1916-03-17 — Page 5

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THE WAR.

RECKLESS

GERMAN S.

MORE COSTLY FAILURES AT VERDUN.

BRITISH SHELL ENEMY TRENCHES.

ITALIAN ACTIVITY.

DEMORALISATION OF BEDOUINS.

PORTUGAL AT WAR WITH AUSTRIA.

FRANCO-BELGIAN FRONT.

ITHROUGH REUTER'S AGENOT.}

IMPORTANT GERMAN

ASSAULT

GENERALLY REPULSED WITH GREAT LO8BES.

PARIS, March 18th.

2.10 a,.

(THROUGH REUTER'S 40KKOY.]

FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACK.

REGAINS LOST ELEMENTS.

PARIS, March 18th. 3.50 p.m. A communique states.-West of the Meuse the Germans have made no further attack. The French counterattacked be-- tween Bethincourt and Camieres with grenades and bayonets and retook a por The evening communiqué says:--West of tion of the elements of the trench occupied the Meuse the bombardment by heavy by the enemy towards Hill 285. We hold shells wag redoubled against our positions Bathincourt. Morthomme Hill, the south from Bethincourt to Cumieres. The orn edge of Cumieres Wood and the village Germans in the afternoon launched the of Cumieres. The bombardment has con

It tinued intensely ou the whole sector, being was generally repulsed along the whole energetica Ey auswered by our batteri front with great losses. They gained a There has been only an intermittent can footing at only two points in our trenches. nonade east of the Meuse and in Woevro between Bethincourt and Mort Homme.

Artillery was active east of the Meuse and in Wocvre, but there was no infantry action,

Ang rongost attack made in this sector.

North of St Mihiel our batteries bom- barded fargo enemy hutucut and caused

great fire at the station and magazines. at La Marche, in Wouvre. We shalot an enemy column north-east of Deine, in

Lorraine,

Both artilleries wero very active in the Vosges. We executed successful coups-de- main at Stoawihr and Carspach,

The Germans, north of the Asoe, thrice unsuccessfully attempted to penetrate our trenches at Bois Buttes,

Our artillery in Argunne effectively bon barded the railway, roads, and defence, in the Montfaucon and Avocourt regions.

NUMEROUS AIR DUELS OVER VERDUN.

PARIS, March 18th.

2.10 a.m.

YAN HONGKONG DAILY-PREM FRIDAY, MARCH 17TH. 1915.

THE BALKANS

(TEROUILT BEUTER'S AGENDY.].

BULGARIAN POLITICIAN

MURDERED.

INSTIGATOR OF TURCO-BULGARIAN AGREEMENT.

AMSTERDAM, March 14th

Bulgarian agreement, was murdered at Sofia on the 10th March..

BULGARIA AND RUMANIA.

(THROUGH ZEUTER'S AGENCY.]. RECRUITING PROBLEMS.

SUPERFLUOUS SINGLE MEN TO BE SECURED:

LONDON, March 16th. In the House of Lords, during a recruit- ing debate, Lord Derby said it was obvious the there must be exceptions to the rule that single men should go Grat, but he was

STATE COLONIES.

BETTLEMENT FOR SAILORS AND SOLDIERS

FORECAST OF PROPOSALS.

TAXATION IN GERMANY,

A TERRIFYING SITUATION.'

Little by little the German public are being made aware of the seriousness of their financial situation. More of the The Contral News Political Corres- papers are claiming that the people should bo officially informed of the real state of pondent writes:→→→

affairs. which, in an outspoken article, the Berliner Pour describes as terrifying. This paper s

The problem of the man discharged from the colours has for some time past been engaging the attention of the chief depart-

▲ Constantinople telegram says that the Bulgarian politician M. Tafeischieff, who was the principal instigator of the Turco-convinced that the new Cabinet Committee mente of State,

was doing its best to make available for the army all the stiperfluous single men in the country. The munition workers were ou a different footing, because it would be fatal to disorganis, the munition workers at the present time.

PORTUGAL AT WAR WITH

ANOTHER INCIDENT.

BUKHAREST, March 14th. Rumania is enquiring into the arrest by the Bulgarians of the Commander of the Bumanian Getards at Corabin when on a tour of inspection on the Danube,

GENERAL.

(THROUGH RIDZER'S AGENCY.]

RED CROSS HELP FOR MESOPOTAMIA-

VALUABLE WORK OF A JOINT

COMMITTEE.

LONDON, March 18th,

AUSTRIA

The number of men already released from further service or the ground of unfitness has made it pross ing; it is daily becoming moro urgent as the discharge of men proceeds, and it will give rise to colossal difficulties on the disbanding of our vast armies at the con- clusion of the war. The Home Office, the Board of Trade, and the Board of Agricul- ture, in consultation with the War Office and the Admiralty, are each conducting separate inquiries on the subject, and so advanced are their deliberations that the report of the Committee appointed by the President of the Board of Agriculture, and presided over by Sir H. Verney, Bt. will be made public at an early date,

I am able to state with certainty that the Committee has arrived at momentous conclusions, pointing towards an extensive State acquisition of land by compulsory purchase, the establishment ou a large scale of colonies of mallholders, the develop ment of co-operative buying, and market- ing, and of agricultural credit bank” and the provision of a large State grant to put the proposals into operation.

"Even the highest war indemnity that is thinkable cannot preserve us from s stupendous addition to the Imperial Bud- get for 1910-17. Without war damages we shall have to reckon upon an increase in a yearly taxation of at least foar milliards of marks (£200,090,000) From the techvi- cal point of view alone such amounts can not be procured immediately by taxation. From the political point of view it would be a great mistake if the population was not gradually acquainted with a situation which, looked upon a whole, hog some- thing terrifying in it. Only by slowly being made accustomed to it can the situa tion become softened for the people,

"Probably the State Secretary for Finance, when he introduces his proposals.

review of what the annual for the new taxation, will give as near as possible a deficit will be. The German people will only then be able clearly to understand what wounds the war has made, and what great measures will be necessary for years to come to head them. At present the greatest part of the people, probably, has no idea of the situation."

Forwürts, which reproduces these com- be better to tell the people the whole truth ente, adds, characteristically: "It would at once, It does not improve the situ tion by gradually accustoming the people to it. Alast it is very doubtful it free. criticistu will be allowed on the Budget proposals, for the Government, in answer. The minor details of the report are, ing the National Liberals' demand for as ated frankly, not at my disposal-if, indeed, it uncensored disenssion, has done so. in such has yet been signed by the reembers of the a manner that criticism may not be un Committee-but the following summary of kind or hurtful.” been before the Committee while it has the most important matters which have been taking evidence, and the broad con- clusions drawn from them, has been sup plied to me by an unimpeachable authority ou land matters the same, in fact, which enabled me to forecast with almost literal accuracy the rural section of the report of the Lloyd George Land Committee some weeks before it was actually published.

up

GENEVA, March 15th, Austria ag recalled her Minister at Lisbon and has handed passports to the Portuguese Minister at Vienna, THE SEIZURE OF GERMAN SHIPS.

LONDON: March 14th. In the House of Commons Sir Edward Grey justified the action of Portugal in requisitioning the German ships. He stated that at the beginning of the war Portugal declared that in no circumstances wwald she disregard the duties of the The Joint Committes of the British Redgiest Alliance with Great Britain, Ger- Cross and the Order of St. John have for any, who had charged Portugal the past fortnight been in close touch with breach of neutrality, had herself the India Office and the War Office with Angola and had attempted to reference to the provision of further Red rebellion in Portuguese East Africa. Cross help in Mesopotamia. Consignments Portugal might be assured that Great of hospital stores and comforts have Britain and her Allies would reader all aiready been shipped to Basra, and more assistance to their gallant coadjutor. will be despatched this week. Among the

INDIAN OFFICERS' WIDOWS. goods already sent are an ample supply

A QUESTION OF PENSIONS. of dressing, 16.000 square yards of wire mosugito netting, and ice-making machines. The Committeo also sent to the Gulf shallow draught river-boats for the Tigrie, and further suitable boats are being transferred from the Mediterranean,

Lord Ridsdale, Chairman of the British Red Cross Society, bes just returned from Salonika where he has been the Committee's Commig oner. His lordship leaves bi Thursday as Commissioner for Mesopo tania, proceeding vid India and Kaisari- hind. The Committee are officially informed We successfully bombarded enemy tren- that as regards recent operations, the ches north of Ypres.

BRITISH SHELL ENEMY TRENCHES.

GERMAN WORKING PARTIES DRIVEN OFF.

LONDON, March 15th.. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy exploded two mines south of the La Base Canad and near Neuve Chapelle respectively. Que did some darange to a portion of a small salient

LONDON, March 18th,

In the House of Commons, Colonel Yate suggested that the widows of temporary Majors of the Indian Army should be placed on the same footing as regards pensions and gratuities whether their husbands were killed before or after September 1st, 1915,

ACQUISITION OF LAND,

(a) Price of the land.

o

(b) Cost of building, feroing, roads,

drainage, etc.

(e) Compensation for tenant right, unex

hausted improvements of previous tenant, growing crop, etc. (d) Cost of equipment, stock, seeds, im

pements, etc

The main outstanding obstacle which the Committee had to face, and which was scarcely even tinkered with in the recenti English and Scottish Land Acts, was the provision of capital for a general scheme of land settlement for a class of mon prac tically without capital resources of any kind. A scheme of State purchase for The Committee's reference, based on the land settlement roughly entals the follow absolute necessity of fading suitable eming expenditure. ployment for men discharged from the Colours, and on the extreme desirability demonstrated by the facts of the war, of materially increasing the home-grown food supplies, was to consider how soldiers and Bailorg discharged now or to be disbanded after the war could most advantageous.y be employed on the land. The Committe considered the problem largely from the point of view of the minor aspects of rum! production-viz., ponury, pig, and calf rearing, fruit cultivation, bee keeping, home industries, small dairy farming, and mixed production on small holdings. The Committee had the advantage of having at

As the State is to become the sole and their disposal the vast ma of masteria? which emanted in such volume from the permanent landlord, the only conclusion the land controversy of the year immediately Committee could arrive as was that the preceding the war; but they also examined State must provide the capital for the A Gazette announces that the D.S.O. has evidence on the aspects of the problem purchase of the land and the erection of The payment for tenant been awarded to Captain 8. E. Apthorp, arising out of the reference prosented the buildings.

by many experts on ruri re-population in right, nuexhausted improvements, cost of Berar Infantry, and to Captain all its bearings.

equipment, etc., and the provision of

A. H. Jukes, stb, Gurkhas.

One of the most convincing pieces of working capital falls under a different cate evidence available to the Committee as to gory. They are all matters which depend Military Crosses have been awarded to the difficulties of the problem they had to for their continued value very largely ox the night of the 9th, and all requiries Captain H, W. Goldfrap, 103rd. Mabsolve was the failure of the Small Holding the industry and capacity of the tenant. transference to the general or bas, hospitals rottas. Lieutenants W. A. Hieds, 103rd Landholders' Act of 1910 to provide a supremely liable to abuso by an unsuitablo

General Officer Commanding has reported Our grenadiers and machine-guzders on

that he is extremely satisfied with the Tuesday night drove off enemy working arrangements made for the wounded in the parties.

field and their remova. All the wounded There was considerable hostile artillery in the fighting on the 6th were collected by activity west of Lens.

THE NEAR EAST,

(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.)

BEDOUINS DEMORALISED.

FLOOK INTO BRITISH LINES FOR

FOOD.

LONDON, March 14th.

An official telegram from Cairo raps The evening communiqué states:-Eleven French aeroplanes dropped 42 heavy that Major-General Peyton occupied Sollum to-day. The Senussi camp of bombs on the station of Brieules.

were despatched downstream by the 11th. AIR DEFENCE OF LONDON

NOW COMPLETE.

Mr. Chamberlain replied that he would consider tho, suggestion, and that he was in communication with the War Offico.

MILITARY HONOURS.

9oth

LONDON, March 16th.

DUTCH WAR LOAN,

(e) Provision of working capital and maintenance of tenant for fret year of occupancy.

CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT SOCIETIES,

Act of 1809 and of the Scottish Small A direct State graut for these objects is vest their ownership in the Here the Mahrattas, and E. C. Staples, 11th, Raj-means of land settlement on a substantial settler, and the best way to make them

scale. They had to seek a broader basis of secure is puts and to 2nd. Lieut. J. P. Wood, I action than either measure provided, and person who enjoys their use.

the modus vivendi they have found is the co-operative bank comes in, and the Com- dian Army Reserve.

The diff.mittee have decided to recommend the State acquisition of the land. culties in the way of comprehensive land etablishment of co-operative credit socie settlement by the State purchase of land tier, which, with a view to stimulating ga & voluntary basis are so well-known that their activities and to providing a basis it will be found, in view of the urgency of security for the sources from which they of the situation, that the Committee recom- draw their loan capital, should have at mend the vesting in the department on the outset a limited financial backing from trusted. with the development of the scheme the State. of compulsory powers, probably by Pro- visional Order, for the acquisition of the necessary land.

LONDON, March 16th Ja

AMSTERDAM, March 14th, In the House of Commons, Mr. H. J Tennant said that the air defence of Wer Logn of £10,000,000

The Dutch Lower House has adopted a

London was now complete on an agreed. ale, which was also being applied to the

There were minerous fights in the air in Mead is reported to be unoccupied, and provinces, but the standard of air defence

the region of Verdun. Three Ceranno opposition is expected, aeroplanes wore seen to fall in the enemy

The Bedouing who joined Say-ed-Ahmed lines. A French machine, which was at are demoralised, and are suffering greatly

tacked by four German aeroplanes, fought them, felled one, and returned to safety.

RECKLESS GERMANS.

BALANCE OF STRENGTH BEING DESTROYED.

PARIB, March 16th.

6.40 p.m:

A semi-official communiqué states:-The enemy's whole effort yesterday at Verdun wa directed on a narrow front of three miles between Bethincourt and Cumieres, which is dominated by Mortheme Hill, and the conquest of this singularly em barrassing position necessarily tempted German-tactical ambition. The action con- tinues at two paints of the trenches where the Germans gained a footing, which are scarcely half a mile apart, and probably we have already re-taken these places,

from hunger sel disappointment, The Sheikh Zaweit has surrendered,

The beadmen of the Awladali tribe are asking for pardos. Starving Bedouins, with their families, are flocking into our lines for food and shelter, having been robbed and ill-treated by the Tripolitan Bedouins brought into Egyptian territory by Say- Del-Ahmed; ITALIAN FRONT

[TEROUGH BUYER'S AGENCY.}

ITALIAN INFANTRY ATTACK DEFENCE POSITIONS TAKEN.

Bous, March 15th.

The

would be continually improved, supply of seroplanes was now satisfactory and British high power engines were coming forward which would produce an immediate and marked improvement, Wo were now producing as many pilots monthly 2 were mobilised at the outbreak of war and this number would be largely increased in the future.

Mr. Tennant paid a tribute to the Territoriala in l the theatres of war,

all the including the Sanitary Corps and the hospital staffs. He read a message from Sir Douglas Baig in which he said that the men were so comfortably provided for that they wore in good heart and health, and were confidens of victory(cheers) and that the toon realised what they owed

NO PREMIUM BONDS.

LONDON, March 14th. In the House of Comeung Mr. McKenna

issue Premium Bonds.

STATE AS LANDLORD,

The highly controversial question of whe mid the Government had decided not to ther the land settler should be the owner

GERMAN BREAD SUPPLY Before the Reichstag debate, in which Herr Deltauck, the Minister of the Interior made another of his consolatory speeches about the food supply, the German publia was given an unpleasant surprise. It was ities had decided to suspend the various announced that the Imperial earn anther measures which in the course of last year mitigated the rigours of the trend ticket scheme, and to revert to the original scale of daily rations as fixed in the spring of 1815. The only "mitigations which re- main are certain provisions which alle larger rations to persons engaged in heavy

The official notice declared that a co of supplies taken on 10th November show ed that there was sufficient corn to feed the population and the army until the next harvest It had, however, been shown that the relaxations introduced at the Bs ginning of the second year of war had pro duced the erroneous impression that the sapplies were more than adequate and that cagion – was unnéessary. The notice adds;

manual labour

1 believe the Committee have recommend- od the giving of a large State grant from the Consolidated Fund for purchase and the erection of buildings. I am not able to state the amount, and indeed it depends very largely on the extent to which the scheme is applied, but it may

or tenant of his holding was another of be ventured that not a very large number the main pointy with which the Committee of men can be equipped with acres, farm concerned themselves. The disadvantages buildings, and houses for a million pounds. of occupying ownership in the case of meu Probably it will he found that an initial established on the land with practically

The general scheme suggested by the Committee will completely eclipse the 1900 Bms Holdings Act, and, as for as I can gather, the local authorities do not come into it at all

no capital of their own the danger of grant of not far short of three millions is

the sum suggested speculative sale, the load of the interest and the sinking fund on the capital ber- rowed for the purpose, the application of some of the profits to these purposes, which might be more fruitfully applied to the

At one period of their deliberations the that the Committee unhesitatingly came to improvement of the haltings are so obvious the conclusion that, the baly suitable pro Committee were flirting with a scheme to posal for ex-aldiers and sailors, the give powers similar to those to be taken majority of them without capital, was by the Blate to Jocal authorities, to enable tenancy under the State land ord them to put into operation like proposals This, I imagine, manng that the State in or near their own areas. I am unable would make no effort to divest itself of the to satisfy myself whether this idea has been merely have to pay an equitable interest decided to recommend wider powers to land phrchased, and that the tenant would completely abandoned. The Committee have by way of rent for the capital outlay of County Councils than those contained in the State upon the land In other words, the Act of 1903, but as to the exact scope-

big experiment in land sufionalisation of them I am unable to say The advantage of land settlement in com-

Generally speaking, the report will deal manities y colonies are led to obvious that with many phases of the land question once the thorny question of tenancy which any scheme for the settlement of men ownership was settled the committee could largely unskilled in agricultural pursuits not but have arrived as I am told they have must inevitably raise. The instruction of done, at the necessity of adopting the new settlers, and, quite as important a mater, their wives in the art of small system.

Co-operation working of the laud, co farming the desirability of establishing operative buying and selling, cooperative demonstration holdings and experimental This view is erroneous. In the second transit, agricultural banking, are all and plots, the provision of skilled advisers, the Jardine asked & question regarding thear also we must observe strict economy esch 80 dependent on the proximity of selection of men begh suited for the diffe if we want, not only to have enough, but small holders to one another that the scoprent phases of rural life, are but a few University of Burros,

to enter upon the next econome yeartion of the colony system in any 4780 of the almost inexhaustible topicy which with adequate rezerves,

scheme of land settlement is inevitable suggest themselves to the expert as matters The relaxations now suspended had apA further advantage lies in the fact that which must have come within the Com- plied to certain kinds of fodder, and to the the existence of a large community of mittee's purview. On the face of it, the strict milling regulations, but especially State tenants makes the presence of a to report when it appears ought to be one had read the daily ration of four and sident State supervisor of their activities as of the most voluminous while papers, if

not blue books, recently published. bread.

BURMA UNIVERSITY.

A communiqué says: On the Isonzo front, despite torrential rain and fog, the to the Navy. Italian infantry made successful attacks at several points, notably in the San Martino district, where, after répid and violeng artillery preparation, we carried 2 strong redoubt with the bayonet, cap- turing the defenders,

Briefly the day was satisfactory, the Germans not progressing, and it is confid. ently expected that the balance of strength will by destroyed to the detriment of the enemy, who is recklessly expending himself. guns.

South-east of San Martino we captured an important pivot of defence, Altogether we took 254 prisoners and two machine

LONDON, March 16th, In the House of Comnions, Sir Rober

Mr. Chamberlain said that he was given to understand that the Government of Burms were drafting a Bill which would

be submitted to the Raj.

practicable as it is desiraba