1915-12-22 — Page 7

ON WINTER'S VERGE IN FLANDERS.

BACK TO TRENCH WARFARE.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22ND, 1916,

CAPTURE OF BELGRADE.

SERBIAN COURAGE.

HAIL OF DEATH AND TERROŇ.

Mr. Renwick, war correspondent of the London Daily Chronicle, reached Mona stir, from Northern Serbia, after a fort-

GERMAN AGENTS.

SOUTH AFRICAN REBELLION.

OFFICIAL PAPERS.

The report on the outbreak of the rebel-

It does not seem long since people were asking auxioly mingled with hope-in twin-voice Shall-we-bure-another-win-night's thrilling experience, the main im-lion in South Africa and the policy of the

ter campaigut Nobody asks the ques tion now, writes Mr. Philip Gibbs from the British Headquarters. Here, along the British front, nature itself gives the answer. Winter is close upon us..

BETTER TRENCHES THUS WINTER.

Many of the French soldiers have already been supplied with their smell coust. those fur skins with long hair which make them look like music hall man-

pression being the superb courage and and the magnificent human qualities with endurance of the Serbian army and people, which they face death, homelessness, wounds, and hunger. He concludes his appreciation thus: God but it is n nation worth saving, and that quickly."

With the Shoumadia Division, the flower of the Serbian army, which, opposed the attack on the Danube, and compelled von Mackensen to ask for urgent reinforce maents, Rahin and Semendria resisted thres furions onslaughts, and only succumbed to the fourth attack. the hellish artillery fire which accompanied

Government with regard to its suppres sion has been tabled in the Legislative An. sembly.

It is stated in the report, which covers 70 printed folios, that, although the great majority of Putch South Africans had no sympathy whatever with German sins of Prussian ambition, they were, on the other hand, not very passionately anti-German towards Germany as the average English either. They could not be expected to feel man did. In the Western Transvaal the feeling aroused by the war was nos in tonse. There is evidence that many in this The Germans showered ten thousand area had long been living under the belief krosna, south of Somendria. After the was bound to come, and that when the day shels on the Serb's position at Mola that a war between Germany and England position had been captured, the Serbian came all effort would be made to restore Infantry, which was concealed in a wood, the independence of the Transvaal, The attacked and drove out the Germans. Meanwhile cavalry got amongst the re-and Germany was sufficient to produce

mere prospect of war between England treating enemy, doing heavy execution, rebellious movement. and capturing three guns.

DARDANELLES. HAVE WE FAILED,

CONAN DOYLE'S VIEW.

"Have we failed at the Dardanelles?". is the question Sir Arthur Conan Doyle undertakes to answer in a striking article In a plea for optimism and the cessation in the Daily Chronicle, of unreasonable and pessimistio oriticism, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writes: Thers.js a grant contract between the German ond yet in our heart of hearts we are a certain British press during the last few months; of victory as that to-morrow's sun will shine. Look at our work in the last four- teen months. We annexed the German colonies, swept the German flag, Imperial and commercial, from the ocean, repelled min, and, greatest of all, raised an enor submarines, conquered southern Mesopota- mous voluntary army. The severest critic in the whole world can only point to one place where it is said we have failed, name ly, the Dardanelles; but has there been failure there?

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Would the Turks wolcanic the army of TJISONDARI revolution would be complete and blood-tinople, how can they cross the Egyptian The and if even they assure them of Constan

KARIMOEN desert? It is too early to say we have. failed at the Dardanelles.

torists. Our own then are beginning to of dead. A little lad of 15 supplied: hand that the Union Government was finish-Bulgars as other than hereditary enemics,

think of their old sheepskins, which gave them a pestors: ok and much comfort

It is here at least before midday, when a white for fills all the trenches, steals down the dug-out, and drifts densely over all the fields. The pale sin gleams for a lew hours, giving fictitious sense of sum. iner, and then when the darkness, comes, the wist creeps up again from marshes and woods and-lord-it is cold for any poor beggar staring towards the German lines through a loophole in the parapet.

ENTERPRISE WORTH WHILE And now there will be another winter

I believe that if we never force the campaign. To those who saw the misery

straite the enterprise was, nevertheless, of last winter in our boggy treelies it

worth understaking. We held up a great is a horrid thought. Must our men suffer

body of the best troops, who otherwise all that again the wet mud, the ice-cold

War was declared on August 4th, and Russians. The bombardment of Belgrade with 42 already, on August 3rd, Commandant; E. taken off the pressure on General Maxwell would have been operating against us or water beyond their knees in the communi centimetre shells threw up destro G. A. Welmarans was warning his friends on one side and off General Nixon on the General Hamilton has. cation trenches, the wind that lashed height of five-story hour very aquino than in a short while they would get other. But the greatest result is that it them like a sharp whip, the ooze and slime yard of the city was searched by machine orders to go to Transfontein to attend a has thoroughly united us to Russia, who in the dug-quis, the water-spouts through gun fire. the roofs of broken barus! Yes, all that bombed the flecing inhabitants. Despite meeting. The people would assemble and knows we have spent our hlord and our

Gorman aviators, meanwhile, will have to be gone through again, and this rain of death and terror, attack after the Vierkleur would be hoisted." there are no illusions on the subject attack was driven back, until at longth the asked, "What then Wolmarans replied, her Again, wo have draws the Central When ships trying to force the gates enclosing among our men. We shall have to stick

From there we shall go to the German Powers on to the southern advance with it in the philosophy with which they gained a footing in the town. face the prospect and the words are German task began. They were compelled

Then the most formidable part of the border for ammunition." Asked further as the immediate result of bringing in the to the attitude of the Government, Woma Serbians, who for nearly a year, have been apoken cheerily.

to win the capital street by street, pay-

rana, zaid, "The Governments is all right." practically neutral. ing a price for overy paving atone, Lach When war broke out the effecs in Liolien Powers advance on to Constantinople with Could the Central street corner was a citadel. Before the was maintancour. The prophecies the Allies entrenched on their lank" Germany were masters, Belgrade was a of Van Rensburg had a good deal to do ghast y mous of smouldering ruins, strewn with the excitement which had been pro In the grimmest horror, with a covering

duced locally. He assured his followers grenades to five comrades, who kept a

ed."

Not a shot would be fired. German company at bay two hours. The boy was promoted corporal on the field. The capture of the hills behind Belgrade Between Augu. 10th and 18th the plot was frightfully expensive, Every one wasters at Lichtenburg were actively prepar covered with dead before it was won,

Mr. Winston Churchill has been críti ing for the day, There is evidence that cised for saying we were only a few miles On the Drias from 500 Germans were German agents were working in concert from victory, yet that was obviously true. launched across the river, but not a single with them. The 18lb would mark the bend he said we were only a few montha man returned alive. Motering from Paginning of a new era. It was quite clear from victory the criticism would have been lanka, Mr. Ronwiek came to Ccione! Ter that an attempt was to be made on the intelligible. What he meant was that if we zitch's division, holding an angle of the 15th to start a rebellion. Everything would had victory the prize would immediately Danube and Morava, The German ad- depend on the meeting, which way to be be in our hands. Mr. Churchilj did not rance was a wonderful spootable. In the addressed by General de la Rey, who was underrate the formidable insk. It is sure- lit up with the lurid flame of the German was, The report describes the good effect the debit side of the account. far distance the purple mountains were looked upon as the uncrowned king of the ly 1oo early to write off the Dardanelles on artillery, the blue Danube winding below. of de la Rey's address at the meeting on Marshal von Mackenzen battered away for August 15th, and all danger of a rebellious era front and at ven, Sir Arthur Conan After tracing the operations on the west- two weeks without shifting the Serbians movement had apparently been averted. sential, the men were cheerful, believing stated that sinen the conclusion of the wonderfully fortunate in our leaders. If from the Danube. When retreat was es

Doyle adds: "It seems to me, we have they had so hampered the enemy's advance Anglo-cer war

Regarding Lieut.-Colonel Maritz, it is unde remarkably few mistakes. We are that von Mackensen would take months to schemes for re-establishing a republic in tory we will not find a man so fitted by ho had brooded over we search the glorious pages of British his carry out his scheme hoping they would douth Africa, and from the moment the nature and training as Lord Kitchener. the south to wreck him thus enable Anglo-French succour from European war broke out he was in close His cold, mathematical brain, the power of

The little with which the Germans no

and constant touch with the German autho think ng aut probes for the year after complished was due to the almost unbe he had been in communication with the make him an ideal leader. Unreasonable rities over the border. It is evident that next, and his enduring inflexible will, lievable artillery strength. It is now known that von Mackensen has only There was ale evidence to prove that he We have no cause for pessimism.

Germans since the first week in Angngeriticism tends to dishearten ur best men. 100.000 men, but his artillery is sufficient had been in communication with the Ger for half a million. It is evident that German authorities for some years. many is getting to the end of her resources of men. I have spoken to prisoners from the Flanders, French, Italian and Rus aian fronte, also from garrisons in Ger- many, many being only 18 years of age. If the Bulgarians had not entered the war the Germans would have never crossed the Danube.

inst winter.

It will not be quite so bad this year along some sections of the line. Many of the tronches into which I have been lately have nicely bricked Roors and drains to carry the water away, That will make a big difference to the comfort of the nee. Ferests of timber, too, have heen cut into logs to build up the dug outs and bridge over boggy ways. The Pioner battalions have done. splendid work in this way, and engineer officers have laboured with enthusiasm and skill. hegging or stealing material to keep the trenches dry,

THE BILLETING PROULEM.

great problem of the winter will The be the billeting of all the new divisions who have come out since this time twelve mouth ago. In the villages a fair dis tance behind the fring-line beyond, or almost beyond, the range of the enginys guns every old barn has been requisition ed and though not very water-tight and not very clean (the rats and the vermin resent our intrusion), they are pretty good shelter against the wind and the cold, Nearer to the fighting line most of the barns have been sighed into ruins, like most of the farmhouses to which they belonger and most of the cottages which surrounded the farmhouses. Here the few remaining roofs de not give much shelter from rain and none at all from wind and cold, so that the comfort of soldiers housed bolow them is not enor

mous.

When the rainy season comes (even

When Mr., Renwick reached Uskub, he Low, as I write, there is a steady soak found the Serbians were being attacked at through the trees) many rest-camps and four points, and often out-timbered by shelters which seemed taky, storm-Ewept armice were often forty day of best y the summer will be boggy, only two hundred yarda places aut fit for troops. The problem is apart. Hand to hand encounters were fre. being dealt with to some extent by the quest and of the most ferocious character: building of buts, but our armies grow too fast for the carpenters.

89

BACK TO TRENCH WARFARE AGAIN. For some time at least it looks though we shall get back again to the conditions of last winter-the same old trench warfare along a stationary line, with the same old frontal attacks from the enemy and the daily bombardment on both sides. despatch, the enemy's plan of an auturon As I said in my last campaign on this front, and perhaps on other fronts, was much disorganised by our offensive last month, and it seems clear that they have been severely sobered in spirit by our successful and most bloody repulse of their various counter attacks against the positions gained and held since September 25th,

HOLDING THE RECENT GAINS,

fees, MS

Two

independent witnesses assert that Maritz had made arrangements before he was ap pointed to the command of the north-west- ern district, before January, 1913. At far State leaders are concerned, there is no Bg his relations with Transvaal und Free doubt that he was in communication with A conversation was overheard in which the certain people there since August, 1014. intermediary between Maritz and General Boyers and others was mentioned. An officer who inquired: locaily into the P. J. Jonbert appeared to have played the "Maritz rebellion" reports that Captain greatest part in engineering the rebellion The following extract taken from B voluntary statement made in prison by one of the most prominent of the conspirators

GERMAN NAVY'S MOAN.

SUBMARINE PERIL IN THE BALTIC.

the Baltic is the problem now absorbing. the anxious attention of the German How to beat off British submarines in Navy, says Frederic William Wile. The of the Deutsche Tageszeitung, and Kuhl: principal Hun naval experts, Reventlow, Wetter, of the Lokal-Anzeiger, comment acknowledge that the question bristles on the loss of the Prince Adalbert,

fact that the Baltic, like the description with great difficulties. They bemoan the Reventlow recently applied to the

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THE “ZEALANDIA” INCIDENT gives the groundwork of the plot" The Sea, is geographically "unfavourable PETROL and KEROSENE MARINE MOTORE 7-1/2 to 160 BELP.

GERMAN PAROLE BREAKERS REGARDED AS PIRATES.

A

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**QUEEN MARY'S” ESCAPE,

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because the proximity of the Swedish and Danish coasts makes it impossible for Germany to take measures" "Germans are asked, neverthe

ruthless defensive less, to be assured that the High Canal Fleet is dealing with the peril. Revent low says:

haps other harbours and island waters When shortly Helsingfors and, per used by British submarines as bases are frezen up it will be possible to ascertain whether and where in the Baltic these craft have established headquarters and supply stations. We are far from under estimating our own difficulties in warding off the peril, On the other hand we leave it to the future to show the English and the rest of the world how childish is the British talk about the impending block. ade and complete bottling-up of Baltic commerce"

von Kuhlwester writes:

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TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY.

general impression I gained from Beyers was that if pressure was brought to bear the Government would resign rather than fire on its own people; and that arrange anco papers, but with a German crew,

The steamer Zealandia, which sailed ments had been made with the German from Pensacola, Florida, without clear-authorities, in the event of their winning and for which American warships and and I was under the impression that the European struggle, to guarantee the Free State and Transvaal. their freedom, revenue cutters have been searching, has been located by a British orcs and Marits was the one that had made the ar- Mexican port of Progress.

rangements with the German authorities, party from the cruiser, entered the I had questioned Beyers on these points at Mexican port and searched the steamer, my previous interview, and he had inform They returned to their ship soon after-ed me that Maritz had made arrangemente wards, but the cruiser did not depart.

The cruiser remains outside the port "Reorganisation" hardly conveys then may seize the Ledandio if she

ventures forth, impression of this work, where lie masses

The steamer Zealandia, according to of sandbags, ammunition-boxes, broken reports, slipped out of Pensacola, Florida, bite of shell, smashed rifles, shovelled with a German crow, including one or earth and human elay flung above the old more of the officers of the Frins Bitel German parapet during heavy fire from Friedrich, who had broken their parasescape of the Queen Marg at the the greatest obstruction to our fighting

Hall, Strand, centering at Essex Captain voral Baltic states really TOURS Tared to ALL PANSE of the WORLD. behind which our men keep guard. Our on-the night of 7th October. According battle of the Bight of Heligoland Cap of the submarine danger in the Baltic men are provided with quantities of bombs, which they hurl upon the enemy in 3rd October, the vessel violated the tain W. R. Hall, he said, was on the because we must scrupulously

to a despatch sent out from Washington whenever he shows a disposition to attack, The situation is extraordinarily similar ont regulations and sailed without bridge of his ship wher he saw the tor their territorial rights.

respect We cannot elearance papers on an unlawful voyage, in the advanced ground beyond Loos, in Attorney-General Gregory, according to at about forty knots. The speed of the and on other occasions, submarines can pedo coming, and apparently travelling patrol their waters, and at night, in fog the neighbourhood of Hill 70, where the the International News Service, narrow distance between the two lines

Queen Mary was nearer thirty knots naturally pass through the Great Belt Captain Hall turned sharply full heim, unobserved. They have, indeed, the by the naval or revenue servico ships of the United States, and any of amidships the Queen Mary and the tor- main more than a certain time in terri- So the situation standa in the first fogs the interned Germans found on her, they pedo went along side by side. This, in torial area or use its waters as a base. of winter, which hinder artillery observa-would be held as pirates and tried as his opinion, was a fine bit of seamanship. tions and give warning of the days when such, with the death penalty on convic-markable influence on the war. In the "All this means that the task of patrol- Above all we may not blockade these The British submarines had had a re neutral waters. any idea of a new German offensive on tion. a great scale will be checked by swampy The sailing of the ground and waterlogged trenches. Here associated with the disappearance of the credible performance had been done by ordinarily difficult for our forore and last three weeks in the Baltic a quite in ling the entrances to the Baltic is extra- the guns are never silent, and each day interned Germans and it was believed our men. Twenty ships, six transports, the absolute prevention of submarine there are leaves falling from the tree of that she had been converted into a cam and one cruiser had been destroyed. So raids will never be possible. If the Scan- life, but our men, who have had a taste merce destroyer. Americas ships search far as he knew there were not more than dinavian coasts were ours that of victory, knowing its cost, are facing ed for her in the Caribbean, inasmuch four or five British submarines there.

would be the dark days ahead with a fine, cheerful as any damage done to the shipping of If ever the diary of the F 11, Commen possible is being done is shown by the a different proposition. That everything the Allies by the Zealandia, would mean der Nasmith V.C., in the Sea of Mar fact that we have laid a mine feld in bills for damages for the United States morn came to be published, the most mar that part of the Bound mouth where in- to pay.

vellous een story, that had ever been writternational law permits us to do so, and Wed, 23 ten would be told...

this should lighten our patrolling task.

an-

makes the conditions of fighting extremely nounced that if the vessel could be espand instead of the torpedo striking | right to do so. They may only not re-

hazardous to the battalions engaged.

courage.

BACK TO CIVIL LIFE.

The Canadian Pacific Company an ponges that their steamers, Empress Asia, Empress of Japan, and Empress of Russia, which have heretofore acted as transports, will return to their trading cccupations at an early dato.

tuned

Zealandia

After slipping out of Pensacola with a large cargo of provisions, the Zealandin palled at Tampico, sailing from that port before she could be intercepted

fanity was so prevalent till I begin tones in Netherlands India having the of The Clergyman-I had no idea pro-The managers of various industrial bu

drive a car.

According to the Department Justice, the ship having gone to sex in violation of the lawful purpose, is liable to seizure by any ship that can take her, and declares that the extreme penalty will be meted out to the offenders when caught

His Wife. Do you hear much of it on the road

The Clergyman-Why, nearly everyone I bump into swears frightfully.

BAGGAGE cilected, forwarded and insured at lowest rates. LETTERS of CREDIT and CIRCULAR NOTES ISSUED and CASHED, FOREIGN MONTES Exchanged.

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Hongkong, Jed July, 1914.

alert

*પૃ.

Height

f595

HONGKONG METEOROLOGICAL

REGISTER

Previons (Oz Date On Data

Day at'

HONGKONG TIDE TABLE.

From 2211 to 28th December.

HOM

LOW WATER

Hongkong Obervatory, December 21st.

H'kong

H'kong

Meen

Time

Tine

theft.

tt. in.

23. 11 20.

4·94 17

10.

st3p.m. 6 am

2pm

879

Chman) 24

Fri 25

Satur, 26

27

2 23 3 8 04 24.54 0.9 2278 2 60 2.9 2 3 334 2m 31 0.9 9157.6

3.8 1484 1 69 1 -0 30 328 7 4 3.20 3 8 146 4 1 641 3 4 243 9 729 16 5 14-140-

Barometer r Temperature

30.26

30.30

30.28

68

55

68

41.

74

33

East

North ENE-

Weather

Raio

disposal of workshops of any importane have, it appears, been requested by the Bun. Government to state whether they woul eventually be prepared to take up the manufacture of munitions.

2 1843

18 m 086 5 m 8:10:26

Humidity v s

Vind Direction

Force

Hightet open als Tamparnbærson 20th 62 Lowart span ale Tampersiurs on 20th 12