1915-05-28 — Page 5

THE WAR.

H.M.S. TRIUMPH

SUNK.

ENGLAND'S GREETINGS TO ITALY.

GOOD PROGRESS

BY BRITISH

FRENCH.

AND

ZEPPELINS AT SOUTHEND.

NAVAL ACTIVITIES.

{THROUGH RIVIER'S AGEKØY.]

H.M.S.

'TRIUMPH" SUNK

BY SUBMARINE.

LONDON, May 27th, The Admiralty announces that H.M,8. Triumph, while operating in support of the Australians and New Zealandera at Gallipoli, was torpeded by a submarine.

end sunk.

FRANCO BELGIAN FRONT, (THROUGH REUTER'S AQINUX.] BRITISH SUCCESSES.

LONDON, May 27th. Bir John French

Field-Marshal reports:

The First Army continues to progress cast of Festubert

The Territorial Division last night carried a group of German trenches.

Sines the 18th inst. the First Army has

Most of the officers and men were saved fncluding the Captain and Commander.pierced the enemy's live on a total front

LATER.

The Admiralty announces that destroy ers and patrolling mall craft chased the submarine till dark.

[B.M.S. Triumph is too well-known to Hongkong readers to need much description. She was tattleship of 11,985 tops, and 12,600 i.b.p. Sho carried four 10in, fourteen 7.5in, and fourtees 14-pounder, four 6 pounders and two light quickfireus. · Hor full couplement was about 900 men, Accord ing to the intent Navy List available, her

officers were:----

Captain Maurices Fitzmaurice, Commander W. A. Egerton, Blantonant-Commander G. "Gipps, Lieutenant-Commander Richard St. John. Lieutenant-Commander T. D. Sharp, Lieutenant-Commander P. B. Kilgour, Lieutenant E. H. Wace, Lieutenant . C. Brock,

Lieutorimut R. Grenfell,

Lieutenann A. C. Brook-Webb, R.N.R

(formerly of Whangpoo Conservaney, Shanghai),

of over three miles: Of this the entire hostile front line system has been captured on a front of 3,200 yards, and on the remaining portion the first and second line trenches are in our possession.

The total number of prisoners in our possession is eight officers and 777 meh. Ten machine-guns have been captured as wall ap a considerable quantity of material and equipment, particulars of which are not yet available,

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, MAY 28pm 1915.

AIRSHIP ACTIVITY.

THROUGH REUTER'S AGENUE.)

ZEPPELINS BOMB

SOUTHEND.

LADY VISITOR KILLED,

LONDON, May 27th, Zeppelins have raided Southend and dropped bombs. A lady visitor was killed and there was other damage. ITALIAN FRONT

{TKEOUGH" LEUTER'S AGENOT.] ITALIAN ADVANCE TOWARDS TRIESTE.

(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.) as many people did in Shanghai. As cannot afford to go against the Bank in MR. ASQUITH'S MESSAGE to small coin, his opinion was that the so far as it is a part of the living of the

TO ITALY'S PREMIER.

best thing for the Colony would be to have Colony, and the existence of the Exchange a very limited circulation of nickel sub- Banks here is very material to the happi- LONDON, May 26th.

sidiary coinage which would be valucessos of the Colony. Until you can make Mr. Asquith has tolegraphed to Signor outside the Colony. If they had a fixed China move in the matter you can do Salandra an exccasion of the happiness dollar in China and a fixed dollar in nothing here under existing conditions." of Great Britain that a long-standing Hongkong the present difficulty of smail friendship has ripened into more intimate coin in the interior would, of course,

How would you make China move↑ By diplomatie pressure. relationship. The Italians had always vanish at once. Mr. Watson expressed. stood for freedom and the great ideals of the opinion that Chine will move on these humanity, and Mr. Asquith says that

Allics,

Great Britain knows the valour of the lines in time; if the Government minted Italian army and navy will make the and issued big silver dollars they would final victory more speedy and more sure, get into circulation: Until Chinu did He was proud that Italy had joined the move, however, it would be useless to fix a dellar in Hongkong, where consumtp tion was so sinall. People ought to remember that we were much in the same position as Liverpool. It would be ridiculous for Liverpool to have a differ ent standard of coinags from the rest of England..

Signor Salandra replied thanking Mr. Asquith for his noble words and assur

ing him fast Italy wished, above all, the establishment in the future of an era of liberty and pence for Europe based on respect for the highest principles of nationality. He also reiterates Anglo- Italian friendship.

LONDON, May 27th. The Italian advance towards Tricste has caused an outburst of onthusiasm among the inhabitants of the unredeemed territories who welcomed the soldiers with open arms, offering all their posses sions, and they embraced and kissed the bersaglieri. Everywhere the Tricolour is hoisted on public and private build. GOVERNMENT ings, churches and houses,

Though men between twenty and forty- are compulsorily liable for military ser vice, an unofficial register of volunteers of non-military age has been opened, and over a thousand were enrolled within twenty-four hours.

Great indignation is felt at the announcement that an Austrian des royer, which bombarded the open town of Barletta, flew the British flag.

AUSTRIAN AEROPLANE ATTACK FAILS.

LONDON, May 27th. Reuter's correspondent at Venice says that the first (Austrian) aerial attack was were slightly injured, a few windows were a complete failure. Three or four people

broken and a couple of holes were made in the ground. The population rushed in the streets to watch the aeroplane and PROGRESS ON BRITISH AND to cheer the anti-aircraft and the soldiers

FRENCH FRONT:

THE KING LEAVES FOR THE FRONT.

PARIS, May 27th.

The evening communiqué says: The British have made a fresh advance in the direction of La BassCE.

ROME, May 27th. King Victor. Emanuel has gone to the front in supreme command of the land The Germans north of Arras continued and sea forces. The Duks of Genoa has their despearate efforts to recapture the been appointed Lieutenant General dur- positions in the district of Angres fighting his absence, and has been invested Lientenast R., Jones, R.N.R. (formerlying most violently all day. We gave with Roynt prerogatives.

of Messra. Hutlorheld and Swire), Lieutenant A. Percy Hann, R.N.V.R., |-- Enginger-Commander H. Hammond, Enginear-Lieutenant PW-Allen

Tenpy.

G

Engineer-LentonanĒ R. Blackie, Engineer-Lieutenant F, W. Janos, R.N.R. (formerly of Messrs. · Bubterfield and Swire).

Captain J. G. Horne, R.M.L.1., Lieutenant R. M. Edmond St. Vincent-

Ryan,

Revd. William N. Westmore, M.A..

Staff-Surgeon Gerald M. Eastmont.

Fleet Paymaster P. Ramsay

Surgeon D. P. Arthur,

Surgeon A. Patterson,

Asst Paymaster H. A. Thompson,

way at Crowq's redoubt but an hour later recaptured the whole position.

Our attacks between this and the Aix Noulettes Souchez road gained a footing in the enemy ineis.

We also gained ground on the slopes north-east of Lorette Chapel, and cap- tured another group of houses at Neu- ville.

A German aeroplane, flying towards. Paris, was driven back by the Paris Air Guard and caught and brought down near Soissons, both aviators being killed.

Asst. Paymaster Frank T. Wall, R.N.R., | FUBIOUS FIGHTING ON THE

Asst. Paymaster F. W. Doveston, R.N.R.. Ch. Art. Engr. S. Sylvester, (Hongkong), Ch. Art. Engr. 3. Farrer,

....

THE TORPEDOED AMERICAN SHIP.

LONDON, May 28th. The Nebraskan, the American ship which was sunk by submarine off Brow Head, was flying a largo Anterican fad, and was prominently lettered or both sides. It is inconceivable that the submarine was ignorant of the nationality of the vessel as it was a clear and bright evening at the time of the torpedoing.

RUSSIAN FRONT

[THEOUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

AN ITALIAN BLOCKADE.

ROME, Mar 27th The Government of Italy has declared a blackade of the Austrian and Albanian

coasts.

GENERAL.

(THROUGH REUTER'S ADENCY.] THE "OPEN DOOR" IN CHINA. AMERICAN NOTES TO. CHINA

AND JAPAN.

the

samo

THE HON. MR. LAU CHU PAK. The Hon. Mr. Lau Chu-Pak is firmly of the opinion that

# standard APPOINTMENTS. dollar Cannot be fixed in Hong-

kong unless LONDON. May 27th,

is thing The appointments outside the Cabinet done in China-and it is not possible are:--

for Ching to fix a dollar until she is finag- --Póstmáster-Genort the Right Hon. anlly strong. Some people, he said. Herbert Samuel.

seemed to forget that Hongkong entirely Solicitor General; the Right Hon. F. depended on the conditions prevailing in E. Smith, K.C.

China. From a retailer's point of view, a Secretary to the Treasury: tho Hon.fixed dollar would doubtless be a great E. 8. Montagu,

boon, but speaking as to irade generally, he did not think that the establishment of a geld dollar would improve matters much, Mr. Lau Chu Pak does not despair of China eventually fixing her dollar when the financial conditions live im proved, but as they are at present, along with the detrimental effects of the war, China cannot move on these lines because she possesses no big gold reserves. also remarked that Hongkong was so situated that we had to invite Chinese capita) hera

[There is no change in the office of Postmaster General. Mr. F. E. Smith, who

is MP. for the Walton Division of Liver-

pool in the Unionist interests, has not pro viously occupied a Government position of this character. The Hon. E. S. Montag has, since 1910, been Parliamentary Heiler- Secretary of State for India.]

THE CHURCH AND WAR.

LONDON, May 27th. The pastoral latter of the Bishops of Canterbury and York, which will be read in the Churches on June 8th, calls on all fellow citizens to give their glad and un tinted response to whatever demands the Government decides to make.

THE HONGKONG CURRENCY 'QUESTION.

FURTHER EXPRESSIONS OF

OPINION.

Below we publish some further expres sions of opinion by well-known residents of the Colony on the question of fixity of exchange,

He

That was essential to the Colony's existence, and the fixing of the dollar independently of Chine would drive capital way. Quite naturally, therefore, any scheme of coinage reform sport from China would be opposed by |tradere, And even if the dollar wore fixed here," added Mr. Lau Cha Pak. the Chinese would still gamble on ex- change; you y would never prevent thera doing that. To speak of Singapore in relation to Hongkong is not correct. We are too near Canton to act separately; wè are dependent on China and must wait for her before we can safely move. He agrod that the adoption of a standard dollar by both Hongkong and China would remove many diffealties, but until joint movenant is possible the present. system must continue,

MA. F. R. L. BOWLEY Mr. FB. L. Bowley was not in favour

MR. F. L. WATSON, Mr. N. L. Watson, manager of the Asiatic Petroleum Co, said, he thought the idea of having a Hongkong currency on the same lires as they have in Singa pore is impossible for the simple reason that we have no purely local trad worth mentioning. Hongkong is in a totally different position to Singa- pore, the Malay Bates, Java, Siam or LONDON, May 24th. India. The only thing which can really The Times correspondent at Peking be done is to have a dollar here on the says that the United States Government say standard as that recently created by his presented identical Notes to China the Chinese Government; the Yuan.or and Japan, refusing to recognise any Republican dollars. If wo had a sterling added. agreement impairing American rights dolar here, or a dollar with a sterling basis for its currency we shall be only fou in China, the political and territorial basis, we would only be pushing the ex-glad to follow; it would have its benefits counter-attacked at Angres and also policy.

The Germans repeatedly and furiously integrity of China, or the Open Door change difficulty one step further back; the. Anything which acts as an add carried out the most intense bombard-

FRENCH FRONT.

LONDON, May 26th- To-day's communiqué says:—.

The recent checks have driven the Ger- mans to most violent auction. Last night the Frenchmen by magnificent courage and tenacity maintained every gain.

inents.

lying ground in the region of Duval. The The French occupied almost all the low-

Germans violently but abortively counter- attacked. Tire Frenchmen, however, con. tinued to advance on the crest north eastward of Lorette and gained ground

near Bonchez.

French aviators all along the front showed great activity especially in throw. ing heavy bombs, which proved most

effective.

GERMAN ADMISSIONS.

AUSTERDAM. May with.

A DESPERATE BATTLE.

PernoGEAD, May 27th. An official communiqué statos: The Russians, on the 24th and the 25th, re- pulsed several attacks on the left bank of the Vistula. A very desperate battle on both banks of the San, between Przemyal Indians last night, north-east of Givenchy, A Berlia communiqué admits that the and Jaroslav, continued throughout the captured the German salient, and admits 25th. The enemy developed a hurricans also that whits and coloured Frenchmen, of artillery fire, and were constantly in deep "formation, pelltrated "tas Ger- bringing up large reinforcements between mean lines on the Souchez-Bethune road. Przemysl and the Great Marshes of the.

Dneister.

RUSSIAN CONTINGENTS IN PERSIA REINFORCED,

PETROGRAD, May 27th.

In view of the threatening nature of the Turco-German agitation in Persia. especially since the recent return of the 'Austrian and

German Ministers to Teheran, the Russian Guovernment had decided to reinforce the continents at Kasvin.

THE KING OF GREECE.

ATHENS,: May 28th. -

The condition of the King has taken an unfavourable turn,

WAR AND DRINK.

Losos. May 27th. The Government has appointe Central Control Board to deal with the drink problem in the armament areas.

RACING ABANDONED. ↑

LONDON, May 27th

the Government.]

FIL

THE NEW BRITISH CABINET.

PUBLIC OPINION.

LONDON, May 27th: The Cabinet, upon the whole, has been favourably

that is, if China does not also by her dollar na sterling basis. But at present we have the additional difficulty of having a silver currency in Ilongkong which does pod brar any fixed relation to the silvar: currency in China. As to the note difi received. The Liberals culty, people could have two accounts denounce the inclusion of Sir Edward at the bank, one in paper and one Carson, and surprise is expressed that in silver; be thought some people were Mr. Lloyd George should have left the doing this, but they had to face the dif Exchequ27,, It is declared that his pulty of exchange quotation in paper absence is only temporary and that he money. The banks would have to give a will remain in touch with Mr. McKenna dir: et quotation in silver as well as in It is also stated that the office of Post-bank-nctos. So far as the present currency master General was kept open for Mr.syat n was concerned it did not greatly John Redmond, but that the Dublin, party's decision makes his refusal final.

MR. ASQUITE'S INVITATION TO

To

Would it not be an advantage to have & standard coin all round?

· Undoubtedly," but we must wait for

China. I have not studied the question seriously; I suit myself to the condi- tiona; and I do not think it has boon

Probably, if anyone was suffering by the studied really seriously by anyone.

before now. No steps have been taken, currency, steps, would have been taken

so I assume that no one is suffering. I do not mean that a 20 per cont. discount on exchange is a benefit to the Colony

between sub-coin and they silver dollar I altogether, but with a staple exchange

do not sex any necessity for fortær reform.

What of Singapore f

You cannot take Singapore as a satis- China, and if we did the same herợ us factory example; we are too close to

"was done in the Straite Sottlence with"

ourselves. In other words, goods would ont China following suit, we should ruin

go to China instead of coming through Hongkong. Say, for example, you fixed the dollar in Hongkong at 9/4, then, in my opinion, trade would leave Hongkong- If China were to go on a gold standard it is quite obvious that we should have to follow suit at once,

premium against recognised Government coin, this insuranes manager said that As to the question of notes being at a

this was only œ- témporary ailment, like

a little measles."?

MR. A. E. SKELTON. Mr. A. 11. Skelton, of Mesrs. Lane, Crawford & Co., would

heartily welcómo a Gxed dollar, but, like other business-men in the Colony, he fears that to move on these lines without China doing the sutine would be prejudicial to the Colony's trade, because no Chinaman so close to China as Hongkong is would ? be willing to pay more for his goods." Mr. Skelton admitted that if it were pos- sible to influence Chinu to fix her doilar, and Hongkong followed suit, it would be a great boon to business houses similar. to his own, and would do away with the many difficulties with which business snem now have to contend and constituting really a gumble on the price of goods. The continual bobbing up and down"! of exchange, Mr. Skelton added, wes great worry bɔ a basinusa mab, and meant

price of his goods with, perhaps, not that he continually had to change the

always the best results to trade. Goods came out from England at a certain prica sterling and immediately upon arrival their saleable price - wholesale and

of de policy of having a fixed value as retail-was fixed according to the prevail- regards sterling, because he thought iting rate of exchange. This often led to would tend to discourage trade in China, goods in the window bearing one price" which was already very depressed.

one day and another price the next day. introduce such a measure at the present The increase in book-keeping owing to time would only make things worse than these fluctuations was an appreciable over. "We must follow China," he addition to ordinary duties. Speaking

Skelton, "If China adopts a sterling

purely as business man,' said Mr. "the fixing of the dollar would mean an enormous saving of additional worry and work in a business like this; but we cannot move without China; wA are too near to Canton."

tional clog on the trade between Hung. kong and China is detrimental to Hong- koug, obviously, and to move in this matter without China would be a decided clog,"

"What of Singapore with Its 6xed dollar?" inquired our representative,

"That is quite different. We cannot

too close to China. aut in the same way as Singapore; we are

AN ANONYMOUS OPINION. A leading businessman, who wishes to remain. anonymous, remarked: --- ́ ́ OF. course we cannot move without Chine,. and I do not see how China eam move, because the does not possce fay gold. The chief point about this currency busi- Incas in China is that the Chinese Govern- Of course it would which they have issued-the new Repub- meat should fix, in silver, the doller. be a good thing in many ways if Chinelican dollar. If they declared an oscillation takes place between here and matters a great deal, but until this is were to adopt a standard coit. The intrinsic value in silver it would help Canton, and not between here and London intrinsic value of China's dollar must be done no changa can take place. The

Chinaman thinks in silver, you know,

and that has to be remembered. A indisputable."

afret businesses such as his; it affected It would be much better if the whole Bh retail trade, which would naturally world were on a steeling basis. Still, I welcome a standard dollar, with China cannot imagine a Chinaman taking any following suit. "It does not matter a gold; nothing except silver and copper ---- LONDON, May 27th- ··bit to us," Mr. Watson added, as

We have to wait for China in this At a Unionist conference Mr. Bonar practically all our goods are sold in the matter." Law read a letter in which Mr. Asquith interior and at Canton, and we have to: invited Unionists to enter the Cabinet dead with people who convert our prices, Mr. Asquith wrote definitely that he had into si'ver, which, as a matter of fact,, is come to the conclusion that the conduct nearly always small coin. If there was of the war to a successful and decisivo a gold currency here we would still have pany. issue could not be effectvelty carried on is deal in silver, bause if we gave quota- except by a Cabinet representing all tions in Hongkong money. the Chinese parties. It was unnecessary to enter into all have to convert it into small coin the reasons-they were suficiently obvious -which would indicate this as the best when they sold our goods,” Mr. Watson solution of the problems of the war. The radily agreed that it would be better dispar him of the splendid

UNIONISTS.

also

of

а

That

added, why they could not change in There was a very simple reason, ho Hongkong until China did so.

It was shown by the premium on the Hongkong bank-notes. At the present time was in Hongkong wore paid in Hongkong bank notes, hy the shipping firms and so forth, and they sold for silver whatever they produced, or received silver for what they sent in their ships. An adversa AN INSURANCE MANAGER. differance of from 6 to 10 per cent, oropt "You must wait for China, was in on their earnings all the time; they

in the opinion

Hongkong bank-notes, and Paid mk the manager received their earnings in silver. leading Insurança Com showed, he contended, that it would be You cannot make any reforin absurd and impossible. from a business in the currency of this Island until point of view, to have a gold currency in Hongkong unless China also adopted the neighbouring country has also dealt gold. If we had gold in Hongkong and with its currency and placed it on a silver in China the position would be standard basis. If China were to adopt absurd. Take, for instanc, the Sugar Refinery, Competition was born, goods 3 standard currency it would be better would have to be bought in Hongkong. for this Colony and for China too. The currency, and then would come the prob-

price at which the sugar could be sold in to see a big gold reserve.""

faks of competition. The same would This gentleman also brought in the apply to the shipping firms, and the keen question of the Exchange Banks. With competition with which they had to deal. Wages would be paid in Hongkong cur- the adoption of a standard coin here the rency and the collections from trade Government would have to govern would have to be made in Chiness cur- exchange, and this would at one go

Valess China moves wit against the Exchange Banks.

go along as at present. Anything els "And you would be impossible owing to the local

conditions of trade."

All racing has bren abandoned except recognition of this necessity involved 29 generally if that was a gold standard Chinese cannot see it, because they west lem of estimating, on a silver basis the the Newmarket meetings.

[This is in compliance with a request hy services his colleagues had rendered both for Hongkong and China; it would to the Empire. After consulting with his colleagues, Mr. Bonar Law said that he be infinitely better for trade in the same replied that they would gladly co-operate way that it had been in the Philippines. Mr. Bonar Law, Lord Lansdowne and the Straits Settlements and in Japan. A other prominent niembers of the Unionist Party made speeches in which they said varying currency really did no-ono an that they were confident that the country good, and there were people in Hongkong would be united to bring the war to who still sold in sterling in the same way victorious conclusion.

BOMBARDIER WELLS

ENLISTS.

LONDON, May 27th. Bombardier Wells has enlisted in the Welsh Regiment,

rency.