1917-01-10 — Page 5

THE WAR.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY. „JANUARY 10TH,

ANGLO-SCOTS' BAID AT ARRAS:

VICTORY WITH

“ UNCANNY BASE,”

AMAZING STATEMENT BY AMERICAN AMBASSADOR AT BERLIN.

GERMAN INTRIGUE IN CHINA.

CONFLICTING OPINIONS ON MACEDONIAN CAMPAIGN.

Franco-Belgian Front.

LATEST CABLES.

{THROUGH BROTER'S AGENOT.] ANGLO-SCOTTISH TROOPS. CARRY A POSITION WITH "UNCANNY EASE."

Loxnow, January 9th. Reuter's Correspondent at British Headquarters to France states that s daylight reid southeast of Arras was errie out by Anglo-Scottish troops on

GERMAN REPORT.

Naval Activities.

EARLIER CABLES. {THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.}

SINKINGS.

1917.

TACTICS AND STRATEGY. A REPLY TO GERMAN CRITICISM.

The Military Correspondent of The Times, in an article dealing with German General Staff eriticism

Allied strategy, writes:--

The argument of the German General Staff is that the object of the Allies was, arst, to break through the German front

GERMAN INTRIGUE IN CHINA,

JOINT ALLIED ACTION ADVISED,

LONDON, January 6th. Eecturing in London, Mr. Wile, to LONDON, January 8th.

Berlin correspondent of the Daily Mail, The following steamers have been declared that the Germans had filled sunk.-4!ie... (British), Ekder Fama

many appointments in the Chinese Ousand to cause it to collapse, and secondly, to prevent Germany from sending suf- (Norwegian) and the Socxberg, Ebre and I toms, vacated by Britons who had enlist- ficient reinforcements to her Allies in Viting (Danish).

ed. Capital was flowing freely in China South-Eastern Europe to enable them to overthrow Roumania The Gorman General.

in order to obtain concessions, The Ger General Staff naturally replies to its own statement of our first object by declaring mans had also acquired many newspapers that we have only gained local tactical in China. He urged immediate joint successes, and that four month of a

titanic conflict have brought us no nearer. Allied action in connection with these the realization of our aim than before. As to our supposed second object, the matters.

General Stad declare that the Germans have conquered the Dobrudja, Eberated Transylvania, and have seized the passes leading to the heart of Raumania. They do nut actually claim in so many words. that. Roumania will be overthrown, but they misks it clear that, in their opinion, this will probably come to pass.

LATEST CABLES.

(THROUGH BEUTER'S AGENOT.)

A BERLIN BANQUET.

AMAZING BPEECH BY AMERICAN AMBASSADOR.

AMSTERDAM, January 8th. Count Reventlow, in the Tayes Zei tung, is infuriated at Mr. Gerard's re- marks at an American banquet in Ber

| PURSUING DEFEATED RUSSIANS.lin, in which he said he was confident LONDON, January th. that the best relations would continuo A wireless German report says:-There between the United States and Germany have been a fairly lively artillery duel while such excellent leaders as Dr. von near Biga. We are pursuing the defeat Bethman-Hollweg, Generals Hindenburg ed Russians near Focsani.

and Lindenorff, and Admirals Capelle and Holtzendorff remained at their

WHERE SHOULD PRESSURE

BE APPLIED ?

EAST OR WEST 1

LONDON, January 8th. The weakness of this argument lies in The conclusion of the Allied conference the fact that the united talent of Hinden

burg and Ludendorff has attributed to us at Rome coincides with the revival of aims which we never proposed or expect- ed to attain, and has omitted the objects the controversy between the so-called which we sought and have attained. The Eastern and Western schools.

writer was present at the British and French Headquarters in the initial The view that Allied action in the East stages of the Somme offensive, and, with ought to be restricted at present to allow out presuming to know the secrets of the Higher Command, can only say that ADMISSIONS AND CLAIMS.

of the bending and breaking of the Ger-atrategy, while giving the date, the LONDON, January 8th.

man power in the West, where the main guidance, and the general direction for our effort, apparently entered very little wireless German official report

enemy forces are concentrated, is strong.in other respects into the matter in hand, The ghastly failure of the German at states: The Russians strongly attacked us west of the Riga-Matau Road, and names, and says it is an unmistakablely supported, bat, on the other hand, it tack on Verdun, which was clear to is maintained that it is ne vitally im-demonstration directly the Somme battle began, had shown that the break- front and a goneral retreat on the part of an enemy, was improbable as the result of an attack on a contracted front, and to auch contracted front we were

A

posta Count Reventlow declares that it is unprecedented for a neutral ambas saior in war time thus to single out

menace, in implication,. of what might

a front, of 2,000 yardɛ, after a moet severe extended their gains of the Sch inst. to happen in the event of other men coming Portant now, as ever, to sever the cod through, meaning the shattering of a

bombardment. The results

were

expecte i, as the opposition was of the slightest, especially in the lack of ma -chine-gun fre.

Describing the uncanny case with which the troops Icached the third line a Benttish officer mid that as he mounted

-the parados of the third line trench he sinckeď a cigarette. There was nothing visible apart from a few Germana scurry. ing for their liver in the distance. The

whole business seemed unreal.

There was much bombing of dug-outs, in which the Germans suffered consider- tably. Aeroplanos co-operated most audaciously in the raid, flying at a very low altitude over the German positions and spotting with marvellons accuracy for the guns.

BRITISH FRONT.

the As Biver.

We pushed back the enemy between the Putna and Oituz Valleys.

We drove out the Russo-Roumanian

to the front whom the United States do rection between the Central Powers and

Turkey.

not like. He concludes with the state- went that the banquet was equivalent to a demonstration in honour of the United forces from fortified mountain positions States Government, attaining its political

aim as regards Germany.

at Odobesti in the direction of Putna.

We stormed the Milcova position and pierced the enemy's second line between Focsani and Jarestez.

We crossed the Focsani-Bolotesti Road,

capturing Focsani and taking 3,910 pri- soners and three guns.

GREEK CRISIS.

FRESH ALLIED NOTE.

LONDON, January 9th. The lines understands that a fresh Allied Note, drafted at Home, has been

The banquet was attended by Dr.

| Helferich, Dr. Solf. Dr. Dernberg, and

other prominent Germans,

There is much speculation, especially

still at that time confined by reason of

in Paris, whether any decision was reach-our want of heavy guns. ed on this question in Rome.

OBITUARY.

VICE-ADMIRAL WARRENDER.

|

HONGKONG MAIL LOST. LETTERS POSTED IN LONDON ON NOVEMBER 14TH, 15TH AND 16TH.

Mr. Rousse, Postal Commissioner at Shanghai, writing to the 3.-C. Daily News; says:-

According to from the Stockholm Directorate General of Posts, the mails which left London on November 18th, 1916, were transported by the str, Arthur, which was sunk by a German man-of-war near Skagen on November 3rd, 1918. Amongst the mailu on board, there were three bags for Shanghai and three bags for Hongkong.

information receivetl

It is, however, possible that the mails were taken on board the German, man- of-war before the vessel was sunk, and the Swedish Postal Administration bas

requested the German Administration to return the mails promptly after cen soring.

The British Postmaster, Shanghai, writes with reference to the above:-

This mail probably contained the letters posted in the London District on the evening of November 14th, the day of the 16th and the morning the 16th. Anyone missing correspondence, thought to have been posted at that time should request the senders to forward duplicates, If the mail has been captured and not sunk, there is still a possibility of it turning ap.

FAR EASTERN MEN AND THE WAR,

Sgt. Major Grimble, 16th Yorks, now at Queen Mary's Convalescent Auxiliary Hospital at Roehampton, writing to n friend at Shanghai," says "You will be pleased to know I am making satis factory progress with my walking. I ar like a young child learning to walk again. I have my artiácial legs in the unfinished state-the fitting takes time and in everything. At present 1 go daily to the limb-makers and practise with them. Needless to say, it means difficult, but I have every Assurance I will ultimately overcome all the little difficulties that are constanty arising."

We were out to kill Germans in the first place, and this we have pretty effectually done. We were out to relieve Verdun--a point which the Germau General Staff leave severely alone and Verdun has not only been relieved, but has taken a heavy toll of its besiegers and hes, thanks to the Somme, reversed LONDON, January 8th. the results of eight months of bloody The death is announced of Vice-German sacrifices. The strain on Verdut was the initial cause of the opening of the offensive at the particular date Admiral Sir George J. S. Warrender.

!Deased commanded the 2nd Battle selected, and as we were not ready, not having up all the heavy guns we nceded, entered the we had all the less cause to expect the Gerard requesting a statement of his Squadron since 1912, Ho

Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet in 1878, was ambitious results which the Germans now utterances at the banquet in the Arner promoted to Couimander twenty years later attribute to as in order to enable them to wounded in the left leg, has had to have

claim & strategio vietory.

AMBASSADOR CALLED TO

ACCOUNT.

WASHINGTON, January 8th. The late Department has cabled Mr.

can Chamber of Commerce in Berlin, which he is reported to have said:- Never since the beginning of the war despatches to Athens. It is understood have the relations of the United States that the Note demands prompt compli-with Germany been more cordial.” aner with all previous demands within 46 hours.

LONDON, January 8th. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, in a communiqué, saya :--Last night we drove hack the attempts to approach on the south-cus of Soucher and effectively bom": bardod positions on the east of Les OCCUPATION OF MACEDONIA

Bœufs, on both sides of the Anere, and

on the east of Neuve Chapella,

The Germans heavily shelled Ypres.

FRENCH

FRONT.

A French communiqué says;-On the the right of the Meuse there has been ʼn fairly lively aatillary dued at the foot of tlu: Côtes de Mouse.

Italian Front.

LATEST CABLES.

[THROUGH REUTER'S AGENOT.]

ITALIAN AIRMAN.

ILIES OVER TRIESTE.

LONDON, January 8th.

A wireless Italian official report states that there has been vigorous artillerying on the whole front.

An noroplane flew over Trieste and dropped 200 kilograms of explosive, on Nabresina Station in the region of Mont Querceto.

The Balkans.

LATEST CABLES.

(THROUGH BETTE'S AGENʊx.] RUSSIAN SUCCESSES.

800 PRISONERS IN THREE DAYS.

LONDON, January 8th,

A wireless Russian official report stutes:-We captured a village situated to the north-west of the Tirul Swamp, and trenches south-west of the Babit Lake.

We have taken 500 prisoners since the 5th inst.

We repulsed fierce counter-attacks, our troops showing extraordinary endurance and unrestrained bravery,

EARLIER CABLES-

CONDEMNED,

DANGER OF TREACHEROUS

GREEK ATTACK,

LONDON, January 8th. The Daily Mail condemns the Allies'. occupation of Macedonia, and contenda that while it may be desirable to hold Salonika itself, anything beyond that is doubtful.

It points out the danger of a treacher- ons Greek nitack, and that the expedition is absorbing an enormous tonnage and making serious demands on the Navy.

It declares that Anglo-French military opinion is strongly opposed to the expedi tion and ndvoentes a concentration in the | West,

GREECE AND THE ALLIES,

LONDON, January 8th. Reuter is informed that the Greek

Government has handed to the Allies a

statement pointing out the difficulties of complying with certain of the latters demands.

up in Rome.

RUSSO-ROUMANIANS,

►

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS.

MR. HUGHES AND IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

MELBOURNE, January 9th.

It is now certain that Mr. Hughes will not attend the Imperial Conference. Mr. Andrew Fisher will probably be asked to represent the Commonwealth.

It is reported that Mr. Hughes has communicated with the Imperial Gov- ernment fully setting out the Australian position regarding the Conference.

It is expected that the Federal clee tions will be held in April with a view to ending the unsatisfactory political situation with regard to Mr. Hughes,

HOLLAND PREPARING. TAKING OVER INTERNED SUB- MARINES.

THE HAGUE, January 9th.

tand was made Captain six years afterwarifs. He was present with the Naval Irigade in the Zulu War in 1879, and at the battle of Ginghilovo, for which he received a medal

If a game of wear and tear at the pen of the falling Gerran man- power, and the relief of Verdun, ware our principal objects, it is also true that we desired to hold in our front as many German troops as possible; but that was and 'clasp. In 1907-9 he was Commander-in-certainly not to save Roumania, who Chief on the East Indies Station. He was did not take the field till August 27th, and we had not the gift of prophecy to made Rear Admiral in 1908 and Vice-say, two months before, what Roumanis Admiral in 1913, Deceased saw service in the early stages of the present war.]

WAR AND RELIGION.

REASONS FOR BRITAIN'S NATIONAL MISSION.

The Bishop of London recently address ed a Mass Meeting in Hyde Park on the subject of the National Mission,

According to other letters received in Shanghai Sgt. R. A. Orr's (10th Yorks) arm is not healing as it should, and he is still at Brighton-unable to go to Sgt-Major F.. Roehampton as yet. Reuter (10th Yorks), who was badly

it amputated, though st ona time they had hoped to save it, Lance Corporal Peter Dowding, Black Watch, has been seriously wounded by shrapnel in bath. legs and has been operated on. (It is not known if this means amputation).

Letters from Mr. E. B. Little, Jr.. now at Home, state thas he is attached to the 4th Battalion of the Cadet Corps at Oxford and is quartered in Wadham College. Including himself, there are fire man in his room. Besides Mr. Little coming from China, one man comes from Chile, another from South Africa, an other man fought as Gallipoli and Salonika, and the fifth has already been in the battle of the Somme.

WAR NEWS.

would do or would not do. We were thinking of the Russians at that time, as well as of Verdun. The Russians had began their offensive of June 4th to help Italy, and the sooner we got to work the better for both of these two of our Allies. Wo never certainly presumed that we could prevent the Germans from taking a dozen or even 20 divisions from their front on the West if they chose to incur

RIGHTS OF THE DOMINIONS. the flagellation which they would get, and

Bir Joseph Ward, Finance Minister of have since received, for doing so. Ludendorff knows the number of divisions New Zealand, proposing a vote of thanks on the two sides on the Western front to Sir F. Pollock for an address at as well as we do, and our only surprise University College last month on "The A volley of cheering broke forth as during this offensive of 1916 is that with Constitutional Union of the British the Bishop, in purple cassock, his 122 divisions in the field, at the start, Empire," said that within the last 15 shepherd's staff in hand, appeared on and with all the others formed since, the years British Ministera had recommended Well, this looks as Germans bave never launched one the King not to give his assent to some- the first platform. if the Church were pretty strong in Westcounter-attack in the West worth a rap,thing like 20 Bills which had been passed London, were his first words as he gazed and have submissively bowed to our by both branches of the New Zealand over the ses of faces. "Fellow, Church-initiative all the time. We certainly did Legislature. He desired to know, with all men and Churchwomen, we have come out here to fight," be continued. We have not think that, as between attack and respect, what those Ministers knew about first to fight in argument. There is the defence, the respective numbers on the the desires, wishes, ambitions, or aspirt two sides justified the troglodyte tactics tions of the people of the Overs. line about the National Mission taken by of the enemy, any more than they just Dominions? While it was true that whit was binding and keeping them together Bome of the popular papers. It is easy to find the soaring ambitions which the in their allegiance to the King was based sneer at such papers, but nothing which

Germans now gratuitously ascribe to us on sentiment and kinship, it was equally is read regularly by millions of the very

We have relieved Terdun, We find true that those who believed in letting class we are seeking to win enn be

The Naval Minister has announon ignored. Now the line of attitude is that that the German casualties on all fronts, things go on as they were were making &

mine-layer.

EARLIER CABLEŇ: "A GREAT RELIEF OFFENSIVE." THE IMPORT OF MOTOR CARS.

LONDON, January 8th. IS IT ESSENTIAL IN WAR TIME! As a result of the Russo-Roumanian re-

LONDON, January 9th. treat from Braila the enemy has reached the Lower Sereth, and holds the south The Times Shipping Correspondent bank for nearly twenty miles from the calls attention to the use of British confluence of the Danube,

the National Mission is unpatriotic, ill-timed unnecessary.

We Rt

on

RUSSIA'S FUTURE,

"I will not claim that my country has the reached the high standard of public life

to build which distinguishen England, but I will Basert that many of her ideals are in said sympathy with British, ideals,” Baron Heyking, Russian Consul General, in a lecture at Burlington Gardens. recently.

As to the future of their race, the birth rate in Russia was 47 per thousand 89 against the 24 of England, the 18 of France, and the 29 of Germany. Russia had now 180,000.000 people, and reliablo statistics showed that at the present rate of increase her population would be 500,000,00 in the year 2,000.

the showing of the enemy, are huge mistake. A change had got to be 742,050 since we opened the ball, We have brought about, and the Dominions had a not finished yet, and our latest successes right to expect the people of Great The National Mission is not un- that in view of the delay in obtaining

The Church had led the are among our best Finally, though we Britain themselves to ezeraise their brains war material negotiations had been con- patriotic.

recruiting of the Nation-Altar servers, never supposed that we could restrain with a view to settlement., cluded under which the Government were Scouts, Church Brigade lads were the Hindenburg and his friend from gaining taking over two interned submarines first to go. The clergy have given their some spurious fame by bullying the small- sons in thousande, and eight bishops' sontest hoy in the school, the little fellow one British and one German. They were have died in the great cause. Three is not down yet, and meantime we are A reply to the statement is being drawn also expecting to acquires German chaplains have been killed and fifteen capturing German prisoners by

wounded between July and September thousand and shall have The Mission stands for the highest museums to hold the German war mate- patriolism-we want a noble pride, not rials which we have secured.. national swagger.

We know quite well the superiority in Then there is the second misrepre men and guns necessary ore we can sentation that the Mission is ill-timed aspire to a great Strategiesory in the It is not ill-timed, because we want to West, and all our effort set on o make old England a better place for the boys to come back to. Out there those taining this superiority. We had certain glorious lads of ours are undergoing the definite aims when we began this 1916 offensive and thesd aims have been discipline and purge of wat home must begin now, if we are to have achieved. If Ludendorff likes to attribute a country worthy of its defenders. The other aims to us to suit his Eastern nation is not yet roused from its self nianuscript, and to encourage faint satisfaction," said Sir David Beatly. If hearted Germans, this is his affair. He you can do that it will shorten the days of war A bishop was lately talking to Sir William Robertson on the subject of the Church and the war. What can we Westerners and Easterners in Germany hest do! he asked. Make England as there are with us, and that, as Hin more religious, bishop,' was the answer. denburg was always an Easterner and "And the Mission is not unnecessary. is on the way to resumed his attack on We are called by God as a nation to do Rassin, he is bound to minimise and. a great work, and we must see to it that depreciate all German losses in the West successes, the German losses, and the we do not break in His handy. Are we which are a direct, consequence of, and a relief of Verdun, and to claim that we really to pose as if we had no sins! What pointed reflection upon, the change which have failed by attributing to us schemes has imported into the plans of the which we never contemplated. This is cent of the population The millions Higher Command. The German Genera all part of the game of war, and we take about the syphilis which affects 10 për

no exception to it at all. But, what we spent in drink! The thousands of men Staff, and the ever obsequious German and women who do not acknowledge. God

Press, therefore find it necessary to at all in their lives. It is because we

reverse their telescopes when they look have to do is to book coolly at all these manifestations, and to keep steadily an have a righteous cause--we are fighting

at the West, to ignore our tactical

our way without allowing ourselves to God's battle that we must forsake our

I be deflected from our chosen esurse. national sins.”

(Continued at foot of next dolumn.)

It was above this point that the Rus sians made what the German communiqué describes as a great relief offensive on & fifteen miles front, pushing back the enemy line nearly ten miles from the

We drove back enemy columns on the Sereth. south of Krovu.

Following a bombardment and throe £as waves the enemy pressed back the Boussians north-west of Focsani until

tonnage to convey motorcars, and urges

that people in all parts of the Empire ought to consider whether the import of

motor-care in "essential in war time.

PEACE MANŒUVRES.

LONDON, January 5th. Reuter announces that eomments on greas here of General Gerok's troops in the draft reply to President Wilson have the Sasitza Valley, twenty-five miles been received from various Allied Govern-

The Austro-German attack down the Moldavia valleys continues.

The pro-

north of the western end of the Seretamente. the arrival of our reserves.

Enemy attacks at Seneth have been lines, reached Racusa, halfway down

the mountzia slopes to the Sereth. completely unsuccessful.

The reply will not be despatched to Washington for several days.

libility of his countrymen. But what we have to remember is that there are

no doubt correctly measures the gul

Germany, by industry and acumen,

had secured a gret commercial held upon Russia, but the commercial rela- tions of the two peoples had been effec tively severed by the present war. and he looked to see England occupying the place which Germany had vacated.

and all the arts of peaceful penetration,

$