1917-02-27 — Page 1

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Closing Quotations:---- TT. London 2m. 4d.

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The Hongkong Telegraph

February 27, 1917,

Temperature 6 am. 63 Humidity

2 p.m. 71

2

7597

BAWAK

TELEGRAMS.

(Reater's Service to the "Telegraph."]

THE GERMAN RETIREMENT ON THE ANCRE.

Will the Enemy Evacuate Bapaume ?

London, February 26,

(ESTABLISHED. 1881,)

Copyright 1917, by the Proprietor,

TUESDAY,

FEBRUARY

27.

1917.

TELEGRAMS.

[Bouter's Service to The “ Telegraph."}

THE TORPEDOING OF DUTCH STEAMERS. ;

Germany Blames Britain,

London, February 25

WEATHER FORECAST

"OVERCAST.

Barometer 20 37.

Temperature -6 m.in.

February 27, 19:6. Humidity

二興發七十月二英浩律

TELEGRAMS.

[Beater's Service to The "Telegraph."]

AMERICA AND GERMANY,

A Furious Debate in the Senate.

London, February 28. A message from Washington sister that the Republican

60

643 p.m. 67

98

SINGLE CUPY 10 CENTS.

136 PER ANNUM.

OBITUARY.

Mr. A. H. Hewitt.

By the deain of Mr. Alfred Harbert Hewitt,. Obisf Engineer

to the Gresa Island Cement Com-

pany, the Colony loses one of it most deservedly popular resid dents. At present nothing ver cause of his death. Yesterday definite is known as to the actual

Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters telegraphs:-A patrol According to Realer's correspondent at Amsterdam, the German line in the Ancre Valisy. This is unquestionably due to the recent / Britain for the inablility of Datah ships to atiline the opportunity armed forces of the United States in order to protect the commerce, he climbed a ladder in the cement on Saturday morning first discovered the retirement of the German Legation's explanation of the recent torpedoing of Datch shiga blames | resolution in the Senate, sashorising President Wilson to use afternoon, at ahons-three o'clock, British intolerable presenre. The ficat intimation that anything to depart from England as offered by the Germans, extending the property and lives of Americane, was not adopted, but was referred factory, walked along a plank is to the Foreign Relations Committee, thus being shelved, after & order to examine a beam, which unwonted had occurred was sarly on February 23, when a number lims-limit to midnight of February 10.

farione debate in which the Republicans attacked the President for was believed to be defective, and besitation to нct..

was suddenly mesa to fall to the The Republicsae are apparently trying to force an extra ground distance of some tes fully controlling the situation as regards Germany. Session of the Seaste in order to prevent President Wilson from feet. He fell in a sitting posture,

of fires were observed to break out in the enemy's lines in foat of Pys, due to the deliberate firing of dug outs.

Britato Blameless.

London, February 25.

The correspondent compares the advance movements in the afternoon with the basiest days of the great Somme pach. The

The Rotterdam correspondent of the Hanidiblaż state that the extreme depth to which the German retreat has been carried is reported to be three miles. We have occupied Miraumont, German Naval Attache at The Hague communicated the offer to the Miraumont le Petit, Pra and Berre, without meeting obstinate Dutch shipowners at seven in the evening of February 10, when it resistance. The Germans employed obstructive tactics, but there was too late to give the necessary instructions to Dutch ships in was no fighting.

England. Tous the concession was useless, and Britain" was blameless.

In rearguard actions yesterday evening we advanced from Warlencourt and Irlee towards Miraumont, on the enemy's heels. This line has now been established. We gained a large trant of country without loss of life and the new ground has not been ploughed up by shell-fire for the resumption of the battle.

The German Excuses.

London, February 26. According to Banter's correspondent at Amsterdam, no official There is so anconfirmed report to the effect that the enemy is Berlin message, recapitulaing the excuses mentioned on February evacuating the great strategic point at Bapaume, from which ex-25, mentions that the owners of thirty-three Dutch ships, isolading p'osions and fires were observed.

twenty laden with corn for the Dutch Government, asked Germany for permission to leave Falmouth and Dartmonth. Eighteen undertook to sail, but apparently only eight took the risk.

On the French Front-

London, February 26.

A French communique states :—Dar artillery wee effectively active in the region of Morihomma. Taore wa3 intermittent

^ artillery being in Lorraine and in the Vosges,

THE WESTERN FRONT.

Three More Enemy Aeroplanes Brought Down.

London, February 26.

A French communique sage:We raided the German line near Ville-sur-Tourbe, destroyed many dugouts and brought back prisoners and material.

An enemy coup de main, north-east of Soissons and west of Avocourt, failed. We made prisoners.

Three enemy aeroplanes were brought down and our air equadrons heavily bombed bivonaca and a munitions depot near Spinsoart (where there were many explosions), and also airehede at Bas:no3 and railway stations in the region of Wissembourg,

A BRITISH SCORE IN MESOPOTAMIA.

Turks Admit Evacuation of Kut.

London, February 26. A Tarkish communique admits the erscastion of Kat; **aaxirding to a pre-arranged plan sud in order to effsat a janction with re-inforcements."

London, February 26,

In the House of Commons Mr. Bonar Law annonpeed that, a raduit of operations in Mesopotamia, the whole enemy position between Sanusiyat and Kat el Amara haa bann cecured, and that Kut el Amara passes automatically into our Lande.

1,730 Turkish Prisoners.

London. February 28,

The Gality Submarine.

London, February 25. According to Beater, it is stated in Datoh circles that it was the U3 which attacked the Datoh steamers, torpedoing and sinking three and placing bombs on others.

The Menado was rescued by a British trawler and towed into harbour. The whereabouts of the others is unknown. The crews were towed to the Scilly Isles, it being thought that their ships had;

been sunk.

E even other Datch ships were ordered by their owners to set asil simultanecdely, but fortunately they had not cleared.

The U. 30 interned.

.

London, February 26. According to Beatar's correspondent at Flashing, the U30 bas been disarmed and is to be interned.

An Officer's Story.

London, February 25.

A Datch cfficer, interviewed in London, said the submarine fired an aerial torpedo and then fired shells till the ships stopped. She then ordered the crews to their boats within five minutes, saying she would sink the steamere because they were in British watera. They barely had time to escape,

THE SUBMARINE "BLOCKADE."

Germany's Advice to Brazil.

London, February 26. Beater's correspondent at Rio de Janeiro enya that Germany has informed the Brazilian Minister in Berlin that the decision to maintain the submarine blockade is unalterable. He suggests that Brazil should have recourse to diplomacy if Brazilian ships are suak.

A Mesopotamia official message states:-Early on Starday, we captured a ridge across the neck of the Shamash Peninsula and it became evident that the enemy was to fall rotrest in the direction of Baghailah. To the west of Kat el Amara, many Turkish depots and stores wore sfire. A strong fores of infantry and cavalry to was beavily engaged all day long, infi oting severe ossualties,

In the meantime, we pursued our sucosas on the Saroniyat position and captured the fi'th Turkish line, the Nakhsilat and Suivada positions and reached the Ataba marah and Magueis line. Aeroplanes co-operated invaluably by bombing and machine. ganning at minimum altituds.

Ia two days we took 1,720 prisoners. The whole of the enemy'a position from Sanusiyat to Kut el Amara are thua secured-Kat prasing automatically into our hands. The fall Turkish losses are se yel acknown.

THE GREAT LOAN,

London, February 28,

In the House of Commons Mr. Bonar Law made a final state- *V ment se to receipts in connection with the Loan. He annom noed * that the total of new money, including Treasury Billa converted,

amounted to £1,000,312,950. ((Loud cheers.)

ANOTHER GERMAN STORY,

London, February 28,

Cunarder Sunk,

London, February 28. The Canard liner Laconia, 18,000 tone, bound from New York Liverpool, has been sank.

[The Laconia was built in 1911 st Newcastle, by Sean and Hunter. Her registered tonnage was 18,150.)

Torpedoed Without Warning,

Loudon, February 28,

The 8.8. Laconia was torpedoed without warning."

The Survivors,

London, February 26, Two hundred and seventy porasos, including passengers, were saved from the Laconis.

GERMAN PRISONERS' RATIONS,

London, February 26, Lord Devonport has approved a now scale of ratione to German prisoners of war and those interned, involving a reduction to the proportions recently enjined on the British pablio.

INDIAN PRINCE VISITS CAIRO.

A Berlin official message says:—Oar sati-aircraft gans brought down à French airship ablaze, near Metz, on the night of the twenty-

London, February 25. third. Har cargo of bombe exploded when she touched the ground,

Benter's correspondent at Port Said states that the Maharaja of and ber cow of fourteen was killed. The details of the constraction Bikanir has arrived there and proceeded to Cairo, where he of the airship are easily recogniesble from the remnanta.

proposes to stay for a week.

FURTHER GERMAN CLAIMS.

London, February 28, wireless German ofisial message saya :---French attacks were

south of Osrnay. The enemy yasturday lost sight, Wa repulsed the Rumiaan tɔ westward of the As-and

RUSSIAN SUCCESSES,

London, February 26,

A Russian, official wireless message states:Reconnoitring partios pentrated the enemy's tresohen to the want of Jablonitas,stag * Booute dispersed Turks on the western bank of Lake. Van,

Blong Basian attacks, north of the Tartarfaflioting beavy losses,

#

[In the event of telegrams arriving too late for insertion on this page they will be found on an Extra).

EARLIER TELEGRAMS.

BRITISH SUCCESSES IN THE WEST.

Contrasted with Enemy Fallures-

London, February 25, Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters, contrasting the success of the British raids with the failure of the German attempts south of Armentierea, Ecar Ploegstreert Wood, mentioned in a communique of Fob. 23, says that the fact that the enemy is now employing his storming troops for raiding suggests that he no longer is able to count upon his regular rank and file going over the parapet. At all the storming, the troops consist of picked men specially trained for assault operations, who, according to the German Army Regulations, are only to be employed in important offensive tactics.

Two French Raids.

Landon, February 25. A French communique reports two successful raids on enemy foria in the Forest of Apremont, morth of Badon- villera.

A French air squadron effectively bombed railway stations at Grandpre and Romangue-sous-Montfaueen.

Several British Attacks.

London, February 25. A wireless German official message anys:-We'repulsed several local British attacks to the south of Ypres, between Armentieres and Arras,

Germans Still Yielding Ground,

London, February 25. Field Marshal Sir D. Haig reports:-The enemy con. tinued to yield ground along the Anere. Small bodies of our troops advanced on a wide front and occupied Serre and other important points to the cast meeting little opposition. We successfully raided, east of Vierstraat, on a five hundred yards front, inflicting casualties and taking fifty-five pris- oners. We also raided east of Armentieres and drove out raiders who had reached our trenches to the north-east of Ypres.

There has been considerable artillery firing astride the Somme.

ACTIVITY ON THE ITALIAN FRONT.

London, February 25, An Italian official message states;-We repulsed at- tacks in the Asiango Platesu, Val Grande, and the upper part of the Puntebbana Valley.

THE MESOPOTAMIAN SUCCESSES.

General Maude Receives Royal Congratulations.

London, February 25.

The Press Bureau announces that H. M. the King, in a message to Maj-General F. S. Maude, G.z., says: I congra tulate you on the recent Mesopotamian successes and am confident that you will not apare any effort towards further success. It is gratifying to know that the communication difficulties have been overcome.

The Tigris Crossed.

London, February 25.

An official message from Mesopotamia says that the southerly portion of the Sannaiyat position was captured, on Thursday. It consisted of two lines on a front of 450 yarda, 100 yards deep. Six counter-attacks failed.

Our assault on Thursday, afternoon resulted in the cap- ture of two lines on à 900 yards front,

At daybreak on Friday we crossed the Tigris in the neighbourhood of the Shumran bend.

Our cororing parties established themselves on the left bank, taking prisoners. Within nine hours we sompisied, the bridge sad consolidated the position dospite, stubborn resistance.

Simultaneously, we resumed the assault on Sannaiyat and captured the third and fourth lines on a 1,060, zurāl front. The prisoners we:took in the Shuman area on Eel-

and appears to have struck him head against mime machinery, immediately losing consciouanes, He did not recover from the swoon and died within fifty minuter. We are informed that an inquest will be held ebortly.

Mr. Hewitt, who was fifty-five years of age, came out to the Colony somewhere about thirty years ago se a ship's engineer, and, after earring in that cap. soity on one of the Apcar bos în for a while, he joined the Green Island Cement Company $1 Masso in the year 1889, coming back to Hongkong in conneo- tion with the building of the new works in 1898. For many years past he has been the Company's Chief Engineer and {bsa, on various occasions, also acted as manager. All who knew him will realise the extremna difficulty with which the firm. will be faced over procuring a suitable sucosmor to a man of | his integrity and all-round skill.

Mr. Hewitt was romark- |ably versatila. In addition to possessing an unusual me- chanical knowledge, he was a keen student of chemistry and an accomplished musician. Among other things he was deeply in- terested in charch organs, and most of the organists here at ong time Or another have been glad to consult him inconnection with the overhauling of the instruments. He threw sa encrmous amount of energy into all his undertakinges fact which is well illustrated by his connection with the Polios Reserve. He joined this corps as A constable few days after ita formation, and was promoted successively sergeant, Brown | sergesat and inspector. He gave op his spare time angradgingly to police work and was, without question, one of the most usefal men in the Reserve, He WAE appointed officer in charge of the Emergency Call Department, and this he brought to such a state of efficiency that over six hundred men could be called up to the various police stations at practio Ho ally a few minutes' notice. was also warning officer for the Water Police Station patrols, both land and harbour.

Mr. Hewitt was unmarried. Es retorned from Home leave in December 1910, and ouly the other day, he booked a passage for Vancouver, intra ling to go for a | holiday next April." He had s very wide circle of friends bere, and wherever he went his popularity was assured.

The funeral will take place at Happy Valley to-morrow morning. at 8 o'clock. All ranks of the Hongkong Folios Beserve attend- ing are required to parade ont- side the Polios Recreation Club jat Happy Vallay, at 7,45,

DON'T FORGET.

TO-DAY. Victoris.Theatre-9.15 p.. Bijou Theatre-9.15 p.m. New Hongkong Cinématogray b ---9.15-0.08.

TO-MORROW.

Race Meeting.Third Day. Victoria Theater-9.15 Bijou Theatre

Now! Hoagkónë”- Cinemas