THE WAR.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 11TH.
GERMANY'S LATEST PEACE MOVE.
IMPORTANT RUSSIAN SUCCESS.
THE ALLIES GOLD POWER.
PRO-GERMANS IN SPAIN.
Russian Pront.
LATEST CABLES. THROUGH REUTER'S AGENUZ.] IMPORTANT RUSSIAN
SUCCESS. ADMISSIONS IN A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE.
PETROGRAD, January 10th.
Naval Activities.
EABLIER CABLES, (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.] GERMAN CLAIMS. THE WORK OF A SUBMARINE.
LONDON, January 9th.
A Berlin official message claims that a German submarine torpedoed and sank in the Aegean Sea on December 27th a convoyed French battleship, the Gaulois; in the Mediterranean on the 1st inst the Invernit, a fully laden British troop transport conveyed by destroyers; and on the 3rd inst. an armed and heavily laden transport of 8,000 tons.
General.
LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH REUTEE'S AGENOT.]
RUSSIAN MINISTERIAL
CHANGES.
PETROGRAD, January 10th.
Prince Golitzine has been appointed Premier, and M. Kult chitsky has been appointed Minister of
Education.
CAPTURE OF FOCSANI. PRESENT POSITION EXPLAINED.
LONDON, January úth. By the capture of Focsani, the Ger- mang have turned the western extremity of the so-called Sereth lines, which ran forty miles eastward from Focsani, but the Russians, who have been maintaining the brunt of the fighting while the Rou-
The Premier, M. Trepoff, and the The Dring island, which was capturedmanians have been re-fitting their rear,
Minister of Education, M. Ignatieff, by the Russians, is about 100 miles south- have another defensive position along the cast of Riga
river Screth, behind which is the formid-have resigned. A German communiqué speaks of Rusable line, the river Pruth. Both rivers sian raids in the vicinity of Friedrich-must be forced before General Mackensen ad, fifty miles east of Mitou, hence is able to enter Russian territory, unless the apparent renewed Russian activity ho attempts the hazardous crossing of in the north extends along a front of the Danube from the Dobrudja below approximately 100 miles, including the Galatz. The length of the front on which important strategic positions of which General von Mackensen is operating with Mitau is the most important as a depot three armies, exclusive of the Dobrudja, for stores, and the junction of many is 120 miles, between the mouth of railwaya and roads situated near a the Sereth and the Gyimes Pass. Half navigable river. It was a German attack of this front lies in the mountains, where which developed the important Russian the fighting has consisted of a succession counter-offensive which has already of struggles on isolated heights. brought the Russians within a dozen enemy has still to face the main positions miles of Mitau. The positions which on the heights west of Trotus and the
Sereth. they captured sea between the western extrenity of Lake Babit and the village of Kalnzem. North-west of Mitau there were strongly fortified tiers of consider
able height above the flat country. Their Conquest directly menaces Mitau.
The Balkans.
LATEST CABLES.
(THROUGH KEUTUR’B AQKNOT.] DEALING WITH GREECE.
STRONGER ALLIED ACTION IMMINENT.
:
The
Meanwhile, the Russians are greatly heartened over their success twenty miles west of Riga, where their spirited ad- vance over frozen marshes has put for ward their line at one point four miles,
Despatches from Petrograd indicato that the Russians are most hopeful of making the Germans pay dearly for the Roumanian operations by shattering the whole fabric of the German defence in the north.
SPANISH POLITICAL
TROUBLES.
MADRID, January 10th. The Cabinet reraains in office. [An earlier cable announced that the Cabinet had resigned.]
GERMANO-TURKISH RELATIONS.
COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL TREATIES.
AMSTERDAM, January 10th. The Fossieche Zeitung states that Germanc-Turkish commercial and politi- cal treaties have been ratified.
KING OF BAVARIA AND PEACE.
AMSTERDAM January 10th. The King of Bagatin, in a pronounce ment made at Munich, states:-"Though victorious, we offered peace.
We must now continue to fight and be victorious, till our enemies ask for a peace worthy
GREECE AND THE ALLIES. | of our gigantic sacrifices. "
LONDON, January 10t That swifter action towards Greece will result from the Rome Conference appears from the statement mele by M. Brinad upon his return to Paris that heary movement,
was fully satisfied as to Italy's of ong te solution. He added:-" Haly's titude was never doubtful, but a complete under atanding has now been reached on matters and details."
It is assumed by the London papers that some extension of the Allied purpose in Grosse beyond that in which Italy had previously joined in about to lamade, Dr. Dillon declares that the Allies, with the exception of Italy, have throughout misunderstood the Greek imbroglie, and have failed to deal frankly and resolutely with King Constantine as an enemy. Their blockade had inflicted great bard- ships on the population, but it had left the Monarch unmoved.
The Daily Telegraph, commenting op Dr. Dillon's statement, says that it anti- cipates action which will not leave King Constantine unmoved.
KARLIER CABLES,
GERMAN COMMUNIQUE..
LONDON, January 9th.
A German official wireless message states that in heavy snow storms the Rus- sians recaptured Glaudon Island, north of Illax An attempt against the west bank of the Dvins failed.
The enemy are teriaciously defending the valleys from Bereczk mountains into the Moldavian Plain, but we are step by step advancing.
ĭ
Wo stormed positions on both sides of the Casinu and Suzita valleys. We have reached the Puton sector. The enemy are holding a new position on the opposite bank.
ATHENS, January 9th.
The Allies Note gives guarantees against the extension of the revolution-
AUSTRIAN CLAIMS.
Lopes, January 9th.
An Austrian wireless message claims that the enemy were driven back south- eastward of Focsani, to the mouth of the Rimnic Sarat.
RUSSIAN CAPTURES.
RQUMANIANS. FALL BACK.
PETROGRAD, January 9th,
A Russian official wireless message states:-Wo throw buck the enemy in an offensive westward of Riga and captured an island in the westward Dvina river, north of Drinsk; also seven machine- guns, and four trench mortars.
We defented attacks south of the Oituz river.
The Roumanians fell back for six versts west of Monestar Kachinul, on the Kasino Hiver. We took up new positions on the line formed by the Putna and Sereth rivers.
GRAIN AT BRAILA.
GERMANS CLAIM BIG HAUL.
AMSTERDAM, January 9th." German correspondents elaim that 300 waggon loads of grain were captured at Braila, They also confirm the destruc tion of factories, and state that most of the population remain.
AGRICULTURAL MUNITIONS.
NEW GOVERNMENT DEPART-
MENT.
EARLIER CABLES. POLITICAL TROUBLES IN SPAIN. PRO-GERMANS AND THE PEACE PROPOSALS;
to
pro-German
MADRID, January 9th. The Cabinet has resigned.
LATER. The resignation of the Spanish Cabinet follows violent pro-German attack upon the Romanones Ministry, in con sequence of its refusal President Wilson's Peace Note.
As
the instance, An journal, Lenacion, recently published, an interview with a high diplomat, who was understood to be the German Ambas sador to Madrid, declaring, that the sub- marining of Spanish ships was severe lesson ** in view of Signor Romanone's siding with the Allies, and not taking the chance of mediating in the Wik
PEACE
MANEUVRES.
GERMANY STILL FISHING.”
AMSTERDAM, January 9th. After the Entente have replied to President Wilson, Dr. vom Bethmenn Hollweg, in the Reichstag, will further define the position of Germany and her Allies. Germany will simultaneously address representations to neutrals who have supported President Wilson's pro- posal.
GERMANY ANGRY WITH AMERICA,
"EVERY REASON TO BE
FRIENDLY."
1917.
ART TREASURES OF ROUMANIA.
THE ROYAL PICTURES. GREAT NATIONAL · MEMORIALS. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT TO THE TIMER."
Roumania has too often been regarded merely €9 ₤1 great grain-producing stores of oil and corn have been received. country, and as the place whence large The student of pictorial art and the man interested in remarkable architecture sve seldom felt, that it was worth their while to venture into that country. There are, however, in Roumania, waiting more careful study on the part of Western students, many treasures which would well repay closer investigation..
THE ORSOVA REARGUARÐ. STORY OF A HEROIC FIGHT.
The Austrian communiqué announcing that the Roumanian troops, cut off in Western Roumanio, were still fighting and have been gradually dispersed, serves to recall attention to the deeds of this
tion in the stress of graver events, but gallant force which have escaped atten- which well deserve to be noted.
The story of their hopeless struggle is know almost exclusively from the oc- casional references to them in the enemy's amicial reports. It was about November 14th that the decisive battle was fought at Tirgu Jiu, which opened the way into the plain, and thus cut off this fragment of the 1st Army. It is not known hero want the strength of this rearguard is, but the first anxieties leat the whole of the Orsova army was cut off happily proved to be unfounded, and they were. stated to number a few batalions only.
All who know the country have been filled with anxiety lest the Germans in their onward march should injure or destroy the great church of Curten de Arges, one of the most imposing churches The Rheinisch Westfaelische Zeitung, in Europe, successfully restored to some thing of its early magnificence by the
On November 19th, with ta arrival of in a bitter article, says:-" Americans late King. This extraordinary building
was founded in 1817 by Prince Neagoe the enemy at the Orsova runway, the have overy reason to entertain the most and his wife Desping, of Berbia, and was hope of rescue was practically abandon- ed, and by November 24th doubt became friendly feelings towards us, since they dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.
The 18th century was a period of con certainty, as Falkenhayn's troops reach- have done everything to oblige Great siderable moment in what we now termed Turnu Severin, on the Danube. The Roumania. Mircea, the Voivode of Britain and nothing to oblige Germany." Wallachia, who died in 1418, was respon-
same day, however, it became clear that The paper also endorsed Count Revent-sible for the foundation of two or three escape was not contemplated; the rear-
guard had remained on Stephen the ecclesiastical buildings, low's views with regard to the singling Great Voivode of Moldavia (1457-1306) keeping its hold on the Danube to the inst, and depriving the enemy of the for 40; but the Prince and Princess to out of the German War Heads, and con-whom ive have just referred determined enormous transport facilities offered by tends that if America is really in earnest that their cathedral should excel in the river. Orsova, however, was taken, and on November 26th the Austrian com- beauty all that had preceded it; and in about the restoration of peace sho should the days of its carly glory it must have magnificent indeed. Neagoe's Buccessor, Theodosius, continued the work state the conditions of her frienship not been to Berlin bust to London.'
of his father, but it was Radul d'Afumati who completed the building.
PERSIAN OIL,
-FAILURE OF GERMAN AGENTS.
the Cernn,
unique shows that the remnants of the rearguard are still fighting stubbornly, having retired to the wooded mountains north-east of Turnu Severin.
In the meantime, the Russians report- ed that they had attacked the enemy, dispersed them, and captured three guns. On November 27th they had taken an- other direction, and were south-east of Turnu Severin-still the region of the Danube; the Germans say they have lost 1,200 prisoners. Four days later they are
striking about in varying directions," but, according to Berlin, cannot escape from their inevitable fate." They lost a further 300 prisoners.
What effect this devoted band bas had in harrying the German rear can only be imagined. From November 18th at the latest they have been entirely cut off from all touch with the main army, they have refused to surrender, and are still unconquered. The Austrians last month said they were being followed up in continual encircling pursuit, and added that the Danube has now--fully a fort- night after the rearguai's line of retreat was closed-been opened. «
For a very long period the districts of Wallachia and Moldavia were simply roads across which the Turks passed in their expeditions against Hungary and LONDON, January th
Transylvania, and many of the ne erected by the At a meeting of the Anglo-Persian monastio buildings
Voivodes were altered, injured, or Oil Company, Mr. Greenway, the Chair destroyed while Roumanie was under the Turkish yoke, In 1866, when King Carol man, said the result of the year was visited the place, he found it largely in satisfactory, considering the war. The ruin. He took the advice of Viollet le Duc, who recommended an artist named German attempts to induce Persia
inLocomte de Noay, and under his skilful depart from her neutrality had com-attention the great church was restored and re-opened on October 12th, 1888. plately broken down, and the German Lecomte visited other great national memorials, the churches at Jassy, Horez, agents, completely discredited, had Cozin, Valcea, Padure, and Campulung, either cleared out or were seeking refuge and from these famous buildings, all well worth study by the modern student with the Turks. The relations between of architecture, he acquired a good know- the Company and the Persian Govern-ledge of 10th and 17th century Roumanian work. The building now re-erected is mont were most cordial, and despite the superb, with wonderful frescoes and mosaics, glorious bronzes and rich marble, difficulties considerable progress had been the whole place a glowing feast of colour made with the new pipe lines, which the architecture a strange mingling of that of the Arab and the Rowan, was further, evidence of the extraor eminently characteristic of the people whose national shrine it has become. dinary richness and extent of the oilfields In the interior the tombs of the founders in Persia By acquiring two thirds of and their saccessrs belong to the original building, but of the smaller objects with the interest of the Company the Imperial which Neagoe and Despina enriched their Government had secured for the nation foundation there is but little remaining. In the convent of Krusedol is certainly an enormously valuable asset, while preserved the collar of a chasable wrought cathedral, and completed on the 15th of affording the British consumers the most by Despina and her four children for the valuable safeguard against monopoly. June, 1519, de the needlework inscription still sets forth, and in the great church itself are two ne images or icons which belonged to the founders having on one. of them Despina represented with her son told me not to worry, as they'd turn up Theodosius in her hands, and the inscrip-me day; and now, to think that after tion, O Queen of Heaven receive thy0 years I've just found the little devils." servant, John Theodosins, and guard him ia thy kingdom." There is furthermore a piece of beautiful material from a robe found in one of the tombs carefully pre- served in the cathedral.
LANCASHIRE COTTON.
INCREASED EXPORTS.
Loxbox, January 9th. The Board of Trade returns show that Lancashire shipped 5,255 million yards of cotton cloth in 1916, againat 4,748 yards in 1915. The exports of grey cloths show a falling off, but the export of bleached and printed dyed goods increasing.
XING CAROL'S PICTURES. Not alone, however, to the student of architecture does Roumania offer attrac istions, although it is strange that so few persons have cared to study the famous Roman Basilica and the great Trajan monument at Adamklisi, commemorating MADE IN GERMANY. hia Dacian victories, or the important churches and monasteries, some of which In the we have already mentioned. support ANOTHER FALSEHOOD EXPOSED.
possession of the King, however, partly LONDON, January 9th. in the palago of Sinaia and partly in Bukharcat, is a collection of pictures of The Allies' holdings of gold
are high importance, King Carol had an estimated at £557,702,000, compared with opportunity in his more youthful daya
of purchasing in Paris the entire collec £123,954,000, Bg was announced by tion of pictures gathered together by the German Reichsbank. The British M. Bamberg, containing works, some of which had come from the gallery of thes Empire's holdings are £164,915,000.
Marquis Las Mariamas, others from that of Marshal Boult, and others from a NEW BRITISH MINISTER · TO| Spanish collection sold in London in 1853. In consequence of these purchases, it is really necessary for the student of Spanish art to go to Roumanis to see many of the finer examples of the painters of that country. The collection is especially notable for the fact that it contains nine paintings by that remark- able artist El Greco, the chief being his portrait of Diego Covarruvias.
1
The opposition organ, Laipoca, there upon declared that Spain could not accept lessons from foreigners.
KING HUSSEIN.
VISIT TO ALLIED WARSHIPS.
CAIRO, January 9th. King Hussein paid a visit to the Allied warships at Jeddah. He was wal comed by a French cruiser Commander His Majesty expressed pleasure at his visit to brave and herois allies, who had proved their virtues to the world, and who merited all respect, and honour.
HOLLAND.
THE HAGCE, Janmry Oth. Sir Walter Townley, K.C.M.G., bas
appointed British Minister. MR. LLOYD GEORGE RETURNS.
be
LONDON, January 9th. Mr. Lloyd George has returned to Landon from Rome,
ITALIAN SHIPPING.
Box, January 9th- Italy is assigning £6,000,000 for the construction of merchantmen in 1917.
MR. LLOYD GEORGE TO EXPLAIN WAR LOAN,
on the 11th-inst
OBITUARY,
LONDON, January Oth Mr. Lloyd George will speak at the The King also visited British cruisers Guild Hall war loan meeting to be held and addressed the Indian sailors · în Arabic, speaking words of counsel.
HEAVY FLOODS IN QUEENS- LAND. BRISBANE, January 9th. The floods in Queensland are the greatest which have occurred for half a· facture of machinery and implements, century. Pianos are lodged in the trees which will be classed as munitions work. at Clermont.
Loyoos, January 9th. Mr. C. Addison, Minister of Muni- We drove back the Russians to the tions, has created an agricultural ma Cruugéni-Nanesti line, and stormed Garchinery branch to deal with the manu-
leaska. Yesterday's captures now total w officers, 5,400 men and three gune,
SIR WILLIAM MAGNAY,
LONDON, January 9th. The death is auiounced of Sir, Wil liam Magnay, the novelist.
Among the deceased's publications were "The Amazing Duke," and "The Duke's Dilemma"!
WAR NEWS.
THE SERGEANTS SARCASM. The latest batch of recruits were giving their sergeant an unbelievable amount of. trouble.
He was an old soldier of 30 years' experience, and the poor attempts of his new squad to understand the my- stories of army drill nearly drove him frantic. At last, in desperation, he called the men to stand at case, as he wished to tell them a little story. It was this
When I was a tiny boy," he said, “1 had a box of wooden soldiers. One day:
lest them, and cried bitterly. They
A WONDER OF THE WAR.
The appearance of Japan as a creditor to the greatest commercial and industrial one of the country in the world is wonders for which the war is responsible. It is true that the United States has been converted from a debtor into a creditor
Yet country.
nobody would have dreamed of a country like Japan, where the adoption of an economic system after the Western model is a comparatively recent event, could land money to Great Britain and France. All the same, it is satisfactory that Japan should have attainiert such a position. It is, indred, of the an indisputable demonstration great financial development which is taking place in Japan.-Statist.
MAN WHO RESIGNED COMMISSION
TO GET TO THE FRONT. Failing, owing to an old injury, to obtain permission from the medical board. to go to the front, John Hamilton Sin clair resigned his commission in the Cameronians and calisted as a private in the Argyll and Butherland Highlanders. He has just fallen fighting in the ranks after eighteen months of active service.
Private Sinclair, who is a member of a well-known family and has relatives at Lisburn, County Antrim, was one of the tiral volunteers for service in South Africa, where he obtained a commission. rose to the rank of captain, and was men- tioned in despatches. After his recovery from a Bevere accident he went to Canada, and when the war began he joined the first Canadian contingent, travelling at his own expense 3,000 miles to enlist. He was given a commission in the Cameronians shortly after his ar rival in England.
All the groat Spanish masters are, how- ever, well represented. There are two, if not three, works by Velasquez, one a splendid portrait of Cardinal Galli, There are three by Zurbaran. There is a wonderful Flagellation by Alonso Cano, and there are paintings by Marillo, Valdès Léal, Luis Tristan, Antonio del Rincon, Alonso Coello, and others. The King's collection is, however, by no means exclusively of Spanish pictures. The Italian mastere are also well represented. There is even a work attributed, and not
an excellent. The late King had without some reason, to Bquarcione, whose paintings are of such extraordinary catalogue of his pictures prepared in rarity. There is one probably by Botti sumptuous form, and a similar volume celi, a very important work by Man- describes the contents and the decoration tegna, two fine groups by Bignorelli, a of his beautiful palace at Sinaia, while delightful Virgin and Child by Antonello of the great church at Curtea de Arges Luini, and fine paintingith tro att lustrated, giving full details concern da Messina, a wonderful Holy Family by he instructed Herr Jaffe to prepare a monumental work in elephant folio, richly Correggio, and Tiepolo, attend the history of the famous building. buted, on quite sound foundations, to Titian, and more than one bearing the We have these privately printeel volumes high sounding names of Tintoretto, Paolo before us, gifts from the late King, Veronese, and Palma Vecchio, il
enriched with his signature, and they In the German school Cranach and testify to his judgment and skill, and Aldegrever find good representatives show that the first sovereign of the united there is at least ono work by Rembrandt, country was not only a valiant soldier. and at least one by Bonbons, a porisait but a profound student of the art of his that may well be given to Clouet, and ten own country, and of the work of the HiA panels, forming the decoration of a artists of all the Western world.
has every claim upon the boudoir, which undoubtedly, came from suor
sympathy of English art students in his the hands of Lancret
many and grievous troubles,
(Continued at fool of x-es column.).
ing