EXCHANGE: Closing Quotations --- T.T. London 2a. 434d.
On Demand 28. 4.9-16d.
The Hongkong Telegraph
Copyright © 1917,
STABLISHED 1881)
the Proprietor,
April 27, 1917.
Temperature. Humidity
68 2 pu
1
WEATHER FORECAST
Temperature 6 aim,
April 27, 19:6, Humidity
7647 日七和月三
TELEGRAMS.
[Beater's Service to The "Telegraph."]
THE GREAT OFFENSIVE..
German Attempt to Attack Falls.
London, April 26.
FRIDAY, APRIL 27,
1917.
TELEGRAMS.
(Reuter's Service to The "Telegraph.”]
EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN,,.
Large German Hospital Surrenders,
London, April 26 Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports:-The enemy during An Esat African official message usys that the season is the the evening endeavoured to attack our new positions in the neigt-wettest for nine years, and large operations are suspended. bourhood of Gavrelle, bat our artillery barrage caught the advancing troops, completely repulsing them.
How Long?
London, April 28. Reater's correspondent at the British. Headquarters atates: It is clear that the Germans intend to make every ascrifice to the fighting of a great delaying battle in the Scarpe Valley. Lacking -well prepared defences, their only hope of checking our advance is by using ap great masses of troops. They are still harrying up reserves and throwing them into the line.
A large German hospital in the Rufiji área has surrendered owing to flooding and hanger.
•
THE BUDGET.
London, April 26 The introduction of the Budget is postponed. -
A
ANOTHER NAVAL ENGAGEMENT.
London, April 28.
A French naval communiqne asya that a squadron of German The extreme-bitterness of the fighting is due to the fact that destroyers bombarded Dunkirk for ten minutes on the night of the some of their best Divisions are employed. Tais must result in 25th, while sailing pret that port. The coast batteries replied, and greatly accelerating exhaustion, and, if continued, the situation Anglo-Franch patrol boats engaged the enemy, who retired towards would resolve itself into the simple problem of which side can Ostend at high speed. A French torpedo boat was aank in the longer maintain the deadly pace. Sinos the answer to that is no-course of the engagement. The enemy's losses are not known. questionable, the only other question is:How long?
A German Communique.
London, April 26. ·
A German official wireless mensage states:-Attacking wAYCH thrice stormed our positions to the south of the Scarpe and thrice they were compelled to withdraw.
Oar position at Gavrelle in now situated at the eastern Loundary of the village.
Our advances have improved our position at Chemin des Dames, -and there we have taken 163 prisoners.
Huas Again Sustain Heavy Losses.
London, April 26.
A French communique says:-North of the Aiane, the enemy again vainly attempted to drive us away from the plateau of Chemine des Dames. Last night, after a violent bombardment, the enemy twice powerfully, bat casuccessfully, attacked on a front of two kilometres, west of Cerny. The attacks were smashed up before our lines with very heavy losses, Acother attempt in the region of Hartebise farm failed similarly.
German Soldiers' Parley for Peace.
London, April 28. Reuter's correspondent at Petrograd says that the Germans sre making unremitting attempte to parley with the Russian soldiers, displaying placards "Don't attack; we also won't.”
During the last few days, on many sectors of the front, the Germans have not fired a shot, and Germans have dropped pro- -clamations alleging a popular movement in Germany in favour of
immediate negotiations for an honourable peace.
Many Austro-German parties errrying red and white flage attempted to reach the Bassin trenches, despite the fire. Soms of thees were taken prisoner and affirmed that the enemy ranks, especially the Socialists, desired an immediate peace.
The latest news from the front shows that the Rusisa artillery is increasing its activity at various points, which is a suficient -answer to the latest Hun már88,
SUBMARINE SUNK
Good Work by American Steamer.
London, April 26.
According to a New York measage, a telegram-received from London states that the Captain of the American ateamer Mongolis, which has arrived at a British port, claims to have sunk a German submarine by gunfire sa the latter was attacking a liner in British waters.
GERMANY WAVERING.
Glad to Get Peace on Any Terms.
London, April 26.
According to Benter's correspondent at Amsterdam, the semi- fficial Berlin statement concerning Germany's war aims (which. will be found in the earlier telegrama) is the Government's reply to the recent Scoialist peace resolutions, "
Vorwgerts describes the statement as a sign of weakness, and declares that the Government would be glad to get peace on sny terms but does not dare to say so.
The Persische Zeitung attacks the Government for not giving
a clear lead in a question agitating the Government
ITALY AND SUBMARINISM.
London, April 26.
An Italian naval communique states that during the week end- 'ing the 22nd inst, the arrivals of vessels were 395 and the sailinge 425. Tos sinkings were ano steamer under 2,300 tone and ons under 750 tons as well as a smiling ship of over 210 tons. Two teamers attacked by a raider and a submarins respectively escaped.
THE MACEDONIAN: FRONT.
London, April 26.
A German official wireless merenge states:-Prisonera" etsie- indiasts that the English attack on Lake Doiran on Tuesday Kand d to have far-reaching results against Bolgaria, We
E all our positions, inflicting heavy lowon
. IRISH SETTLEMENT POSSIBLE,,
London, April 27.
In the House of Commons, Mr. Bonat Law indicated the possibility of anlation of the Irish question.
Mr. Lloyd George said he would make a statement next week.
[In the event of telegrams arriving too late for lasertion on this page they will be found on an Extra),
...
EARLIER TELEGRAMS,
BRITISH ATTACK ON SALONICA FRONT.
·London, April 25.
British official report from Salonica says:-After a three days' bombardment we attacked last night où a two and a half miles front between the southern end of Lake Doiran and a point to the north-west of Doldrel. We ad- vanced northward of Doidzeli for five hundred yards on a mile of front, repelled four counter-attacks and consolidated the position. We penetrated the enemy's tranches further eastward, but were unable to retain the ground.
Fighting continues.
THE GREAT OFFENSIVE.
Thousands of German Dead
London, April 25.
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: We slightly advanced our line to-day southward of the Scarpe River, where two German field guns were captured on Tuesday. Many thousands of German dead are on the battlefeld which we now occupy. Fine weather on Tuesday facilitated many. successful air raids, the bombing of railway junctions, sero. dromes, billets and dumps. A large bomb struck the engine of a moving train. The engine was blown off the line and the train wrecked. Hostile troops and transport were also successfully engaged with machine guns. There was much air fighting. Seven German machines were brought down, eight were driven down and two balloons destroyed Bir of our machines are missing.
Beuter's correspondent at Headquarters says: We out: number the enemy's supply of machine guns as well as of other weapons.
i
A wireless German official message says: Throe English attacks to the north of Monchy were repulsed with heavy losses.
Sanguinary German Defeat.
London, April 26,
A French communique reads as follows:- Artillerying has continued all along the front. North of Vaux Salon machine gun and artillery fire: frustrated an attack against our trenches. It is confirmed this morning that the Germans have been bloodily defeated in an at- tempt against Hurtebise farm. This was stopped at first by our fire. They renewed the assault shortly afterwards but a vigorous counter-attack threw them back on their own lines.. During the action the artillery caught and dispersed large German concentrations in the region north of plateau of Vauclere.
The Belgian communique reports that artillery duels have been resumed at different points, especially near Dixmude
THE SHIPPING OUTLOOK.
Our
London, April 26... Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Devonport mal that as a vast amount of
tonnage is locked up in military transport shipping resources are in no wise assured and our shipping in daily wasting. Although our existence depended on our shipping and there was no immediate prospect of the release of the locked-up shipping, he was not despondent. The situation could and would be faced but only by a diminution of consumption.
GERMAN WAR AIMS.
Amsterdam, April
A Berlin message states that in reference to an urgent demand that the Government declare its war aims, it is seun-officially announced that the Goremment hig" nothing to add to its previous commuideations" and thus it will continue its policy undeterred by any presenre.
伍拜禮 骇七十月四英沿導 SINGLE COPY 10 CANTS;
TELEGRAMS.
[Keuier's Service to ine "Telegraph."}
GRAPHIC DETAILS OF RECENT NAVAL ACTION.
London, April 2
The Press Bureau issies details of the destroyer action reported on the gist inst,
The number of German destroyers was six, not five as originally reported. The British destroyer leaders Swift and Broke were on night patrol in the Channel They were. steaming a westerly course when they sighted the enemy flotilla on their port bow proceeding at high speed in the opposite direction. The night was calm and intensely dark, so that the enemy was within six hundred yanda' range when they were first sighted. Simultaneously," the German fire gongs rippled down the line and the Germans opened Ere with a blaze of flashes.
The Swift instantly replied and Commander Peck, with out hesitation, decided to ram the leading destroyer. The wheel was wrenched round and the Swift, with every oc cupant on the bridge blinded by flashes, drove straight for the enemy.
It must be realised that ramming one of a line of des- troyers dashing through in pitch darkness, at twenty to thirty knots speed, is an exceedingly delicate operation. One initial miscalculation of a few degrees of the helm or a few revolations more or less of the propellers would apell failure which probably means that she would be rammed by the next enemy boat.
The Swift missed but traversed the line unscathed," turn- ed like a hawk upon the enemy and while turning nestly torpedoed another boat Again she dashed at the leading boat, which again eluded her and, without ring another shot, steamed off at full speed in the darkness, the Swift pursuing her.
When sighting the enemy, the Broke (Commander Evans) was steaming astern of the Swift. On the latter altering her course to ram the leader, the Broke torpedoed the second boat of the line and opened fire with every gun.
The dull glow from every funnel of the six enemy boats, which were stoking furiously for fall speet, lit up their upper works thus enabling Commander Evans to decide his tactics.
Gathering speed for a blow he swung to port and rammed the third boat at fall speed, fair and square abreast of the aft funnel. Thus the locked boats fought desperately in a band-to-band conflict The Broke swept the enemy's decks at point blank range with every gun of her main armament » to her pompom and maxim and with ride and pistols.
The two remaining destroyers of the German line pour-- ed on a devastating fire and the Broke's foremost gun's crews were reduced from eighteen to six.
Midshipman Gyles, who was in charge of the forecastle, though wounded in the eye, kept all the foremost guns in action; assisting the depleted crews to load. Meanwhile, a number of frenzied Germans swarmed up on the Broke's forecastle from the rammed destroyer amid the blinding flashes from the forecastle guns, and rushed aft. Gyles, though half-blinded by blood, met the rush single-handed with his revolver which a German attempted to seize, where- upon a seaman named Ingleson promptly bayoneted him. The remainder, excepting two who were feigning death and who were taken prisoner, were driven overboard.
The Broke two minutes after ramming wrenched herself free from ber sinking adversary and then attempted to ram the last boat in the line She failed in this but he the latter's consort on the stem with a torpedo,
The Broke, botly engaged with these two fleeing des troyers, followed the Swift, but a shell struck the Broke's boiler room, disabling the main engines.
The enemy vanished in the darkness. The Broke next. headed towards a destroyer which was heavily on fire and whose crew sent up loud appeals for mercy. Regardless of the danger of the enemy's boilers exploding the Broke moved slowly towards her. The cries of "Save, save" were redoubled, when the German unexpectedly opened fire. The Broke, uncontrollable and unable to manoeuvre or extricate. herself, silenced this treachery with four rounds, then firing a torpedo hit the destroyer amidships.
Meanwhile the Swift, unable to maintain full speed owing to a slight injury which she had received earlier in the fight, abandoned the chase.
Frecently she sighted an outlying stationary destroyer and heard confused voices. She warily approached with her gune trained on the stranger. The latter was found to be the sinking destroyer which had been rammed by the Broke... The crew bellowed in unison "We surrender," but, suspecting treachery, the Swift awaited developments. The German destroyer's crew then stopped shouting and she heeled slowly over and sank stern foremost, the crew taking to the water.
The Swift, using her searchlight, rescued the survivors. The Swift's and Broke's crews cheered each other out in the darkness till they were boarse.
The British casualties were comparatively light and the spirit, of the wounded is epitomised in the conduct of the Broke's helmsman, Rowles, who, though hit four times with shell fragments, remained at the wheel throughout the action and only betrayed the fact that he was wounded by reporting to his Captain "I am going off now, sir" and then fainting,
Commander E.R.G. R. Evans, 0.1., is the Arctic explorer, who was second in command of the ill-fated Scott expedition in 1809 to the Antarctic and returned in command of the expedition after the death of Captain Scott in 1918.
THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.
London, April 95,
The Admirally announces that the arrivals of the past.
·week' numbered 2,565 and the sailings 2,021,
Forty
wels of over 3,800 tons and fifteen under 1,600 tons were ink Twenty-seven vessels were ninccessfully
attacked. Nine fishing vessels were sunk.
EARL OF SUFFOLK KILLED,
the Earl of But/
$36 PER ANNUM,
GERMANY DRAINED OF CAPITAL.
Indemnity or Economic Rula
The Berns correspondent of t Timer wrote on March 7:--
The German and Austrisu newspapers" osstions to ruforin=" the public that the situation is most favourable to the Central Powers, and that analy victory in Kamared them. The Neue Fraie : Press of. Vienas anounces that the great sucomms of the submarineœampaign is infoencing, as it was certain to influence, the policy öf säutrule, and is reacting on the United 8:aton. It adds that even Amerios possesses DO KISANA of coasterscting submarinee; and that if it discovered s practicable Dean the latter could be am- ployed only when too late. The Austrian newaps per contends that the attitude of the Senate is a proof of the strength of the pasce movement, in spits of the Mexico incident, and though it admit that the tension is still great, it finds consolation in the reflexion that the pesos iden ie strengthened by every day gained.
The Loit sig Heueste Nash- rishten considers the prospect wo rosy that it devotee a leading | article to the elaboration of the compensation ides. It insists that not single inch of territory occupied in France, Belgium, Ru- insnis, Servis, ois, shall be rOI- tored until every fraction of the gold indemnity demanded by Germany is paid. The National Liberal organ reminds the publia that even if the Entente Powern refrained from waging their much- trumpeted economic way after the war, and generously opened "all their ports to German trade on the most favourable conditions, it would be exceedingly difficult for Germany to competa without capit al with coantries so well equipped finaicially as the United States, Japan, eto. It also points out that there is a complete lack in Cher- many of raw material, which can be obtained only from abroad, and |that all the waz materialin which ¡German capital has been invested will be practically valueless at the and of the war. Germany, there- fore, the it faential Saxon news paper continues, must receive an adequate war indemnity, other. wise she will not be able, howSVI industrious her population, may ba, to regain her prosperous posi- tion. Other claime, it adde, sre not to be abandoned for the sake of the indemnity, and fall guar...... antees for the security of har frontiers are to be demanded.
The perce that Germany in- tends to conclude, the Leipzig Neueste Nachrichten naɛeria, ia to render her secure for ever against disturbers of peace and to ensure her opportunity and quiet to do successful work, "We do-not-doubt,” the journal obs server, "that the alteration of the war map which will, with God's help, be accomplished this year, will enable our peace negotiators to obtain the fulfilment of both. German wishes.”.
DON'T FORGET.
TO-DAY.
Victoria Thestra-9.16 p.m. Bijou Theatre-0.15 p.m. New Hongkong Cines ----8.15 p.m.
TO-MORROW. “Scenes from Shakespeare' Theatre Royal; 9:15 pm,
Victoria Theatre-8.35 pa Bijon Theatre-9.10 pm New Hongkong Cinemato graph.-935 p.4G/
Wednesday, May 2. Meeting of the H. K. Overnesz
| Club,
nton.