THE WAR.
ל
The following Cables were räceived on Saturday night and strued in our Early morning Extra gesterday. Franco-Belgian Frant.
(THROUGH KIUTER'S, AGENOT-1
AERIAL ACTIVITIES.
THE
13
There was alight enemy activity on the 18th Inst.
We brought down four and drove down three enemy machines uncontrollable.
Four British machines are missing.
HONGKONG DAILY PRESS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD 1918.
13
FRENCH FRONT. FRENCH CAPTURE ESSIGNY LE GRAND.
LONDON, September 20th.
4.93 p.m.
A French communiqué "states:--In tho British aeroplanes assisted the advanc-region of St. Quentin last evening we care ing troops and bombed and machine-tured Essigny le Grand and took more gunned the enemy
+
We dropped 10 tons of bombs in the twenty-four hours.
BRITISH FRONT.
Anti-aircraft guns brought down OVER A MILE BEYOND PREVIOUS hostile machine on the 18th inst, while machine-gun fire from the ground brought
*LINE.
Lospos, September 20th.
1.3 p.m. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re- ports: Towards mid-day on Thursday the English attacked Lempire" in the Epehy sector, and, despite considerable opposition and in face of heavy artillery and machine gun Eré, made valuable pro gress to a depth of over a mile beyond the ime previously gained in this "Tochitty:~~- We captured, alter obstinate resistance, a strong point called Malassise Farm and also a number of small woods and posts forming part of our oid defences.
MOEUVRES RECAPTURED.
We attacked last night and recaptured Hoeuvres. The enemy's resistance was cbstinat Fighting continues. A few prisoners were taken. There were local en- gagements elsewhere on the battlefront and also to the north-westward of Hulich. We repulsed raiders northward of Lenda BRANDENBURG DIVISION RAKED TO SHREDS.!!
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down another on the 17th inst.
ENEMY ASSAULTING RANKS MOWN DOWN.
Loyoos, September 19th. Telegraphing this evening, Reuter's Correspondent at British Handquarters says: The heavy German counter-attacks yesterday and to-day prove the enemy's mountainty, regarding our intentions, and are a tribute to the excellence of our Staff work and organisation.
༣་
Prisoners state that the blow was expected north of Gouzeaucourt, instead of south thereof; hence the German thrust When the unexpected ut Moenvres happened, the Germans changed their pleas and took the offensive cast of Havrincourt Wood,
The Guards Brigades of the 3rd and 37th Divisions withstood the onslaught of the Sixth enemy Division...
The Germans directed a tremendous bombardment against High Wood and Havrincourt Wood at the rear of cur
prisoners.
Passian Front.
(THROUGH REUTRE'S ADENOY.) CZECHS HARD PRESSED IN RUSSIA.
General
(THROUGH RAUTER'S, AGENCY.) BRITISH EVACUATE BAKU. ONE OF THE MOST THRILLING, CHAPTERS OF THE WAR.
OPPOSED BY 100,000 GERMANS
LONDON, September 10th. AND BOLSHEVIKS.
It is now permissible to state that Baku has been evacuated The British forces to north-west have safely withdrawn LONDON, September 19th.
Persia. The latest pews received in London
LONDON, September 19th. South of the Ailette the night was mark-shows that the Cacho Slovaks in Euro-
One of the most thrilling chapters in ed by violent enemy reactions. Five times pean Russia are very hard-pressed. The the war has just come to light in conner his counter-attacks were smashed against Bolsheviks with a considerable number tion with the British evacuation of Baku. Amid circumstances entailing deadly. expected the loyal co-operation of the our new positions north of Allemant and
local inhabitants and garrison, especially east of Moisy Farm. The enemy, whose of Germans occupied Volsk, Simbirsk peril to our forces, the British naturally losses were very heavy, did not, achieve and Kuaan,
The Germans are concentrating con- regarding the security "of sea communi- The Bolshevik fleet, however, cations. the slightest result.
Bielgarbb area, apparently aiming to ed to think that no further effort was
EXPRESSES COLLIDE ON FRENCH RAILWAY." ·
PARIS, September 20th. Thirty persons have been killed and 100 injured as a result of a collision between two Marseilles expresses in the Pacy tunnel between La Roche and Dijon
American soldiers effectively, assisted in the rescue work.
EAST BOUND MAILS LOST.
LONDON, September 20th. The General Post Office announers the loss at sea through enemy action of civil letter mails for Aden, British East
We gained ground to the west of Aisy siderable numbers in the Kharkoff-after convoying our soldiers there, appear. Strica, Uganda, British Somaliland,
and north-east of Vailly.
The enemy attempt to cross the Vesle at Janchery failed.
Our reconnaissances penetrated enemy lines north-west of Souain and brought
LONDON, September Ytb. back prisoners.
4.35 p.m. A French cómmanlique states:-We tured Essigny-le-Grand.
prevent the junction of General Alexieff's necessary. The Armenian troops, alse,Ceylon, Dutch East Indies, the Lake forces in the Don valley with the Czechsaved unreliable in action on August area of Herman East Africa, India, 17th, when they refused to fight and Malay States, North Borneo, Persia, dispersed to their homes. On August Philippines, Sarawak, Seychelles, Siam,. about Samara,
There are about 19,000 Bolsheviks be tween the Caechs in the neighbourhood of Ekaterinburg and General Poole's forces at Archangel.
It is understood that over 100,000 cap-Bolsheviks and Germans are engaged with
the Czechs,
CONTINUED FRENCH PROGRESS.
LONDON, September 20th.
GERMAN-LED FORCES SEVERELY DEFEATED,
LONDON, September 20th. A British official communique regarding the operations in North Russia states:
On the Dwina a very large enemy armoured steamer has been captured.
20th a determined Turkish attack was
bruten ef by the North Staffords and Straits Settlements and Zanzibar, con- Worcesters, whe, however, were compelled taining letters received in Londen for to give ground. Realising the hopeless-dispatch between mid-day of the 7th inst ness of the situation, owing to improper support, we decided to evacuate Baku and the morning of the 11th. No Army on Sept. 1st. The same day the Turks mails were included in the dispatch. re attacked and rallies again failed to co-operate with the result that the Warwicks had to cover the Armenian and AUSTRIAN PEACE PROPOSAL. Russian retirement and it is fenced they lost heavily.
UNRELIABLE ARMENIANS.
troops On September 2nd certain arrived from the Russian General Bicha- rakov na a consequence of which the British resolved to bold on a little longer. The promise of further reinforcementa tended to improve the merak of our allies and re-strengthened their wish to hold on to Kaku.
A Erench communiqué states that the troops on the 19th inst.. continued their attacks in the region westwards of St. Quentin, "extending their gains, despite On the 18th inst., the Karelia troops stubborn resistance. We advanced beyond severely defeated German led forers at Contescourt, which is ours, and we carried Ukhtinskaya, 40 miles eastward of the and the temporary inactivity of the enemy Finnish frontier. The pursued the enemy who suffered heavily,
Balkans.
Castres. Southwards we recebed the out- skirts of Benay.
line, but so magnificent was the defence
On the plateaux westwards of Jouy the that dense enemy waves only succeeded enemy again counter-attacked unsuccess Lownox, September 20th.
Pin reaching our positions at certain fully. We inflicted heavy losses on the places, from which very few returned. enemy, appreciably increasing our ad- Heater's Correspondent at British When the effert spent itself, there was Headquarters, telegraphing to-day, says a sheer mowing down of the assaulting vance and capturing 100 prisoners. the battle of St. Quentin, which is now ranks. The ground was a terrimle sham- AMERICANS DEMONSTRATE THEIR bies. The enemy casualties were quite
EFFICIENCY, quieting down, has been one of the notable
forty per cent of the troops engaged. The enemy casual. The Sixth German Division, fresh from victories of the war. ties have been most heavy owing to the traicing as storm troops, is no longer
close character of the fighting and the sturdy resistance. The principal, centres of fighting yesterday were around Epely. where the Alpine corps continue to offer tout resistance and between Gouzeaucourt and Villers' Guislain' where the 6th Bran- denburg Division was raked to shreds by the machinegan barrage. - «
MAGNIFICENT BRITISH RESISTANCE.
wet-worthy.
7
BRITISH TROOPS INDIVIDUALLY SUPERIOR.
は
1
LONDON, September 19th. Heuter's Agency learns that the strik- ing success at St. Mihiel has conclusively demonstrated to the world that the Ameri- cans are as highly trained as a fighting machine as the Germans or the British
and French.
The
[THECCO REUTER'S AGENCY.) PROGRESS AROUND LAKE DOIRAN.
SEVEN HUNDRED PRISONERS.
Doiran.
LONDON, September 20th. A British official message from Salonika says the British and Greeks, at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 18th inst., attacked to the westward and eastward of Lake They captured westward of the lake, Trenchavatem, south of Doiran town, advancing our line about 2.000 yards. Heavy Bulgarian counter-attacks regained part of the ground captured on the left, but the positions in the centre and on the right were maintained.
Eastward of the lake, after a night advance, we carried the enemy's outpost
line.
Further north resistance was more stubborn.
The French unstintedly praise the Gauche Wood and at Epehy.
There was long and bitter fighting in
The most American Staff Work, and say the success determined effort was south of Berthen- court, abere our artillery played such enables the Allies at any time they please havbe that it was a mere straggling to begin an attack threatening the securi- remnant which received the final repulsey of the whole German line by menacing from infantry.
their lateral lines of communication, the fortress of Metz und the Briey iron dis gallantry. British
trict. It likewise threatens the whole line of the Meuse "northwards. Hence the Americans' new line may very greatly in- fluence the future course of the war.
The moral effect of the tanks has been
Luxuos, September 19th. Reuter's Correspondert
iminense. They frequently gained their at
objectives without firing a shot. The Headquarters, continuing his message of numerous gulches and sunken rouds gave to-day's date, the first part of which ap- them much opportunity for tactical enter- pears among the earlier cables, says:prise. Their skill and daring were too
much for the Germana,
Equally fine was the splendid resistages of the 17th Division to the heavy counter-
attack at Villers-Guislain. Our men stood their ground like graven images. The Germans came on again and again with great valour and determination. Then came a lull. The 17th still stood while the only Germans to be seen were stark or writhing forms in the foreground.
Summing up, we have advanced an There is evidence that the Germans are average of 4.000 yards on a front of 18 | finding" great difficulty in arranging miles, engaging 13 Divisions between reliefs for Divisions in the line, which is Gouzeaucourt and the Somme and oblig-
imposing an excessive strain on the troops.
the enemy to throw in two more
Divisions from close reserve,
At no period of the war has the in dividual superiority of our soldier, been more pronounced. "In an Order dealing with raiding parties, General Von Below, Commanding the Seventeenth Army Corps, says This shows that at pre- sent the British have a fighting superi ority over our troops in No-Man's-Land."
To-day the fighting has been in the nature of local actions principally around Epeby, Villers-Guislain, east of Ronssoy This morning it was reported that we and Unsche Wood. We repulsed all at- were holding all our gains. tempts to regain ground and further procuring the evening of the 18th inst. The enemy desperately counter-attacked south-east of Havrincourt Wood, employ ing six Divisions, but being entirely reulsed, as was a similar effort in the
gressed.
This morning we carried Lempire north- east of Ronssoy. The mopping up" of
the German outpost zené steadily con- tiaues.
A
THE GERMAN REPORT.
LONDON, September 20th. wireless German official messuge
states:-We repulsed repeated strong
counter-attacks against Gouzeaucourt and.
vicinity of
Villiers-Guislain.
The Australians captured 342 prisoners in an attack on the Hindenburg outpost line..
"AUSTRALIANS AGAINST MAIN
LINE.
LONDON, September 19th. The Australians have advanced beyond on both sides of Epehy, and also attacks the Hindenburg outposts and are right
up against the main line. ALLIED ADVANCE IN IMPREGN
ZONE. ABLE"
between the Omignon rivulet and the Somme.
PARIS, September 19th.
A Havas message says:The British and French attack on both sides of St. Quentin represents an advance on a 22 mile front.
་་
is
A GENERAL REVIEW.
THE NEW BRITISH FRONT.
10
LONDON, September 20th. The severe German defeat, recorded by Sir Douglas Haig, is the culminating
concerted engagements during the last operation of an uninterrupted series of
eight days. Its chief importance lice the fact that the advanced defences of the Hindenburg Line, west and north-west of St. Quentin, have been broken down. The new front borders almost everywhere the Hindenburg Line except to the west of St. Quentin, where the town is girdled by a powerful defensive system which is com pleted on the east and south by the double water-line of the canal and the Somme, narrow gullies and sunken roads con stituting formidable obstacles.
The positions taken by the British. form a network of wooded hills commanding the Cambrai-St. Quentin road. Any further loes of ground here will constitute a new breach in the Hindenburg Line.
CONSTANT HAMMERING BY THE FRENCH.
Upwards of 700 prisoners have been counted. The Greeks fought with great
FIGHTING NOW ON OPEN GROUND.
LONDON, September 19th. A Haves message says:In the Bal- kans," north of Monastir, the Allies bave continued their advance.
Serbian and Jugo-Slav troops fought with great dash.
The Bulgar defence system was broken and the troops are now on, open ground
without trenches.
FRENCH TROOPS PURSUING BULGARIANS.
The action of the fleet was peculiar as it refused permission for the British evacuation.
REPORT BY LABOUR CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.
Lospey, September 19th, The Labour Conference War Aims Com. mmittee bas submitted a report regarding the Austrian Peace. Note, urging the Allies to make public a collective declara tion of their aims, to subscribe to Pre- sident Wilson's fourteen points and to ask the enemies to define their war aims.
The report was adopted without a vote.
AMERICAN LABOUR TERMS.
A
Meanwhile, the local population "were
"PARIS, September 19th. apparently quite unable to sink dif-
Havas message, sags:- American ferences which went so far that the
Labour's prace terms were laid before the Armenians opened negotiations to hand
resumed Conference of Inter-Allied over the town to the enemy thereby in- Labour delegates in London by Mr. troducing another element of extreme Gompers, who stated that the German danger to the British detachment. This
invaders must be driven out and then, action of the Armeniacs caused the feet endorsing the fourteen points laid down to train guns on the Armenian quarter.
by President Wilson, he remarked that On September 14th the Tarks made a
there should be a league of the free peo-" After a determined attack in force. sixteen hours battle, the brunt of which was borne by the British, our troops finally evacuated the town and reached north-west Persia by sen. themselves had become disgusted with the dilatory, unreliable behaviour of the Armenians and presumable placed the necessary shipping at the disposal of the evacuating forces.
The Russians
#
AMSTERDAM, September 20th. A message from Constantinople states that the Turks have beerpied Baki.
GERMANY'S OFFER TO
BELGIUM.
»
THE TERMS ANALYSED AND REJECTED. LONDON, September 18tb. A telegram from the Belgian Foreign Minister has been communiented to
of the world, and a common covenant to secure justice and peace, and a recog nition of the rights of small nations.
BRITISH LABOUR MINISTER'S SPEECH IN PARIS.
*
x
PARIS. September 10th. A Havas message says:-Mr. Roberts, British Minister of Labour, addressed Tueeting at Paris and said the British, together with the American Democracy, would continue the war until peace by victory was secured, Alsace and Lorraine were to be restored to France without a referendam.
FRENCH PREMIER'S
PROMISE.
M. Clemenceau's magnificent reply to Austria was most loudly applauded when he said: A mout..terrible account from one people to another has been open- ed; it shall be paid."
..
Reuters Agency. It begins: The Bel-
FRANCES REPLY." gian Government bas received through an
"PARIS, September 20th. indirect channel communications which Acknowledging to the Swiss Minister throw light on the intention of Germany the receipt of the Austro-Hungarian towards Belgium. The communications Peace Noir, M. Pichon enclosed in his LONDON, September 20th. were transmitted from Berne to the letter a copy of the official Journal con- A Freach Eastern communiqué states Belgian Foreign Minister, who immedi-taining the perch of M. Clemenceau, cabled on the 18th inst., declaring that The Allies on the 17th and 18th insts.tely acquainted the Allied Governmentä.
the speech constituted the reply of France. greatly extended the two previous days Belgium did not receive a formal pro successes, the Bulgarians retreating in disposition directly from the Imperial to the Note. order the. Cerna
Government. According
·HINDENBURG LESS BOASTFUL. “% nunications received, the intention of
LONDON, September 19th. Germany would be to demand that The Mittage Zeitung publishes an Hin- Belgium bind herself to effect a solution denburg Proclamation acquainting the of the languages question in conformity troops with the Austrian peace proposal with Germany's "Imperial policy, thus requiring Belgim to abdicate the right inherent to her sovereignty to solve one of the problems of ber internal political organisation in accordance with the in- terests of the Belgian people.
Our troops, pursuing, reached the Cerna at one part and captured the mountain- us zone at Djurorkamen and Chazerns, crossed the River Delachichtza and passed the Rozden region and Blaten mountain The enemy abandoned prisoners and
much material..
British and Greek troops attacked in the region of Lake Doiran and gained a foot ing in the first enemy positions, despite resistance. They have already captured numerous prisoners..
SERBIANS BREAK BULGARIAN FRONT.
Lospos, September 19th." The Serbians have completely broken
ДЕСС
the Bulgarian front. miles north of the original front.
Serbian cavalry. reached Polshko, 20 Other Serbian cavalry are advancing upon the important junétion of Prilep.
"The front is now 25 miles wide.
The offensive is regarded as a most in- FRENCH COMMENT.'.
portant success, and it looks likely that the Allies will clear the whole of this PARIS, September 20th.
Meanwhile General Mangin, on the 3.50 p.m.
THE MACEDONIAN FRONT. The Echo de Paris states that the heavy
right, is indomitably hammering at the great St. Gobain position which is the The entry of the Anglo-Greek forces into central pillar of the enemy line, while the action, fellowing German counter-attacks at "Gouzeaucourt
with rupidity the Americans are preparing to turn the Franco-Serbian success foreshadows a mentioned in yesterday's communiqué ers.
southernmost Hindenburg bastion at great extension of fighting on the Mace At points the advance into the "im-Metz, all giving promise of the most mo- donian front. from Sir Douglas, Haig, were launched by
pregnablo' zone of the Hindenburg mentous operations next month. Prince Rupprecht, who attempted to copy defences was several miles, and resulted General Mangin's récent victorious in the capture of 10 village fortresses. manouvre. Two fresh divisions were em The French took part in the drive, ployed. The main object of the counter-making an advance of nearly two miles offensive was to compel the abandonment on a front of about six miles, "of the British advance towards Le Catclet Two MILES FROM HINDENBURG
and St. Quentin.
..
TOTAL PRISONERS NOW 10,000. LoNDos, September 19th. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig states that further reports confirm the heavy nature of the enemy's counter- attack yesterday afternoon north of Tres. cault and the severity of his losses.
There are over 60,000 (18,000) prison-
LINE.
2
***LONDON,, September 20th. The British line is nowhere more than two miles from the Hindenburg Line.
LONDON, September 10th.
(Delayed).
The British so far bave taken 8,000 There has been Sghting to day in the prisoners and 50 guns on the Gouzeau- Hector east of Epehy and also in the neigh-court-Holnon front and are now within bourhood of Gouzeaucourt, where we two miles of the Hindenburg Line. gained ground north of Gauche Wood..
There were tocal engagements on the. remainder of the battle-front.
We improved our positions slightly westward of Wytschacte and repulsed raiders cast of Neure Chapelle and north of the Ypres.Comines Canal..
The prisoners taken during the upera" tions commenced yesterday north of St. Quentin now exceed 10,000, while over co guns have been captured,
GERMAN REPORT.
LONDON, September 19th, A wireless German official message, admidst lengthy claims alleging that the Anglo-French offensive has been repulsed, admits that the Australians have reached the line Bellicourt-Bellenglise. It is stated that fifteen British and French divisions have been identified on the at- tacking front.
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCE.} .....
INTENSE FIGHTING IN
PALESTINE. "..
Reuter's Correspondent at the French The Near East. Headquartets, describing the bitter fight- ing of General Mangin's men on the Mal maison Plateau, says immediately one posi- tion has been taken another commanding it must be attacked. The troops have been worked to the last ounce, enduring fatigue unknown since the battle of Verdun. Some divisions have been engaged almost intessantly for 17 days....
LONDON, September 20th. A Turkish communiqué of the 17th reports intense Sghting activity on the. HAPPIEST CIRCUMSTANCE OF Whole Palestine front.
THE WAR-
Aerial Activities.
THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
DAILY.
電する
the
Com-
BELGIUM A.MILLSTONE ROUND
and intimating that war operations are
not to be interrupted, adding that "readi- ness for peace is not in contradiction with the spirit with which we are carrying on
struggle."
the
Hindenburg significantly drops his pre- vious boastfulness about smashing up his energies and dwells on the defensivo nature of the struggle and the necessity of protecting the Homeland.
He warns the troops that the enemy camp had previously rejected Germany's peace offers with scorn and derision.
AUSTRIA'S OFFER STILL OPEN.
THE KAISER'S NECK.
PAR15, September 19th. A Havas message says: Belgium has rejected the offer of Germany's parato peace. Belgium is a millstone tied round the neck of the Kaiser and a handicap to the German forces. The Germans want to shorten their line and this is only possible with a neutral Belgium, as a defensive counterpart to the offensive movement of the Allies, which is outflank, ing Belgium,
After criticising Mr. Balfour's speech Germany would also claim full amnesty on the Note, the announcement laconical- for Belgian citizens who had been guiltyy concludes: The Austro-Hungarian of helping the plans of the enemy, thereby offer is still open. imposing on the Belgian Government an act of submission.
•
Germany would insist on the mainten ance, after the war, of commercial treaties the destruction of Belgian industry by the previously in force. This, following upon would ensure Germany's econo invader mic
grip on the country... Bloreover, the pawn theory is not abandoned. Germany would insist upon binding up the fate of Belgium with the solution of the colonial question.
AMSTERDAM, September 20th. A Vienna ofheial announcement acknow. ledges the rejection of the Austro-Hun- garian peace suggestion.
14
BOMBARDMENT OF METZ
THE GERMAN EXPLANATION.
AMSTERDAM, September 20th. A Berlin official essuge states:--The enemy for several days has been bom- barding Metz with a long-range gun
LATER
The bombardment of Metz is announced in the following official communication published in Metz newspapers, obviously intended to reassure the population
The enemy for
everal days bas bect:
Finally, the obligation which rests on Germany completely to repair the damage unjustly inflicted upon her victim is not even mentioned. Germany thus would be enriched by the pillage of Belgium whose ruin
Would be completed. It should be noted that published state- bombarding Metz with a long-range gau, ments are inaccurate on the two follow.2018 bombardment has always been pos- ing points. In opposition to what hassle through all the years of the war. been said, the communications which have It has been long expected that modern been received by the Belgian Government guns would have a longer range thang mention neither an eventual suspension of tor example, the distance from south of hostilities between Belgium and Germany Pont-à-Mousson to Mets. The present bombardment, therefore, is in Howie The conditions set forth above over connected with the fact that the enemy, shadow, and render sterile, all declarations after our evacuation of the St. Mihiel which appear to recognise the indepen- salient, approached nearer the town. It dence of Belgium. They cannot be taken
LONDON, September 20th. President Wilson, replying to His Majesty the King's congratulations on ALLIES BOMB GERMAN TOWNS nor the evacuation of Belgian territory. the St. Mihiel victory, says The generous rivalry now going on between the forces of the great countries engaged against Germany is touched with an
as the basis of any serious discussion. is only a concomitant phenomenon of the present battles west and south-west of enthusiasm and beroism which must cer
The Belgian Government formulated its Mets and will soon cosse when these come
to a stand-still. tainly bring victory with quicker and
programme in a Note to the Pope on
Therefore the regula December 24th last which was published in quicker pace, and it is one of the happiest
The German figures concerning the January, and, as all the Allied Govern- tions regarding the entry to and depar circumstances of the war that the Armies tan admira cach other's achievements I attacks are far below the facts.
ments know, it is firmly resolved to main-ture from the fortress zone are not
altered." tain it undiminished. Refugees are fleeing to Holland daily, with equal enthusiasm.”
AMSTERDAM, September 20th The military correspondent of the Folk states that the Allies are daily bombing Cologne and Coblenz Many have been killed and injured.