1918-05-17 — Page 5

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THE WAR.

REIGN OF TERROR IN RUSSIA: GERMANS MASSACRE THE PEOPLE.

GERMANY'S INSUFFICIENT

REVENUE:

WAR TIME INCOME-TAX IMPOSED.

AMERICA'S OUTPUT OF SHIPS.

ADMIRALTY'S ACCOUNT OF THE OSTEND

Branco-Belgian Front,

RAID.

LATEST CABLES, [TUROUGH REUTER'S - AGENCY.)

BRITISH FRONT,

AUSTRALIAN COUNTER-ATTACK RE-ESTABLISHES LINE.

LONDON, May 14th.

10.00 p.m. Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re- ports:-After a heavy artillery prepara tion the enemy attacked on a mile front south-westward of Morlancourt and en- tered our positions at one point.

The Australians immediately counter. attacked and drove out the enemy, com- pletely re-establishing the line.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, MAY 17ra, 1918.

NOTHING DUING.

LONDON, May 14th Reuter's Correspondent at British Headquarters reports that the weather is very wet and the conditions very dreary. There is nothing doing, even the artillery firing is much below the average

· LATEST CABLER.

FRENCH FRONT,

ENEMY SUBJECTED TO TERRIFIC BATTERING.

LONDON, May 14th.

10.05 p.m. Reuter's Correspondent at French telegraphing to-day, Headquarters, states:--The full in the fighting on the Franco-British front is marked by a steady increase in the severity of the artillery duel, which on our side often The We captured 50 prisoners. Our casual swells into terrific proportions tice were very light

The attack was repulsed at other points, with heavy loss.

guided by the light huoy, arrived whers a motor-boat waited by a calcium, flare pon the old position of the Stroombank buoy. Four minutes before her arrival there the signal was given to the guns to open fire.

SIR WILFRED LAURIER'S GOLDEN WEDDING. THEIR MAJESTIES. CONGRATULA- TIONS.

LONDON, May 14th. Their Majesting sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the golden wedding of Sir Wilfred Laurier and Lady Laurier,

THE COAL OUTPUT. APPEAL TO MINERS.

The motor-boats dashed in and torpedo. ed the high wooden piers, and simultane ously the shells came from the monitors at sea, and the surprise part of the attuck was sprung. The surprise, despite the Germans watchfulness, seems to have been complete. So far not a shot had been fired from the land. Motor-launches,

· LONDON, May 15th. manned by Naval Volunteer Reserves, In view of the necessity for increasing worked magnißcently and reduced the coal production, especially for export likeness of dense sea and mist on either purposes, with fewer men available owing band of the Vindictive's course Then to the combing-out, an appeal will be the guns roared into action and a tre made to the miners to work move, regular- mendous uproar ensued. The Germany and to forego their lidays. The batteries, registering from six-inch to Miners' Feleration meets specially to-day fifteen-inch naval pieces, fought a duel to consider the position. with the Royal Marine Artillery,

The Germans opched fire at the monitors. and the

and Marines.

UNITED CONTROL OF SUPPLIES

the

SECOND KARL LETTER DENIED

THE CENTRAL EMPIRES" ALLIANCE.

AMSTERDAM, May 14th

AMSTERDAM, May 14th

Vienna oficially denies the existence of

A Vichua semi-official message argnea the second letter by Emperor Karl, that a strengthened Austro-German mentioned by the Manchester Guardian, | Alliance conformis with the idea of a and cabled on the 8th inst,

League of Nations, because the object of the Alliance is to prevent future wars.

BYE-ELECTION IN GERMANY

LATER.

LITERAL RENDERING OF PASSAGES IN FIRST LETTER.

Losnox, May 14th,

The Manchester Guardian": Correspon-

AMSTERDAM May 14th.

A wivesage from Berlin states that in dent at Paris gives what he says is almost | a-bye-election Herr Zwinekan, a Majority a literal rendering of the passages of Socialist, defeated the Independent President Poineare's reply to the first Socialist by 8,000 votes. The sent hitherto letter from Emperor Kart regarding had been held by the latter. peace: Prince Sixte is commuimiioned

to tell Emperor Karl, with regard to the CERTIFICAPES OF HONOUR. latter's declaration about. Alsace

LONDON, May 14th. Lorraine, that it is not a question for The War Office announces the award of us of the Alsace Lorraine of 1971, What a special Cortiñcate of Honour, called France asks for is the Alsace-Lorraine of The King's Certificate on Discharge,” to 170, with the valley of the Saar; restitu- all ranka, except officers of the Navy, Army and Air Force, discharged tlirough guarantees on the left bank of the wounds Q1 disabilities incurred Rhine."

netive service, or ether enemy action. A. Emperer Karl's second letter, cabled second discharge certificate will be award correspondent adds that M. Briand, in award voluntarily re-crilist and are rå- on May 5th, was in reply to this, Theed where the repipients of the Arst

his evidence before the Foreign Relations discharged. Sub-Committee, gave the impression that The respective Dominion Authorities he disapproved of the way President will issue a certißents to former members Poincare and M. Riber received the of the Australian Canadian and New Austrian proposals, also M-Clemenceau's Zealand naval forces, and the Accountant action in publishing Emperor Karl's General of the Navy to members of the ürst letter. The reason why some of the Malta and Newfoundland Royal Naval other Allies were not consulted in the Reserve. Imatter of the Austrian proposals was,

monitors replied: Meanwhile the aero-NEW BOARD TO BE ESTABLISHED).s, reparations, and indemnities and

LONDON, May 15th. planes bombed methodically, and anti.

The Daily News states that conflict Government has decided to establish a

Board to secure united control of a plies, including food, munitions, raw materials, oils, and timber. The Board will comprise members of the Board of Trade, Ministry of Food, War Office, and Whent and Sugar Commissions.

GENERAL MAURICE GIVES

every

and asserts that be acted entirely alone in connection with it.

tial.

aircraft

searched gune

the skies

for

this them. Through the Findictive. not hurrying ap- rosched the entrance. Then the sea fog came on and the destroyers had to use lights and syreas to keep in touch with each other. The air attack was suspend ed. The Vindictive, with some distance to go, found herself in gress darkness, and motor boats supplied with fares capable of illuminating square miles of sen escorted her to the entrance, but the A fog and smoke fugether were too dense even for the flares

The Vindictive started to cruise to find; IS VERSION OF THE FACTS the entrance, and at the third attempt

LONDON, May 15th. the mist lifted and she saw the entrance

General Maurice in an opening article, clear dead ahead. A motor boat dashed up and raced into the opening under a submits his own version of the controvers heavy fre and placed a fare on the water sial facts mentioned in his recent letter, due to the latter being strictly confiden between the piers. The Findictive steam- ed over it and on. When she was in the roar of the guns never subsides day and Bang found her at once, and she was hit few seconds. After entering night. The roads behind the German her decks and upper works were awort PARLIAMENTARY APPOINT- front, villages and cross-roads are con- by a hail of lead converging upon her from the machine-guns on hore. The stantly systematically swept by rafales of after control was demoblished by a shell, great shells whereby the enemy has the which killed all its occupante, including Sub-Lieutenant MacLachlan Commander utmost difficulty in keeping the firing Godsel and the officers proceeded to the LONDON, May 15th, -

line supplied with food and munitions.conning-tower and observed that the 12.20 p.m.

The ronds leading to their front are eastern pier was breached some two Sir Douglas Haig reports:--We re-strewn with smashed wagons, dead horses the Vindictive's helm was starboarded hundred yards from the ses end. Then pulsed an attempted raid northward of

and corpses. The infantry, holding the and she Inid her bettered nose, to the Line.

Fastern pier and prepared to swing her front, were subjected to a still more terri 320 feet of length the channel. fic baltering.

At that moment a shell struck the con

seemed to be hard and fast. After vain ning-tower. The Vindictive lay at an angle of 40 degrees to the pier, and sho ly working the engines for some minutes, the order was given to abandon the ship, which was done after blowing the charges, The ship sank in about his feet and lay work done. upon the bottom of the channel, her

The French, in local fighting, repulsed an enemy attack in the direction of Kleinvierstraat.

HAID REPULSED,

We successfully raided north-east of Robecq,

It

Bouth-westward of Morlancourt and northward of Kemmel.

ENEMY HAVING A BAD TIME

LONDON, May 14th.

.0.20 p.m. Reuter's Correspondent at British Headquarters, telegraphing to day, states-The heavy rainfall during the past twenty-four hours must have serious

Hostile artillery was active at night week's operations fred one thousand A single French Division during last the Somme Ancre valleys, northward of

shells, the guns giving the Germans little Bethune, and the Nieppe Forest also increased in activity in the morning opportunity to entrench. Such trenches as they have are shallow and offer the minimum of protection. Work is only possible at night, and the trench when dug is often detected and wrecked by gunfire next morning.

The positions on Mont Kemmel, the highest point of the German line, receive the heaviest punishment. The Kemmel region is already a maze of shell-craters like the worst parts of the Somme and ly impeded the German plans and pre- Verdun battlefielda. The old British parations of the enemy, who is now conshelters on Kemmel are useless from the fronted with the same conditions as in the German point of view because they are Flanders and Somine battlefields, which all dug on the west side of the mountain heavily handicapped our former offen- with openings facing the months of our sive operation. We know deânitely that guns. The castern slope, in which the he is in many places having a really Germans are now trying to organise bad time. This knowledge enables our themselves, is probably the most, dan- soldiers to bear their share of the gerous and most difficult corner on the discomfort with cheerful equanimity. While our communications are

every wber, good anci our supplies are abundant and regular, the Germans have, A communiqué states: There was a in some places, to flounder across wide fairly lively artillery duel in the sector of Buttes-du-Mesnil, in Champagne and

+

front.

LIVELY ARTILLERY DUEL.

the Vosges

Italian Bront

PARIE, May 14th.

tracts of alush brimming with shell craters.

With intimate knowledge of this coun- try our batteries register, to a nicety

BARLIER CABLES, upon the most vulnerable points. Again.

(THROUGH REUTER'E AGENCY.] and again the enemy has had to abandon roads which are impassable, or too deadly.

ITALIAN FRONT. His losses too, from ammunition dumps HOSTILE ATTACKS FAIL. being blown up, are probably heavy.

All this is having an appreciable effect

LONDON, May 14th. An Italian official report states: upon the moral of the Germans, whees Hostile attempts to renew the attacks at boasting has become a mere parrot-lika Monte Corno failed...

Eleven hostile aeroplanes were brought repitition, without a deal of conviction. down. Two-thirds of the allotted span in which

the German, were to end the war has Naval Activities. passed. A reaction has set in, and they

ar just beginning to understand that the additional menace of America is serious for them;

BARLIER CABLES.

SUCCESSFUL RAID.. -

LONDON, May 14th. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig re perts: We successfully raided north eastward of Robecq and captured a few prisoners. We suffered no casualtica

We repulsed, with loss, an enemy party westward of Merville,

་

BARLIE CABLES. {THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.) OSTEND OPERATIONS. THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT.

Commander Godsal, presumably, was killed by the shell which struck the con-

MENT.

RUSSIAN

7

AFFAIRS,

UKRAINE'S FINANCE MINISTER.

LONDON, May 14th,

ML Dobry, manager of the Russian Bank of Foreign Trade at Kleff, whor the former Ukrainian Government

MISSION TO BRAZIL.

LONDON, May 14th. The British Political and Economic Mission to Brazil, headed by Sir Maurice

Banhope to represent the War Office income. The President was mest gratioed at been appointed Ukrainian Financo De Bausen, met with a most cordial wel arrested and the Germans released, has

receiving a message of gresting from Minister

LONDON, May 15th. Lord Milner has appointed Lord

the House of Lords and to act as Parlia mentary Secretary to the War Office.

AMERICAN SHIPPING.

FIRST MILION TONE ON THE C

HIGH SEAB

WASHINGTON, Eight steel ships, sota, May 15th.

sotalling 48,160 tons, have been completed. Fourteen vessels, aggregating 57,100 tons, were launched during the week ending the 11th inst. Thus the first willion tons of chips de livered to the United States Government,

King George and expressed bis admíra - TERRIBLE POSITION OF PEACEFUL-

on for the nighty effort of Grent Bri

POPULATIONS. tain in the defence of the noble: cnuso

UNIONISTS' ATTITUDE TOWARDS HOME RULE

14th.

with which rail was proud to be ass A wireless Rustan lay report states-The Foreight Commissary bas ciated

despatched a message to the German Government drawing attention to the terrible position of the peaceful popu iation of the occupied regions in White Russia along the line of demarcation, where violence, pogroms, tortures, ext-

LONDON, May 14th.

A change in the attitude of the Unionists as regards Home Rule was indicated by Mr. Austen Chamberlain în

ning-tower. Mosty of the casualties were under the direction of the Shipping the course of a speech at a Unionist meet. cutions, savage treatment of workers,

incurred while the ship was being abandoned. The men behaved with that sheery discipline and courage which dis Not a single enemy craft had been seen. tinguished them in the Zeebrugge raid. The nine German destroyers which were. out and free to fight had chosen a more

discreet part.

Vice Admiral Keyes was prosent at the operation on the destroyer Warrick.

Commander Hamilton Benn, M.P., wagh; in command of the motor launches

Lieut. Francis Harrison commanded. the coastal motor-bonts.

The control of the smoke-screen was entrusted to Sub-Lieutenants, Humphrey Low and Leslie Blake

The casualties at present reported are two officers and six men killed, and two- officers and ten men, all of the Vindictive, are missing, but believed killed, Four officers and eight men were wounded.

Board, have been put on the high seas. Over balf the total tonnage has been

Hy production has steadily increased. delivered since January 1st. The month

PRUSSIAN FRANCHISE BILL

EQUAL SUFFRAGE REJECTED.

LONDON, May 18th. The Prussian Dict rejected, by 926 votes to 185, a motion in favour of equal suffrage on the occasion of the third reading of the Franchise. Bill.

BRITAIN'S FINANCE BILL.

BAISING MONEY CAUSES NO ANXIETY.

LONDON, May 14tb.

The officers carrying out the operation do not claim the harbour has been com- pletely blocked, but the purpose of In the House of Commons, during the embarrassing the enemy by making the Finance Bill discussion, Mr. Bonar Law harbour impracticable to any but maxid that the question of raising money craft and making the dredging opera tions difficult was fully accomplished. at present did not cause him serious anxiety. The big loan floated in January last year had realised £1,000,000,000 new money, while the War Bonds started last October and the Bavings Certibcates had

LATER..

GERMAN VERSION

CONTRADICTED.

LONDON, May 15th:

む

A still further German attempt to produced £718,000,000 to April 1st. throw dust in the eyes of their own! (Cheers.) He was not the cast despond- people and others with regard to the ent about getting the required money in British exploit at Ostand is revealed by

this way, despite the recent falling off the wireless statement that the Vindictive in subscriptions. Steps were being con- did not contain a cargo of cement and sidered for thus stimulation of such form was not blown up by the British, but of subscription. was sunk by the German batteries.

An Admiralty Note states that the British communiqué, cabled on May 10th, is correct in every detail, and that the Germaon incasage is entirely false..

Gen rat.

LATEST CADLES. (THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.] ANGLO EKA Z11 AN EMBASSIES.

LONDON, May 14th. The Admiralty account of the Ostend operations is continued as follows:-The absence of a preliminary bombardment was the first surprise element. A time.. table had been laid down for every stage

LONDON, May 15th of the operations Monitors, anchored far

The British and Brazil Légations will out to sea, awaited the signal to fire and the great siege batterice of the Royal be raised to the rank of embassies when Marine Artillery in Flanders stood by to the next diplomatic chance occurs. neutralise the big German artillery along the coast, and the airmen, who were to THE SILVER MARKET. collaborate with the serial bombardment of the town, "awaited: gomewhere over-

LONDON, May 15th The silver market is quiet.

There was hostile artillery firing in the head, whilst destroyers patrolled seaward of the small craft. The · Vindicfire,

Somme and Ancre sectora.

The discussion showed that the Budget was well received, Mr. Bonar Law did not indicate any modification of the new duties.

EARLIER CABLES.

GERMANY IMPOSING EXTRA TAXATION,

in London. He said it was a question and the plundering and burning

whether, in view of the new circumstances of Russian villages by the German and which had arisen, Unionists should take Polish troops, who are wiping out tho up their former attitude. Home Rule villagers with machine guns. The Russian was not a question for Ireland alone, but Government complains that persona sus it concerned England, Scotland and Wales, also the solution of the whole prob. pected of Botthevik sympathies are shot lem was urgently demanded. He asked them to look the new facts in the face with an open mind.

LITHUANIA'S INDEPENDENCE

or imprisoned under terrible conditions.

The reign of terror is particularly bad in the town of Minsk, in the district of Bobriosk, and at "Viborg, where many hundreds have been slaughtered by machine guns

The Foreign Commissary suggests the formation of Russo-German commis-

sions, including representatives of the local population, to investigate these conditions.

FIGHTING AT MOSCOW,

AMSTERDAM, May 14th. The preamble to the Kaiser's deed recognising the independence" cf Lithuania says that Lithuanie will parti cipate in the war burdens of Germany. AMERICAN LABOUR MISSION. ENTERTAINED TO DINNER

Unions entertained to dinner at the Blouse

LONDON, May 14th. The General Federation of Trade

of Commons the American Labour Mis- sion.

The Labour Ministers attended, and Mr. Barnes expressed admiration for the manner in which great numbers of Americans of German origin had beer marshalled so that they now were a equally solid for war as the others.

The Soviet troops surrounded the bead- Mr. Wilson, Chairman of the Mission, quarters of the anarchists, over which a emphasised American Labour's deter large black flag inscribed "Anarchy" was mination to support the United States Bring. The anarchists refused to sur Government until the ends for which they render Armoured-care bombarded the entered the war were achieved.

The speakers included the High Com headquarters and the anarchiste replied missioners of New Zealand and Canada. with machine-gune and grenades OVERSEAS STATESMEN VISITING ENGLAND.

PETROGRAD, May 12th. The fighting between the Bolsheviats

and Anarchists at Moscow was resumed

last night. A

Similar fighting occurred in other streets. After half-an-hour's bombard- ment the anarchist headquarters raised the white fag, but fighting was continued elsewhere.

The casualties so far have not been

NEW YORK, May 14th. Mr. Haches, Premier of Australia; the Hon. My Massey, Premier of New Zesorded.

Many guns are posted at the Kremlin, land; Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. Robert Curran have arrived in America route where the Council of Commissioners iz to London i

sitlingen har pa

EXECUTION OF RUSSIANS IN

GROUPS

Moscow, May 14th.

ROUMANIAN FOODSTUFFS.

AMSTERDAM, May 14th.

A special Economic Treaty hetween the An official report states:-After the Central Powers and Roumania provides White Guards occupied Tammerfors 500 AMSTERDAM, May 14th.

that Roumania shall sell to Austria and Russian officers and soldiers were shot in Owing to the insufli iency of revenue from indirect taxation, Germany proposes

Germany the surplus production: for to lovy a non-recurrent war-time income alter, of all kinds of grain, 01-seeds, A desperate and bloody battle was 1918 and 1919; and for seven years there roups of between 40 and 60 with

machine-guns. tox raising twelve hundred million fodder, pulse, poultry, cattle, meat, fought at Lahti, in which 4,000 White

Abrons plants and wool.

Guards and Germans were killed any civilians were killed by the German bom bardment

marks

IDLE TO TALK OF PEACE,

LONDON, May 14th.

Mr. Austin Chamberlain, in a speech in Lorgon, said that the Government was not indifferent to peace; but it waD idle to talk of peaces until the issue was decided on the battlefeld,”

OBITUARY.

JAMES GORDON BENNETT.

NICE, May 14th The death is announced of Mr. Jabies Gordon Bennett, proprietor of the New York Herald

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

LONDON, May 14th. A Constantinople telegram states that Caucasia has declared independence.