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Closing- Qustalons » T.T. London 2a. 476d.
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The Hongkong Telegraph
(ESTABLISHE 1881.)
1917,
WEATHER FORECAST
OVERCA
April 25, 1917,
7645日五月三
Temperature 68, 65 .Humidity
2 pin. 66
$8
TELEGRAMS.
(Bester's Bervice to The "Telegraph.")
THE FIERCEST BATTLE OF THE WAR.
A DEATH STRUGGLE ON THE WESTERN, FRONT.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26,
TELEGRAMS,
[Beater's Service iɔ The #!
graph
"THE FIERCEST BATTLE OF THE WAR.
On the French Front.
Lande April 84. A French commusique states:-Qar artillery at down some enemy batteries in the regions of St. Questingħad the Vise.
Two German recounsiwarces Dudesvouring is reah our lines in the direction of Hansourt were repulsed with heavy losses,
There has been a violent artillery struggle ta the regions of Harthim and Foulon, in the valley of Crsonne.
"THE ENEMY ACCEPTS BATTLE IN THE OPEN.
London, April 24. Rater's correspondent at the British Headquarters, wiring on the evening of April 23, mys:—Facious fighting in progressing. The misustion can be summed up by saying that we have taken.
Thers bare boss minor actioga, enabling us to advanos and over 1,500 prisoners, our guns have indicted most heary saamaltion, improve our positions on the platess at Obemin des Dames and in and we have done well in some pisses bat asi so well in othere. the direction of Juvincourt, where we carried a de fuan post. We are now nonfrontad, not by a regular trench system, but by
We succesfully bombarded the enemy's lines of communios- innumerabis disconnected defensive patches in the shape of small tion in Champagne.
·redombts, traverson and saps. Hence, while the Germans are indikerently sheltered and besvily, punished by shell £rs, the advance is slow against the machine guns. It is at present our business to clear out the widely-burrowed enemy by pounding -every mors of the honey-combed ground instead of smaulting thể positions frontally. The Germans are hoɑnd desperately to rovins here, bat the more they resist, the banyier will be their losses.
Struggle to the Death."
AMERICAN EXPORTS.
Ünaffected by the Submarine Manace,
London, April 74. mago from Washington states that, despite the submarine the value of the United States exporte in Muwel was |8551,278,000; which was only exceeded in Jaznary, when ... the exports were unprecedented.
THE BRITISH MISSION TO AMERICA.
Its Object Explained.
London, April 24. Reuter's correspondent at Washington states that Mr. Balfour called "at the State Department and the White House and was everywhere chewed. Be laashed at the French Embiny and dined with President Wilson at the White House.
London, April 24. The second phase of the battle of Arras is described by correspondents at the moet diffoult of the war and so a struggle to. the death. The Germans, no longer uncertain of the print of attack,
· have brought up miny mxe gana, and new field howite batteries ars thickly grouped between the Loma and Cambrai-Arras ronda. Wherever the German infantry withstood sumsuits,” it was wholly: das to the supporting artillery and machine-guns. Wherever the British got withis striking distance of the enemy position, the dccupanta ran 16 meet them, throwing up their hands, ar bolted.
A Pomeranian Regiment south of Cambrai was demoralised by the appalling shell-fire and warrendered in batches of Eve hundred,
Mr. Lansing, in reply to auquizion, maid that the day's inn» throwing up their hands immediately the British infantry appeared. ferences were most cordial. The British Commission had come A battery of field guns waa" overwhelmed by the British and was captored in the same area. A aron: revistance was made by the king for nothing, but for the sole purpose of enlightening the Third Bavarian Division around Guemappe, where fortified housee United States on the mistakes of the Entente at the outer of the and dag-outs had been bombed by English, Weish and Soottish. The French Commission's that would be baw of Courtesy troops. Apart from the innumerable machine guas, the ground Mr. Lansing did not expwet anything in the name of War
Conferences. wa alive with snipers, and magy British were shot from behind after entering the German lines.
The Fiercest Battle of the War.
London, April 24.
A Happy Invitatios.
!
Londoɔ, April 24.
زه
• Renter's correspondent at Washington statea that, at the invitation of the Vice President, Mr. Bilfour and M. Viviani will "Beater's correspondent at the British Headquarters, writing on address a joint session of the Saste and the House of Represents- the 24th înst, saya:—I believe it is true that the battle now protives. The date has not yet been fred.
The gressing on the British froat in the fiercest of the whole war. Germans are throwing in large zonerves and have brought up a great number of fresh gane. They probably realise that the battle now developing may assains a decisive character and are therefore resisting desperately. This is exactly what we most wanted. They are certainly now accepting battle in the open,
So far, we have gained mach and lost nothing. As I write, the guns are as boisterous me a hurricane. The great straggle is going on with undiminished intensity under a deep bine sky every- where. I hear that the German casualties are very heavy,
New British Gains.
London, April 24.
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Heig, in a communique, says: The severe fighting continued on Monday evening and daring the night on the whole front from Croivilles to the north of Gavrelle. The enemy constantly repeated unsucessefal counter-stacka with great determination, regardless of lossen,
We maintained the position gained on Monday and further pro- gressed to the east of Monchy Is Preux, and also in the neighbour. hood of Beux.
We successfully beat off a violent counter-attack at Gavrelle, The prisoners taken exceed 1,500, and many more are coming in.
We gained ground daring the night on a wide front east of Epehy and reschet the St. Caentin Canal, in the neighbourhood of Vaadhuile. We captured the villages of Villers Plouich and Beaucemp farther north.
The Enemy's Waste of Man-Power.
London, April 25.
Beuler's correspondent at the British Headquarters, writing on
MR. BONAR LAW'S SON MISSING.
London, April 24. Lieutenant Law, of the Borderers (second son of Mr. Bɔnar Law), is wounded sad mieving in Palestine,
RUSSIAN STEAMER TORPEDOED.
Socialists Incensed at the Act.
London, April 24.
A teľagram from Petrograd states that the news of the sub- marining of the steamer Zara, with returning Russian exiles, was a thunderbolt to Russian Socialist extremists, who declare that the German rulers must pay for this blow at the Revolution.
ENEMY SHIPS IN AMERICA.
Legislation to Sesure Their Use.
London, April 24,
Renter's correspondent at Washington states that Bille have been introduced in both Hones enabling the use of interned Austro-German ships, the rights involved to be determined after
the war.
FRENCH PATROL BOAT'S PLUCKY VENTURE.
London, April 24.
the evening of April 24, says :-Tue Germans have clearly realised According to Bonter's correspondent at Paris, a French patrol they are desperately trying to counter the menanoe to their whole boat on the morning of the 22nd entered the defended port of system of communications lying in the new Franco British cfensiva. Beyrout and left without austsidrag damage, after firing twenty-four Daring the past thirty-six hours they have been throwing shots and drawing the enemy's fire,
ĭa strategia reserves wholesale and recklowly reshing ap guns and ammunition as fast as possible. The enemy's present tapties strongly contrast with his recent methods, when be manifested
MR. HUGHES AND CONSCRIPTION.
a desire so conserva hia man-power. He is repeatedly attacking in maes formation, regardless of the appalling coek. Dsopite the farious
London, April 24 According to Banter's correspondent at Bendigo, Mr. Hughes, remalance," we are steadily gaining ground at various important. points forming the main objective, Eust of Monchy we crept towards in the course of a speech, stated "If national disaster threatened high ground across the Aubepines gully, thereby improving the Australia and the Empire, I would certainly again propone 1. ld on this kay position. '
Conscription.
DỤTCH' PRECAUTIONS.
The Government on the Alert.
London, April 24.
The artillery sppears to be gradually subduing the most motiva enemy fre in the region of the Scarpe and is constantly keeping the Arras-Dousi Bailway under fire, making the bringing up of Ban ammunition very difficult. The fighting is most severs in the Boarpe Valley, The steadfastness of the Brilish infantry was mave more splendid, as is demonstrated by the Homeric
iting proseeting at Croisillos and Garrello. It is impossible, According to Heater's correspondent st The Hague, replying zithie ressonable space, to tell of the heroism and dash displayed, to questions, the War Minister gaya sonrandon that the Datah anti- haya progressed well to the south of the Cambrai road,, Burong Zoppelia gonu:ware efficient. He also stated that monentes were stablished upon the 85. Quentin Canal at Vandhelle, being considered for a mulcter supervision of foreignacy and hast between St Qientia and Donal. This cutting off the can the Government considers the completion of the cosas defanom so
bs necemer
1917.
April 25.
Temperature: 6 am. Humidity
B❤D US+AW SINGLE COPY 10 CENTS.
TELEGRAMS.....
(Benter's Service to The Telegraph
THE ESOPOTAMIA SUCCESSES.
Big Capture of Rolling Sto
London, April 24. General - Maude reporta`ar follows și-Tas battle on the right bank of the Tigris between Bamstra and Iasbulak was continued during the sight of the 22ad ins, Toere wat bevare hand-to-hand £ghting and numerous enemy counter-attacky,
We drove out the enemy from a stubbornly-defended position, which had been elaborately, prepared with Trod roofs and dug-oula We pursued the enemy and gocupied Sierra station on the 22ad, the nasty having hastily destroyed everything posible,
Our exptare inalade sixteen locomotives, 224 railway, traoke and two barges.
The snemy's casualties on the 21st and 22ad were heavy.
TORPEDOING OF HOSPITAL SHIPS.
Wise Decision by French Government.
London, April 24. It is officially announced that, after the German samosacement that hospital ships will be torpedoed, the French Government has intimated that German prisoners will be embarred thereon.
A TYPICAL GERMAN EXCUSE,
London, April 24. Beater's corespondent at Amsterdam says it is officially sanonnoed from Berlin that the reason for felling frait trese in the evacuated territory is to prevent the use of the isxves in summae it me as enemy biver
+
[In the event of telegrams arriving too late for insertion on
this page they will be found on an Extra), "
"EARLIER TELEGRAMS,
THE ALLIED ADVANCE.
French Report Stubborn Fighting.
London April H A French communique states: In Belgaum we completely repulsed several enemy" atzácks. As varions points enemy parties succeeded in penetrating our anvanded elements, bat were driven out again immediately after band-to-band fighting, leaving prisoners. Between the Bomme and the Oise our battenes carried out an effective and destructive fire against German' organisations. Between the 'Aisne and Chemi-des-Dames We made progress north of Sancy. Artillery duels were particularly severe in the sector of Hurtebise farm
Our pilots were engaged in numerous serial fights ou the 22nd inst, bringing down six enemy aeroplanes. Fourteen of our aeroplattes on the night of April 22-23 dropped 1,740 kilogrammes of projectiles on stations and bivouace in the valley of the 'Aisne.
British Gala Important Positions.
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: There was
Paris, April 24. continuous fighting all day long on both banks of the Scarpe and important positions were gained. A marked feature of the operations is the frequency and violence of the counter-attacks in which very heavy enemy losses are incurred. We captured Garrelle village and two and a half miles of defences to the south of the village as far as Roeux cemetery. We fought our way forward to the right bank of the Scarpe on a wide front southwand and eastward of Monchy-le-Preux and captured Gasms.pipe." We took prisoner considerably over a thousand We also made progress south-westward of Lens. There was great aerial activity on Sunday in which our aircraft were entirely successful. Bir German aeroplanes were brought down and fifteen were driven down. Two of ours attacked eight machines, bringing down two and driving. down a third. Our anti-aircraft. gune shot down a fourth. We also destroyed seven kite balloons. Four of our machines are missing.
}
A General Air of Satisfaction,;
London, April 24, Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters states that tàs prisoners are eloquentin speaking of our overwhelming shellfire. Our batteries advanced close to the infantry and, besides drum firing the enemy positions, they barraged all communications, making it almost impossible for reinforcements and supplies to come up. Many tanks are in action. There is a general air of satisfaction in the various headquarters that we are able to get at such great masses of the enemy when they anxiously slip away. It must be emphasised that territory only counts in the decision we are now endeavouring to force when it confers mastery of position, but it is inevitable, that the end will come whether the Germans are defeated in their present positions or miles back.
SUPPRESSION OR OPIUM TRADE.
London, April 4.
At a meeting at the Caxton Hall to wind up the Society for the Suppression of the Opiam Trade, Bishop Brent (u! the Philippines) paid tribute to the power Chics had shown in zidding herself of the terrible incubus, the opini trade, even during great revolution. Only thow ho knew the Chinese at close quarters could appreciate their wonderful potentiality sa, a nation, v. 1
The Chinese Minister said the Chines would no rent until even clandestina, opium
»
$36 PER ANNUM,
CORRESPONDENCE.
[The opinions expressed, by scene- pondents are not necessarily thom of the Hoogkong Talegraph. "T
TO-MORROW'S MEETING.
To the Editor of the
Sir-At
noties in your "
inne to day sein forib," in re- on to a widely expressed de size from many members of the resend the Chamber of Com- community, who were ineligible meros mesting yeste lay and to record a vots there on the qupation
this Colony for a period of years. of the exclusion of Germans:from:
after the Declaration of Pance, I bare ventured to caft' ■- publis meeting in the Tasstre for, the morrow...... afternoon- m $,30, which, I trust, will be largely |attended.
I would point out that this meeting is in no way nocnected with the Chamber of Com= merce, which has already expressed its opinion in no unseṛtäinmanner, bos in intended to give an opportunity to the great body of basinsen men (in this Colony not directly sasociad their vOLS, ed with the Chamber to record
Yours sia.
P. H. HOLYOAK.
Hongkong, April 25, 1917.
MILES OF CLOTH AND
FLANNEL
Mr. Forster's Wonderful War Figures,
After paying a warm tribute to the memory of Lord Kitchener, Mr. HOW. Förster, in introduoi- Ing the Army Estimates in the Homen of Godtmonost highly interesting details of 15% work that has been scoɑmplished on all the frontg.
Rferring to the development of the Royal Flying Corpe, be ment- ioned that Flying Schools bad boen established in Ornada and BgyPË,“ and anti-aircraft stations had horn installed at varicus places. While not wishing to boast of what would happen in the case of renewed Zeppelin raida; he would only say this, that the War Office had profited so the fill by e perience.
An interesting poosage referred to the health of the troops, and Mr. Forster gave the following figures relating to enteric fever caces up to last week ***
Braroo Blonios
Egypt Mesopotamia.
Taking Franon alone, ber of cheer among Br
British troops
of the sypal group of diseaRIS was 4,571. La the South Afrios War the total, was 60,000, and there were 8,227 douthe-
Mr. Forster stated that: Lord Derby had invited Mr. Andrew Weir, a-man of gross business-er- perience, to aid in the: Bupply Bervice.
The Financial Secretary gara the following interesting
atatiation
Cooka traïned during
the year
Vegetable gardeni
Mesopotamiat
Army boosa
month) at ontbesik of war
(pain
At present... pairs Gsa belmate.
Sandbaga
52,000
8,000
50,000 £500,000
000
Khaki clotb yards)105, 000 Flannel
(yards)115,000
There had been made,
Forster added, 111,000 miles. cloth and finnal, and
four and a half simet -20and
earth at the Equator.
A DONT FORGET.