1917-02-20 — Page 5

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THE WAR.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH.

BRITISH SUCCESS IN THE WEST:

GREY WAVES” HELD AND DEFEATED.

FIGHTING SUBMARINES.

COMMONWEALTH WAR GOVERNMENT.

ranco-Helgian Broni.

LATEST CABLES. ĮTHROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]

A BRITISH VICTORY.

THE BATTLE AROUND MERAUMOY,

LONDON, February 19th, Renter's special correspondent writes that the battle around. Meraumoy was the heaviest attack since the battle of Beaumont Hamel. The line of attack ex- tended from a point south-east of Pye to: the Puisieux Boad on a front of two miles. The operations were a continua tion of the great tactical plan which Basbled us to destroy the most formid able works and to gain a footing on the highest, ground between Grand Court and afiraumont The attack was preceded by

deliberate bombardment to destroy dense barbed wire, and the attack was launched before dawn under cover of all the available guns,

The first objective was gained with little opposition. The attackere swept on and all the objectives on the left were carried by seven o'clock, the British ad vancing well up the strongly fortified Tine formed by the Albert Arras railway, Daylight brought rainelunds, which en veloped the battlefield, putting out of action artillery, After this there was light.

GERMAN REPORT.

LONDON, February 19th,

Russian front.

EARLIER CABLES, {THROUGH EZUTER'S AGEKOY.)

RUSSIAN SUCCESSES.

GERMANS IN WHITE OVERALLS

LONDON, February 18th,

A Russian official wireless nursaago

states:Germany, clad in white overalls,

assumed the offensive, to the south-west of Dvinsk and penetrated our front line, but we immediately threw them out,

We surprised and captured, without firing a shot, a fortified height to tho south west of Oknaj

A German official wireless message | General,

states:We repulsed strong English detachments to the north of Armentieres, to the south west of Lille, to the north of La Basice Canal and near Ransart

The enemy ronewed his attacks astride the Anore with varying results. We took 130 prisoners and gave up our foremost craters. We repulsed a violent English atback to the south of Pys.

Our airships bombed, during the night of February 16-17, the town and harbour of Boylogue

FRENCH SUCCESSES.

ENENY TRENCH PENETRATED.

LATEST CABLES.

ITENOUGH BOYAR JONNOYA

COMMONWEALTH WAR GOVERNMENT.

THE PEOPLE'S DESIRE.

MELBOURNE, February 18th. Mr. Hughes resigned, and was there upon entrusted with the formation of a

Commonwealth War Government," in clading himself as Prime Minister and Attorney-General, the Hon. J Cook,

Minister of the Navy, the Hon, Sir John

Forrest, Treasurer; and the Hon. T. Pearce, Minister of Defence. Mr. Hughes, in a statement, said the Ministry would carry out the peoples desire to prosecute the war with the utmost deter-

LONDON, February 18th." A French communique roporte patrol encounters, especially on the sectors of Troyon and Les Chambrettes, and north-mination, west of Badonvillers:

A detachment penetrated an enemy trench in Le Pretre wood and destroyed works and dug-outs,

The Balkans,

LATEST CABLES.

[THEODON REUTER'S AGENCY.]

BRITISH RAID.

ing with rifles, bayanets and bombs. The ENEMY COMPLETELY DECEIVED.

fiercest struggle was at the centre, where

the British objective, was a forty foot mound with a sunken road, fringed with nachine-guns. The Germans disputed the advance foot by foot up a muddy ineline, and the British had almost grip-

LONDON, February 19th, Renter's correspondent with the British at Salonika describes a highly successful ruid on the strongly defended and advan tageously placed Petit Couronne Hill, west of Lake Doiran, on the night of the

ed the creat when the Germans launched aluth lost. The way was prepared by a most heavy counter-attack.

hot forty-eight hour boabardment over a Grey waves swept down and the wide area, thus not betraying the project British retreated a short distance, main-ed point of attack. This resulted in the taining a fierce rife fire. Then the sup complete reception of the enemy, who ports arrived and ended the German ad barraged where there were no troops vance, which had gained a little ground.

whatever. The enemy's

Thereafter the fighting was desultory

.The Germans failed to retrieve losses. Frisoners paid a most striking tribute to our artillery. The enemy casualties were very heavy. We also paid the price of a victory which was most in portant. French correspondents reveal that General Gough commanded the success which aggravates the already critical position of the Germangat Bapaume.

'ARTILLERY DUEL.

LARIS, February 19th,

A communtque states: There has been fairly lively artillery duel on both hanks of the Meuse, especially in the region of Betonyaux and Hill 304.

EARLIER CABLES.

BRITISH ACTIVITIES.

OVER SEVEN HUNDRED PRISONERS.

LONDON, February 19th, Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig in a communique, statesOn the Aucro, on Saturday, we took 774 prisoners,

searchlight,

THE WAR LOAN. EXTRAORDINARY GOLD HOARDS

UNEARTHED

LONDON, February 18th.

A feature of the War Loan subscriptiona haken the unearthing of extraordinary gold hourds,

Three thousand sovereigns, wore paid in at the Sunderland Post Offices in two days, and four thousand sovereigns at Sausch in one day. A farmer's family in Wrexham paid in hundreds of Sovereigns, while Lincion woodman paid in three hundred and fifty

Sovereigns,

There have also been numerous gifts of money, ranging from half-a-crown to tea pounds, sc often accompanied by pathetic lettora breathing patriotism and

Poverty

Nino hundred workpeople in one factory subscribed £15,000, whilo huge subscriptions were contributed by Muni- ciplities, that of Luton, for instance, averaging £10 per hesd.

BIG INDIAN SUBSCRIPTION.

LONDON February 18th. The National Bank of India and its constituents have subscribed £3,000,000 to

the War Loan, including £2,000,000 new

∙money.

A NEW OFFICE.

DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF FOOD

PRODUCTION."

LONDON, February 18th. The Fresident of the Board of Agricni-

BUSY WEEK IN PARLIAMENT. ture has appointed Mr. Arthur Lee

IMPORTANT STATEMENTS

PENDING

LONDON, Tebruary 18th. To-day opens a crowded week in Parlia ment. Mr. Bonar Law will this afternoon

announce the eagerly awaited result of the war loan, Sir Edward Carson in- troduces the Naval Estimates on Wounty day, when submarining will pets at

Director-General of Food Production.

GERMAN ATROCITIES.

STOKENING CRUELTY TO WOUNDED AND PRISONERS –

1917.

GERMANY AND AMERICA. PROTECTION OF SUBJECTS AND

PROPERTY.

WASHINGTON February 19th. It is officially announced that the United States regards the Treaty of Prussia of 1799, promising protection to respective subjects and property in case of war, as being in force, America has already proclaimed that German ships will not be seized or used by the American Government in case of war.

New York February 18th. The Press agrees that President. Wilson will shortly ask a joint Bession of Con- gress for authority to adopt means to pro- teet American lives and property from submarinism. It is generally hasuned that Congress will necede, including the passage of an emergency appropriation.

of not less than fifty-million dollars for the President's disposition. It is stated that President Wilson has held a co ference with Congressional leaders at the Capitol.

PROFITEERING.

WAR CABINET ADJUSTS POTATO PRICES.

LONDON, February 18th.

BELGIUM RELIEF WORK?

NULLIFIED BY GERMAN RESTRICTIONS.

LONDON, February-10th, Although the Gormur orders with re- gard to Ametican relief workers in Bel- gium and Northern France have been reversed, the representatives' presence is nullified, through Germany's strict main tainance of shipping restrictions affecting relief ships.

A GARAGE MANAGER AND HIS COMMISSION. CHARGE OF FRAUD IN SHANGHAI

VERDICT OF KOT GUILTY.”

The case in which FJ Howard, the secretary and general manager of the Central Garage Co., Ltd., Shanghai, was accused of misappropriating the sum of 5,202:60 belonging to the Company, was concluded at the Supreme Court, Shang- hai on the 13th inst, the jury, after a short retirement, returning a verdict of "not guilty.**.

Sir Havilland de Bausmurcz, in sim-: ming up, referred to the chaotic condi tion of the Company's books, and then spoke of the relation between the company ne the employers and the employe. There Mr. Lloyd George last evening tek was no doubt that Howard was to receive a commission in addition to his salary. graphed to the Lord Mayor of Manchester It would no doubt gecur to the jury as saying that the War Cabinet had con

it had occurred to the accused that it was sidered the difcuities which have arisen not very much good giving a man a coin- through the operation of the Food Con mission unless there were some means of trollor's Potato Prices Order of January arriving at that commission. Clearly, if an agreement was to be drawn up there 1st, which have been increased by the recent prolonged frost. The prices have that commission was to be ascertained. must be some way laid down by which ben rendjusted as the result of a con-

Otherwise goodness know when he would ference between Departments and traders, get it. If he was only getting. Tis, 300 and, as now fixed, enable retailers to per month, was he to wait until next charge three-halfpence per lb up to ¦ year's accounts were made up before he March 31st and a penny-three-farthings. Į touched a cent of that commission! That thereafter to the end of June.

was the way in which it appeared to heve struck Howard. Thereupon he allotted to himself a sum of Tle 200 a month. The accused told them, that this, in priciple, was assented to by Mr. Han- bury, who appeared to have been the director who toltired during the am-

LONDON, February 19th.

The newspapers consider Mr. Lloyd Router legras that the Russian Com George's intervention at the eleventh hour mission of Enquiry into the German

as an effort to overt a potato war. The eruelties. atrocities reports sickening

people everywhere are murmuring at the Unarmed wounded men have been me death and denances of potatoen, due to the bill while it is expected that Mtered in cold blood, war prisoners burned the alleged withholding of stocks by the mer on the board and who had been on

alive and Sisters of Mercy violated

* Explosive ballots have been enormously

Lloyd Georgo's negotiations with the Dominions, the Allies and Neutrals will be sufficiently advanced to enable him to used by the enemy, who poured corrosive make a statement on Thursday regarding.

the restrictions en imports.

SILVER.

LONDON, February 19th.” Silver is quoted at 38). The market is

quiet.

EARLIER CABLES.

Buids on the wounded men,"

A German Red Cross worker twice fired

with a revolver at a wounded man who asked to be bandaged,

farmers for better prices, while retailers the board from the beginning. It was have been refusing to buy and had throat-hot suggested at the present time that the ered that no potatoes would be available sum of Tis, 200 was mentioned, but it was said that the principle was agreed upon. tomorrow.

The commission was entered in the boska, the directors could have seen it, and it was astonishing to his Lordship's mind they did

hot see the entries at some time

As an instance of the famise already alleged to

xist, it is stated that the usual weekly output in the Ormskirk district is 4,000 tons, but this month not a hundred before the end of last year and that no tons have been sold by rail, yet it is exception was taken to those xuntries. So

A particularly fiendish case was that of a Cossack who was taken prisoner, and from whom an unsuccessful attempt was estimated that over 20,000 tons are made to extort information. He was available within a ten-mile radius of tortured by connecting an electric needle | Ormskirk,

which threatened to betray the advance, A GERMAN BUDGET DEFICIT to his wounded leg. For half-an-hour the The police at Drogheda, Limerick and facts which showed the condition of the

was almost completely neutralised by our more powerful projector, which was focussed thereon and diffused its light." The enemy finally abandoned the use of the searchlight and we quickly reached the trenches,

Naval Activities.

EARLIER CABLES. (THROUGH BAUTER'S AGENCY.]

EUPER-FRIGHTFULNESS.

SIGNIFICANT FACTS,

LONDON, February 18th. The Manchester Guardian says the camalties to merchant shipping during

the third week of the new submarine cam- paign show the losses to be below the December level. It remarks that the

danger can be met by a constant altera-

tion of routes, and the creation of lanes of safety by means of mines, besidea by

the destruction of submarines,

The journal remarks that we must

destroy three submarines weekly to keep with the German boasts regarding

·DADE

NEW WAR TAXES NECESSARY.

AMSTERDAM, February 18th..

An explanatory Note regarding the Im perial Budget of 1917 has been issued in Berlin. It announces that new war taxes are necessary to cover the deficit, on the ordinary Budget of £62,500,000, and says it is intended to impose an ad valorem tax on coal, and a tax on passengers' goods, on railways and domestic ship ping, as well as an increase in the Excels Profits Tax,

The Dresden Nachmackden says every day the war continues the question of making the enemy pay the bulk of the var costs becomes more imperative for the very existence of the Empire.

WAR SITUATION,

MR HENDERSON'S PREDICTION.

victim heroically persisted in maintaining silence. The process was repeated the two following days, and then a German officer applied a bar of red-hot iron to the Cossack's feet. The latter eventually

caped.

THE INDIAN ARMY,

GRIEVANCES OF OFFICERS.

LONDON, February 18th.

other markets in Ireland have compelled dealers to sell at no more than a shilling a stone.

BRITISH JUTE TRADE.

IMPORT PROHIBITED.

LONDON, February 17th.

An official statement says the Govern ment has announced that it will take possession, at present market prices of all

The Times military correspondent unsold raw juve in the United Kingdom, draws attention to the grievances of and of any unsold stocks arriving hezco officers of the Indian Army in respect to forth, thus prohibiting spot or transit the pay of officers, promoted to Captains dealings The Government has decided to and Majors under the new rule, and also prohibit all imports of jute on private

account until further notice,

respect to sick furlough pay. The correspondent says that the former places the India Officer at a disadvantage as compared with the British Army officer, which needs redress. As regards the latter, he cites instances of hardships, particularly in the case of an Indian

LATER

that whether he was entitled to retain the money or not, his Lordship was not. going into the question of the civil rights as between the parties, but only into the

acensed's mind, he thought that the jury. would have considerable difficulty in finding that there was anything in ha conduct is to claiming the commission as to taking it and taking it above the whole time, which would justify the jury in finding that he had acted crimin- ally in that matter. But that way onl the beginning of the matter.

If there had only been taking of that commission, his Lordship doubted whether shey would have heard anything about the charge in view of the facts which had been put before them. The charge itself covered the first six months of last

year,

during which time the ncensed was said to have misappropriated

sum of well over $5,000 of the com pany's muuey. There was another fact

they were entitled to take into considera- tion and that was that the overdrawing did not commence with January 1st of last year but appeared to have been fairly persistent daring the whole term of his engagement.

there

that

His Lordship pointed ont was an overdraft at the end of 1915 of The official statement regarding the $3,400 and during the next few months, jute trado says the object of the prohibi- January, February March April May and June they found the $3,000 had had

$5,000 udded to it. In additio

was drawing a his The prohibition in dealings does not

salery_and_comM ISRIOD) apply to dealings for the purpose of month, he was taking of the company's money an additional $1,000 a mouth gr storing in India, or to shipment from thereabouts. It was for them tɔ say in

tion of imports is to economise tonnage what the man is 600 per

to

Mr. Henderson, speaking at Manchesofficer who was invalided to England India direct to Allied or neutral con all the circumstances of the case whether

ter, said the confidence of the Government from Mesopotamia, whose income was in the final issue was never so high as

reduced from £1,000 to £300. He says tries, or to dealings in jute in stock in now. He believed a blow would be struck these caza are a rank injustice and Allied or neutral countries, or in transit

the coming summer which would lead should have how dealt with by the Raj. thereto.

the rate of building, and says that, if to

rumour be trustworthy, we are doing better than that.

LONDON, February 18th.

a close entirely satisfactory to the

Allies.

A British subaltera must be efficient and A repent War Ofice census of the stocks

a sahib if British rule in India is to rest of raw jute in the United Kingdom shows NO WALK OVER

on a firm foundation. He will end by that the visible supplies are sufficient to LONDON, February 18th.being neither if the popularity of the maintain production in the current year at the same rate as last year, provided Lord Derby, speaking at Bolton, gaid Tidian Army crases on account of the

illiberality of the Raj. the war would still be long and more

moszures be taken to safeguard the cup

فند

he could have been doing that innocently and the accused himself in his evidenco bad defined what he meant by** innocent.

and Lördship thought they might- well tako it the question which then

to slower. upor After the jury had returned their Jury were called verdict of not guilty, His Lordship, addressing the defendant, ead - In dis charging you I wish it to be understood that I don't in any way discont from the verdict of the but this is a jury,

a caso in which the Crown could have adopted no

the case course but to bring

before you have

only yourself t thank for the position in which you stand. This will be a lesson to you and

trast it is one which you will

The 7,000 ton Bibby steamer Worcester pitter. Every nation must make stille Times, in a leader, supporting, enya pites of firms who have comparatively a jury

Three waves of German infantry, in the morning, accompanied by supporting BIDBY STEAMER REPORTED SUNA troops, attacked our new positions at Baillescourt farm and came under con- centrated artillery fire. They did not shore is reported to have been sunk. reach our lines, being driven back with heavy losses

MORE SINKINGS

We entered positions at night to the

LONDON, February 17th The steamer Arton, Greenland, Hope

that the article merits the serious atten greater sacrifices in manhood. Germany tion of the War Office and the Raj. still had enormous reserve power and she

would, make a gigantic effort to gain the mastery. The next six months would be

small supplies in reserves.

DUTC.... FOOD SUPPLY.

RATIONING BEGUN.

London, February 18th. The Press Bureau states that the official According to Reuter's correspondent at

GERMAN CASUALTIES.

LONDON February 18th.

And

beart and that the extravim

you have been guilty of, at n

which

FOT

I should hope that few of our country men would be guilty of such extravagance, will be abandoned, and that you will live. a life which wil mahle you to hold up.

south west and the north-west of Armas, moor, Kyanite and Longscur, as well as the most critical. He confidently pre German casualties for January, not Amsterdam, the Handelsblad says fond your head and get out of the position south of Fauquissirt and north of Ypres, four gmail craft, all British ato reported dicted that we should be successful, but necessarily incurred in January, total rationing begins in Holland on the 10 which the facts which have come before

We repulsed raiders to the south of Ypres sunk. The total tonnage was over 10,000. it would not be a walk over.

77,032, of which 14,192 were killed.

Inst

us in this inquiry meat have placed you You are discharged.”