1914-08-14 — Page 2

INTIMATIONS

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, AUGUST 14m, 1914.

achievement. On the other hand, Germany's foreign trade has entirely ceased, Practically every German marchant ship throughout the world is laid up and the problem of how to ensure the feeding of the Army and civilian

A. S. WATSON population during the War must soon

& CO., LTD.,

ESTABLISHED 2 YEARS.

become for Germany a

a very

Very pressing one indeed. How fur Germany has prepared for such emergency as this War creates is not definitely known, but it is significant that during the past mouth or so there has beon a movement in Germany in favour of the establishment of a Government

WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANTS. Economic and Financial General Staff,"

WATSON'S HH

VERY OLD LIQUEUR

SCOTCH

WHISKY.

Celebrated E very oll

the function of which was to prepare. material and monetary resources for War According to the Berlin correspondent of the Westminster Gazelle, De. HIESSEL'S Economic General Stuff would be a Gov. ornment organ with more than advisory powers. It would deliberate on the mea Aures necessary to ensure the feeding of the Army and of the civilian population in time of War: would consider from this, stand." point the measures necessary to increase food production, the grave question of how Germany, deprived by War of the

Russion and Austrian season labour, will harvest her crops, how far she is to import frozen meat, whether she must erect State gtanaries, further her canal

Liqueur Scotch Whisky is are soon, devrilo Prasscial General Stuff"

a blend of the best Pot Distilled Scotch Whiskies. It is of great age, very fine, and mellow. Its superior quality has established its re- putation for over 30 years as THE LEADING SCOTCH WHISKY IN THE EAST.

would prepare in peace for the money strain inevitable during War. It would prepare & War loan policy and a policy to most the danger caused by the sudden strain on private credit by the first days. of panic. This does not look as if Germany were altogether prepared for war, Owing to the British Government's control of the submarine cables we are kept in absolute ignorance of what is happening in Germany; but it is not difficult to imagine that the economic and financial strain of this War must already be acutely felt. there. It is all the worse because War bos broken out in the harvest season, and it is very probable that Austrian labour is not more available for harvesting purposes in Germany than is Russian BRANDY.Labour. In this connection it would be

WATSON'S

E

119:

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Osly communications relating to the news column should be addressed to Tue EDITON,

Correspondenta must. forward their names and addresses with communica tions addressed to the Editor, not for publication but as evidence of good faith.

All letters for publication should be teritten on one side of paper only.

interesting to learn what has happened at Finest very old BROWN Libau, the great Russian grain-exporting BRANDY, Guaranteed 25 year, depot on the Baltic Sea which a German cruiser was reported last week to be age,in wood. The finest LIQUEUR

bombarding. If Germany is able to plun BRANDY on the market.

der the granaries of Russia along the Baltic Coast ber dificulty as regards, food supplies will be to some extent alleviated, though common report has credited Germany with having maintained for some years past food stores sufficient to last for two years. It is well to bar in mind that 91 per cent, of the area of Germany in productive and only 9 per cent. unproductive; but, on the other hand, the absorption of a large percentage of the population into the Army in time of War must necessarily mean that large tracts of land will go out of cultivation for the time being Germany has been annually importing incont years agricultural prendre and foodstuffs to an amount seven times as great as the value of her export, so that even if her productive capacity were not reduced by the absorp tion of labour into the Army, difficulty would soon arise as regards the feeding of the population because of the stoppage of the import. Moreover, the purchasing power of the people must be greatly reduced, for when we bear in mind that Germany's imports during recent years. have been in the

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HONG KONG OFFICE; 101, Dea Vœux Hoin C. LONDON OFFICE: 131, FLEET STREET, E.C..

The Daily Press.

HONGKONG, August 14rn, 1914.

TEE announcement made on the authority

of the Official Press Bureau in London that num and her export trade about with the German cruisers Goeben and

Breslin interned in the Dardanelles, therhood

of £550,000,000 per |

it

vivid requires no to realise what the complete

enfely of trade is almost entirely assured is stoppage of this huge volume of trade eminently satisfactory reading. Later must mean to the people of Germany.

The Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company's interim dividend is payable to-day.

kong took the fifth prize (£20) in the The 26th Punjabis team from Hong-

Empire Day Challenge Cup Rifle Competition.

The maintenance of sewers and nullahs

in Hongkong during 1913 cost $16,564.81, as against $16,827.51 in 1912 The main tenance of praya walls and piers required a sum of $5,970.

news, however, shows the position with regard to these cruisers to be not quite so satisfactory as the original message repre- sented, for while it is confirmed that the Coches and (ke Breslau bave entered the Dardanelles they are ignoring the neutrality of Turkey as well as the rule of War that a warship of the belligerent Powers seeking refuge in a neutral port shall dismantle her guns and remain interned till the end of the War. The Dardanelles are supposed to be strongly fortified by Turkey, whose duty it is to insist on the observance of the rules of War by these German cruisers, and her failure to do so must be regarded as a mouating to an act of bastility towards Great Britain, Frauce and Russia, We may therefore soon expect to learn that Russia has sent a squadron of her Black Sea fleet into the Dardanelles to meet these A number of British naval officers who

served in China two Gormanships.

in 1000, and With the great others who were with the naval column, German Best bottled up in the Baltic Sea net at dianer at the Trocadero and the German China Squadron apparently Restaurant on 10th ult. Admiral of the

confined by the British Squadron to the harbour of Tsingtau, British and French mercantile shipping is as safe as that of any of the neutral Powers. That is a splendid

Mr. W. R. Feck has recently been appointed U.S. Consul át Tsingtau. Dr. Tenney resumes his former post us Chinese Secretary at the American Legation and has returned to Peking with four new Student Interpreters.

Fleet Sir Edward. Seymour took the chair, and the guest of the evening wa General Sir Alfred Gascles Among those present were Admirals Sir George Callaghan, Sir James Bruce, Sir John Jellicoe, and Sir George Warrender.

THE WAR.

(THROUGH REUTERS AGENCY.)

THE LAND OPERATIONS.

TERRIFIC CANNONADING.

LONDON, August 12th. 3.35 p

telegram from Maastricht capital of the province of Dutch Limburg) says that terrific cannonading has been heard this forenoon in the direction of Tongres."

GERMAN ADVANCE GUARDS IN BELGIUM FALLING BACK.

LONDON, August 12th:

6.20 p.m.

It is officially anounced in Belgium that the German advance guards have begun to fall back on the main Army,

There is no other news..

GERMANS BOMBARDING LIEGE FORTS.

LONDON, August 13th-

2.40 ..

It is stated at Brussels that the Germans have resumed the bom bardment of the Liege forts which are replying vigorously,

Attempts of the Germans to cross the Meuse above Liege are con- siderably hampered by the fire of the forte.

GERMAN ADVANCE RESUMED IN BELGIUM.

LONDON, August 13th.

[4,55 am)

A Belgian announcement on the 11th inst, says the Germans resumed their advance yesterday. The Belgians fought their first engagement in the open, North-West of Hasselt, successfully holding their own. Ten thou sand troops participated in the fight. The Germans are constructing seige

batteries North of Liege."

ALSACE CLEARED OF THE ENEMY..

LONDON, August 13th.

3.40 am.

Reports of enormous French losses in Alsace are officially denied in

Paris where it is officially stated that the French hold upper Alsace with considerable forces. It is officially declared that five words deleted here by censor] Alsace is now cleared of the enemy.

بیاتی

GERMANS REPULSED BY RUSSIANS.

LONDON, August 13th. The Russians have repulsed a German attempt

to

re-occupy. Hydtkwhnen" (a frontier station nege Wirballen).

NAVAL NEWS.

JUSTRIA

AUSTRIA · BLOCKADING MONTENEGRO.

LONDON, August 12th.

6.20 p.m.

Austria, has begun to blockade Montenegro, The Montenegrin Government has given the German Minister his passports.

THE

GOEBEN

AND

"BRESLAU STEAMERS.

SEARCHING FOREIGN

LONDON, August 19th. 6.40 p.m.

The German ernisers frocben and Breslau have entered the Dardanelles and are searching foreign steamers.

FIVE GERMAN CRUISERS IN THE ATLANTIC.

LONDON, August 13th.

-2.40 1. There are British in addition to French cruisers in the Atlantic hunting, five German cruisers.

open

THE TRADE ROUTES OPEN.

LONDON, August 13th.

2.40 a... The Admiralty is confident of its ability to keep the trade routes

MONTENGERINS BOMBARDING AN AUSTRIAN PONT.

LONDON, August 18th)

The Montenegrins are bombarding Cattaro (n fortified Austrian. seaport, in the province of Dalmatia),

THE AMERICAN FLEET.

LONDON, August 13th. The American Fleet will return North from Vera Cruz on the 1st September,

GENERAL INFORMATION.

WAR BETWEEN ENGLAND AND AUSTRIA.

LONDON, August; 12th,

11.35 p.R.

It is officially announced that a state of war exists between Great Britain and Austria from midnight.

[H-E the Governor issued a Proclamation yesterday that war has broken out between Great Britain and Austro-Hungary.]

TERMINATING A FINANCIAL DEADLOCK.

LONDON, August 13th.

Mr. Lloyd George has completed arrangements with the Bank of England which will terminate the deadlock in the money market. The Government agrees to guarantee the Bank against any losses incurred in discounting Bills of Exchange accepted prior to August 4th..

WAR NOTES.

THAT NORTH SEA BATTLE,

The curiosity of the public to know what really happened in the North Sea when heavy firing was heard on the 5th inst, was heightened yesterday by news from Japan purporting to give a brief account of the battle. A Japanese paper publish ed in Formosa has the following informa tion in the form of a telegram dateil Tokyo, August 7th: A naval battle has been fought in the North Sea The German torpedo boats attacked. the British fleet, which suffered the loss of the flagship and three other Dreadnoughts, and a few other ships were damaged. On the German side they lost a few torpedo boats and one cruiser.!!

Another accoyat, we have heard, as having come from Japan, is to the effect that the German fleet suffered a loss of nineteen important ships while the British lost mine in the engagement which ended in the remainder of the German Fleet retreating into the. Kiel Canal.

Another story in circulation is to the effect, that the German High Seas Fleet mrcxpectedly came upon II.M.S. Indeful gable, a sister ship, and the cruiser Monmouth. These three ships were sur- rounded, the Monmouth was sunk, and others severely damaged. While this

was in engagement

progress, the British Battle Fleet came upon the scene and engaged the German Fleet with such success that they drove them from the North Sea with a low of twenty ships on the German side and nine on the side of the victorious fleet

|

THE WAR AND JAPAN'S TRADE,

COUNT OKUMA UN THE ECONOMIC SITUATION.

Count Okuma, the Premier, was visited by two representatives of the Japanese Business Men's Association last week in regard to the future of the economic and financial world of Japan in connection with the war,

In the course of conversation the Promier is reported to have stated that, potwithstanding the outbreak of hostili ties among the European Powers, the Japanese Government will be able to pay. the principal and interest of its foreign. leans to the amount of about Y:60,000,000 during the present fiscal year and also, to redeem the short term railway loan of Y40,000,000, the term of which expires in March next. The Premier in confident that the specie reserve of the Bank of Tapan will in no way be affected by this step. Under these circumstances, to Government will also be able to defray all expenses needed by the Japanese árny End navy in connection with the Enr pean war, inasmuch as there is in the State coffers a surplus amounting to evor Y100,000,000 brought forward from the previous year

Now that businons has been almost totally suspended between Europe and Japan on account of the war, it is only Ratural that Japan's export trade will be In view of this, the seriously affected.

tament intended to afford the Japanese merchants and manufacturers all possible facilities in order to devote and the South Pacific To consider this their energies to the direction of China point, a special Cabinet Council convened yesterday. The effect of the European war has already been felt in various quarters at home, resulting in the sharp fall of quotations, bu silk, The negotiable bonds, cotton cloth, etc. authorities are now considering the best! measures to be adopted in order anstida over the difficulty.

alg

The Nichi Nich, from which we quolo. the above, remarks that only a day or two ago the Takyo Government asked flo Bank of England whether it is possible, for Japan to recall home her deposits with the Bank at any time during the war. To this the Government ressived an affirmative reply. This led the Premier to make the optimistic statement above quoted in regard to financial administra thetion

The marvel is how these stories get into circulation: We can obtain no official corroboration of either of these rumours, but since report of a British reverse in the North Sea is being apparently widely circulated. in the Far East, we give the other rumour, which is evidently nearer the truth, for if the British fleet had not been successful in driving the German fleet from the North Sea it is obvious that Great Britain. would not be in a position to land 200,000 troops on the Contitant, nor would the country be so calm as the telegrams report it to be. The additional facts that there has been an influx of £2,500,000 into the Bank of England and that it has Leen officially declared that the safety of the trade routes for British shipping has been practically assured clearly evidener the fact that the British Fleet has obtain ed the mastery of the North Sea and that the German Fleet is now impotent to in- fliet any harm upon, British shipping beyond the confines of the Baltic Sea.

BATTLE PRACTICE IN THE GERMAN NAVY

The Berlin correspondent of the Nural and Military Record, writing on July 11th said

The frequency with which the German Navy engages in realistic gan practic against obsolete armoured ships is well the Tagliche known. According to Randschot, the Four old vessels of the Sachsen class have proved most uncis- factory for this purpose. The class con- sists of the Sachsen, Bayern, Württruberys. and Haden. The displacement is 7,300 tons; the length 208 feet. For about -one-third of the length there is a belt of 10in, compound armour, above which rises the citadel protected by 92in, plates. The original armament was six 10.2-inch B., two of which were mounted in an open barbette and four in the citadel." "Before one of these old ships is taken out to be fired at it is fitted here and there with ipoder armour-plating, and certain of the vital fittings of a modern man-of-war are reproduced to ascertain their probable fate when subjected to bombardment. In this connection it is rumoured that creditable imitations of the typical British fire-control station have been mounted ou A Vladivostock telegram to the Tokyo the masts of certain German target ships. Jeah reports that a lantern procession The utmost care is taken to ensure that the was organized by the Japanese residents ship remains afloat after, the firing, ⠀⠀ The in the port on the night of the 4th inst., | hull is packed with cork and other. to show sympathy with Russin. A

buoyant material, whilst to guard against number of Russians joined in the proces- total loss the vessel is moored when sion. All the Russians of the city possible in shallow water. When the sincerely appreciated the demonstration

If a sea battle really has been fought and von we cannot devine why the Admiralty should withhold the informa tion from the public for so long."

JAPANESE DEMONSTRATION AT

-- VLADIVOSTOCK.

GERMAN WARSHIPS WATCHING MERCHANT SHIPPING.

of friendship thus shown by the Japanes Practice is over a party of experts at once residents. The Russian papers on the Proceeds on board to examine the effect of the Dockyard staff following day wrote in a very apprecia- each hit, and tive strain of the sympathetic demonstra immediately plugs the shot holes and carries out what repairs are necessary to tions and t

enable the vessel to be towed safely home. On arriving in port she is taken in hand to have all darnage made good, and in due course emerges again to undergo another Ships can thus be used A Moji telegrain to the loch dated the ordeal by Gre 5th inst. says that while the Olaru maru several times over, though it is obvious was steaming between Quelpart Island that there is a limit to their usefulness, for the shattering effect of modern shells and Kyobun Island, a German cruiser, with four funnels, approached the must weaken the structure as a whole, and steamer, whereupon she hoisted the in time damage it beyond repair. It is Japanese fing. The cruiser at once not merely to test the effect of projectiles steamed off. The same cruiser seized a | against armour, etc., that these bombard- two-funnelled steamer, which proved to ments are periodically carried out in the be the Russian Volunteer Fleet steamer. Germen Navy. Experience has proved Another telegram from -Moji to the that the strongest fath and canvas target same paper says that the French steamer cannot profitably be used for gun practice Amazone, which was scheduled to leave in thick or heavy weather, At long ratigo- there for Marseilles ri Shanghai, Singe- it is too small to be seen, and in a seaway pore, etc., is still at anchor fearing is useless. Target ships, on the other seizure by German warships. According hand, offer an excellent mark in any to a wireless telegram received by the weather, and are particularly suited to steamer of the 6th inst. two German war- ships were cruising off Nagasaki, and the long-range praction Every hit can be observed. They cannot, of course, be voyage was considered dangerous.

towed so fast as ordinary targets, but this Another Maji despatch to the saKIE,

is about their only disadvantage. From paper says that the German steamer Penz Waldemar entered the port at 4 time to time old torpedo-boats are used up o'clock from the direction of Genkai. in the same way. The German Navy has 7 She was expected to leave for Tsingtao a large reserve of obsolete ships, and the after coaling.

heavy vote in the annual Budget for fitting them out za gunnery targets shows that this sort of practice is considered to he exceedingly valuable.

THE GERMAN CRUISER "NUENBERG."

Just a month ago the German cruiser: Nurnberg, which has been doing duty on the Mexican coast, entered San Francisco, having been relieved by the cruiser Leipe and ordered to join, the German Asiatic squadron. She was to leave San Francisco for the Far East on July 21st.

SPECIE FOR TSINGTAU

The Deutsch-Asiatische Bank at Shang- hai is atated to hare shipped 3800,000 in silver to Tsingtao last week.

GERMANS AND AUSTRIANS IN LONDON.

According to the latest atatistics avail- able there are 27,427 Germans in London and 6,159 Austrians.

GUN PRACTICE.

In order to obviate any chance of alarm: or misunderstanding, we are asked by Major II. G. Sergeant, R. A. instructor in gunnery, to publish the following item of news. M

Gun practice will be carried out by the Royal Garrison Artillery from the follow ing works and on the following dates:--

Mount Davis, Tuesday 18th August at 8 a.m. in a SW. direction.

Stonecutters, Wednesday 19th August at 0a.m. in a 8.W, direction..

Pakshawan, Saturday 22nd August at 10 am in a N.E. direction.

Should the weather conditions be

unfavourable the practices will be post- poned until the following days, Sundays excepted