1916-11-16 — Page 5

THE WAR.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16ra 1916.

THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE.

GREAT TACTICAL ADVANTAGE GAINED.

GERMANY PREPARING FOR BIG EFFORT.

HOW GERMANY UNDER-ESTIMATED THE "OBSTINATE

BRITISH,"

MAN-POWER IN CROWN COLONIES.

Franco-Belgian Front.

LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE.

ENEMY "PURSUED, HAMMERED AND BEATEN."'.

ĮTHROUG() REUTER'S AUKNOY.]

CONSOLIDATING,

LONDON, November 16th. General Sir Douglas Haig reporta:~ The ground won yesterday north of Ancre was secured during the night. More prisoners have been taken.

EARLIER CABLES.

THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE.

ITS OBJECT ACHIEVED.

LONDON, November 14th. Experts

agree in congratulating General Sir Douglas Haig on his bril liant strategy, the success of which com

Panis, November 18th.. One of the foremost French corres- pondents at British Headquarters, tele graphing from Amiens, said, that the army showed in yesterday's offensive that its power was undiminished by protract- ed fighting in bad weather. The Thiepval salient had always been an awkward point, and the British objective was to break the Beaumont Ancre Schwabeu line,pletes the objective of "the big push" and to aim repeated blows at the enemy. The British advantage in morale was in- creased yesterday by an element of sur- prise. No fewer than five German trench lines, with barbed wire entanglements,

were between the Anere and Beaumont

Hurriel. The latter was a much more for- midable stronghold than Thiepval. There

was a splendid dashing infantry attack on a four mile front, this being preceded by a brief, but extremely violent, artil- lery humbardment.

The Germans, evidently thinking that the artillerying was a barrage, remained in their dug-outs and were captured in large numbers. The fourth enemy line, was rushed within eighteen minutes, and all the objectives were attained.

When

I left the battlefield " adds the corres pondout, the enemy was being pursued, hammered and beaten, and be did not

attempt to recover himself.”

MANY BRITISH CASUALTIES.

annihilating a whole system of defences which the Germans considered impregn- able, and increasing the enemy's dificul ties to man the tronches.

Yesterday's vetory wipes out the so- called Beaucourt salient and enables the British for the first time to continue operations on a fairly wide front.

The importance of this extension of the. offensive is increased by the fact that it is likely to wreck the Gernian staff plane of scraping every regime t that can be apared in France for an attack on Rou mania.

St.

BRITISH ADVANCE-

The Balkans,

LATEST CABLES. {THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

DESPERATE FIGHTING ON

ROUMANLAN- FRONT.

SEVERAL RETIREMENTS.

Naval Activities.

LATEST CABLES.

{THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

ABOARD THE “U 49?”

WHAT HAPPENED. TO THE

COLUMBIAN."

· [THUANGH REUTER'S AGENOY ] -^

MAN-POWER FROM CROWN

COLONIES.

"LONDOS, November 16th.

BARLIER CABLES,

(THROUGH REUTER'S ATINQY.]

MESOPOTAMIA SITUATION.

DESPATCH FROM GENERAL LAKE, In the House of Commons, Mr. Balfour

LONDON, November 14th. assured Mr. Wedgewood that Colonial

A despatch from General Lake says Office influence was directed towards that since the fall of Kut no large optra. securing the largest possible man powertions have been undertaken. The troops from the Crown Colonies,

CORUNNA, November 16th. Captain Curtis, of the American torpedoed steamer Columbian, the GERMANY SURPRISED. Captains of two torpedoed Norwegian UNDER-ESTIMATED THE BRITISH steamers, and the Captain of one British steamer which was torpedoed, have arrived here after a week aboard the U 49,

NATION

AMSTERDAM, November 15th." The Leipziger Neuste Machrichten says

∙Lonnos, November 18th, A Roumanian communiqué stálesT Between the Uzul and Cafin Valleys, on the Moldavian frontier, there have been incessant enviny attacks since October EDIL, These have been

sanguinarily repulsed.

An enemy attack in the Dragos-Lavele region, which was supported by heavy artillers, compelled the Roumanian left of 109, stopped on demand. He was into a huge munitions Inctory. The wing to retire. There was fierce fighting ordered to abandon the ship, which was on the left bank, all the positions con

then twice torpedoed. He complained of srantly changing hands. Finally the the darkness, bad food and smell of petrol England in 1910 we all smiled. We have enemy progressed with new and superior board the submarine. When they were since been compelled to admit that we forces. The Roumanians, as the result of allowed on deck they were watched by the underestimated the British nation.

desperate fighting, were compelled to retreat south of Bumbesti.

EARLIER CABLES.

ROUMANIAN OPERATIONS.

SANGULARY FIGHTING.

Loxos, November 14th.

A Roumanian communiqué kys There have been incessant enemy attacks between Uzul Valley and Casino Valley. since October 10th, but these have been repulsed sanguinarily. We counter: attacked and captured eighty prisoners, three machine gang and a quantity of war material,

Our left wing, at Drago Slavelle, was compelled to give way, and we may also

are resting, recuperating and consolidat- ing during the abatement of the floods. The dried ground has increased the water dificulties.

The Turks still hold the Bannniyat

position and have constructed other lines

Capt. Curtis says that the Columbian that it is the British obstinacy which on the left bank.. We dominate Hai and

necessitates the conversion of Germany could bombard Kut,

which had 9,000 tons of cargo, and a crew

erow, who had londed revolvera. The submarine signalled to a Swedish steamer and ordered this vessel to land the

Captains at Corunas,

THE "ARABIA" OUTRAGE,

MALTA, November 15th. Mr. Paul Danor, who was the only American aboard the Arabia, declares absolutely that there was no warning.

EARLIER CABLES.

DUTCH STEAMERS SEIZED.

LONDON, November 14th. The Germans seized the Dutch steamers

Batavier and Import, bound for Eng land.

The crew of the Import took to their

be forced to withdraw to the south of boats, but, on the submarine disappear Bumbesti.

ing, they returned to their ship.

On the right bank of the Alt, a Hou-General. maniun fotilla bombarded the enemy's! left flank at Scilnenimmri, north of Cernavoda,

SERBIANS SEVERELY

ENGAGED.

LATEST CADLES.

{THROUGH RESTER'S AGENCY.)

GERMANY'S WAR INDUSTRY. TREMENDOUS REORGANISATION.

AMSTERDAM, November 15th. Inspired Berlin telegrams emphasise the traendons reorgerisation of Germany'Ą war industry, which is being carried out

BIG HAUL, OF PRISONERS.

Hamel, which the infantry rushed, are Pierre Divion and Meanmont

Losnos, November 14th. A Serbian official message announces: described as

fortresses stronger chanWe fought sanguinarily on November by General Groener, the head of the new Port Arthur or Sevastopol.

13th against the Germans and Bulgars at War Department. They admit it is the Cernarcks. Engagements are continuing direct result of the Somme battle, which showed the immensity of the munitions and several trenches are repeatedly changing hands. We definitely got nos-effort of the Entente, and especially of scanion of important eneiny positions near

Great Britain. General Groener, is Tepavci at the class of the day. The treating Germany like a hugo businesa He is organising all labour for enemy suffered enormously in killed and firm. wounded. We took a thousand addi-army purposes, assisted by one military tional prisoners, mostly Germans, to

arid one, technical Chief of Staff. The gether with important booty.

latter is an ex-Director of the Cruson Works, Magdeburg, and he controla iran FRANCO-SERBIAN BOOTY. and steel works, and chemistry. Agricul- tare and other departments will be super vised by high officers. specially taken from the front, assisted by numerous technical

CONTINUED,

OTHER 5,000 PRISONERS.

LONDON, November 15th. LONDON, November 18th. Sir Douglas Haig reports:-We have Beuter's correspondent at Headquarcaptared Beaucourt-sur-Ancre Our turs says that the capture of St. Pierre Prisoners are considerably over fiv Divion in the course of yesterday's attack thousand and more are arriving. is important, as it handicaps the enemy, We made a successful local advance to who was obtaining his antmunition stores the east of Butte de Warlencoure and nii across the drift. It is a fairly large par objectives were

gained, Eights township. Miraumont will now become prisoners were taken there. closely buset on two sides. The feature of UNPRECEDENTED GERMAN the assembling of the large number of prisoners was their coralling in advanced. Otherwise, the barbed wire

*** cagca.

compounds were in a sheltered situation

ADMISSION,

LONDON, November 14th. Tonight's German communiqué admits Bear the fring line. The Officers and the British capture of Beaumont Hamel and St. Pierre Divinn, with the lateral men were in separatevages."

connecting lines.

The British casualties were many, bat they were fewer than in the July advance. VICTORY WON BY HOME TROOPS,

LONDON, November 15th. The Beaumont Hamel fortress system is described by correspondents as being the strongest in the whole line, compris ing an extraordinary maze of trenches, with caves as big as Buckingham Palace, consisting of excavations of quarries, in the midst of which the village is situated. It had proved impregnable to the heaviest explosives. The British up to the present have won no such victory against greater odds

It adds The stubborn defence caus- ed us important losses."

The latter admission is almost unpre- ccdented.

FRENCH FRONT.

COMPARATIVE CALM PREVAILS,

PARIS, November 14th. A communiqué says:-There has been lively artillery firing at Fressoire.

An enemy attack west of Auberive, in Champagne, was repulsed.

There has been a enim elsewhere.

FRENCH OCCUPY A CRATER.

PARIS, November 16tla.

The prisoners are curiously pallid in An official announcement says: North appearance, due to the fact that they of the Somme, the enemy artillery, to have been leading a dug-out existence, which ours vigorously replied, violently coupled with their fear of existence by bombarded the region of Pressoire and day. This has bleached many..

the sector at Biaches,

The attacking. infantry was practically confined to Home troops. The losses were comparitively slight. One English batta lion Look 300 prisoners, the same battalion not suffering "much more than 100 "casualties.

At La Maisonette, in Argonne, we occupied a crater which a German mine

had created.

At Verdun there has been an inter mittent cannonading action in the region of Donanmont and Vaux.

advisers.

The

Losnos, November 15th. A French official message dealing with the Eastern Arny says:-Artillery fire has been very Hvely between the Cernia and Prespa Lake

The age limits of the German labour. The booty which the French and Ser-levy are from sixteen to sixty. blans captured between November 10th feeding is to be organised into three classes. The heavy manual and brain and 12th includes twenty-five guns, of which eight were heavy guns, and much workers will have the first call upon fats, other material. They also took 1,347 prisoners.

ENEMY ATTACKS REPELLED.

November 14th.

A Russian communiqué says: Enemy attacks in the wooded Carpathians and in the Trotus, Tirgului and Oituz Valleys were repelled.

The Roumanians were forced back slightly in the Alt Valley.

The enemy occupied the village of Bumbesti in the Jiul Valley.

Italian Front.

EARLIER CABLES,

[TEBOUGE ELUTER'S AGENCY.]

ITALIAN OPERATIONS.

STRAIGHTENING THE LINE.

LONDON November 14th.

An Italian official messago... anys: Artillery on both sides has been active or the Trentino front.

We straightened our line at several points in the Carso region and captured a beavy trench mortar.

meat

and stimulants; secondly the lighter labourers' food will be regulate by the character of their work; and thirdly, the aged and infirm will have the leavings

There is a prospect of bitter con- troversy over the compulsory employment of women.

BELGIAN DEPORTATIONS.

**UNFORTUNATE EFFECT UPON

NEUTRAL OPINION.

WASHINGTON, November 15th.- The State Department has instructed

the American Charge d'Affairs at Berlin to inform Herr Bethmann Hollweg that the Belgian deportations have had a most unfortunate effect upon neutral opiņiou, particularly in the United States, which has the welfare of the Belgians very much at heart.

MAN-POWER OF IRELAND.

LONDON, November 15th. Major General Sir B. T. Mahon, who has arrived from Ireland, says it is officially estimated that there are 161,000

Irishmen available for military service.

paper adds -- When Kitchener, in 1914, said that the war would begin for

We

now know that it is our real enemy, who will ruthlessly use every means to accomplish our downfall. It has not shrunk from sacrificing its personal liberty to accomplish this aim." The same journal arges compulsory joint meals for the whole population.

CHINESE LABOUR CORPS.

LONDON, November 15th. A Gazette states that Temporary Lieut. Colonel Fairfax, of the Liverpool Regi- ment, has been appointed to command the Chinese Labour Corps,"

BRAVERY IN THE FIELD.

LONDON, November 15th.

The D.S.O. decoration has been awarded to Major Gwyn Thomas, of the Bengal Lancers. He advanced through a heavy

barrage, and rallied and led forward his troops with great skill, determination, and splendid courage.

The Military Cross has been awarded to Lieut. G. M. Fitzgerald of the Indian Army, who led a squadron forward under heavy fire, capturing and holding an enemy position. Later he remained bebind and rescued wounded. He dis- played courige. ∙and" determination throughout.

BRITISH RED CROSS FUND.

LONDON, November 15th,

A letter signed by the Duke of Con naught and the Marquis of Lansdowne mentions that the British Red Cross Find

exereds £5,000,000.

CANADIAN COMPLAINTS.

THE COMMONWEALTH MORATORIUM.

LIMITED APPLICATION.

LONDON, November 14th.

It appears that the Commonwealth Moratorium applics only to mortgages or to agreements to purchase. The court's

leave will be necessary before foreclosing, and the time allowed to soldiers for re- payment of mortgages will be extended to six months after the war...

MUSSULMAN MISSIONERS. ENTERTAINED IN FRANCE,

PARIS, November 14th. Political missioners sent by the Grand Sherif of Mecca were present at a session. of the Inter-Ministerial Committed on Mussulman Affairs, hold in their horour the Foreign Ministry, and were after- wards entertained as luncheon,

M. Briand visited the hospital for Colonial troops at Nogent-sur-Marne The Premier decorated the missioners and colonials and warmly praised the

heroism of the French African contin- gents, whose loyalty, he said, had in- separably bound to France the Mussol- mans living under the protection of the French Bng.

GT, BRITAIN AND ROUMANIA, THE ALLIES FULLY ALIVE TO GERMANY'S OBJECT.

In the House of Commons last month, Mr. Dillon said it would be very useful if the Secretary of State for War could say something to convey to the people Britain would strain every nerve to of Rumania the conviction that Grent come to their assistance by a strong offensive in Macedonia. It would, he declared, be an unparalleled disaster were Germany allowed to overrua Rumania. (Cheers.) The well-known OTTAWA, November 15th. correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. Colonel Sir Sam Hughes, who resigned of General Sarrail had been over and Dr. Dillon, had stated that the demands. recently from the position of Minister of over again ignored, and that when all Militia and Defence, has made a state received were made public the world his requests and the replies which he had

ment Recusing British officers, who did would receive a very serious shock. not know their business, of serapping fished they ware instantly met by

When Dr. Dillon's statements were pub Canadian equipment, and complaining of statement from Colonel Repington, who the treatment

Was not an ordinary newspaper corre of the Canadiang in

spondent and might be regarded as hospitals.

cupying the position of a statesman. In view of the great forces behind Colope) Repington, any communication from him must be seriously considered, fe countered Dr. Dillon's statement by saying that he trusted wo should have no more of these amatour expedicións diverting attention from the one great point on which the whole effort of the country ought to be concentrated- namely, the Western front Bumour, that a struggle had been going on Lebind had been in circulation for a long time industry was of supreme importance in the scenes between the General Staff in India, and be believed that agriculture to whether the Salonika Expedition England and certain other influences as

could be extended much more surely and should be starved and ultimately rapidly in no other way than by co-opera tion. Co-operative credit was only the foundation; co-operative sale and par chase were also essential parts of a com plete system.

CO-OPERATION IN INDIA. LONDON, November 15th, Presiding at a "ineeting of the East India Association at the Caxton Hall, et which Mr. B. A. Collins read a paper on Co-operation in India," Lord Islington said the application of co-operation to

BRITISH STEAMER IN

A COLLISION. The British steamer City of Cairn, from Rangoon to London, has put into Brest in a sinking condition after a collision with the Greek steamer Empros, the crew of which had been picked up.

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

MELBOURNE, November 15th, Mr. Hughes has reconstituted the Federal Cabinet, retaining the Premier- ship

AN INDIAN WILL.

LONDON, November 15th.

Haheha Wadhwan letters of administra The Probate Court has granted Ram

tion for the will of her father, Maharaja Bir Goday Gajputuram of Vizagapalam.

that the war would be decided in the abandoned. For his part, be believed Balkans, and that if we allowed Rumania to be overrun success might be denied to

115,

Mr. Lloyd George--I am afraid 1 could not possibly answer the hon. mem- ber without outering upon eubjects which are extremely perilous in their nature. The hon. member wants an assurance with regard to the campaign in Rumania and the efforts wo ary making, to assist Ruuania. Of course, I cannot possibly do that, and no will understand why it is impossible for me to do ao, but I can assure him that the Government are fully alive to the necessity of giving every support in their power to the gallant armies of Rumania in the very vicious attack which has been made upon her. We have not the least doubt that Germany is concentrating her strength in the hope of crushing her he is doing it not merely from the point of view of her own interests, bat in a spirit of resentment and tengeances because these brave people have dared to challenge lier power so near to her own home. The Allied countries are fully alive to that,, and my hon. friend may depend upon." country and by others to protect the it that every effort will be made by this

kind. Of course, I cannot go beyond Romanian Army against an effort of that

that in the discussion to-night.