1914-11-07 — Page 3

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 1914.

THE WAR,

[THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

THE GREAT BATTLE.

NOTABLE PROGRESS IN BELGIUM.

LONDON, November 5th. 6.15 p.m.

A Paris communiqué Bays:- The Allies made slight progress east of Nieuport along the right bank of the Yeer.

The enemy renewed their attacks from Dixmude to the Lys, at several points, but with less energy than formerly, their infantry attacks especially being less violent.

The French and British lines did not retreat at any point, and, assuming the offensive, made notable progress in several directions.

The front from La Bassee to the Somme was especially marked by an artillery battle in the region of Roye.

We retained occupation of Quesnoy, and advanced appreciably towards Andrechy,

Artillery has been active between the Oise and Moselle.

The German attacks at several parts of the front were repulsed, in some cases after a day-long battle.

The position of the Right Wing is unchanged.

LONDON, November 6th.

A Faris communiqué at 11 o'clock in the evening says:- There is no fresh information regarding operations north of the River Lys.

A violent German offensive movement north of Arras carried the trenches at Save, which we re-captured.

All the German attacks in the St. Hubert region and in Argonne were repulsed.

There is nothing noteworthy elsewhere.

LONDON, November 8th.

5.05 a.m.

A Belgian communiqué says: South of Zandvoorde-the-enemy-continued the attack with the greatest violence on the Allied front between Hollebeeke and Messines.

All-our-positions were maintained.

RUSSIANS

UMPHANT ADVANCE,

DECISIVE SUCCESSES ALONG THE WHOLE LINE.

LONDON, November 8th:

The Russian forces continue their triumphant advance, ohtrining decisive successos along the whole line. The Germans are retreating

on the East Prussian front. The Russians captured Bakalarjevo, also large quantities of munitions, while the hurried retirement of the enemy neross the Vistula continues.

The Austrians have been driven beyond Kielce, which place the Russians have occupied. Decisive successes have been obtained over the Austrians on the Kielce-Bondomera front, from which position the Austrians hurriedly retreated.

The Russians have taken Sondomerz, an important strategic centre.

LONDON, November 6th.

3.05 a.m.

A Petrograd-official announcement states that the Russians continue to progress on the East Prussian front, The Germans are retreating along the whole front, only keeping a fortified position in the region of Wergboliwo.

The Russian Army on the left bank of the Vistula continue vigorous off cusive, and are pursuing the retreating enemy.

The operation by the Russians of crossing the San continues successfully, the Austrians retreating.

POSSIBILITY OF CONSCRIPTION.

*NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT TO ENSURE VICTORY."

LONDON, November 5th. 8.20 p.m.

Lord Selborne, in a recruiting speech at Chiswick, spoke of the possibility of having to adopt conscription, and said there was no sacrifice tos great to ensure victory, None could foresee the political and social changes the war would involve. The part played by India must have great effect on the future of India and her position in the Empire.

PERSIA TO MAINTAIN STRICT NEUTRALITY.

AN APPEAL TO GREAT BRITAIN.

LONDON, November 5th.

8.20 p.m. Reuter learns that the Persian Government has assured the Powers of her strict neutrality.

An Imperial firman says the country looks to Great Britain to prevent Persia becoming a theatre of hostilities.

[THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY)

BRITAIN AT WAR WITH

TURKEY.

NECESSARY DOCUMENTS SIGNED BY THE KING.

LONDON, November 5th

At a mosting of His Majesty's Privy Council to-day, the King signed documents rendered necessary by the state of war between Great Britain and Turkey.

LOYALTY OF MALAY STATES.

LONDON, November uth. The Colonial Office announce that the Sultan of Perak desires to repent to His Majesty his adherence to Great Britain. His Highness states there will be no trouble because of the state of war with Turkey.. Also, after seeing the other Malay rulers, he will issue a Proclamation jointly with them.

ANOTHER MISCHIEVOUS REPORT.

LONDON, November 5th. 6:15 p.m.

The Press Bureau declares thee there is absolutely no truth in the report that H.M.S. Minerva has bombarded Jeddah. She has not been within five hundred miles of that town.

ANNEXATION OF CYPRUS.

It is

LONDON, November 5th. The London Gazette annonnees the annexation of Cyprus. [Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. 60 miles from the coast of Asia Minor and 42 from the coast of Syria. It has hitherto been administered by Great Britain under a convention concluded with the Sultan of Turkey at Constantinople in 1878. The following particulars of the island are given in the latest referencó books: Area 3,584 square miles. Population, Census 1911-139,383, males, 134,725 females; total, 274,108 (including 144 military population). Mohammedans 56,428; Christians (Greek Church), 214,480; others, 3,200, Inhabitants per aquare mile, 78.48. Estimated population, December 31st, 1912, 232,388 exclusive of military.)

FRANCE PROCLAIMS STATE OF WAR WITH TURKEY,

LONDON, November eth

6,50 a,M.

A message from Bordeaux says that France-has-proclaimed that a state of war exists with Turkey consequent on the Turkish Fleet's attacks un s French merchantruan and the non-dismissal of the Clerman Military and Naval missions.

RUMOUR OF TURCO-BULGARIAN AGREEMENT

DENIED.

LONDON, November 6th. 6,50 a.m.

A telegram from Paris states that M. Madjaroff, the Bulgarian Minister to Petrograd, interviewed by the Temps, denied the existence of

an agreement between Turkey and Bulgaria, particularly regarding the passage of Ottoman troops through Thrace.

THE ASSAULT ON TSINGTAU.

FORTS OCCUPIED BY JAPANESE RIGHT WING.

Mr. S. Imai, Consul-General for Japan, has kindly forwarded us the following official news, received by him on Thursday night;----

Au official report of the Army Department published on the 5th Nóvember says ;-

"Our artillery continued the bombardment of Tsingtan, and while concentrating the fire upon the enemy's batteries and forts, also threatened by cannonading the city of Teingtau. The enemy's batteries. and forts suffered additional damage.

"On the night of the 3rd inst., the chimney of the electric power house and its building were demolished, and on the afternoon of the 4th inst., a fire broke out near the barracks south-west of Bismarck Hill. During this cannonade our artillery and engineers were attacking closer. to the enemy. Our Right Wing occupied the other forts and captared one officer and 29 non-commissioned officers and men.'

ALL WELL IN INDIA.

INFLUENTIAL MOSLEMS

DEPLORE TURKEY'S ACTION.

The following is a copy of a telegram sent by the Chief of the General Staff, Delhi, to the General Offer Commanding, Hongkong:-

Novomber 5th.

"In-India the situation remains satisfactory. Thero has so far been no excitement caused by the outbreak of hostilities with Turkey In many places there have been meetings of influential Mahommedang to declare their steadfast loyalty to the British Government and to deplore. Turkey's action.

Reports received show the excellent bearing of ludian troops in contact with the enemy in France.

Recruits are coming in most satisfactorily."

(THROUGH BEUTER'S AGENCY:]

GERMAN CRUISER SUNK.

STRIKES CHAIN OF MINES

G GERMAN COAST.

LONDON, November 5th. A message from Amsterdam says that an official telegram from Berlin states that the German cruiser Forek struck a chain of mines blocking the entrance to Jahde Bay, on the North Coast of Germany, and sank. Up to the present 392 men, being more than half the crew, have been saved.

[The Yorck was an armoured cruiser of 9,950 tons displacement, completed in 1905. Hor main armament was four 8.2-inch, ten 5.8-inch, and sixteen 3-inch guns, her speed 21,1 knots, and her complement 550.]

REPORTED NAVAL ENGAGEMENT

OFF VALPARAISO.

FIVE GERMAN CRUISERS ENGAGE PORTION OF

BRITISH SQUADRON,

LONDON, November 8th.

Reports have roached the British Admiralty from German sources that a naval engagement has taken place off Valparaiso, but no official confirmation bas bona received in Londen.

The German reports are to the effect that the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Leipsic, Dresden and Nürnburg concentrated near Valparaiso and fought & portion of Rear Admiral Cradock's squadron on Sunday last. The British cruiser Monmouth was reported sunk, and the cruisers Glasgow and Otranto escaped.

The Admiralty cannot accept the German version as accurate because the battleship Canopus specially sent to strengthen Admiral Cradock's squadron is not mentioned, and only three out of five German ships entered Valparaiso,

It is therefore passible that the full account of the action may considerably modify the German version. Effective measures are being taken to deal with the situation in any event,

[H.ALS. Monmouth was until recently on the China Station. displacement was 9,800 tons, her main armament fourteen 6-inch guns, and Her eight 12-pounders, her complement 587, and her speed 22 hnots. aunched in 1901.j

She was

[The Glasgow is of the Town class of second-class cruisers. Her displace- ment is 4,800, her speed 20,8 to 26.25, and her main armament tro inch and- len 4-inch gU03. She was launched in 1909, hor complement being given да 376.3

(The Otranto is a merchant cruiser, formerly of the Orient line. Her displacement is 12,124, and ter speed is given as 18 koots]

GENERAL KEKEWICH DEAD.

LONDON, November 5th. The death has taken place in Devonshire of Major-Generul R. G. Kokowich, C.B..

SPIES AND. SPY-FEVER.

TRICKS OF AN INGLORIOUS TRADE.

has become synonymous with spy for a large section of the papalation both within an without the ranks. Every foreigner throughout France and Belgium moves, necessarily, in an atmosphere There is certainly no sensation so

which, to say the least of it, is tense, unpleasant as that of being suspected as

JUST RETRIBUTION. & spy. I speak from experience.

But to take the sword in this case is to demoralizing, it is horrible, it enervates; sword. When the war began Germany It is run a grievous risk of perishing by the a man who is thus threatened must fight (especially cities such as Cologne and for his self-respect, and the effort sooner Frankfurt) suffered acute attacks of spy or later causes him to despise himself.

This war has been rendered doubly led in certain cases to most horrible fever which, as I am in a position to know, bitter by reason of the plague of espionage excesses. With the march into France the which has attended it. In England that acute manifestations subsided to: some aspect of the struggle is but vaguely extent. To-day they are beginning again. understood. England is happily remote I have heard on good authority that from the spy terror which awekes in Germany is becoming self-terrorized civilian populations at the moment through the instrumentality of the very (curiously enough, just at the exact weapon her hands have forged. She, who moment) when suspense broadens to actual has been the sleepless spy of Europe, fear.

The German spy is ubiquitous; he seems.

writhes now in deadly fear of espionage, to have produced himself to infinity. The admits of no doubt, I shall never forget It is a retribution the justice of which German war-machine appears to find those days in Brussels, when a neutrally much if not most of its motive power in peaceful and trustful people awoke to the its intelligence department. there are fresh instances, disturbing and within their own gates by men whom they Every day knowledge that they were being betrayed yet more disturbing revelations. And had treated as their friends. The cruelty the spy is as active on the battlefield as in and bitterness of that experience must the café and the street.ee

remain in the memory of all who passed greetings in the streets, the timid back- through it-tho hurried, half-fearful ward glances of nervous citizens, the insupportable weight of suspicion which hung upon a whole people,

A HIGHLANDER'S STORY,

I listened to an astonishing story to-day from the lips of a Scotsman who had returned from the great battle. He was a huge Highlander from the hills of the West, a splendid type of fighting man, but clearly a child in matters of duplicity and guile: He wore an aggrieved air when he told me his story that was at once characteristic and rather grimly humorous.

I have seen that terror spread its blight over France and change friendliness into bitter hostility and fear. To have wrought this terror, to have lived upon it and fostered it as Germany has done We were lying hidden [he said) when honest men and to have covered every is to have earned the execration of all a man dressed like a labourer came ont virtue with infamy More even than of a wood and walked towards us. He against the ruin of cities and the wasting came from a village near by, and we of fair fields, Belgium and France cry out thought he was a villager who had got against this poison which has converted out of his way. One of our fellows signed honourable warfare into a treason against to him to go back. But he stood a humanity. With German militarism must moment or two quite near. I was watch-be blotted out also the intolerablo scourge ing him, and I saw him take a handker- of German espionage. chief out of his pocket and wipe his eye There is another and nobler form, of with it. I don't quite know why I spying in which our enemies have reaped noticed this action, but I remembered it. but little glory-a form demanding Some one else ordered him to go away, courage and daring for its execution, and he walked back towards the village. The German airman, once so greatly All this time we were lying close, com- dreaded, falls day by day from honour to pletely hidden

indifference. He is already to some extent discredited as a fighter; as an observer his methods are becoming known,

The other day a German acroplane was seen flying high along the line of the British entrenchments. machine shot upwards. Prudently the Suddenly the Handkerchiefs, the erratic movements troops lying immediately below the site of of the hands of a clock," subterranean this maneuvre were moved away farther telephones, wireless installations, carrier along the line. The precaution was a wise pigeons-a handred devices have been one. for within a short period a heavy. proved into this daring but inglorious shell fira descended upon the position service, until the very name of German just left-The Times

Will you believe it within 10 minutes the Germans were shelling us. Right on us they were with their fire. And before that they had not been able to find us at all. We had a bad time and some nasty loires, more and