1917-02-14 — Page 5

Page

THE

WAR.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH,

GERMANY BECOMING ANXIOUS: CONDITIONAL OFFER TO NEGOTIATE.

NEW PIRATICAL POLICY IN FULL SWING:

"COLD BLOODED SAVAGERY”

NEW BRITISH WAR CREDIT. ADDITIONAL £550,000,000 VOTED,

Franco-Belgian Front,

LATEST CABLES

THROUGH REUTER'E AGENCY.}

ARTILLERY WORK.

PARIS, February 13th. communiqué says:-There has been procal artillery activity in the region Begange, and the sectors of the Vosges,

BRITISH PROGRESS.

EFFECTIVE BRITISH

ARTILLERY.

TESTIMONY OF GERMAN COMPANY COMMANDER.

LONDON, February 12th. Router's correspondent at Headquar- tere says:--The effects of the incessant British bombardment are indicated in the captured report of a Company Com- mander of the fist German Infantry to Battalion Headquarters, dated Febry. Lary 4th The report says:......" Our LONDON, February 13th Field Marshal Sir Douging Haig retrenches are blotted out und our dug- ports: We further progressed last nightoute cannot be used Shell after shell in the neighbourhood of Beaucourt and bursta right on top of them. British air Puisieux Road. We occupied six hund men, flying very low, direct the are. Our Artillery fired very little The German red yards of trench without difficulty. Acouster-ditack southwards of Serre airmen only uppoared in the evening and Hill was caught by an artillery barrage failed to disturb the British. The latter and machinagus, fire and was easily appear to be using a new type of gun, repulsed. We entered the enemy's line the slich) from which bursts like a mine, at a number of places and blew up an and the area of destruction is large. ammunition dump south-east of Armen

Africa tieres. We dispersed a raiding party north-east of Neaville St, Vanst.

EARLIER CABLES,

BRITISH FRONT.

GERMAN RETICENCE ON CAPTURE OF GRANDCOURT.

AMSTERDAM, February 12th The British capture of Grandcourt is still unmentioned in the German cons munquée, but the papers are beginning to break the news,

The Lobal Anzeiger describes the evacuation of Grandcourt as a masterly

retirement,

GERMAN REPORT.

LONDON, February 12th. German official wireless message says:Wo repulsed English attacks to the east of Armentieres, and southward of the La Bassce Canad

We repulsed six night attacks between Serre and the Auere. Our assailants, wearing snow shirts, sustained heavy losses in a hand-to-hand fight.

We evacuated a trench south-east of Serre before an English attack.

FRENCH REPORT.

MINOR SUCCESSES.

LONDON February 15th

LATEST CABLES.

[THROUGH BRUTER'S AGENOT.] GERMAN SOUTH-WEST

AFRICA.

TURBULENT NATIVES ROUTED.

CAPE TOWN, February 15th. It is officially announced that a small Union expedition routed the followers of the turbulent native chief, Mandume, at (vamboland, German South West Africa/ on the oth inst., killing 40, including Mandlume. Nine of the Union force was killed and eleven injured. No further trouble is anticipated.

Naval Activities.

LATEST CABLES.

SINKINGS. &

LONDON, February 13th

are - an-

The following sinkings nounced:-llargard (Norwegian), Jam- Lisstolga (Greek), and several British small craft.

It is stated that the Japanese Prince, which was torpedoed with warning, carried thirty American cattlemen who were landed with the orów.

EARLIER CABLEY.

*V.69" RETURNS.

AMSTERDAM, February 12th.

A Berlin official message is to the effect that the 7 69, from Ymuides, has arrived at a German base

Hemal Activities.

Russian Front

EARLIER CABLES. THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.] RUSSIAN FRONT. FIGHTING IN A SNOWSTORM.

LONDON, February 19th.

lin and penetrated trenchies, but was

driven out.

The enemy, who crossed the ion on the Dniester, pressed back our field posts,

regaining Wo counter-attacked,

our

former positions. -

EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.

GERMANY'S INSULTING.

SUGGESTION

1917.

GERMANY'S PIRATICAL

POLICY.

COLD BLOODED SAVAGERY." LONDON, February 12th Nine sigkings were reported yesterday, seven British and two Norwegian, The narratives of the survivors agree as to the cold-blooded myagery of the pirates

One of the most terrible tales of

NEW BRITISH VOTES OF CREDIT.

OTHER £550,000,000. SANCTIONED.

LONDON, February 12th, In the House of Commons, in intro ducing Votes of Credit totalling £650,000,000 to cover war expenditure to May 31st, Mr. Bonne Law said the total Votes of Credit during the current finna- cint year would be £1,000,000,000. The expenditure on the Army and Navy and on munitions had increased by a million daily, compared with the first sixty-three days of the finnticial year, owing to in- creased expenditure on munitions and food.

LONDON, February 18th ___* The Preus Bureau reports that the Foreign Office states that, in pursuance of the arrangement for the exchange of A Russian wireless official meslage British, and German incapacitated pri- saysThe enemy under cover of a soners of war by areas of a British snowstorm, attacked to the north of KisHospital ship to and from Holland, pre-suffering is told by a member of the crew parations were minde to carry out the of the Vedamore, a native of the Philip exchange on the 7th inst, Germany tele pines. He was picked up seventy miles graphed through the American Embassy, west of the Irish Coast, alone and naked, prior to America's severance of diplomatic and frozen stiff in the bottom of a boat relations, that the departure of a hospital He says that after the Fedamore was ship with severely wounded Germans was sunk he swam for five hours in an icy

Continuing, Mr. Bonar said the de no longer considered safe, and suggested sea. He reached a water-logged lifeboat, the transportation of wounded to and in which he drifted in a bitter gale. Ho mands of the Dominions had recently baled out water till he lost consciousness, been much less than the average for the from England by Dutch paddle steamers, A German oficial wireless message which would be guaranteed a German and was awakened by the attacks of year and the Dominions were still able sale-conduct. The transport of severely flocks of seabirds. He found himself to finance themselves very largely The wounded English - prisoners would be frozen. He spent niuetecu hours like increase in munitions was as continuous suspended until Britain's reply was that, praying for death to end his suffer received. Future repatriations, includings. ing those of German and English civil prisoners, would thereafter be effected in

GERMAN REPORT.

LONDON, February 12th.

says:We advanced at Duena and Kieslin

General.

LATEST CABLES. {THROUGH RBUKER'S AGENCY.]

RECEIVED BY KING.

LONDON, February 13th. The King received Mr. O, T. Barrow. upon his appointment to the Council of

Indic

THE WAR LOAN.

WHAT IT MEANS..

LONDON, February 13th. At a war loans meeting at Greenwich, Mr. Shirley Ben 3.P., read a message. from Admiral Bacon, in which he said "If you will try as hard to do your duty ashore by raising a loan, as we are doing at sen by winking submarines and frustrating other evil devices, you will make the loan euch a success that it will be a kuuck-out blow the enemy."

AMERICAN SOLICITUDE.

LONDON, February 13th Mr Balfour, has sent a letter to Mr. Page, the American Ambassador, warmly thanking America for her solicitude for British subjects in Germany, especially

War prisoners.

INTERNED PRISONERS.

LONDON, February 13th. The Dutch Minister from Bukharest is taking up the interests of interned

prisoners.

the same manner.

The Foreign Office adds:---" Comment on such communications sectis super fuous

BARLIER CABLES.

The Belfast steamer Sullach was shelled without warning. An engineer was killed as he was coming up on deck The crew spent ning hours in about after the sinking before they were rescuci'

as ever The smallest increase in any kind of shell, pompared with the first year of the war, was twenty eight times

(Cheers).

Mr. Bonar Law said he estimated that. advances to the Allies and the Dominiona to March 31st would total £890,000,000. A telegram from Stockholm says that He was most confident of the future. the Swedish steamer Edda was shelled He did not know whether the new War without warning, the firing continuing Loan would be a success, but the applica AMERICAN DEVELOPMENTS. though the captain hove to. The piratestions would certainly be more numerous, systematically pillaged the ship, prevent- and he believed the amount applied for CONDITIONS IN GERMANY BAD,

ing the crew from taking their belong | would be greater than ever before. BERNE, February 13th. ings, and threatening them with revolvers. Mr. Gerard's party etate that the con- The Edda was sunk by bombs, and the ditions in Germany are bad, but they crew were turned adrift in a boat, the ato not starving, the population being pirates shouting Go to Hell!" buoyed up with hopes of submarinism They are also resolved to fight to the most

bitter end.

A MOVE TO GAIN TIME.

WASHINGTON, February 12th. Mr. Bryan is credited with the author ship of the message to the Koelnische Zeitung mentioned on the Gth instant, after conferring with Count Bernstorff.

PIERS Germany's reported suggestion of dis CUSSIONES "TO" prevent war is regarded as an attempt to mobilise American pacifistn and to gain times

MR GERARD'S JOURNEY.

LONDON, February 12th.

A telegram from Madrid says that accommodation is being prepared fo Mr. Gerard in Barcelong, where he will

embark for New York

DEAD HERO HONOURED.

ENGINEERS TERRIBLE

EXPERIENCE, A

Referring to Balonika, Mr. Bonar Law. stated that the Anglo French Commanders believed that in the event of a Germano- Bulgar offensive, the danger from an attack in the rear was nothing like what it was a few weeks ago, thanks to the measures decided at the Rome Conference. The latter was most fruitful. As an instance, it arranged for supplics being sent to Saloniki, and also that large quantities of coal for Italy should" be ecut overland, thus saving shipping and avoiding submarines

LATER

The Vote of Credit was animously

passed.

PROTEST BY BRAZIL.

PARIS, February 12th. The Chief Engineer, the sole survivor of the torpedoed Danish steamer Larsk ruse, carrying maize for the relief of Belgians, has arrived. He says he was sleeping at the time of the explosion, The ship sank in three minutes, and there was no time for the boat, to clear the ship. My bont was overturned, the men clinging to it in the bitter cold. There was a heavy swell and the men

LONDON, February 12th. Gropped off singly. The third engineer

Brazil, in replying to the German, sub- was the last to go. He had held out six hours, and then went mad. It was then marine Note, has declined to accept the six o'clock in the morning. I held on blockade as effective and regular. She till two in the afternoon; when a German therefore protests and declares that she submarine came up and rescued me. I will hold Germany responsible if Brazil's Wag on the submarine for two hours and interests are affected. was then placed in a life-boat containing the crew of antiber torpedoed steamer. The Press Bureau, announces that the phe commander of the submarine pro- Victoria Cross has been awarded to Ser-mised to tow the lifebont ashore, but left géant Thomte Mattershead, of the Fly- her adrift. Eventually we were rescued The Corps He was attacked at an

by a French torpedo destroyer." ́altitude of 9,000 feet, the tank of his

machine being pierced and his aeroplane GERMAN CALCULATIONS OF spycloped in flames. Though suffering extreme torture from burns, he showed conspicuong bravery, presence of mind and skill in selecting a landing-place, LONDON, February 13th, and brought back his machine to the In the House of Commons Mr. Hope lines, his wonderful endurance and for stated that the Government had made titude saving the observer's life. the strongest possible representations to geant Mottersbend subsequently succumb Turkey with the view of obtaining pered to his injuries. mission for representatives of the United States to visit the British prisoners of

AMERICANS

IN BERLIN.

LONDON, February 13th. Seven hundred Americans are remain- ing in Berlin

BRITISH PRISONERS IN TURKEY.

CONDITION GENERALLY

DEPLORABLE.

A French communiqué recorde minor suocesses, including two coupe des mains in the Argonne sector, and Hill. 304 re spectively, in which prisoners were taken, An enemy aeroplane was brought down. French air squadrons bombed railway | AUSTRIAN AERIAL ACTIVITY.r. Their efforts had hitherto been

stations at 8 Enay, Dun-sur-Meuse and

Athies.

GERMANS AND THE YSER. LATEST KAISERISM.

LONDON, February 12th, It is reported that the Kaiser, in na Order, said: My armies have crossed all the rivers they have met up till now, and I now ask them to cross the Yer."

THE BRITISH ADVANCE.

A HINT FROM PARIS

PARIS, February 12th, The newspapers are paying great at tention to the British advance, charac terising it as of real importance. They suggest that the British should definitely certain whether the German retirement is wholly forced, or represents some new tactical device,

2 BARLIER CABLES. {THROUGH EKUTEKʼS: QUINCY.}

Roma, February 19th Three enemy aeroplanes attempted a raid on Valona. Two were felled in a air fight and the crews were captured.

Italian. Bront.

EARLIER CABLES. (THROUGH EKUTER'S AGEROT.]= SUCCESSFUL ITALIAN

OPERATIONS. LINE RE-ESTABLISHED NEAR GORIZIA

LONDON, February 12th- An Italian wireless officia message staterWe reached Tarvis station and

repulsed an enemy attacks in the Vodel zone after violent hand-to-hand fighting The survivors were captured.

We re established our lines to the cast of Gorizia, and completely reputed the enemy, inflicting serious losses and tak ing hundred prisoners,

unsuccessful, but would th continued,

The Government had been informed from various sources that the condition

of the officers was tolerable, and that of the other ranks generally deplorable.

GERMANY GETTING ALARMED

OFFER TO NEGOTIATE TURNED

DOWN

13 05 !

LONDON, February 12th

SYSTEM

Ser-

A WARNING TO MASTERS AND SHIPPING COMPANIES. STEAMER'S MASTER CAUTIONED. AND COMPANY FINED.

A prosecution which contains a Warn- ing to masters and Shipping Companies came before Mr. Melbourne, at the Magic tracy, yesterday afternoon.

The prosecution was at the instance of Mr. ED. C. Wolfe, Postmaster General, who appeared, on behalf of the G. P. 0.

There were two summonses, one against

VICTORY

LONDON, February 12th. The Berlin correspondent of the Ass clated Fress has reached Copenhagen. He believes that war with America is Capt. Baylis, master of the s.b. Lexing unavoidable Germany, be says, has who was charged with refusing to receive instructed commanders of submarines not on board his vessel the mail for Saigon to sink neutrals, especially American and the other against the manager of th vessels without warning, whenever possi-Man Chuen Steamship Company, who, as representing his Company, was charged with failing to notify the PMG that the sailing time of the Lienhing had been postponed."

where an

paay was taken first,

The charge against the Steamship Com→

ble, but cases must arise PRICE OF THE TIMES."

American vessel is sunk or there are Americans on board neutral ships in REVIVAL OF AN OLD FASHIONED

volved in a catastrophe Germany does

The Company's assistant manager de LONDON, February 12th,

not intend to depart from her submarine

om her submarine posed that the departure of the s The Times has increased its price to policy lately proclaimed. German ex Lieneking had been delayed because of some trouble with the atesmer's water twopence, and has decided to revive the perts believe that if they can sink a tanks, and that as soon as the Company old-fashioned system of circulation, million of British tonnage per month, heard of this they notified the G. PO

that the vessel would not leave on namely, one copy to several houses. If besides deterring three millions of neutral dule times of the G. FO this is found insufficient to restrict the tonnage, they will force Britain to Con launch then testified that he

The officer in charge of

he had take sale, there will be an increase in price sider peace. This will have to be achieved 22 hags of mail out to the 88 viewking, Agenda and the Captain had informed him that to threepence,, or oven to sevenpence, in by two-thirds of the submarines, one the ship was not leaving

on time and order to reduce the output of white third always voyaging backwards and

forwards or being under repair.

BRITISH CORN IMPORTS.

Mr. Wolfe then stated that it was pros LONDON, February 12th.

vided that every shipping company was Fiew of the so-called submarine bound to give the earliest possible notices PO of any change in the one Canadian Peor; numerous Colonial blockade, the Board at Trade Sgures of to the G

sailing time of any of their sups, "T Mr. Leasing replied that the United distinctions; neven Baronets, including the imports of foreign and colonial corn do not wish to press the charge against the ship's captain, continued Mr. Wolfe, into the United Kingdom for the past feel that he should be give states will gladly discoss the subject, two prominent munitions officers; and

be given to understand that a little more courtesy to including nine week are particularly interesting namely the G. PO officials would eroid cor provided Germany withdrew her Pro twenty-eight Knights, clamation of the 31st January: but cannot civilians connected with defence and wheat 2,768.200 cwts, and maize 1,089,300 siderable trouble. The Steamship Com- pany, however, were gromaly negligent in failing to comply with the Ordinance discuss the submarining of neutrale until munitions

His Worship cantioned the Captain Germany renews her assurances given Sir Charles Wakefield, has beça made, 8,

and imposed fee of 50 upon the Steamship Company. after the torpedoing of the Busse

WASHINGTON, February 13th. It has been confirmed that Germany offered, on the 11th instant, to negotiate with the United States regarding sub marine activities provided the commer

al blockade against England was not interfered with."

paper,

NEW YEAR HONOURS,

LONDON, February 14th.

The new Government's New Year

Honours are published. They include

Barouet

Tariew

ewts, asompared with 1,111,800 and 485,800 wts. respectively for the same

week last year.

Baylis

refused to receive the mail on board.

Replying to the officer a testimony

denied

having refused to Captain

and said that he had merely the launch oboer

receive

that

there was no place on board where the mail could be stowed,