1917-12-08 — Page 1

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The Hongkong Telegraph

December 8, 1917,

7824·日四昔月十

Temperature Humidity

-6.In, -- 53

(ESTABLISHED Copyright 1917, by

1881)

Proprieta

.29

·SATURDAY,

DECEMBER

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

ㄊ

THE BRITISH WITHDRAWAL IN FRANCE.

Why Bourlon Wood Was Abandoned.

London, December 7.

Beater's correspondent at the British Headquarters states Bourlon Wood extends six hundred scree. Ita topographical conditions render it extremely undesirable to attempt to hold it in wet weather. Apart from the fact that. it forms an enclave into enemy territory, it is subject to enfllade as well as direct fire. That the enemy did not know of the withdrawal till the morning seemi proved by the fact that during the night they ware laying heavy barrages upon the abandoned positions. Their infantry advanced in the morning in large bodies bat were repelled by gunners, and great losses were inflicted. The area we deemed it militarily advisable to abandon is probably less than one-third the total amount gained during the grass tank drive a fortnight nga,

New Front Very Strong.

London, December 7.

Mr. Percival Phillips, the war correspondeat at British Head quarters, states:--The shortening of our froat is a regrettable Aminar sequal to the great advance, but our net gains are still very great. We bare still the Hindenburg system at our back. The withdrawal was most deliberate. Not a single gan, rifle or round of ammunition "was lost. All the captured Garmen guns were withdrawn... New trenches were prepared under concealed observation. The new front is of the strongest and the men are excellently quartered.

"

Patrol Encounters.

London, December 7.

Field Marshal Sir Droglas Haig, in a communique, atates 'Infantry, actions on the Cambrai front were confined to patrol encounters. There is increased hostile artillery firing astride the Scarpe River,

No Change.

London, December 7.

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS.

Voting la thé Referendum.

"London, Dicember 7, he now sathorised all enlisted mea under twenty-one to vote in the Reater's correspondent at Melbourne says the Federal Council

Referendum, although they have mot yet served abroad..

A Boxer's Advice,

London, Droember 7. Reuter's correspondent at Melbourne etater that Jimmy Olabby, the well-known boxer, has enlisted and advises all Ametio sa boxers in Australis to do likawise."

Madame Melba has cabled to America appealing to women of Australia to vote for the Government.

Women to ba ́ Organised.

London, December 7,

Reuters correspondent at Sydney states that Mr. Hughes addressed a stirring appaxi to an enormous enthusiastic andienos of women at Her Majesty's Theatre. He stated that be intended to organise the women of Australis with a view to freeing men

AMERICA'S NEW WAR DECLARATION.

London, December 7.--

According to Realer's correspondent at Washington, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hours of Representatives, submitting a resolution declaring war on Austria- Hungary said, amid cheara, that President Wilson would ask Congress to declare war on Turkey and Balgaria later if he deemed expedient, but he thought that at present each selion would be unwise. The House agreed to take up the resolution on Friday, probably for immediate phanage. The Rsport of the Committee sccompanying the resolation recalls acts of the Austrina naval forces which have caused a state of war to exist for months. It refers to the Italian aitastion, where it says there is a serious blow against of the United States, and asys the United States is sending ships, money and supplies to Italy and probably it will soon; send troops. It, concludes;--"This declaration of war will hearten the Italism people who have been misled by Germosa propaganda and will militarily strengthen the whole Allied cause."

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Esig, in a communique, Blates:Iuly which threatens the Allies cause, which is equally the caUAD There is local fighting in the neighbourhood of La Vacquerie. The situation has not changed. Our artillery and infantry fire repulsed minor attacks south of Bourlon Wood, with severe snemy Josses. Hostile artillery is sotive at a number of points south of the Soarpe, also in the neighbourhood of Armentieres.

A-GermanTM Cialm. *

London, December 7.

A German wireless official message statés ;—We have cleared the English out of Marcoing..

Nothing Vital Surrendered.

"London December 7.

JJ

A SUBSTANTIAL PROTEST.

EGERMAN CONSPIRATORS ADMIT GUILT.

WEATHER FORECANT FAIR

Barometer 30.11-

Tanyarathin 6 Bán

December 8, 1916, Rumidity

1917.

大興禮 號八月二十英港香:

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

CAUCASUS COMMAND OPPOSE PEACE.

Copenhagen, December 6. The Russian Legation has received a telegram from the Bassian Legation at Teheran stating that the administra tion and the supreme military command in the Osnesans are anti-Maximalist," A Dancasian delegation has arrived at Teheran in order to negotiate for financial assistance for the continuance of the war through the Busso-British, Logations.

A German official message states: The Central Powers and Russia have agreed upon the suspension of hostilities between 7th and 17th inst

ENEMY ATTACK ON ITALIAN FRONT.

London, December 7.

An Italian official message reports: The enemy, after the failure of a frontal attack, attempted to carry from the rear with crushing numerical preponderance the Molette strong point. We resisted stabbornly, constantly counter- attacking, and only yielding ground when reinforcements. garrisoned the rear line of defence, We repulsed heavily & powerful attempt in the upper Brenta Valley.

A German official message states: The Austro-Hungar ians stormed and maintained strong Italian positions at Melelta taking 11,000 prisoners and sixty guns.

AUSTRIA AND PEACE.

Amsterdam, December 7. Speaking to the Hungarian Delegation, Count Czernin foreshadowed a re-arrangement of Austro-German economie relations sa a counter-blast to the Entente measures. He disclaimed any desire to forcibly acquire territorial exten- sions and expressed the wish to conclude a general, just and honourable peace, safeguarding the Monarchy's territor ial integrity and free political and economic development

GERMAN MUTINY

SCENES.

Battleship Captain Imprisoned

In His Cabin, J. P

sahore to

report to

the

65:2 p.m. 72 -86

85

SINGLE COPY 10 DENTA $36 PER ANNUM,

WHISKY AND GIN.

Abnormal Prices In London

Market:

There has (sayu cur öorrespond. ant) been a great demand for both graîne and-malte of all makes and- ages obtainable, bat svailable parcela, being no limited great difficulty is experienced in coping with the numerous enquiries which keep arriving from ad sources. In feo), many bive to be laid aside sa holders prefer not to quote at all, and do not want to all. Prices: krve zipen to anch an abnormal extent that it i impossible to say what market prices really are, as nearly any. price one cares to sek for olde young makes can be got without damar from esger buyers. The prices realinect

st

Southard's sale held on 30th and. 131th alt. were beyond all previous experience, and whether in bond or duty-paid unbeard-of figures were obtained-401, original. gallon for 3 years old Glen Grant; 26% per original proof gallon for-3 years old Vauxhall Grain -- and 416-- PRE regauge gallon for 3 years' vid John Jameson, with ready bidders at any price spprosehing these figures. It is hardly cons sirable, but we do not think the limit has yet been reached judg

aaval aathorities there. When ing from the crowd at the sale,

this officer bad departed and the keennses on the part of

罚单程 deputation joined buyers to try and secure what

the

FRENCH ROYALISTS..

· Mobilisation Scheme Unearthed.

by a number of other men, they wanted, Gin is very couros, The Daily Chronsele special and the captain and the other sad some firms must be greatly in correspondent, Mr. G. Banwick, jofficer were looked up in the want of same to pay 100%, per writes :-

fcabin.. The man involved in the gallon 17 u.p.-The Wine and Amsterdam, October 12,-The matter posted guards and out off Spiris Trade Record. reached me from an unquestion the captain's room, refusing following additional details have that part of the ship containing

ably reliable souros se to the permission to officers or other beginnings of the insurrection in men to pass. the German Grand Fleet.

Meanwhile the officer who had This information is to the effect gone ashore had reported the that the trouble first manifested happenings to the naval author-Tas Temps prints what is Paris, Wednesday, November itself about eight months ago at ities, and a strong military force ken, formerly connected with the German Consulate there; Herr you that the crews of several vessels rebellious sailors refused to yield against the Boyalist newspaper Router's correspondent at San Francisco reporta that von Brin- | Wilhelmshaven. It was noticed was sent’sboard the ship. The apparently an inspired statement of the Government's proceedings: Radiek, German ex-Coneal at Honolula; and Herr von Schroeder, were in a state of considerable to persuasion, and only when Action Francaiss, whose editor, bit successor; have pleaded guilty to cospiracy to foment a nervous tension, but this was at force was threatened and about Leon Daudet, recently made revolution in ladie von Brinken said they thought they could best first attributed by the officers to to be applied did they surrender charger of treason against. Louis

ere their country by avoiding further expoentes in Court and the understandable results of "the less aid about these cases the better for Germany."

Investigations followed, and J. Malvy, former Minister of the their long enforced-inactivity, they proved that about 300 men Interior. It says that the Govern and to a wish that "something were involved in this particular ment had received information might happen to relieve the mutiny. Of these about thirty leading it to believe that the were sentenced to death but Bayalist movement was preparing

London, December 7,

London, December 7. Renter's correspondent at Bydasy states that Mr. Hope, solicitor, of Ipoh, has presented his second Halsyen battlepisne as a mark of Mr. Perry Robinson, the war correspondent at British Bead-protest against Lord Lnsdowne's specah. quarters, atstoa:-We have surrendered nothing vital of our gains. The breach in the Hindenburg Line remsina se wide as it was, Bourlon Wood, as an acute angle in the eslient, was a 'loathsome place, fall of stagnant poole. The copse was continuously drenched with gas until the garrison had almost to live in gas masks. The bill on which the wood is situated in no way commands the country On our side as it doea that beyond. It was essential to us for our advance and its loss might be serious to the Germans, but in their hande it is unimportant as a threat to us. The withdrawal in no way begins to convert our victory into defest. The German attempt to infi.ct that defeat upon as has resulted chiefly in colossal losses to themselves.'

Aviators. Busy.

London, December 7. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, reporting on aviation, states: -There was great activity in the air on both sides on Wednesday. "We carried out long-distance reconnaissances. We bombed and machine-gunned ground targets during the day. We bombed Gantrode aerodrome last night. Two direct hits by heavy bombs were obtained on an seroplane abed and others burst among the buildings around the serodrome. Bomba were dropped on 81. Donie Westrem serodrome, and Dɔuai Railway Station. There has been fighting all day long. Five German machines were brought down and five driven down. Five of oure are missing." Another successful raid was carried out on Germany to-day. All our machines safely returned. Details of the raid are awaited..

The French Froat,

London, December 7.

A French communiqua atate Artillery is active on 3 the right bank of the Kiease and in Upper Alsace. Three enemy Baroplanes were brought down yesterday. Eight were hit and forced to decend. We dropped nine thousand kilogrammes of projectiles, especially on railway stations and depots at 'Lichenfeld and Cosriemarak, cantonments at Loan, and depots at Roussich, The enemy dropped bomba daring the night on Daskirk, causing several esansitive and also on Dalais, where there were no essualties.

THE ARMISTICE.

Spreading to the Rumanian Front.

London, December, 7.

The Times correspondent at the Rumanian - Headqarriors, writing on December 2, says :-I have returned from a visit to the Bastian armies in Ramanis, Committees have been formed, mostly by pro Germans, who have got hold of a mojarity of the rank and fle. The towns near the front are overcrowded with eoldiers from the trenphes listening to inflammatory speeches. One Division of the Birth Army signed an armistice. The Division next it fired on the German General and bis Staff who came to discusa fermos. The Army in Moldavia and Bakovina frateraised.

German and Rumiau officers dined together yesterday. The Bolsheviks are gaining the upper hand on the whole front. General Rogasse, commanding the Fourth Army, has been arrested,

RAIDS BY NAVAL AVIATORS.

London, December 7,

An Admiralty communication states':-Naval aircraft on Wednesday and Thursday bombed Dytkerke, St. Denis Westrem

Rogel zerodromes, Bruges Dook and varions railway trifis, fires. All returned. During the fighting of patrols we woyed two machines, and shot down foar, of which probably

EARLIER TELEGRAMS.

BRITISH WITHDRAWAL NEAR CAMBRAI.

A Well-Chosen Line Now Occupied..

Loudon, December 6. Reuter's correspondent at Headquarters, explaining General Byng's withdrawal around Cambrai, says: We have fallen back deliberately and successfully upon a well chosen" line which rules out the salient made by Bourlon Wood and should enable us to maintain our hold upon the captured length of the Hindenburg Line against whatever pressure the Germans may apply in order to recover this loss. Bourlon Wood certainly possessed certain advantages as an observation post; but such advantages may prove very much too costly to retain unless immediately utilisable. The phenomenally fine weather may change any day, thus finally breaking up the campaigning season.

The German Version.

London, December 6. A wireless German official message states: We stormed trenches southward and south-westward of Moeuvres and «pressed forward over the Bapanme-Cambrai zosd. The enemy evacuated his forward positions between Moeuvres and Mar- coing withdrawing to the heights northward and eastward of Fiesquiores. We captured Graincourt, Anneux, Cantaing and Noyelles heights, northward of Marcoing, penetrating four kilometres on a front of ten kilometres. The retreating enemy fired the villagea. Our prisoners now total 9,000 with 146 guns and 716 machine-guns, ·»

42

VON TIRPITZ AND BRITISH SEA POWER.

London, December 5.- Commenting on Admiral von Tirpitz's speech at Essen, the Westminster Gazette saya :----It throws a salutary douche of cold water on Hindenburg's and Ludendorff's recent assertion about Germany's strength by saying that nothing will be decided until British meapower is broken and painting out the incontestable fact that this power is overywhere victorious in its own spbers. The Westminster Gazette emphasises the difference between British navalism and German įmilitarism, though the Germans naturally pretend the former as aggressive and threatening to the world as the latter. Our worst enemy cannot pretend that we embarked on this war to extend our power or increase str possessiona. We came „îñ' because". Germany compelled us and what we hold of their territory-wa- hold on trust on our behalf and that of our Allies for "a" guarantee against futurs attack.

NO VOTES FOR CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.

London, December 7. The House of Commons adopted Bir G. Cave's proposal in disfranchise consciention objectors, but the period wa reduced from seven to five years?

monotony.

As was afterwards discovered, only three were executed, the to set against the Government. however, this state of feeling was Bathorities seeing plainly that The maiter was placed in the really caused by an agitation sny starnez, mesenres would only hands of the military authorities carried on mainly by sailors of beap fuel on the flames of dieand the Department of Justice in the reserve class. That agitation content and anger.

atarted on board the battleship. Before the execution of these order to throw light on this as well as on other cases under Westfalen, then at Wilhelms-men, it is stated that they dival- haven, and quickly spread toged all the secrets of the plot, search showed, the Tempe

investigation. other vessels lying in that naval regarding which my informant adde, that the information re saya, only the most naimportant

port.

bilisation of the Action Francaias

It was on the Westfalen, too, details were disclosed by Admiral esived concerning armu was ex- that inaabordination first broke von Capelle in the Reichstag. Heggerated, but that a plan of mo- out. One morning one of the was driven to disclose something leagues was found. It was dated older sailors on the Westfalen by the fact that details of the 1913-14, and it is known that ... was ordered to do a certain piece business were becoming widely collection of indices was found of work. He refused point known, and the Government

esrtridges.

DON'T FORGE

blank, and when a midshipman deemed it best to reveal a little bearing dates during May and seked him for a reason for his with the aim of calming the Jane of 1917. The Department refusal the man replied, unwill-public mind and getting rid of of Justice is now trying to

certain if there was any connectiont- ingly, that he was too ill to par- the truth by an official version. between the indices and the på form the task. A saperior officer Something similar happened of mobilisation. It is said that was called, but the men persisted on another battleship while she the Government does not contera- in his refusal to obey the order, was out on a cruise. The men on plate streching any directors of The case won then referred to the that ship obtained control, sad captain, who had the man put were only prevented from run The Tempe says that the arme

the leagues, under arrest.

oing into a neutral port by thesised in Parin and the départ On the following day a depata presence of other German vele, ments totalled 18 entomalie tion from the crew, headed by a which got wind of the occur revolvers, 154 knucklers, 62 pretty officer, waited on the fences and theatered to open freeaded canca, 25 clubs, anði 300 esplain and asked for the man's unless the ship returned with zulesse. The captain asked the them to port. In this osas two- deputation to explain their sation, another report sys-three-men regarding which the captain won abot. ** expressed his eatonishment and Prompt action had to be taken anger. The spokesman replied on other ships, and for some time that the crews of several battle several battleshipa lay and Entertainment in aid of hipa had decided on the forms Wilhelmshaven without arews tion of a Bailora” Council · on - the aboard, All tha: Sɔeinliet litera- lines of the Bassian Soldiers" and ture shoard theships at Wilhelms- Workers Council. The captain, haven and other ports was however, was unable to obtain seized, but that was found to any particulars-from the depais, consist of nothing more serious tion regarding the scheme, and thàn pamphlets which has been ordered the men to leave the passed for publication by the room. They refused to do so, sensor, and, which spy sailor The captain, during those pro- could buy in, the shops, sahore, Deedings, was accompanied by this providing another proof of

and when he became the Aimsy naturs of von Capelle a Grand Boxing Cours

the charges againm tha thrée Bo

situation

themlin Deputies of the 1

-TO-DAY."

Hongkong University,—Bizase."

Tientsin Flood Relief Fond,

Victoria Thestre 9,45. p.m. Bijou Theatre - 9.16 par 9.15 p New Hongkong Qinematogres

Victoria Thes Bijon

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