchill's references to Empire, promised to consider the establish Lord Fisher were received with applause.
mout of a Ministry of Commerce. He said It was expected that Mr. Churchill he hoped the Allies Trade Conference, would make a dramatic reappearance, but which would probably meet within the next scarcely the sensation which he furnished. fortnight, would reach condusions of a bombardment has continued westward of
The House listened with bewilderment to satisfactory nature to Britain and her his demand for Lord Fisher's recall, in Dominions. On the subject of German the Meuse, but no infantry attack was attempted. The French batteries are re- plying vigorously both westward and enst. chine, returned to the starting point with view of the belief that it was Mr. Asquith's trade, Mr. Asquith said it was most ward of the Meuse. There has been lively the exception of one, which was compelled refusal to accept Lord Fisher's dictation desirable to hear what the Premiers of the tast the military age limit may be raised
to land on account of engine trouble,
AUSTRALIANS AT VERDUN.
A CORRECTION.
artillery activity in Woevre, the French bombarding Blanzee, Grímaucourt and Fresnes. A German attack on the railway and Manhoudies was smashed by artillery
LONDON, March 9th, and infantry fire. The French attacked
There has been much speculation regard eastward of Maisons-de-Champagne, and won back the trenches geized by the Garing the Hon. Mr. Pearco's speech, and many on the 6th. They also took a number Melbourne now cables that Mr. Pearce, of prisoners, and repulsed a German counter-attack. The Fronch batteries are bombarding German motor transports in Argonne.
MINE WARFARE.
AND TRENCH-MORTAR FIGHTING.
PAR18, March 9th, 12.10a.m.
A communiqué states:-Near Grenay there has been trench-mortar fighting, dur- ing which we considerably damaged the enemy's defences. Yesterday the enemy sprang a mine near the Ypres Commines railway, but no damage was done, To-day our artillery bombarded the vicinity. By exploding a mine cast of Laventie we in- terrupted the enemy's mining. The enemy shelled our position east of Vermelles.
GERMAN CLAIMS.
LONDON, March 9th.
and to dismiss Mr. Churchill from the Government that led to Lord Fisher's resignation,
This bowilderment is reflected in the Press cominents, which adiwit inability to understand the precise purpose of Mr. Regret is also Churchill's intervention. expressed that the matter has been raised who was praising the defence of Verdun," in a manner likely to provoke personal said that somewhere in France," under General Joffre, was a splendid Australian Siege Brigade, which was probably the finest body of men who ever marched through the streets of Melbourne,
[A cuble which appeared in Thursday's isave stated that Mr. Pearce, who in the Australian Minister of Defence, announced that an Australien Siege Brigade was assisting the French Verdun)}
AVAL ACTIVITIES,
(THEOUGH REUTER'S AGENŐK.) ANOTHER SUBMARINE NOTË. “GERMANY COMPLAINS TO AMERICA OF GREAT BRITAIN.
WASHINGTON, March 8th." Count Bernstorff has handed Mr. Lansing another long submarine memorandum. It is understood that this complains that Great Britain is taking advantage of American attitude to instruct armed mer chantmen to act offensively towards sub- marines. Count Bernstorff admite that International Law does not provide for the
controversy.
LOSS OF THE "PERSIA.”
NOT TO BE INVESTIGATED.
LONDON, March 9th, In the House of Commons, Mr. Runci man said that the Board of Trade had decided not to investigate the loss of the Persia
RUSSIAN FRONT.
(THROUGH · REUTER'S AGENCY:]
Dominions had to say.
Mr. Asquith also aimounced that the Government were preparing a "Feno Book" to enable commercial interests to meet the situation after the war, and to make adequate preparation,
WITHDRAWING GERMANS FROM MACEDONIA.
PARIS, March 9th,
A Salonika telegram states that numer- ous German effectives are being been hurriedly withdrawn from Macedonia.
MORE AIR-RAID VICTIMS. LONDON, March 9th. Five mers persons who were injured lu the air-raid have died. It is now aster- tained that fifty-two persons were injured,
LONDON, March 5th.
A portion of a Zeppelin propeller has been found in Kent.
On the other hand there is a possibility from 45 to 50, or even 54, Death by natural causes has greatly reduced the number of men available of those ages. Perhaps an additional million might be affected by the raising of the limit to 50 years of age, but probably a good many fewer. It seems that the maximum of men to be affected by raising the age limit to 54 would be about 1,800,000,
After the age of 45, however, a large proportion of men are totally unfitted for military service, and it seems unlikely that over 30 per cent. could really be ubilised by the German military authorities. More over, a great many indispensable posts in Germany itself are being held by men over 40, who have replaced younger men, and their withdrawal would have very serious effects on the internal life of the Empire. Is practice, if the Germans can raise 400,000 men of more or less inferior quality over the age of 40 they will have done well, There remains the possibility of calling to the colours a certain proportion of the able-bodied men who are still engaged in various important works in the interior of all told. the Empire. It is calculated that theso
TURKS STILL BEING DRIVEN. LORD FISHER ATTENDS WAR source will not not exceed 100,000 men,
PETEOGRAD, March 8th.
A communiqué states: We continue to. drive the Turks beyond Mapavri. We have occupied Cola, which, in twenty seven miles westward of Kermanshah and hundred miles from Bagdad, RUSSIAN PROGRESS IN ASIA MINOR. PETROGRAD, March 9th.
A communiqué statas-In Asia Minor
COUNCIL.
LONDON, March 8th. Lord Fisher attended a meeting of the War Council.
LORD CURZON,
LONDON, March 9th. Lord Curzon, who sustained a brokoa aru, hag undergone an operation
AKMY APPOINTMENT.
LONDON, March 9th. A Gazette announces that Major Lam bur, of the Bombay Volunteer Artillery,
amoung to about 700,000 men When the importance of ammunition fac tories is taken into consideration, it ap- peara improbable that this number can be largely diminished. Probably the most the Germans will be able to draw from this We therefore arrive at the conclusions that, by extraordinary measures, the der mans may still be able to race another 900,000, for the most part of inferior quality, to keep pace with the wastage of their rmy, and that this last and final reserve should be exhausted, the average of wastage remains stationary, during the month of August next,
DUTCH SHIPPING COMBINF
FORMIDABLE COMPETITOR FOR
BRITISH COMPANIES,
As soon as this war is over British ship ping companies will be faced with a very formidable competitar in the big, ocean lines in the shape of a Dutch combine whose scope will recall that of Herr Ballin's amalgamation of the North Ger- wan Lloyd and Hamburg-Amerika with minor. German lines.
The Dutch shipping companies have pro filed at least as much as the Scandinavian passenger fares and from the present short- lines from the prevalent high freiglits and age of British passenger and cargo ton page.
The Holland Amerika line, for instance, has since the war broke out earned not less than 80 per cent of its fact, in the first place to repurchase the capital, Advantage has been taken of the German holdings in the company, which represented well over one-fourth of its total wealth, and, in the second place, to ż elaborate a huge shipbuilding programme. Other Dutch companies whose gaina bave. been proportionate, such as the Royal Hol- land Lloyd, The Royal West Indian Mail. Service and the Royal Dutch Steamship Company, have also succeeded in increas- ing their fleets, and since all these com panies are now associated through their directorates and boards of management with a certain group of Dutch banks, in- eluding, among others, the Rank of Amsterdam, the Bank of Rotterdam, and. the House of Mees they will, financially speaking, form the several branches of a unified concern,
Nor have they lost much time in inaugu rating new services to Bouth America, to Central America, and Panama "and to Morocco, and they will make a specis] bid for the Levant and the Black Sea what ever the issue of the war.
They have already captured from the British and French companies the bulk of the Spanish passenger emigration traffic to Brazil and the Argentine, Spaniards refus ing to travel on belligerent line, owing to the submarine danger and to the pro- German propaganda in Spain,
THE NECK OF ENGLAND.
GERMAN VIEW ON AN EGYPTIAN
OFFENSIVE.
The military expert of the Fossische Zeitung contributes a remarkable article to his journa) on the coming German offen sive against Egypt. "Egypt," he says, "is the link between two continents, a natural road from Occident to Orient. It links the United Kingdom with the great- est of its Coloniál Empires. From timo immazorial nations have struggled for the lordship of Egypt, and the nation which possesses the Suez Canal can await with confidence the result of other struggles elsewhere.
"The nation which seeks to become "a world-power must make an effort to con- quer the country for, as Napoleon, in 1797. wrote to the Directoire We will' soun grasp the fact that if we wish to ruin Great Britain we must take possession of Egypt. Bismarck called Egypt the neck of Great Britain,
The threatened attack on Egypt causes. great nervosity throughout the United Kingdom. Extensive fortifications to defend the country have been built, but the main difficulty of the defence lies in the climatic conditions, and especially in the absence of water, England has collected n formidable force and is well prepared, but England's enemies, after the short- lived attack of Inst year, have gained experience regarding the conditions of the country. This year these conditions are more favourable for the attacking force than they were last year in conseguence- of the British repute in Me opotamis anl the rising hatred of the Araba against- their oppressors.
"It is, therefore, easy to see why the excitement in Great Britain grows. The British Boxer in the ring chances are ever, and the knock-out blow in the nock may follow."
The latest story from Sandhurst is
Recenty, in one of the many sections of given by Quex in the Evening News:-
our west front where the enemy's trenches Overaight the cadets conspired. When next morning the sergeant gave the order are very tear our own, the Boches stuc "Number off from the right!" the voices up a board on which they had chalke I rang out,One, two, three, four five, Gott Mit Urs." There was to linguist six, seven, o'ght nine, ten, Koare, on our side, but the enemy immediately sergeant continued with "Ah courtouzzled them a god deal. It was... We're wards fall out and report to the mejor.” Got Mittens, Toa,"
A German communiqué claims the cap ture of 58 officers, 3,277 men, en guas and
use of submarines, and offers to operate we have captured Birch It is also mƐI--- much-way-material-at-Forges and Reque them on the-basis-of-International Laws Lioned that on the 6th inst. in Persia we wille, and of eleven officers, 763 men and existing before the war if Great Britain occupied Senneh which is fifty versts has been made a temporary Major of the Queen, King." Quick as lighting the got a written rotort which must har
a few machine gung at Fresors,
rwanakah
Garrison Artillery.