1917-08-09 — Page 5

Page

THE

CALM

IN

WAR.

THE

GERMAN SOLDIERS MUTINY.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 9TH, 1917.

ACTIVITY ON RUSSIAN FRONT.

BETTER NEWS FROM RUSSIA,

Franco-Belgian Front

LATEST CABLES.

{THROUGH BEUTER'S AGENCY.]

GERMAN TROOPS MUTINY.

REFUSE TO GO TO YPRES FRONT.

AMSTERDAM, August 7th.

BARLIER CABLES.

GERMANY AND HOSPITAL

SHIPS.

LONDON, August 7th.

Renter's correspondent at Madrid states that as a result of Spanish representations Germany hus agreed to give safe conduct to hospital ships provided Spanish naval officers are aboard and there is a gran tee that only sick and wounded will be

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS

THE NATIONAL CABINET

PETROGRAD, August 7th. It is noteworthy that all five Partica.

and

THE MOUSE IN THE SHELL GOOD-BYE TO THE YPRES

HOLE,

NATURE IN THE FIGHTING ZONE. The following is taken from a letter

on

SALIENT.

A LETTER TO FRITZ

EB AN OFFICER ON LEAVE

your Christian natte argues no undue My dear Fritz--The familiar use of familiarity on luy part. I employ it because, were formerly the name apoke Prince who woord and won an English to peaceable Iritong, of a golden-bearded Frinces, to our Empire in arms, it now

guilies the enemy,

GERMAN MISTAKES.

The Germans will go down to history as people who foresaw everything except what actually happened, and calculated everything except its cost to themselves." This remark of Sir Frederick Pollock

ingly of Germany's Lost Opportunity" critic, Arthur Pollen, to write interest- hig moved the well-known English naval

in a recent number of Land and Water.

Ho

WEST.including the Cadets, who participated written by an officer in France (...

Selam writing this in a dog-out, where at the conference on August 3rd which I have been for a few days I believe passed a Bole of confidence in there are birds nests on the top of this

Mr. Pollen's text is that" the most Kerensky, are included in the Nationalfable dwelling anyhow, I often hear

that it took the Germans by surprise." reinarkable thing about the naval war is Cabinet. The following are the outsinnd the birds twittering away and every

In other words, the Germans thought ing appointments--M, Sasinkoy, Assist | morning a Inrk gets up just outside and

that they could conquer France and I am writing to you, Fritz, as to the Russia without arousing the belligerence and War Minister, who was prominent at sings away merrily. The weather 19

m on the other side of No Man's Land of England, and later, at leisure, rein- beautiful and every one is fit and wall. the front in promoting an offensive and

and quite distinct from your brother at forced by their earlier victory, could find I remember cemarking in one of my home, because the occasion of my letter a way of dealing with Britain and her combating demoralisation in the aring; Mi Lobediey, Assistant Minister of Marine, a bombardment is so tremendous that one Government has glowed over for domestic rectly diagnosed the mood of the British letters home how the effect of our intense thoroughly a you are by this feet. The writer's analysis of what acquainted, but which your might have happened, and Germany cor- Lieutenant in the French Array who has wonders whether anything in the earth is consumption. I refer to the death of people and counted on England as on

the Ypres Salient had previous experience in the Ministry left alive. That was in the winter. Now

immediate foo, makes one shudder. The salient was a good friend to you, declares that though the public has not of Marine.: M. Nerkrasoff and M.that sprifig is here one sees that practi- Fritz, but not always You have prob yet realized the fact. in August, 1914, cally everything in the old mother earth ably not forgotten that rainy October of because of the absence of some British the old mother 1914 when, amid mud and blood and ships in foreign waters and the absence of work goes to pieces, bit over the most anguish, it was born. Do you remember others in drydock, Germany and Austria is as vigorously alive as ever. Man's intense shelling is but a more scratch

the scenes at Roulers and Moorslede and might have attacked the available British their life just the same and field mice the capture of Antwerp to drive away Islanders. More liorrible yet to imagine, the surface of the earth. The birds live in, the dense columns of your en ships with a force harely five per

thusiastic erades pressing forward from inferior to the naval strength of the and other small creatures wake their.. homes and play about in shell-holes through our silly Army, through the the writer depicts how Germens might hep about on trees and ruined shanties French, to the Channel ports? Swallows are flying overhead, magpies disorganised. Belgians, through the lateneasily ave wiped out more than this a cheekily as possible. The other day I Fritz, you were a good trior. You tried submarines, and how she then might margin of saperiority by a surprise attack was startled by a whirr of wings, and at Langemarck to the north, at Zand-ave risked a decisive battle with her ciple of partridges got up from some voorde, to the south of Ypres, and along own feet, and, if successful, have landed hiding place, and whizzed across the the Minin road, to blast the passage lo broken-up ground.

a force of 100.000, 47 150,000 men on the sea The Supreme War Lord himself British shores. The point is verywhere he green grass is shooting came up in Boulers or was it Menin many tried none of those that Ger- up through the earth; even trees which to emphasise his imperial command that from any moral compunctions--the ab seam to have been stripped to mere bare the road to Calais must be forced at all sence of which she demonstrateit in Bel- poles are now sending out twigs and. costs. You lind the guns, you had the gium- but solely because of her stupid con- leaves Mine-eraters and huge sholi-holes men, Fritz, many more guns and many fidence that "debilitated" England would are full of tiny plant life over build- more men than wo; but you didn't get not dare to enter the war at the beginning. ings, now mere heaps of stone, one enn see through. Your Westfalians and your This failure of German atutemanship the ivy and other creepers sprouting Württembergers, and all the rest of them, correctly to diagnose the future is not the afresh and gradually covering the ruined cartoon in their thousande; your un only instance of the sort. In preparing ep

So the normal life of natural fledged recruits advanced hand in hand, for what they think will happen the Ger things goes on, practically normally, in spite of high explosive and poisoned gas piping in their boys' voices your soldies mans net with the marvellous thorough and other devilish inventions: songs; but you never reached the sea.ness which has made their efficiency pro think that this big fact is one of the

Even your Guards, doing the parade step verbial, but as diviners of what actually things that keep men sane under trying to battle along the Menin road, sent does happen they might do a good deal conditions--the fact that the face of

in as the supreme effort when all else better. They wore prepared in every nature hasn't altered.

had failed, achieved no more than the material way for subduing the resistance rest of von against the haggard, dirty of Belgium, but they ignored entirely the shell-hole; it was the pince I had chosen lindows of men who had fought without material results of the world's indigna-

A frontier report published in the Telegraaf confirm the rumours of the mutiny of 300 German troops at Ant- down their rifles werp. They threw when ordered to go to the Ypres front. They were quickly overpowered, and Russian bront. were taken to barracks,' all "being hand- cuffed.

CALM ON

EARLIER CABLES.

BRITISH FRONT

London, August 7th. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Baig, in his daily communiqué says that he has nothing to report.

<

enrried.

EARLIER CABLES.

{THROUGE, REUTER'S AGENCY.]

ENEMY REVERSE REPORTED

- PETROGRAD, August 7th. It is reported that the enemy has been thrown back from Khotin, on front of fifteen verita

GERMAN ADMISSIONS.

LONDON, August. 7th..

In a later report, Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig says there is the usual

A German official wireless message reciprocal artillery firing.

states: We continue to advance in the FRUITLESS GERMAN ATTACK

Screth and Suzzy Valleys and moun- Pants, August 7th.

tains, despite stubborn resistance, Rou A runmaliqui states: -There is a winnian attacks in the Putna Valley lively artillery struggle in Belgium, severely broke down. Prussians and particularly in the sector of Bixschoote, Bavarians stormed Russian positions to and als north of the -Aisne - on

the north of Focsani, capturing 1,300 Hurtebise-Craonne front. After a lively † prisoners and thirteen gaus..

the

bombardment, the Germans this morning GERMAN ATTACKS BEATEN attempted an attack between

Avocourt

wood and the hill. A violent and well-

directed fire, forced the assailants, to return immediately to their own trenches, with appreciable Ipssen.

ENEMY THRUST,

PARIS, August 8th.

A communiqué States:In Belgium, the artillery duel assumed a certain violonce during the night. On the Mouse,

enemy

OFF:

LONDON, August 7th.

Terestehenki are the only two, excepting M. Korchsky, why belonged to the original Provisional Government. former was nine years in the Duma

The

on the Budget Committee. M. Tecretelli declined office, but promised the Cabinet all his assistance. M. Auskentieff, Minister of the Interior, is President of the Executive of the Pressants' Delegates

The Cabinet includes four Cadets.

EARLIER CABLES.

FIRST STANDARD SHIP.

LONDON, August 7th.

In the House of Commons. Sir Leo Chiozza Money stated that the first standard ship would be completed in August I would have a deadweight capacity of 8,000 funs. It was not desir able to give the speed.

RECRUITING.

LONDON, August 7th.

In the House of Comuns, Mr. Bonar Low stated that the Cabinet accepted the principle of the transfer of responsibili- ty for recruiting to civilian control. ̈ HEAVY FIGHTING IN EAST

APRICA.

LONDON, August

I remember some while ago sitting in a

respite for high on a month.

for my work, and I was some days and

tion at Dwir treatment of Albert's little I don't want to buck, Fritz, because, kingdom. Especially they err in under- nights there. The " show," during which the earth seemed little more than a chaos God knows, you nearly succeeded. You estimating the importance of psycholo that is to say, the straling bad become of flame and barating shells, was over-

never realized until months afterwards, gical factors, me did you, how near you were to victory no more than the usual continuous but

on October 31st, 19141 The U-boatsightedness is seen in connection with The latest example of this short- intermittent booming I was resting, mented you talk so much about was not Germany's submarine campaign feeling very done up with excitement and in it with the peril that threatened the sound, and saw a little spot of earth being and three o'clock in the afternoon of that fatigue. Presently I heard a small British Empire between the hours of two pushed up from beneath. I watched, and day when you had punched a bolo in the n little field mouse appeared, his tiny. 1st Division line ami Mousands of you beady eyes looking at me alertly I kept were surging forward to flow through the 7th..still, and he hopped out and played gap. But we failed you again, Fritz; about, and presently the little beggar was the Worcesters went in with the bayonet frisking about at the bottom of the shell and recaptured Ghelyvelt, nad the road bole doubtless intent on interfered with ho grew quite tanie, help. Stealing IRLY rations When he found that he was not ed himself to odds and ends of food, and crawled round the collar of a man who was asleep, much to the amusement of the others who were with me. I blessed that little field mouse: I think he ninde rezy one feel cheerful, playing about in the early morning after our hard night's work-limer,

An East Africa official message states: -After occupying the enemy's advanced

A Russian official wireless mengepositions to the south-west of Lindi, we indecisively attacked the main p positions on the Mihumbia. There was severe

states-There is intense enemy: Artillery firing to the south-west of Brody. The | enemy is gathering the harvest in the.

his

ALLIED GATHERING IN LONDON,

Sereth and Suezavy Valleys. The enemyghting, and considerable losses were continues

Ruffered by both sides. We reached the presure, occupying Vaskovey, Satulary, Burla and Molit, sindy River in the Kilwa aren. We are also heights to the north of Malit, in the pressing back. The enemy. towards the

attacked positions direction of Kinpolung. We beat off Mahenge, a strong force being engaged to Caurieres Wood. A small party gained a

several attacks in this region, forcing the south thereof. footing in the front line, but it was the enemy to retire in disorder. We re- immediately ejected. Intermittent can pulsed attacks to the west of Dzelin. noanding has been more lively to the We retired a few versts in the region of west of Ceray, near Hurtebise.

the Bistritza River, owing to the volun- tary retirement of two regiments. The enemy took the offensive in the direction of. Focsani, and pressed us back across the Eyrlandesus River.

General.

GERMAN REPORT,

LONDON, August 7th. A German official wireless message -states-The enemy bombarded Hulluch, on the Starpe. We gained prisoners and booty to the north of the Laon-Soissons road, near Berry au Bac

WEATHER ASSISTING

GERMANS.

LONDON, August - 7th.

Bentor's correspondent at the British

Headquarters, tulegraphing

LATEST UABLES.

THROUGH REUTER'S

GENCY.]

DEALING WITH.

PROFITEERING,

LONDON, August 7th.

The Premier has informed the Execu- to-day, tive of the Miners' Federation of Great. states:-The Boches have much to be Britain that inter-trading between mem-,

any

conceivable counter-attack.

LONDON, August 7th, M. Ribot, Barm Sonnino, M. Pashitch and other representatives of the Allies conferred with Mn Lloyd George und

TRAPPED IN A TUNNEL.

GERMANS CONSTRUCT THEIR-

TOME

to Calais was "na poo

When they first considered using their the Germans were aware that this would U-boats in the present ruthless manner annoy America and other neutrals, but they were confident that this annoyance and indignation would fall short of ex- pression in belligerent retaliation. Later, when the United States declared war, the German leaders told their people, "Oh, it doesn't matter, the Americans can't do anything mayway. Now, when it has become apparent that the Americang can do much and have every intention of doing much, the German leaders assure the people that before the bulk of the American army can get to France, the submarines will have ended the war, What he will reumin to be used to stave off the indignation of the Teutonic peoples when the real strength of America beginn to be felt we do not see

Still, despite your awful losses, you didn't do so badly. You managed to coliar all the rising ground (such as it is in these Hat Flanders plains), the Pilken Ridge, the Messines Wrischnete Ridge, tooth and south of Ypres your bent our ling back so far that at the end of this great battle it was like a tightly spring bow sponed about Ypres. You had the high ground, the dry, ground; we has the plain, the water, and the mud. For & people win are so wonderfully You could dig nice, secure trenches which far-sighted in regard to little details the you cleverly managed to drain into ours; Germans are often astonishingly weak in we had to build up, painfully, by night, vision when it comes to foreseeing the earthworks which son, having the ouser-big moves in the game. vation, promptly spotted and demolishel wish your guns in the morning.

Typical of the enormous power of the German defensive organisations in Cham pagne is the Mont Cornillet Tunnel, which, alter, a resistance of werks, fell to the French as the remit of the last brilhoy sitting on a high wall and chucking RAILWAYMEN AGAINST THE

It must have been a bully time for you, Fritz. You held all the trump THE BANNED MISSION TO shells. You were as safe us a cruel little superiority of position, of observation, of

The

it

RUSSIA.

SEAMEN

Sailors and Firemen's Union in refusing to man a ship to convey Messrs, Ramsay MacDonald, Jowett and Fairchild to Russia, Mr. G. H. Sherwood seconded.

Mr. J. H. Thomas, P., said he knew

stones at an invalid in a chair in the other members of the War Cabinet and liant attack on the sum

gerden below, No wonder you used your The tunnel had bern cut clean through lines in front of Ypres as a training Ministers

at Downing Street.

The hill with the object of feeding the wool for young gunner officers!

At the annual general meeting of the southern side in case of attack. Ihre you for hul us left front, and National Unica of Railwaynen at the GERMANY AND BELGIUM. battalions could be sheltered with sap contre. From the Mussines Ridge you, Mr. J. Gore moved a resolution ox- Memorial Hall, Farringdon street, recent INTERESTING STATEMENT,

| filies and munitions enough to stand an

diege of ten days. Three entrances con- could per right in behind us as we sat,

ected by galleries, with a transverse by cheerfully as we night, behind our pressing regret at the action of the LONDON, August th gallery within the hill, gave access to the crambling undbugs. How your Herren In the House of Commons. Lord Robert tunnel on the southern slope of the crest. Lemnants (who have such special sense tunnel wag ventilated by shafts open of humour, Fritz) must have laugard to Cecil stated that, as far as he was aware, ing on the hill, and the air in the see us patching up our potty little pars the German Government lead been careful galleries was kept moring by powerful pots of the British ree Stretching if no other incident that had so definitely

fans to feel front of shattered Ypres !

For weeks no progres, could be made But we held on Fritz You think we challenged the trade-union position. He against the hill in face of a stream of area slapid race, Perhaps we are, if would say this of Mr. MacDonald that perfectly fresh troops which the Germans that means we do not know when we are

ne man was are capable of judging were able to launch at any winute from beaten And you did your best, in your international questions. If the action of safe shelter within the tunnel. The final ingenious, plodding way, to make life in the seamen and Bremen was correct then attack was postponed until it was possible the salient a hell on earth for our men it would be equally right for railwaymen to concentrate enough artillery of the Yon shelled us by night j; you shelled us to refuse to carry shipowners, colliery heaviest calibres to wreck at least the by day. You pumped shrapnel into us proprietors, and cotton magnates in cases entrances of the tunnel and render it filing up to the trenches; you scattered, of dispute. The action of the samen and

The rain of shells was main- unusable, tained night and day around the high explosive shells over all the roils; fremen meant anarchy: it meant ruina- you bombarded the villages behind the tion to the country and damnation te entrances, so that the German sappers were unable to work on or even toes; you lobbed those inferual and ter-trade unionism: The excuse about justion approach them. One big shell struck the rifying "Minnies" into out front fire to the seamen and firemen was the most ventilation shaft above the point from or searched it up and down with noisy, flimsy of all. No one would inore readily which the inner galleries radiate and black five-point-nines. And when you had dewan that justice than the town agai st commandant's quarters, besides choking in the night your saipers, laid un the casion. up the galleries and asphyxiating a large gaps and, Fritz, they took their toll. number of the garrison. At that moment

the thour:of.

not to remind the world that it expressly promised, in 1914, to Great Britain that grateful for, as the weather is causing bers of the Produce Exchange will be it would not, under any pretence what the British and French more trouble than prohibited, thereby stopping profiteering, annex Belgian territory, but from

Ain the wholesale markets,

enour of communications enmnating from sources apparently inspired, this UNJUSTIFIABLE HONOURS..

was a promise which if they could, they LONDON, August 7th. proposed to repudiate,

Replying to the suggestion that the new German Government, dould teaked whether they adhered to this pledge

French officer states that the French troops have been holding out in shell- holes of mud and water, soaked to the

baked to th skin. Attempts to

connect the shell In the House of Lords, Lord Selborne craters produce miniature canals. The called attention to the wide belief that men have lived for four days on the honours were sometimes awarded unjusta-Government had no means of communient wrecked the entire place, including the blown down the parapet so toilfully built whoni this action was taken on this ne

food they carried, but these mon

Lord Robert Cecil said that the British

are fiably, and suggested that whenever an ing with the German Government,

from Lille, Tourcoing and other towns honour was conferred on anyone except

under the heel of the Fun, and neither fire nor water cau quench their ardour while the Germans remain in Flanders. Naval Activities.

LATEST CABLES." (THEOUGE REUTER'S AGENCY.] ANOTHER OUTRAGE

MADRID, August 7th.

Royalty, members of the Navy, Military

and Civil Service, the reasons therefore

VICTORIA'S £100,000 FOR THE RED CROSS,

The resolution was carried unanimous

the garrison numbered about 500 infan- Life was devilish unpleasant in the try, two machine gum companies, and four salient Still, the fellows who were there Salient is flattened out; that the guns sections of sappers, medical, wireless and always kept their tails up. I remember The Joint War Committee of the Bri-other details. The troops were led by two steing a big noticeboard planted at the which were wont to make life so dis- should be attached. Secondly, the Prime tish Red Cross Society and the Order battalion commanders, both of whom were entrance to a village which you parti greeable for us are either in our hands of St. John has recently received, killed by this shell. When some hours cularly delighted to strafe Please on are buried under tons of earth; that through the Australian branch of the later the French infantry swept over the keep under abelter of the houses and you can no longer pry into the rear of contributed by the people of Victoris, the whole garrison either crushes you don't. And it was signed with the different trenches in the plain, back to British Red Cross, the sum of £100,000 crest, the tunnel was entirely cut off, and don't draw fire rana Walive here our lines in front of Ypres; that rather

we shall be looking down into the in This is the first result of an appeal asphyxisted, or captured.

name of the unit billeted there Quite a which you have been driven. organized throughout the State of Vit The German officer commanding in tribute to the excellence of your obser. Now the laugh with us And Frite. toria by Lady Stanley, wife of Sir front, uding no help came from the vation wasn't it. Fritz! But scarcely a we have a lot to pay back. There is

the Governor and Pre tunnel, went to see what had happened sign of low spirits

scarcely a Briton but has a relative r sident of the

of the He found the entrances choked with Well, the old salient is dead, so they friend who is slumbering somewhere Australian Red Cross,

Minister should assure the Sovereign that no payment, or expectation of payment, was in any way associated with the re commendation. Lord Selborne waid but

both political Parties were tarred with Arthur: Stanteria Division fallen earth and dead men, and no siga telk me The North and South Trid between Boesinghe and the Hill - of:

the same brush,

In connection with the Spanish Ashing

been taken.

Lord Crewo admitted that in some of The appeal was launched at the be of life coming from within. While by whose squabbles you thought to profit, Kemmel. You made things so hard for boat outrage, Senor Dato stated that the the recent honours strong exception had ginning of May, and the earliest dona investißen her of his men by the French the English and the New Zealanders hem that many must have been glad te..

the damage he was captured bions Included 18 of £1,000 each. On the with n opening day the list reached £34,370, This is the third instance during the buried it with bell, book, and candle, go to their rest. But I feel sure they and within a formight the receipts recent fighting in which, as in the case at And, Fritz, old friend, it looks as though smiled in their last sleep, when they heard amounted to £70,000, a sum which grew Chevreux and on the California Plateau, 8 tables were going to he turned on the story of the Seventh of June. rapidly to the round figure now remitted the tunnels of these subterranean for You For, in spite of what old Hinden Fritz, I think you're "for it. as a preliminary. On previous occasions tresses in which, if anywhere, the Gerburg tells your public at home, you know

Hoping to meel you soon again, the people of Victoria have done much mans might have thought themselves safe that your little Masines-Wytschiete for the Red Cross.

have become the tombs of their garrisons. (Continued at foot of next Column.) in the Dail, Jen

submarine Commander had explained that it was due to mistaken nationality. The Government was protesting energe stically to Berlin.

One of the wounded men has died.

Lord Curzon said the bonours had much democratized recently, and this was one

of the best safeguard, against chase,

The discussion then dropped.

LEANDER