1918-08-24 — Page 1

EXCHANGE:

Closing Quotations:-- T.T. London 38/61⁄4¿

On Demand 3×16 7/163.

The Hongkong Telegraph

WEATHER FORECAST.

FAIR

Barometer 29,81

August 24, 1918,

8029 日八十月七

Temperature Humidity

$ 8.m.

76 2p.m.

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

موجود

(ESTABLISHED

1881)

Copyright "1918, by the Proprietor,

SATURDAY,

AUGUST 24, 1918.

August 24, 1917,

大拜道四十月八英港香

Humidity

Temperature 6 a.m. 80 p. 89

94

66

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SINGLE COPY 10 CENTS.

$36 PER ANNUN

EARLIER TELEGRAMS.

THE

GERMAN

RETREAT.

A WEEK'S DEVELOPMENTS REVIEWED,

BRITISH TROOPS CAPTURE ALBERT.

London, August 22,

The intensely interesting battle position coatinges the one great topic Events are moving so fast that it is difficult to keep; pace with them, but a summary of the week's happeninga may ba useful.

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

WAR REFUGEES.

To be Admitted to Amarica.

London, August 23. According to Router's correspondent at Washington, President Wilson has transmitted to Congress joint resolation authorizing the admission of war refugees into the United Statee. The resolution proposes the waiving of the immigration laws in their case until six months after the war. It is particularly designed to admit 1,800 Serbian refugess, including 500 children now in Rauris.

."

MASSACRE OF CZECHO-SLOVAKS.

London, August 23.

Chaulace and Boye have not yet been captured, hat they are closely invested by the combined operations of General Rawlinson's Fourth Army, General Debeney's First French Army and General

A message from Amsterdam saye that, according to a German Bambert's Third French Army. Between August 15 and 17 these source, the Bed Guards, upon capturing Simbirsk, publicly hanged Franco-British formas advanced stride the Amiens-Roye road to the in the market place three bandred Czecho-Slovaka.

western outskirts of Boye, while the important key point of Lavigny,

on the Lassigny massif, was captared, by General Hambert after the

masait was captured by him in a strenuous struggle.

Between the Mats and the Oiee; the Germans stabbornly resist-

ed the French offensive on the 18th and 19th instant and prevented

THE QUEBEC BRIDGE.

London, August 23.

Reuter's correspondent at Ottawa saya that the Quebec Bridge

U.S. MAN-POWER BILL.

London, August 23.

the French from making mach progress here. This was exactly what Marshal Food aimed at, as it fixed the enemy's attentions on this part has passed the "severest tests and the Government takes it over of the field while a new development was materialising elsewhere. shortly. This new development was the hemmer blow by General Hangin's Tenth French Army, which began on the 18th inst. on a front of about ten miles and has swept forward irresistibly as far as the Ailette. By Wednesday evening, Genersi Mangin's battle front had broadened to sixteen miles from the Aisne to Bailly and the maximum penetration so far is some fifteen or eighteen miles,

A Washington message asys that both Houses of Congress have Meanwhile, Geners! Humbert's Third army, advancing on tives will eit continuously till the Bill is passed.

bega a debate on the Man Power Bill. The House of Representa "General Mangin's left, progressed more than five

miles at ita farthest point and in streaming down the further slopes of assigny and beyond. It is too early yet to predict the effect of this advance, but it is evident that it constitutes s serious threat to the enemy's positions northward of the Aime and if it can be continued farther will outflank the whole German lines on the Aisne and Vesle Rivers. The German lines westward of the Oise are also threatened. The Allies have, in fact, succeeded in driving a formidable wedge between the Crown Prince's and General von Boehm's Groape of Armies.

The total prisoners captured between the Oiss and the Aigne from the 18th to the 20th inst, exceed ten thousand. This number is likely to be considerably exceeded when the captures of yesterday and to-day are added.

The French have made the most anccessful age of the element of surprise and their losses have been gratifyingly small. Surprise tactics were also eff-otively employed on the 21et inst. when General Byng attacked north of the Ancre. The British in this sector hava advanced preotically to the line of the Albert-Arras Railway.

General Byng's attack is a direct threat to the German positions on the important Thiepval Ridge, also to the right flank of the enemy's line on the Ancre. These oositions have a melancholy interest for both the British and the French, as they were the scene of several costly failures in 1915 and 1918.

Daring the week the Germans have effected a slight further retirement in the Berre eslient and have also evacusted some trenches on either beak of the carpe. In the Lys eslient the withdrawal has been continued, accompanied by successful bustling last by the British, who have secured nearly a thousand prisoners.

An interesting question is "To what line do the Germans intend to retire?" The German bare recently shown a desperate anxiety to evacoste saliente and straighten their front. The opinion is expressed that this may be a preliminary to a withdraws on a more extended scale sool as was undertaken at the beginning of 1917. There is at present nothing to show that the Germans are going to retire so far, but each a retirement is not impossible con- sidering the enemy's extreme loses and serious shortage of men.

Regarding the other theatres, nothing important has occurred in Italy, but it is interesting to note that the Austrian losses on the British front in Italy from June 15 to August 15 are estimated. at 20,200, whereas the total British casualties during the same period were only 2,544. The Russian situation is somewhat obecure, but it may be mentioned that the Japanese force which baa landed at Vladivostock is considerable. In Persia and the Cau. casus, the only change during the week has been the defest of the Jelas in the area west of Lake Uramiah by the Turke, who have taken the town of Urumiah. This led to a wholesale migration cf the Jela population, who feared a massacre. They were closely. parsued by the Tarks antil a force of British cavalry dispersed the enemy and stoorted the fugitives to safety.

Albert Captured,

London, August 23. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Hsig reports: We have captured Albert, Australians participating. We took took 1,400 prisoners and a few guni.

HINDENBURG ADMITS A SET-BACK.

But Still Talks of a "German Peace."

H

London, August 22, According to Reuter's correspondent at Amsterdam, General von Hindenburg, reviewing the Third Gaarde Regiment on the anniversary of the storming of S. Privat in 1870, said:-Although we may frankly admit that we hara had a set-back, our position is favourable. We must not be influenced by what has happened. Success is with us. The enemy begins to show weariness, and so long as we do not relax our efforts we shall obtain an honourable and strong Germau peace.”.

GERMAN WASTE OF IRON,,

London, August 22. The Vossische Zeitung states that over 4,800,000 Iron Crosses have been awarded.

A STRIKE ENDED.

London, August 22. The tram and bus strikers are resuming work to-morrow,

踏

EARLIER TELEGRAMS.

THE BATTLES IN FRANCE.

Allies Great Strategic Scheme:

London, Aug..

The series of blows now being dealt the Germans on the whole front from the Belgian frontier to-Rheims is remark- able, hot merely for the rapidity with which they succeed each other, but for the fact that they are not isolated v terprises, but integral parts of a great strategic sch directed by a master. As 2 Paris expert expressively phrases it Ludendorf is like a bully being manoeuvred and mastage by a jujitsu expert. It is conceded that the Germans planned the retreat, but they were forced to carry out the retreat according to the will of the Allies, and if he tries to stand risks annihilation of whole units The fresh heavy fosses he has again" sustained proves the retreat is in no way the voluntary operation he pretends. Apart from material losses the enemy is suffering heavily in moral from the paralyzing uncertainty imposed on him by the variety cf the tactics and strategy of the Allied operations. The attacks by Generals Mangin and Byng, the two outstanding operations of the moment, were successful because but! effected complete surprise, General Byng avoided a frontal attack along the Somme and by striking farther north pre- pared the way for a converging attack on the Somme posi- tions from the north and south. General Mangin's advance on the left of the Cise promises to envelop Noyon from the east, thus helping General Humbert in the Lassigny region.

Lassigny Captured.

Loudon, Aug, 22.

4 French communique states: Between the Batz "and the Oise the enemy, despite his resistance, pent under, our vigorous pressure. Lassigny has fallen. Farther south we gained a footing in Le Plemout, captured Orval Wood and reached the putekirts, of Obiry Ourscamps. We continued our successes east of the Uise and captured Carlepont Woods, which are on the. Oise east of Noyon, between Sempigny and Pont-Oise, Farther east we passed the Noyon- Coucy-le-Chateau road and captured Cainelin-le-Fresne Berlancourt and reacted the outskirts of St. Aubin. Since yesterday we have liberated a score of villages and advanced eight kilometres at certain points, Nine enemy aeroplanes were felled and three balloons set on fire yesterday, Forty- one tons of projectiles were dropped during the day from a height varying from fifty to five hundred yards on troop concentrations, conveys, and the passages of the filette, in addition to tens of thousands of cartridges. We continued to attack by bomb and machine-gun the Allette passages at night-time, besides dropping 23 tons of bombs on several stations.

The German Way.

Paris, Aug. 99. Referring to last evening's German communique a, semi- official statement says: The German Command, being no longer able to plead elastic falling back, or victory for its "rearguard, or the désire to secure more freedom of rear- œuvre to explain his retreat, simply denies it. This method is too simple to take anyone in. The facts fortunately speak for themselves.

British Capture Many Prisoners,

London, Aug-22.

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, states: At 445 this morning we attacked the enemy's positions between the.. Somme and the Ancre By nightfall on Wednesday our patrols had progressed on the left bank of the Ancre, southward and south-eastward of Beaucourt. We maintain-" ed the positions gained yesterday northward of the "Ancre against strong counter-attacks in the afternoon ad evening. on the Miraumont-Achiet-le-Grand front. Fr counter- attacks developed this morning opposite Mirhont and Irlea. We captured two to three thousand prisoners and s few gune on Wednesday and further progresed eastward and north-eastward of Merville, We reached the qutskirts of Neuf Berquin and captured a strong point northward of Bailleul. We repulsed, after eherp fighting, a strong local counter-attack against Locrehof farm, north-westward of Dranoutre and further fighting occurred in the night on this,

sector.

·

LATEST SHIPPING FIGURES,

London, Ang. 92.

The Press Bureau states: The following are the July mercantile losses, all in gross tons. British 176,479 tons, Allied rad neutral 138,539, tons, Compared with the adjusted June lossen these figures show a British increase of 10,085 tons and an Allied and Neutral increase of 90,552 tons, and' compared with the adjusted May losses they show a British decrease of 55,301, and an Allied and neutral increase of 3,829 tona, Compared with Jaly last year. The combined British, Allied and neutral decrease is 262,938 tons. The British losses in July exceeded the building in the United Kingdom yards by 34,531 tons, but in the same mouth 19,920 tons were completed abroad on British account, reducing the July descit to 22,311 compared with an average monthly deficit during the first six months of this year of nearly 20,000 tons, Sailings to and from Britain in July were more numerous than ever, being 7,719,898 tons for steamships ex- ceeding 500 tons, representing an increase of g$9,512 tons compared with June.

FRENCH SHIPPING LOSSES.

Paris, Aug. 20

The Massageries Maritimes liner Polynesien, 6,373 tons, en route from Bizerte to Salonika with Serbian troops, was mined on August 10th and sank. Nineteen are missing.» The French steamer Balkan, 1,709 tons was torpedoed in the Mediterranean on August 15 and sank within a minute. So far 10 have been sared.

as, extending over 34 months, we

believe is based on the conclusions

THE TOLL OF WAR.

Delly Lass of 7,000 Potential Lives,

Sir Bernard Mallet, the Re gistrar General, delivered a lecture recently at the Royal Institute of |Public Health on “The Effects of the War as Shown in Vital Statistion."

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Dealing with the dealine in the birth-rate due to the war, he mid that in England. and Walss the births registered in 1913 number. ed 881 890. In 1915 they fall to 814,614 In 1918 there wass further .. fall to 780,520, the slightness of the fall from the pravions yes! being day to the boom in marri- ages in 1915, when the number |oslebrated resched the “record

figure of 380,835. In 1917 the births registered fell to 688,348," a decline from the 1913 figure of 24 per cent. Up to the present we had lost in England and Walea in potential lives, on the standard of 1913, 650,000. He "thought that it would be long before the birth-rate reached even the figure that obtained before the wat

Serions sa this loss is to the coming generations incur country, The continued, there is reason to [believe that we have entered less

in this direction than the other. belligerent nations. In terms of percentages of low on the pre-war Germany has lost in potential population we may assume that

GERMAN POPULATION. Some Facts about Its Decline of the French General Staff, lives the equivalent of 4.5 per Even before the war the Ger shows that the dead reached one cent. of its total pre-war popula man Government was gravely million in 17 months; but in the sion, Austria 5 per cent., and preoccupied with the birthrate of second 17 monthe, owing to the Hungary 8 per cent. I think the Empire, which fell steadily slackening on the Russian front, ment that the present war, by I may safely hazard the state- from 40 per thoussad in 1870 to they

did not quite "double; the fall of births it has oCCRAIGNSİ,

mo

cost the belligerent countries of

23.3 in 1913; and it is likely that 1 800,000 would be a one the many rearone, which led derate figure for 34 months, them to involve Europe in war giving an average of 53,000 desd Europe not less than 12) millions

In the next 9

of potential lives. While the waT was the desire to fight before per month. their annual recruitment fell to months, down to and isolading has filled the graves, it has emptied the cradle. At the low to give a prospect of success. February 1918, the average cor Between 1913 and 1916, however, tuinly fel! and must have been present time, every day that the the rata again fell enormously under 53,000; while ainos ar continues means the lose of and resobed 17.0, a reduction of March 21st, the German losses 7,000 potential lives to the United 40 per cent. in three years. This have been the greatest yet known Kingdom, France, Italy, and the Central Empires. Baca cuicide weans, according to a recent rein the war, and will no doubt so port issued by the Intelligence continue till the end of the 4th among European peoples on the Dapartment of the British Local year (July 31st). Here we can most colossal scale bar been the Government Board, that after only guess. If one took 40,000 a outstanding result of German

militarism. three years of war Germany was month, and 88,000 for 5 months ehort of more than two millioa one would reach 24 million at the children who ought to have been end of four years. The desthe born. The Copenhagen Society may not reach that; but it is im- the present death-rate "smong. for the study of the Social Con probable that they will fall far illegitimate children in their first year, but we cannot say with sequences of the War, in a study abort.

of the subject published in 1917, The loss in birthe for the fourth what truth.-We know however worked out the detailed figures for year, on the 1916 ratio, would bs from the ipearance offices there the firet three years of war, some 833,000, making about has been a considerable rias dur- 2,482,300,por nearly 2 million 3,315 000 for four year, Bat in ing the war in the death-rate older. civiliane. Wa This study takes the increase in fict the birth rate has fallen again among the German death-rate for theer enormously since 1916. The Am. ourselves bare unfortunately no figure for this incresse; but the three years at 32 per cent, sterdam Handelsblad recently including military losses, and took out the weekly figures at the Kommunale Praxis on January makes the total loss to Germany beginning of January 1918 for 12 19:b, 1918,

for Friedensu, for these three years 3,700 of the largest towne, including statistics 000, We are going here to Berlin; they showed an average Berlin middle-class enbark,

which throw consider what the loss will be birthrate of 9.79 per. thousand

light on at the end of four years of war. (againer an average of 23.50 for 307 in 1913 to 583 in 1915 and the question; deaths rose from Obviously we cannot merely carry London, Liverpool, Birmingham, 495 in 1916, and these include on the Copenhagen figures for an Glizgow, and Dablin). Doubtless

KBTB

BOMB

A

The conclusion then is "that

near

other year for the deathrate has the country districts are better; only part of the deaths in the not remained constant, while the bat a heavy fall ia indisputable. local military hospital. That is, birth-rate has again fallen heavily The total loss in births over the Friedenau death-rate had by since 1918. Naturally we have years cannot therefore wall be by 1916 risen over 62 per cent. no official figures yet, bat the less than 3 million, and may be while the Copenhagen study weekly returns of births for some very much more. How bad the takes an all-round rice of only 32 of the large towns are available. position is may be guessed from Per cent. We have them to add

Let us take the death-rate first. be two Bills for increasing po higher civilian death-rate.

an unsscertained figure for the The Copenhagen figures are pre-palstion recently introduced in sumably founded on the German the Reichstag, one of which is official figures of their military patio measure to probibit the by, August 1st 1018 Germany lossea. These figaree are manufacture and sale of contrs will have suffered a dead loss known to be incorrect, onja iptives; Daturally it will of at least 34 million potenti- several lines of evidence. One use emall effect. Before the al children, somewhere is that earlier in the war; war we heard much about the 2 million soldiers, and an before the German Government low French birth-rate, 18. 07. nascertained figure due to the stopped their exportation, private Bat in the big towns the German higher civilian death rate; that lists-local zolle of honour rate is now just one ball of what is, a total of something over 6 friendly acolety death-rolls, eto, the French was, and the fall there millione all told, on a pre-war were available, and is was possicos 1913 is no longer 40 per should not like to say without population of 67.8 millions. We sible to oslonlate with more or cent, but 70 per cont.; that is, less success the ratio of difference three children are barn where 10 qualification, as some Germans between the German official | should be.

have said, that Germany will have death-roll and the true death-roll Two other points must be will not be far off it. And to this been decimated; but certainly she For en easily understood proof of cosiced." Germany has had some the discrepancy, it suffices to success in reducing her infantile has still to be added an unknown namber of those “wer-obildren" mention that early in the spring death-rate, though it is still too of 1917 the then

so much discussed by German American high it fell from 155 per Ambassador in Germany, Mr. honaand in 1914 to 183 in 1916 doctors, whom Professor Nicolai Gerard, was told by the authori (against 95 in Eagland in 1918). million for the first two years of estimated at from one to two tion that the German dead were However, as 155 was a consider-

11. million, at a time when the sble rise over the peace-time the war; children born of official liat still stood at under ägare, the real gain is far less hysterical parents below the one million. The best calculation than it looks. Au astounding normal standard, and only reared of the German loses available to figure (66%) is in circulation for with difficulty, he may live but can hardly became useful citizing,