1917-12-29 — Page 1

EXCHANGE NE Clusing. Quotations :--- T.T. London Saf-d- On Demand 35/3.

The Hongkong Telegraph

WEATHER FORECAST

FAIR

Barometer 30.07%

December 29, 1917,

7841 日大十月一十

Tamparainre Humidity

2

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

rin

CONDITIONS OF PEACE.

CENTRAL POWERS' REPLY TO RUSSIAN PROPOSALS.

The Attitude of France and the United States.

London, December 28. Replying to the six points contained in the Russian demands, cabled on December 23, the Central Powers declare :-

Firstly, that they do not intend to forcibly appropriate ary territories at present occupied.

Secondly, that they have no intention to tob any nation of independence which has been lost during the war.

(ESTABLISHED Oopyright © 1917, by

SATURDAY,

December 29, 1916. Humidity.

Tamperature 6 am,

60.2

大拜禮 號九月二十英港香

DECEMBER

1917.

TELEGRAMS,

·REUTER'S--TELEGRAMS.

THE ITALIAN OPERATIONS.

Germans Claim Repulse of Italian Attack.

London, December 28.

A German wireless official messsge says:-We repulsed sn Italian attack at Hante Tomba.'

Enemy Aeroplanes Brought Down.

London, December 28. An Italian official message states:-Twenty five enemy aeroplanes attempted to bombard an aviation camp weet of Treviso. British and Ital-an seroplanes ascended and anti-aircraft guns came into action and forced the enemy to retire. Eight enemy machines were brought down. Egh: machines renewed the attempt in the afternoon. We drove them cff, bringing down three. Altogether eight fell in our lines and three in the enemy's lines.

All our machines returned. The damage was insignificant,

Retaliation for British Raid,

London, December 28.

Thirdly, the question of self-determination of pational groups which possess no State independence canna be regalated as between States but should be solved by every State with its own people, independently and in a constitutional manner. The protection of the right of minorities forms an essential and component part of the constitutional right of peoples to self-determination, and the Central Powers will grant this right so far as it is practically realisable. A British-Italian official message states:-Prisoners state that Fourthly, the Central Powers will not only renounce jademai-the enemy's bombing attack on Treviso was in retaliation for the foation for the costs of the war but also for war damage. British aeroplane attack, cassing many casualties in a military train. "Accordingly every belligersut Power would only have to indemnify the expenditure for its nationals who were prisoners of war as well as for damage done in its own territory by illegal sota of force, committed against the civilian nationals of sd enemy country." The queation of the creation of an International Fund for this purpose ould only be considered if other belligerants join the peace negotiations.

WRECK OF CITY OF NAGPUR.

All the Passengers Saved.

Londen, December 27. The Times correspondent at Lisbon gives details of the wreck Fifthly, the return of the German Colonies constitutes an of the City of Nagpur, cff Danae Beef, Delogoa Bay. He says that "essential part of the German demande, from which Germany will the passengers, numbering 259, were saved, and also part of the

Dever desist.

cargo of 8,000 tons and four racehorses valued at £7,000. The Birthly, there must be no economic restraint after the war. ship is split in two and is sground. The ship and cargo are valued "This condition is of the greatest importance in preparation for at a million sterling. “ amicable relations between belligerent countries." -

The German Colonies.

London, December £8.

ON THE WESTERN FRONT,

Marked Artillery Activity.

London, December 27.

Reater's correspondent at Petrograd says that the Rasaign official version of the Reply gives the following addition to the A French commanique states: On the right bank of the Reply-As regards the Colonies considering the nature of the Mense, artillery activity continues to be marked at Caurieres Wood German Colonies, the right of free peoples to determine their own and Bezouraux. Batteries caught enemy troops assembling north destiny is at present practically impossible and the fact that natives, west of B:zonvaur and dispersed them with heavy loss. under unfavourable conditions and without hope of victory against a much stronger enemy who receives supplies by sos, remain antil desth faithful to their German ftiende, ia proof of their attachment to and resolution to maintain contact with Germany.”

Enemy Trenches Bombed.

Loudon, December 28. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, in a communique, states bourhoods of Arras, Messines and east of Ypres. Flying was Artillery firing is active north of Saint Quantin and on the neigh intermittent on Wednesday owing to snowstorms. Enemy trenches weze bombed and machine-gunned. Billets were bombed daring Field Marshal Sir Douglas Baig later states there is nothing to

The Hassian Delegation, replying to the German contention regarding the destiny of peoples in the German Colonise, sees 20 reason why the German Colonies should not be evacuated by the cccupying troops and the regime instituted during the war anualed the night. so that the peoples of these Colonies may express an opinión es regarde their destiny: Any difficulties in connection with this course could be adjusted "by"specially-appointed Commissionera. The Bastian Delegation finally expresses the hope that the other belligerents will join the peace negotiations when the pourparlere are resumed on January 9.

1:

Independence of Small Nationalities.

London, December 28, Better's correspondent at Petrograd says, that the Russian Delegation, replying to the Central Powers, pesce reply, pointed

out that the third clausa.contains a reservation which nullifies the right of people to regulate their own destinies, and declares that the "war cannot end without the restoration of the independence of small nationalities. Furthermore, the Russian Delegation insists on these Fights being protected in the Peace Tresty.

Germany's Object.

London, December 28.

report..

A German Attack.

London, December 28.

A German wireless official message states:-There is lively fighing at Houthalet Wood, on the north back of the Lys, and in the neighbourhoods of Moeuvres and Marcoing. We stormed two firet-line treadhea north-east of Bezanvaar to a breadth of nine hundred metree, and blew up sheltere. We returned according to orders, capturing a hundred prisoners,

سیٹ۔

GERMAN ATTACK IŇ MOZAMBIQUE.

London, December 28. According to Reater's correspondent at Lisbon, an official message says:la Mezambique two thousand Germans, with ten machine-guns and two cannon, attacked positions on Mount Hkais Reater's correspondent at Washington says the general opinion held by 250 Portagees and five machine guns. The enemy assaulted is that the object of the German Peace Reply is to protract the after three days! fighting, taking prisoner nine officers and seventees negotiatione, although there is no expectation of peace, in order to men. There were forty Portaguere casualties. The Germans mislead her own people and strength on the Western Front. The libertated prisoners. We put out of action the machine-guns atlitude of the United States is unchanged as regarda her deter-before they fell into the enemy's haude. milation not to eater into any agreement with a Government unrepresentative of the people. The German silence as regarda Alsace Lorraine is emphasised.

French Foreign Minister's Views,

London, December 28.

FOOD CONTROLLER'S LATEST ORDER,

・

London; December 28,

THE CONTROL OF U. S. RAILWAY.

London, December 28.

(Beater's Service to the Telegraph.")-

THE SILVER MARKET.

London, December 27.

THE SUBMARINE DEFEATED.

“

SINGLE COPY 10 CENTS

*TP ANNUM

CHRISTMAS TURKEYS AT THE FRONT-

INSANITY AND THE WAR.

(By Capt. R.B.C. Pollard).

Another "Temporary Dim- loation" in England.

Mesere. Samuel, Montagu and The Christmas of 1914 found.

Tasanity in Edgland bas de Company, in their silver report, the French turkey marketin very arsesed since the outbreak of war. state that the tone of the market good condition. There were more As in 1915, the number of insane continues to be steady, owing to than enough birde to go round, persons (134,029) declined last the firmness of Shanghai exchange and the prices were quite reason year, the decrease of 3,278 in 1915. and higher prices in New York. able. The second war winter being followed by a similar The Obristmas holidays have found the British armies in decrease of 3,159 in 1916. curtailed basicess.

France greatly swollen in for the ten years ending with The average soncal increase bat their growth was trifling compared with the inflation that 1914 was 2,251. The Board of the price of Christmas turkeys Control draw the inference that had undergone at the bands of the diminetion in 1915 was a A Naval Critic's Oplaton.

the thrifty shopkeeper class. temporary one, bearing some Mr. Arthur Polleo, one of The third year found the shop-relation to the exceptional condi England's caval critics, who has keepers badly at a loss, for the tone, social and economic, aria- been in the United States several equally business-like British Pg from the war, and in their monthe, srid recently that the bad perfected a eystem of report recently issued the Board. submarins had been defeated. Mr. Geld caneene, and a cupply of 8sy that the inference may equally. Pollen's statement, issued through turkey at wholesale prices had well be drawn with respect to the the Associated Press, follows: been arranged. So far, the bea-latest figuree,

The relative percentage of the "Anything unsatisfactory in our are easy, and this year turkey

the military and political situation should be cheap and plentiful, sexe ander care-malas 45.7., in Earope, is balanced by the ex- An old song saka wistfully What females 54 3-continues to show traordinary news that the Geris Christmas without Mother?" reduction in the proportion of man submarice campaign. has Bat an even more urgent question males. There were, however, broken down altogether. The among some millions of healthy nearly 2,000 mental and nervous" submarine is defeated, This rourg Britons ie:"What is Casad under observation in mili- is the *most momentions Christmas withont turkey "tary bospitale, of whom a certain event since the United States And the unlucky officer who talks sumber will probably eventually declared war. It means that we French and has to do the local be certified as insane. can all sisy in, and that America messing jobs, finds the provision were discharged as cured. The During the year 6,839 persone can really come in. Six months of the Xass turkey and all the total cost of the institutions was ago shipping was being destroy.minor dishes of the feast, a hard

£3,575,451. ed, according to some authorities bit of work.

2

DON'T FORGET.

TO-DAY.

Victoria Theatre-9.15 p.m." Bijoa Theatre-9,16 p.. New Hongkong Cinematograph

TO-MORROW. Victoria Theatre-8.15 p.m. Bijou Theatre 9.10 p., New Hongkong Cinema-

at a rate of nine million tons per On the first War Christmas, I annum. Had this loss continued rode on a motor cycle some seven miles over the the Germans bad the right to ex-twenty peot, not indeed military victory, woret roads in France through bat a pesce that would mean mud that absorbed transport something much less than defeat. waggons. At last I reached the This was Germany's only hope City Beautifal; delightful St.-9.15 p.m. and it weathe Allies' only anxiety, Omer; then the Esadquarters of for every one, ineluding the the General Staff and gay with German higher command, knew gold and scarlet personages. I consbly safe, the military defeat two birde which I slang carraph.-9.15 p. that with es communication res found a turkey shop and bought of the German army was certain. ningly alongside my machine.

"In the first fortnight of The back carrier I filled with artillerists wing their noisy greet November, the rate of loss of other goods, and then the ings of the season. British tonnage of ships greater saviour of the battalion Lakidded These military amenities do than 1,600 tons each, bas fallen back to the fighting zone. It not, however, put a stop to to about one million tone a year, was an awful ride; but the dine festivities on the British-side- the present shipbuilding capacity ner was provided and the battal One cannot snawer for the other of Great Britain slone can make ion's honour was saved.

aide this year. The Boche is this lose good in less than eight The next year, in good time, I nesting the "end of his months. At the rate America, visited the same shop, only to tether, and knows it. But in Great Britain, and Japan are discover that all turkeys were earlier Decembars we heard the There were rows sounds of "Fritz singing "0 striving to attain, we should sold out. replace this loss in less than eight of them in the shop, but ticketted Tannenbaum ", come down wind weske. The rate of less for the with the names of the purchasers to the British trenches where the laat week is actually less than the who had ordered them. Months company glee singers assisted by annual toll of wrecks in peses of campaigning make for re the remainder of the strength of time. It is an amazing de-sourcefulness, I noted a part-the unit are making the night velopment. Is is not to be onlarly fine bird ticketted with rancone with "Good King Wen- expected that losses can remain the name of an officer who is my oslas looked out". This ancient as low as this. They must deliberate opinion did not really carol is always a favourite, for actuate up and down. Bat they need turkey. All other turkey few songs lend themselves to so should never cause or serious shops proving empty, I was forced many topical interpolations,

to use strategy, and making The only people who really uneasiness again. many's recent successes against establishment, pushed my way Post Office officiala.

"Compared with this, Germy way back to the original dread Christmas are the Army Their Russia and Italy, and the jolt through the throng of die Christmas is enough to make and disappointed anybody misanthropic, for the these have given the Allied morale contented —which we see reflected in the would-be purchasers, and asked festive season means that every. discussions on Premier George's Madame in a load voice for Major body in the British Army, from speech are really trivial in Boff Orpington's "dinon." She the Commander-in-Chief to the oidenta.

fetched it off its book and delast-joined rooky, reosives four "It is unbelievable that the manded twenty fire france, which times se much mail as is ususi, demoralization of a part of the I paid withous demar. The and also an inordinate number of or Italian army can spread to the appetite of our mess was not parcels. It is the proad boset whole. The German and Austrian seriously injured by the know of the Postal Services that so far invasion of Italy amounts really ledge that Mejor Baff Orpington as their organisationis concerned, to an extension of their western who just then lived and slept far nothing is allowed to prevent the front. For the first time France from the maddening front, was delivery of öll mails in time for and England and America will forced to dine out that Xmas Day. Christmas Day. When one con- be able to strike: as Austria as If war has temperarily shattered siders that the fronte extend to. well as at Germany. This will the jolly pomp and circumstance Bagdad, Africa, Gaas, Belgium pot ultimately be "a military of merry Christmas, it has also and Northern France, it can be advantage to the enemy. It may, accentasted the meaning of peace seen than the activities of the indeed, be his ruin,"

and goodwill. Oa Christmas Day, Postal Servica are dependent “In England it is certain that se on any other day, the Allied upon a host of things, includ- sober councils will prevail. It is soldiery carry on with their ing weather, son transport and to the last degree improbable appointed teek of restoring the the eleventh hoar esprice of that any excited or hysterical hermen to a frame of mind when the public. All these things defeat of Mr. George in Parlia-the will appreciate the blessings mean that on Christmaa. Ere a

and ment will take place. In face of of pesce,

View other moantain of mail hse to be dealt with the revindication of ses power, the nations.

lean

envy with, sorted and despatched presiest war achievement of the and more good will. There is no the Headquarters of the various British, American and Allied slackening of tension on the units. Bomewhere about two navics in the isst three and a half Western Front, and after all, days after Christmas the exhauste Tears, we may be sure that there there is no logical reason why ed Fisid Post Office man has time will be a resetion of optimism, there should be. The better the to sit down and cat his owa- For Germany's defeat at mes is day the better the deed, and the Chris mas dinner; and, we may finsi, universal and permanent, sooner Master Booha's lesson is be sure it tastes none the wores wheresa Germany's encoesses on learned the sooner Christendom's for the knowledge that be bas land are local, partial, and tem- bloody, travail will be ended. contributed more by his oNL porary, and her defast at nes Ba, the British riflemen and self-ssorifics, to

the happiness of means that America's share in the machine-gunners are the Christmas of the troops, than

The Food Controller takes poessssion of all oila and fats in A meses ge from Paris says that daring an important debate in the arriving in the United Kingdom on or after January 1. Chamber on the Government's Russian polioy, M. Pichon, the Foreign Minister, declared that the Allies have unanimously decided that it was impossible to have official relations with the Bolshevike, owing to the lattera violations of the alliances, while simultaneously showing a pro-German bias. All France disapproved of the ..Bolsheviks, bat, pevartbeless, they would maintain touch with the

eane elements in Rassis. France had not despaired of her ancient Beuter'a correspondent at Washington states that affected Ally and awaited a chance to resume former relations.

interests approve of President Wilson's taking over of the The Government policy was approved unanimously by the 384 railroads. Important financial agreements are foreshadowed, Deputies present,

including an application to Congress to sanction the Government M. Pichon, referring to the Central Powers' peace proposals, acquisition of an unlimited quantity of new railroads securities and said that Germany was endeavouring to draw Braves into the the right to appropriate all earnings over an agreed figure. negotiations, but there could be no question of a territorial or Congress will be asked to appropriate 200,000,000 dollars for economic status quo-(Cheers). When France wse informed directly rolling stock.

of the passo terme, she would possider them with the Allies, but such indirect pesce proposals did not deserve consideration. Whether the Russo-German negotiations ended with the capitulation of Russia or broke down, France would continue the war. The Allies were determined to pool all their resources in order to give their armles the maximum power.

BRITISH TREASURY BILLS.

London, December 27,

British Tressary Bills at the rate of three and six months maturities are reduced from 41 to 4 per cent.

EARLIER TELEGRAM.

AUSTRALIA AND CONSCRIPTION.

London, December 27,

Mr. Holman, the Premier of New South Wales, who supported the Premier, Mr. Hughes, in his "pro-conscription policy, expresses the hope that the Federal Parlismant will afford Mr. Tudor, the leader of the Federal opposition, every reasonable opportunity to test bis doctrines regarding voluntariam..

the wax can be And will be busy on Christmas Day, any other individual in the

docitive.”

and on both sides the humorous Army