1916-12-30 — Page 5

THE WAR.

PEACE

MORE

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 30TH,

MANEUVRES.

COMMENTS.

THE YEAR'S ACHIEVEMENTS ON BRITISH FRONT,

FORECASTS FOR NEXT YEAR.

Franco-Belgian Frorit,

LATEST CABLES.

(THROUGH REDTRE'S AGENCY.)

FAVOURABLE BRITISH

POSITION.

THIS YEAR AND LAST.

LONDON, December 28th. Sumarising the situation on the British front at the expiration of the year, Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters says that the enemy have advanced a few acres in two places only, whereas we have gained thrich no many square miles. The enemy casualties, including Verdun, are well towards a million and a quarter. The British line is twice as strong as it was at the end of 1915, and the cannos now crash in scores where a year ago they snorted in pairs.

ENEMY RAIDS ON BRITISH FRONT.

LONDON, December 28th.

raid

The Balkang.

LATEST CABLES. {THROUGH MEUTHEʼS AGENUE.}. GERMAN ULAIMS.

AMSTERDAM, December 28th,

A Berlin official message claims the capture of Rimnikul Sarat in Wallachia, and states that British attacks northeast of Doiran were repulsed,

GERMAN OFFENSIVE ON ROUMANIANFRONT,

PETROGRAD, December 28th.. The Germans delivered an attack along nearly the whole of the Ronmanian front. The enemy succeeded in driving back the Russians and the Roumanians on the Upper Rimpik. Everywhere else they were repulsed. Fighting continues

AUSTRIAN VIEW,

AMSTERDAM, December 28th.

A Vienna official message states that the General Sir Douglas Haig reports:ably despite the arrival of strong Russian fighting in Wallachis continues favour Of three enemy parties attempting a

reinforcements. north-westward of Gommecourt two were driven back by our fire, and the third roached the trenches but was immediately ejected.

EARLIER CABLES.

GERMAN REPORT." VIOLENT FIGHTING IN WOODED CARPATHIANS

The enemy at night-time fired many gas sholls at places behind the front line.

LONDON, December 28th In the neighbourhood of Arras and Lens

A Berlin communiqué records most viol- there was a number of air fights. Three ent fighting in the wooded Carpathians hostile machines were destroyed, and thres. The results are not stated. others were driven down damaged. ENEMY ARTILLERY ACTIVE.

PARIS, December 29th.

A communiqué states-On the left of the Meuse the enemy artillery violently bombarded positions on the Morthomme- and Hill 304 front. We vigorously pouator-attacked.

OFF-SEASON ON THE

BRITISH FRONT. SUCCESSFUL HARASSING WORK.

LONDON, December 29th. Although no operations on a big scale are ut prosent being carried out on the British front, the German', are never given a moments prace. A correspondent on the British front relates that never & day clapses without a raid being made on the German lines, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. They are keeping the German's on tenterhooks, the enemy never knowing where the next blow will

fall. The result of this harassing has exocoded all expectations. Besides raids, the British artillery fire is ever heavier, and big guns are unceasingly showering shells behind the enemy front, particular- ly on his lines of communication, seriously hampering his supply services; and this is what the "Tommies" call an “off-season.”

THE SOMME FRONT.

BRITISH TAKE OVER NEW PORTION.

LONDON, December 29th: A French war correspondent indicates that the taking over by the British of the new portion of the Somme frout was completed by Christmas.

Aerial Activities.

EARLIER CABLES. (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY,}" AERIAL RAIDS IN TURKEY.]

LONDON, December 28th.”

The Admiralty announces that aero- planes successfully bombarded cemps at Galata, while seaplanes destroyed Chi- kaldir Bridge, eighteen miles east of Adana

The communiqué adde:-Strong Rus sian counter-attacks to regain ground at Rimnicul Sarat failed We further pro- gressed. Over 10,000 prisoners were taken in the fighting at Rimnicu Sarat,

THE RUSSIAN FRONT. ARMOURED CANS' USEFUL WORK.

PETROGRAD, December 28th.

Russian Front,

LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH BRUTEE'S ADENOT;} GERMANS REPULSED AT

KOVEL

PETROGRAD, December 28th

A communiqué states: A Gorman offensive in the Kovel region was bloodily repulsed.

The Near East.

LATEST CABLES. (THROUGH RIDARK'S ACHNOX-]- TURKS DRIVEN BACK.

PETROGRAD, December 28th, A communiqué says:-The Turks have been driven back in the region of Lake. Van.

BARLIER VABLES.

HEDJAZ RAILWAY. MAY BE IMPERILLED BY BRITISH BUOCESSES.

PARIS, December 28th. The Matin says the British successes in Egypt and Mesopotamia may imperil the Hedjaz Railway and, with the help of India, lead to a systematic attack on Bagdad, thus forcing Turkey to recall important forees from other fronts. General,

LATEST CABLES.

(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.] TO FINAL TRIUMPH. MIND OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE.

PARIS, December 29th. Mr. Arthur Henderson, in the course of an interview, said he came to Paris to renew to the French democracy the formal engagement of the British work- ing people to pursue the war which had been thrust upon us to final triumph Disregarding the hypocritical manoeuvres of our enemies, the British people had made up their minds to suffer all sacri- fices to attain that end, from which nothing could turn them.

NEW YEAR HONOURS OVERSEAS.

LONDON, December 28th. It is announced that the Overseas New Year honours have been postponed until mid-January.

DEATH OF

FAMOUS

CRICKETER,

LONDON, December 25th. The death is announced of Mr. Frank

A communique states:-Our scouts crossed the Narajuvka and drove off the enemy's patrol guard, and carried back Penn, senior, the well-known construction material and barbed wire cricketer. entanglements.

Kent

BABLIER CABLES,

|

|

THE PEACE PROPOSALS. AMERICA'S POSITION.

New York, December 28th The newspapers declare that the United States certainly will not ack the Entente to enter a Peace Conference on the ternis proposed by Germany, which are viously crading the issue,

ob.

The Tribune, however, says President Wilson's Note is intended to prevent new German submarinism, and asks:-Will ho be black-mailed further into endors ing the German proposal for & Peace. Conference?

SWEDEN'S OBJECT.

JOINT

SCANDINAVIAN NOTE. COPENHAGEN, December 28th. Sweden is seemingly endeavouring to induce other Scandinavian nations to send a Joint Note infavour of peace, but Denmark and Norway are hanging back. RUSSIA AND PEACE.

LONDON, December 29th. Reuter's correspondent at Petrograd states that all the newspapers agree that the Tsar's message to the forces is the beat reply to the German and neutral peace proposals.

The Novoe Fremya says the Tsar's worda faithfully reflect the sentiments of the entire Russian people,

UNOPPOSED RETURN.

LONDON, December 28th. Mr. J. D. Kiley has been returned un- Ppposed for Whitechapel, suceecding Sir 8. M. Samuel, who resigned for business

reasons,

1910.

HONGKONG MAGISTRACY.

BAIL ESTREATED.

On Thursday's Chinese who arrived in the Colony by the str. Ecuador was found to have in his possession a revolver and 100 rounds of ammunition. He was taken to the police station, to be subse quently released on a $200 bail. When defendant was not present in Court and the case was called on yesterday the

his bail was estreated.

SMALL-POX.

Two Chinese, were charged before Mr. Melbourne with failing to report a case of smallpox which occurred at 2, Bulkeley, Street, Hunghom. One of the defendants said he was the father of the affected child, and that he was solely responsible for not having the case, re ported. The father was ordered to pay B fino of 250, and the other defendant was discharged.

ARMED ROBBERY.

Four men were charged before Mr. Wood in connection with the armed rob and woman were charged with receiving bery at 72, Ko Shing Street, and a man the stolen property. The evidence given went to show that the men went up to

which was a woman. the second floor, and entered a room in

her with knives, and gagged and bound They threatened

her, and then proceeded to ransack the place, getting away with jewellery money and clothing to the value of $1,105 Some of the money and clothing have been recovered.

The case was remanded.

REVENUE OFFICER CHARGED.

FAULT ON FOTH SIDES,

A Chinese tramear conductor was charged by a Chinese passenger with assault. Trooper-Bergt. Scull, of the Police Reserve, was in Kennedy's Stables when he heard a noise outside, and upon going out into the roadway saw a passenger in a traucar bleeding profusely from a wound on the head. The Reservist rendered first sid

RUSSIA AND THE PEACE PROPOSALS.

FOREIGN MINISTER ADDRESSES THE DUMA,

publishes a report of the session of the The Petrograd Telegraphic Agency Dams on December 15th, at which the new, Russian Minister for Foreign announcement. Affairs, M. Pekrovsky, made his first

After referring to Germany's previous peace kites, he said.

"Persuaded now of the impossibility of making a breach in our unwavering allinnoe, Germany officially offers to be gin peace negotiations;

What are the circumstances in which the German offer is made? The enemy troops have laid waste and occupy Bel- giam, Servia, Montenegro, and parts of France. Russia and Roumania.

The Austro-Germans have just proclaimed the so-called independence of part of Poland on all the Polish people. For whom, and attempt in this way to lay hands excepting Germany, will the commence ment of peace negotiations be profitable in such circumstances! But the motives. of the German step will be still more evident if we consider the internal situation of our enemies. Need speak of the illegal attempt to coerce the population of Russian Poland to rise in arms against its own country? It is sufficient to refer to the general labour conscription which is being enforced by of the situation in which our enemies aro the Germans to appreciate the gravity

themselves of their temporary territorial placed. The real sense of the German

encroachments before their step is to try at the last moment to avail

of failure, they will make use of the internal weakness has become obvious. In caso refusal of the Allies to accept peace to raise the weakening spirits of their populations.

NO WEAKENING AMONG RUSSIANS. their misapprehension of the real spirit "But this step has another aim. In of Russia, our enemies foster the vain found among us who will be it only hope that poor-spirited people will be for a moment-let themselves be misled by these deceitful proposals. This will never happen. No heart will quaver-in Russia and all Russia will, on the con- trary rally all the more unanimously, round her Supreme Leader, who has de- olared from the beginning of the war that He will not conclude peace before the last enemy soldier has left our land." Government strive to accomplish the With all the more energy will the Russian object proclaimed here on the first day

true meaus of reaching the air dear to tive work in common, being the only of your renewed session, namely a post-

each of us the final crushing of the

foe?!

DUMA UNANIMOURLY CONCURS IN DECISIVE

HEREFTUAL

On hearing the declaration of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Duma unanimously concurs in the decisive re fusal of the Allied Governments to enter upon any peace negotiations in the pre- sent circumstances (general applause), and itself considers that the German the exasperation of our foes and of their pesce proposal is only a new proof of hypocrisy, which is calculated, not to burden themselves of the responsibility attain any practical success, but to un- for commencing the war and for its con- tinuation in the face of public opinion in Germany. (Approval),

HONGKONG BOXING.

A Chinese Revenue Ofoer was charged before Mr. Wood with demanding money THE MAN TO MEET SCOTT. by menace. The evidence wont to show At the Naval Theatre last evening a number of local sportsmen were afforded which was unloading on the Kowloos that the Rovenne Offser visited a junk an opportunity of witnessing the boxer side of the harbour. He went on board who has hopes of beating Scott, the

and asked the master if he had a permit. heavy-weight champion of the Colory, an

The master said he had not, and the the occasion of the Police Reserve assault-at-arms on January 8th, The

Officer then said, "You will have to give the declaration of the Minister for The Duma having decided to consider me $10. Eventually it was agreed that

Foreign Affairs immediately, Member challenger is a naval man named Staple. the junk-master should hand over pendent Right, the Russian Nationaliste, Shidlovsky announced that the Tade ton, and it may be said at once that the However, seeing a luking standing near Octobrists and tho League of the 17th the Progressive Nationalists, the Centre, milor impressed everyone by the manner the junk-master told him what had October, the National Freedom Party', in which be shaped against several lively occurred and the Revenue Officer was the Progressive Party, the Polish Party, sparring partners, including Fian, arrested. Soon after the arrest had been Party, the Mussafman group and the the Polish Lithuanian-White Hussian Scott's latest victim, and a boxer named made the Revenue Officer was soon to group of Independent, firmly convinced Pepsin-also a naval man-whe has made throw a quantity of money into the har that no difference of opinion can exist a name for himself in London, and who hour and a small boy, as a result of him with the task of laying before them on the subject in the Dums, had charged will be an view on January 6th. Staple

diving, recovered 85 cents,

the following declaration: ton is a tall, heavily-built man, heavier,

The caso was adjourned, though, perhaps, not quite so tall as Scott, and possesses huge limbs where a boxer chiefly needs them. At first sight he appears slow and somewhat cumber- some in his movements, but he is one of those boxers who gets in more work than is apparent to a casual observer; very WAR PLANS.

effective work at close quarters to judge by the

way in which Pepsin's body was EXPERT'S HINTS ON STRATEGY.patched after his boats with Stapleton.

LONDON, 'December 29th.

The big man possesses a fearful right The military correspondent of the which, if allowed to land properly, would Times says that in order to gain the mean the count for any opponent, and his necessary superiority on

guard is fairly sound; though Pepsin Front in 1017-18 every possible white sparring, and frequently landed heavily "barked" Stapleton's nose early in the division from Salonika, Egypt, and on the same spot. Fian looked absurdly Mesopotamia should be withdrawn, the

small when he was sparring with Staple native armies from India and Africa ton, but he kept the big man on the move replacing them. In Egypt, the artillery all the time and afforded Stapleton an

RUSSIA'S HISTORICAL ATMS. This declaration was unanimously could be provided by the Dominions. opportunity of showing all he knew about

carried with enthusiasm after a speech The preservation of the Egypt hase intact ring craft. Judging from last night's assaulted him, when he was engaged in applause, the manœuvre concealed in the Defondant claimed that plaintiff had by M. Rudzianko, Fresident of the Duma, in which he pointed out, amid frequent is as much to the Australian as to the exhibition Stapleton will no doubt be putting the trolley beam on the wire at German proposal, the enemy's respon- English and Indian interest. Egypt is very keen on an early knock-out, if that Causeway Bay. Plaintiff came behind victory was the only issue which would sibility and manifest needs, that decisive shall not be sent to Peloponnesus until the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean.

It has been decided that the artillery the ideal offensive base for operations one possible, and Scott will have to keep him and struck him on the head. This Russia's historical aims and ✯ very wary eye on the sailor's right. It caused defendant to drop the trolley-pole Gorman militarism and the mailed fist gratify her desire to have the menace of the Allies have formulated their demands. The breaking down of the Turkisk mili. f will be a novelty for the champion to be was using, and it fell upon the removed and to see the commencement

It is believed that the Greek Govern-tary power by combined action on the have an opponent bigger than himself, plaintif's head. ment is disposed to comply with the

part of the Allien in Armenia, Mesoporound cleverness and superiority when he and though one cannot forget. Beott's all- claims of the Allies-in order to obtain a tamis and Egypt is the best means of knocked out Finn, Stapleton may be do raising of the blockade.

accomplishing the investment of the pended upon to put up a better show, Austro-German armies and checkmating with, perhaps, a chance to use the right | LOSSES IN MERCHANT SHIPPING Germany's Eastern moves.

with effect; but he would be well-advised GERMANY AND BELGIAN

not to underestimate the champions all DEPORTEES.

round skill. The contest should be a most attractive one.

The enemy pressed back detachments and occupied a series of heights on the Moldavian frontier.

Enemy attempts to cross the Dniester were checked.

Enemy attacks south of the Danube were heavily repulsed. British armoured motor-cars participated in beating back the attacks. The enemy was put to flight.

THE GREEK CRISIS. EFFECT OF THE BLOCKADE.

LONDON, December 28th. Telegrama from the Piraeus state that the transport of Greek troops to Mores is proceeding.

Naval Activities.

BARLIER CABLES. [THROUGH RIVIER'S AGUSOK,} SUBMARINE PIRACY. MORE VESSELS SUNK.-

the Western

Plaintiff told Mr. Wood, the Magis trato, that he gave the defendant a 10 asking for 5 cents change. The defendant cent piece for his fare, at the same time refused to give him any change, and, following an altercation, he struck him (plaintiff) on the head with the ticket. punching machine.

Mr. Wood decided to discharge the defendant.

The Duma further considers that a armistice and would involve the danger premature peace would only be a short of a new sanguinary wer and fresh durable peace is possible only after a heavy sacrifices by the people and that a decisive victory over the military power

tions that have made her the author of resignation of Germany of all the aspira of our enemies and after the definite

accompanying it. (Cheers sad general applause).

this universal wer and the borrars

of a free existence of nations and of right, liberty and justice.

RUSSIAN CAPACITY VOR A WAR OF EXHAUSTION.

Further speakers emphasised the possi bilities Russia possesses for winning a

year's business period will be more than war of exhaustion, including the fact that the free reserve of corn after this half a milliard pouds, the strength of means of carrying the war to a victorious the rural population and the general conclusion, notwithstanding difficulties,

Dr. Macnamara, replying to Sir H. Dal In the House of Commons last month, ziel, who saked whether he was able to give any information to the House in HOW THEY ARE BEING UTILISED

regard to the steps that were being taken by the Admiralty towards counteracting LONDON, December 231b.

HUN SECRET SERVICE LONDON, December 28th.

the activity of enemy submarines, said: The steamers Sno (Norwegian) and: Reuter learns that the German Butho

BELGIUM'S CRUSHING BURDEN.

The problem referred to in my right The German secret service is the thing Frigga (Swedish), as well as the sailing rities in Schleswig Holstien are offering

bon friend's question is one that has that chiefly struck a home-coming soldier. According to the Echo Belge, the long been engaging the close and anre- After & Zeppelin raid on a Baturday. ships Agnes (Danish) have been suak.

(British) and Johan farmers and other employers Belgian Governor-General of Belgium has immed I do not think that the Allied cause portion of the Loudon area, a German mitting attention of the Admiralty; but 'ght, when some damage was done to a servants, both men and womer, whose new order dated November 20th, which would be existed hy detailed public die prisoner early on the Monday morning GERMANS SEIZE NORWEGIAN

is signed by him, Duke Albrecht of cussion. All important as the question ages range between 18 and 30 years. Wurtemberg, and General von Falken- is, it may be worth while for my right e acurate details of the places visited STEAMER.

The pay is 30 per cent. below the rate levy of 40 million franes (1,600,000) British gross tonnage of merchant steam obtainable that the raid had taken place. hanson, sccording to which the monthly and the following fact:Of the total been done. It was not until Monday hon. friend and the House to bear in and points where special damage had current in the district.

afternoon that official information was which has been paid for the last two years shipping of 1,000 tons and over which half the travelling expenses, but they.

Employers must pay the Government is increased to 50 millions (£2,000,000), possessed at the beginning of the war, the A German on one occasion showed the From this sum the cost of maintenance of net loss up to the end of September 30th, soldier a beautifully faked photograph are entitled to deduct this from the

the German army of occupation and the 1916, is slightly over 20 per cent. German administration of the occupied includes losses from all causes, whether result of a raid in October 1915, and This of St. Paul's Cathedral in ang as the wages,

territory will be paid.

I would not belige that it was still intach

Reuter's correspondent at Amsterdam states that the Germans have taken the Norwegian steamer Aamot, bound for England with a cargo of artificial manure, to Hamburg as a prim

War or marine risks

we