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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1916-5-18, Page 2SCOTTISH TROOPS MET TEEM ON PARAPETS AND THEY FLED Germans Delivered Several Attacks Against British Line&, but Were Everywhere Thrown Bark. A despatch from London says:--- Tha i Germans continue to feel out the' British lines, seeking ;t point for a' general onslaught. On Friday night, after a heavy bombardment, the Germans made three attacks against. the British • trenchee between the River Somme and Mericourt, one of which suceeetl- ` ed in getting into the British trenche; , bttt was at once driven out. Sonic dead Germans were left entangled on the defenders' wire. On Saturday night after a heavy bombardment by guns of all calibres the Hermans attacked the British Iine: about t# eeePIoegstraete Wood, One party succeeded in entering the British trenches, but was immediately repulsed. The other parties were met on the parapet by Scottish troops and dispersed. Early Sunday morning a British patrol entered enemy trenches south 'l f La Bas'see Canal �ye1Y4N+R "41: Ars ray J J; rf /Qtrarilntkovaa1.. s i• a� S, Zahab air3-1-5111 reer� eel&tl _eRt'1114,1 K ERMANSHAT: ' * J "Fp MAS nde i Zama, Fiarunab8ci •$hibuk Manakin. adhimlen BAGDAD . CTESIFNO l�sai�a KI{ORA M AE3A D' BeOre a , r. 1 °A IMAt1\``r�, Ail G ilAlR!` r o , Activity about Souchez, the Hohen- zollern redoubt, Givenchy and St. Edo' indicate that other attacks are in preparation. TWO RUSSIAN ARMIES MOVIN IN DIRECTION KUT•EL-Ai AR PEEK'S NEWS OF THE WAR. !front; in a prompt counter-attack, ; ib his duty to make a personal however the French recaptured all to Dublin; Increasing attention has centred trenclieslost and indicted enormous this week on the Angle -French front:losses en the enemy. A feature of the ill, Greece, along which for some news of the week from Paris was weeks a comparative lull has prevail- the announcement of the promotion of ed. Despatches towards the end of of Verdun, to the post of Commander-' the week told of brisk firing in this .; in -Chief of the group of central armies field of war, lending color to reports . in the sector between Soissons and General Petain, the gallant defender OF BAGDAD that sumed aetitin e hostilities aught be re - Second Has Appeared at Mosul, on the Tigris, 220 Miles North of City of Caliphs, ll heel: A do peri sen Petrograd says:- A. Russian army has entered Mesopot- amia from, the north, and has taken Ruwantluz, &3 miles north-east of 1iaa�ul, Annuuneement of the taking of the tt sin made on Sunday was the first official intimation. that there are two , Verdun. General Robert George Ni - velle has been appointed as his sac - the near .ar f ut That a.t th a eesmor. Bulgarians fear an attack will be I Gre t Britai lar e sh re of ; made by the. Allies is indicated by re- : public interest has been attracted by ports that fresh forces have been the cross-fire directed at the Gov - brought up south of Monastir, Strong ernment by Liberal and Nationalist defensive positions, it is said, have members as a consequence of the been thrown up. ' execution of the .Irish rebels. Pre- f The fighting in the Verdun sector ` mier Asquith assured questioners on Russian armies engaged in the Meso potemian operation. The other army recently tonk Kasr-i-Shirin, on the Persian side of the Persian -Meso- potamian frontier, and is suposed to, be preparing to advance down the Diana valley against Bagdad. Mosul is on the Tigris, 200 miles nohth of Bagdad. FRENCH RETAKE GERMANY'S CROPS WILL BE FAILV.TRE. MANYTRENCHES Reason for Peace Ventures Made Enemy Forced Baca;: Both at Hili 801 and at Hill 257 A tite etele frere Peel~ ti' : :-A . ill t kee hill is: the fighting- Saturday night end S:nat3ny he reported from the l t e t,:;n region. The vicinity (if Le MeteU rnmt was subjected Saturday Ft, ^' !n•. n R'it>!LnZ bt•• ' lment 1+- t• lej German arti:Ie" y. This and inter-` ran ctt•nr :tl'Eiileny duels at various peen(• ve•mpriee the only activity xn2. :l '+e'e'tte••, A German attack was tree ,t Setui•elay night on French lines ni the Bole ries Ioges, between Fres-' n e : is erre Ee rut t aignes, south of Reye•e. The int:telt was repulsed. Two Fsereh mines were exploded in the teettor of La Fille Monte in the'. Arge,nne, etestreeying German trenches," A French e:nt h rivadron eomposed of ten . r{] .at1 dropped forty-three shells, a n the railway tations at Nantilloie end I'r•ieuile a and rt. Fir ouacke, in the rcg.e rs tf Ment Faucon and Romagne.J The seine night aeroplanes dropped 11 F110.1!4 en the dirigible hangar at.{ :NI etz-Fre. eati." BELGIANS 70 MILES INTO EAST AFRICA. ' More Progress in German Territory Gained by General Tombeur. A despatch from Paris says: Bel- gian forces have penetrated seventy miles into German East Africa, ac- eording to an official • statement is- sued on Wednesday by the Belgian War Department at Havre. Gen. Tom- beur, in command of the African ex- pedition, reports that a Belgian col- umn which crossed the German front- ier near Ruhanga has advanced to the eastern shore of Lake Mohasi, the German forces retreating in the direction of Lake Victoria Nyanza, seventy miles to the east. The Belgian colonial Minister announced last Sunday that Belgian troops had cap- tured. German positions south of Kivu Lake and were advancing south hi a direction about 100 miles south of Lake Mohasi. General Tombeur's re- port indicates the invasion of the German colony is being made by two columns, one operating from the north and the second from the west. Gibbs -"Se you went after the job? Ii thought you believed that the office should seek the man." Dibbs-"I do; but this is a fat job, and I Through United States. A despatch from London says: The Daily Telegraph's Rotterdam corre- spordeet says aet;orling to reliable information he has received, Ger- many's next harvest is bound to be a failure. ••It is tills hopeless prospect for the future." he says, "that Itis impelled the German Government to a desper- ate peace venture through the medium of negotiations with the United States. "The failure of the harvest is flue entirely to the bloekade. German crops will be poor because the ground is impoverished and the British navy has cut off' from Germany all its overseas supplies, first of cattle -feed - has been carried on vigorously on several occasions that it was the de - both sides throughout the,week. Early sire of the Administration to deal as ' in the week, the army of the Crown mercifully with the prisoners as was Prince attained a small measure of compatible with public welfare. On success on the fifty -mile fan -shaped i Thursday he announced that he felt visit Russian troops continued to land this week at Marseilles, and it has been estimated that 25,000 or more in all have disembarked there. De- spatches reaching New York presage a vast movement of soldiers from Petrograd to France by way of the Whit S Tl tr s ontation facil- ities, it is declared, are sufficient to move half a million men in the course of the summer if they are needed. At sea, the outstanding event of the week has been the sinking of the White Star liner Cymric, off the coast of Ireland, by an enemy sub- marine. Petrograd reports that that offen- sive of the Turkish forces in the region of Mamahatun hat: been stop- ped and that in the Mesopotamia zone of war the town of K tsr-i-Shirin, about 110 miles northeast of Bagdad, was occupied. PREFERRED GLORIOUS DEATH TO SHAMEFUL SURRENDER sian Detachment, - Taken. Prisoner, Hurled Themselves o Escort, Defeated Them, and Rejoined Regiment. A despatch from London says: Desperate fighting is in progress in the Caucasus, both the Russians and Truks claiming to have the advant- age. The Petrograd official report' claims that a Turkish attempt at an offensive in the direction of Erzincan was repulsed by Russian fire, and that the Grand Duke's troops are advancing west and south-west of the town of Platava, and continues: "In engagements in the region west of Aschkala the Turks surrounded a , detachment of our soldiers forming the reserve and captured them. These reservists, preferring a glorious death to a shameful surrender,. headed by their officers, hurled themselves on their Turkish escort, and defeated them and rejoined their regiment." In an all -day battle in the Mount Kope sector on the Caucasus front the Turks drove the Russians out of posi- tions nearly ten miles in length, cap- turing more than 300 Wren and four machine guns, according to Thurs- day's official announcement by the ing stuffs. secondly of artificial fertil- izers. In all parts of the empire farm_ GERMAN THREAT STARVING POLES ers have reported that their land will not this year bear its full yield, "With this faet now before it, the Government knows that even if staved off in the meantime famine next win- ter is inevitable." 59 SIIIP.S TORPEDOED DURING THE PAST YEAR. A BOOMERANG AR Washington Authorities Think That F aIth is Not ot Iei n g Kept. A despatch from Washington says: It is becoming more and more apps - A despatch from London says: rent that President Wilson is deter - Thirty -seven unarmed British mer- mined to maintain a firm and uncom- chantmen and 22 neutral vessels were promising attitude toward Germany torpedoed without warning between until he is fully satisfied that the Im- May 7, 1915, and May 7, 1916. Thomas Aerial Government has actually re - Macnamara, financial Secretary to moved the submarine menace to non - the Admiralty, said in the House of combatants from the high seas. Ber- Commons on Thursday. He added that lin's view that the submarine issue be- lie understood these figures were tween the two Governments is settled known to the American Gvernment I is not shared by the President or Sec- ' retary Lansing. The price which CLERGY IS HELPING Germany must pay before reaching TO RECOVER LOOT_' an amicable understanding with the United States is a strict and continu- A despatch from Dublin says: ing observance of its pledge to effect Churches are being used by looters as a change in its present method of sub - convenient depositories for their loot, marine warfare. and the clergy is co-operating with Until there has been a sufficient the authorities in an endeavor to re- lapse of time to demonstrate that Ger- store the articles to their owners. In many has really effected this pledge, this way many of the looters have the .attitude of the United States will been able to escape arrest, although remain about as it has been the past' a special court is trying cases daily, month toward the Imperial Govern - The search for rebels and arms con- went. Apparently no effort is going tinues, a small area being cordoned to be made to placate the German gov- each day and vigorously overhauled. BARON WIMBORNE RESIGNS. ernment or to re-establish a mutual feeling of confidence and good will. This was the policy adopted by Mr. Bryan after the Lusitania disaster, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Was Sue- it is explained, and its result proved censor to Lord Aberdeen. far from satisfactory. Secretary Lan- sing therefore is resolved to have Ger- many prove as well as declare its good faith before he changes his present policy. - A despatch from London says: The Marquis of Crewe announced in the House of Lords on Wednesday that Baron Wimborne, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, had resigned. KAISER ORDERS RESIGNATION OF GERMAN FOOD MINISTER British Blockade is Pinching the Teutons ---Reports Tell of the Shortage of Supplies. A despatch from London says: Sev- "Emperor William and Chancellor von eral of the Friday morning news- papers print long reports from neu- tral and German Socialist sources of an acute food shortage and conse- quent discontent in Germany and Aus- tria. The economic pinch, according to these le -ports, has become intoler- el:ly severe, owing to. the British bloc'kacle, and even rich people are suffering greatly. The diplomatists of other nations in Berlin are getbing surronzlies from abroad. A despatch from Amsterdam says: Bethmann-Hollweg have decided that Clemens Delbrueck, German Minister of the Interior and Vice -Chancellor, must resign, says a Berlin despatch to the Frankfurter Zeitung. Minister Delbrueck has .been reported ill dur- ing the past few days, but the real trouble, 'the despatch says, is dissatis- faction with Germany's food sup- plies. Count George von 'Hertling, the Bavarian Prime Minister, is re- garded as the probable successor to Minister Delbrueck." RECOMMENDED FOR V. C. Also for French Legion of Honor for Holding Line at St. Eloi. A despatch from Montreal says: Lieut. Peter Browne of the 22nd Bat- talion, who has been recommended for the Victoria Cross and also the French Legion of Honor for holding the line in the battle of St. Eloi with twenty- five menagainst repeated attacks of the enemy, after the greater number of his company had been. wiped out in a bayonet encounter following an intense German -bombardment, has. written to his father, H. A. Browne, 2,050 Waverley Street, Montreal. Lieut. Browne will soon be promoted to a Captaincy. He says he evas car- ried shoulder high by the Canadian soldiers in the rejoicing, which fol- lowed the battle. "All I had on me was a pair of breeches (given me by General Turner himself) and an army blanket," he says„ FED British 1 rie' aegnQfiicebia Makes an Announcement.. A despatch from London says: The Foreign Office on Thursday announced the acceptance of the proposals of the Rockefeller Foundation for relief in Poland. The plan provides that America in conjunction with Ger- many will supply food to civilians in Poland until October 1. The German Government agrees not to interfere with foodstuffs hue ported into Poland. Forty thousand tons of foodstuffs are necessary each month. The management of the scheme is to rest with the American commission entirely. The proposal of the Foundation was made by Am- bassador Page to the British Govern- ment. Russia has agreed to the plan. Germany must undertake to sup- ply the starving people of Serbia, Al- bania and Mone, rro. The Foreign Office made a demand that relief be extended to all Poland, and not only the part which Germany has occu- pied. The consent of Great Britain is only given on the understanding that Germany must guarantee that she will not export relief supplies out of Poland. FRANCE DOES NOT WANT AN OFFER OF PEACE. She Intends to Impose Her Conditions on Germany. A despatch from Paris says: -Pre- sident Poincare of France, has made a notable address with regard to peace. The Central Powers, he said, had not offered France peace and that France did not want such an offer. 'We want them to ask it of us," said the Preside ent. 'We do not want to submit to their conditions; ,we want to impoen ours on them. TURK PEACE CONFERENCE. People Are Urged to Prepare for Liberation. A despatch to The London Morning Post from Saloniki says: Messages from:Constantinople state thab a Grand Council was held in the Sultan's palace at Dolma Babtche to consider terms of peace. Preachers in the principal mosques are urging the peo- pie. to "prepare for liberation." A secret committee is forming, and grave events are anticipated. Mother -"My son, there is always more pleasure- in giving than in re- ceiving," Son -"I know, mother, es- pecially when it's a spanking." GERMAN LOSSES Markets of the World Brctadetuife. Toronto. .May 16. -Manitoba wheat-••. No. 1 Northern, $1.294; No. 2 $127; No.' 3, $1.223. on truck Bay ports, , Manitoba oats --No. 2 C.W.. 523.c: No, 3 C.W., 51c; extra No. 1 teed, 81e; No. 1 feed, 60c. on track I3ay Ports. American corn -No. 3 yellow, 82e•. ,an track Toronto. 4'auadian corn -Feed. 72 to 73e: nomi- nal on track Toronto. Ontario outs --No, 3 'vhito, 46 to 470; commercial 43 to 40e, according to freights outside. Ontario wheat --No. 1 eommerelal. 31.04 to 3106; No. 2 do., $1.02 to 31.04;1 No. 8 do 99o. to 31.01; feed wheat, 88 to 90c. ac e•ording to freights outside. • Peas --No. 2. $1.70; according to sam- ple, 31.20 to 31.50. according to freights outside. Barley -Malting barley. 64 to 65e feed barley, 00 to 630, according to freights outside. Buckwheat ---61 to 70e, according to weights outside. Rye -No. 1 commercial, 93 to 04e, ac cording to freights outsido. Manitoba ilouz -First patent*, in Jute brigs, 36.50; second patents, in jute bags. 36.00; strong bakers', in Jute bags, $5,80 Toronto. i Ontario flour -Winter, according to sample. $4.40 to 34.50. in bags, on track Toronto: $4.45 to 34.56, bulk, seaboard;' prompt shipment. 1,[illfeed, car lots. delivered Montreal freights --Bran. per ton, $24; shorts. per ton. 326: middlings. per ton. 326 to 327; good feed hour, per• bag, 31.00 to 31.70, Country Produce. Rutter -Fresh dairy, choice,. 25 to 27c: inferior. 23 to 24c; creamery Prints. 29 to 31c: inferior. 28 to 2.ee. Eggs -.-New laid, 23 to 24e; do., in car- tons, 24 to 25e. Iieatrs-34 to 34.50, the latter for hand* picked.ee f`hse Large. 193 to 192c; twine, 194 to .'de. for new 'hecre; ohs 20/- to 20 c. Monte syrup ---$1.40 to 31.60 Per Int- ieerial gallon. Honey -Priers 14 10 to 66 -Ib tins, 181 • to 14c. tombs ---No. 1, 32.75 to 33: No. ° 32.25 t,3 32.40. l�ressrd poultry --•-Chicken., 24 to 23c; i fowls. 2l.50 to 20e; ducks. 24 to 25e: tur- keys.e. Potatons--Ontario 31.70 to 31.75. and New l;runsw°ieks at 31.50 to 31.85 per bag. Provision((. Itacon long clear. 18 to 193e. per lb. in cave lots. Ilants-Medium. 23 to 24c; tlo heart. 20 to 21c; rolls. 18 to 19c; SINCEWAR breakfast bacon. 24 to 26c• backs, plain, Its A BEGAN 26ltirr.11-c1'uure1tlard.bticrce19 12 toc••364c; and pails. 393 to 17.x; compound, 133 to 141e. wring April German Casual- ties Are Estimated at 91,162 Winnipeg Grain. Winnllrrg, :e1 tr 1%. ---(.ash etui,tationai -- '\Vbcat .: o. 1 Ncrrihern, 31.2"Z: No, 2 Northern 31.194 No, 3 Northern $1.141; No,4311tr�C:No 3.$1.02: No f, 953 ' reed, 901c. tats No, 2 0.W.. 4fSae ; No. 3 (.W., 44x1, : ,•nine No. 1 feeel, 442t'. No. I ftc•d, •443c. he•. 2 rill lk ley --:No 3 09r Nt'. 4 63,•;teiccted, t e: feed.t9e. I•'tar:-•-No. 1 N ss.C:, $1.743. Nei. 2 C.W $1.714. Montreal. 1.Zaarketa. 11.a:trent May 10.--Corn--.Aleut loan No 2 yellow. '7 t" 81e. O&W'-t',tsmtli;tn extra No. 1 fe ed (l'; No. 2 local white, f.2 ?ate. 3, ern„ 53. n. 4, do.• 50r. Har- e 3 >-ilareltetea feed. 6i. to 12c: s.otlting, 74 to 75c. nom -Manitoba spring wheat Patents+, Amts, 36.60; dn., seconds, Stile; strong hatters'.$6.90; �vxrtcr pat- ents, , holee, 36: straight roller:. 35.30 to 36.40 do , in brigs. 52,45 to $2.50, Rant6 oats -Barrels, 35.10 to $5.20: bag of Ted lbs 82.40 to $2.43. At1ilft eci ..lir en, 334; shc,rts.$20, rniddlings, $28 to $30: mouillf>•, $26 to 836. Ilay--•Na 2, per ton. car lots, $2(+.60 to $21. Cheese - Finest westerns 191 to 192e, do east - erns, 181 to 192e, Butter-- Che icest. creamery, 29 to 293e•; seconds, 28 to 291c.' 'Eggs-Prob. 26t: selected. 27o,; No. I stook. 24e; No.2, fin,. 23e+. Potatoes --'Per bag e:.e les 31.65. United Staten Markets. Atinneapnlis. May tn.-Wheat-Mar, $1.242: July, 31.23; No. 1 hard, $3.303 No.1 Northern 31.243 to $1.2.3 No. 2 'northern, $1.2Git t.. $1251, Corn --No. 3 yellow.}to 431<'. 7Flour.tf nwy patents 130e, higher, ttuoted at ;6.40. Other grades unchanged. Shipments, 54,440 barrels. Bran. Sib ter 319.1,0. Duluth, stay 16,-•-\\"htot----Nero. 1 herd. $1,241; No. 1 Northern, 31.281 to $1.241; No. 2 Ntrthe'tn, $1.201 to $1.233. A despatch from London says: An official British estimate of German casualties in April, issued here on Wednesday, places the total at 91,102.; The number of German casualties since the beginning of the war is git en as 2,822,079. These figures were given in the following statement: - "German casualties, exclusive of corrections, were reported during the month of April, 1916, as follows: -- "Killed or died of wounds, 17,455; died of sickness, 2,395; prisoners wounded, 14,557; wounded, 4,001; slightly wounded, 38,970; wounded re- maining with units, 5,637. Total, 91,162, "These, added to those reported in previous months, including corrections reported in April, 1916, bring the to- tals reported in German official lists ` since the beginning of the war to: - Killed or died of wounds, 064,552; died of sickness, 41,325; prisoners of war, 137,798; missing, 197,094; severe- ly wounded, 385,515; wounded, 254,- 627; slightly wounded, 1,023,212; wounded, remaining with units, 117,- 956, Total, 2,822,079. "These figures include all German nationalities - Prussians, Bavarians, Saxons and Wurtemborgers. They do not include naval or colonial troops," '1• BRITISH RETAKE SOME LOST TRENCHES Germans Hold Part of Gains Near VermeIles. A despatch from London says; The British official communication issued on Friday evening says: "Thursday evening,eafter a heavy preliminary bombardment, the enemy succeeded in capturing about 500 yards of our front trenches northeast of Vermelles. We regained a portion of the ground lost by a counter-at- tack during the night. Friday there has been no further infantry action, but considerable artillery activity has been shown in this neighborhood. "Farther north, opposite Cuinchy, we bombed the enemy's positions. Otherwise there has been nothing but -minor artillery duels at various points on the front, principally in the region of Thiepval, Neuville-St.-Vaast, Mas - sines, Voormezeele, St. Eloi and east of Ypres." PLOT TO KIDNAP SIR EDWARD CARSON. A despatch from London says: A plot bo kidnap Sir Edward Carson from Cushenhall, County Antrim, where he expected to spend the Eas- ter holidays, has been uncovered by en investigation, says the 'Daily Tele- graph's Dublin t:orrespondent, The plan miscarried, the correspondent adds, by Sir Edward, ..owing to the pressure of business, canceling his holiday. BRITISH, HOLT) NINETY MILES.' A despatch .from London says: British troops' are now holding 90 miles of the western` front, it was an,• notinced on Wednesday, The British, lines extend fronii:a point north. of Ypres to a' point near the Somme. ]Jive Stock Markets Toronto. May na---Choice heavy steers. 9.111 to $9.26; 1•utcher steers, ehnice, 9.50 to $9.00: do.. good. 38.25 to 38.40; o.. medium. 39.110 to $8.26; do., common, 7,60 to 37.76; heifers, good to chrice,' 8.00 to 38.50; do.. meium, $7.25 to 7.80; butcher cows, choice, 36.60 to $7.25 o., good, 36.7E to $6.50; butcher bulls, choice, 36.50 to 81.78; .do., ironed $0.50 to $6.00; do., medium, $6, $.5.50: do„ oo$ 4.0•d. Lu rough bologna, 8$4.40 t seeders, 900 to 1,000 lbs, 37.00 t lis, 6.60 to $6.00; stockers, 700 to 900 b8., 7.00 to 87.75; do., med., 660 to 760 ih-s 7.00 to $7.60; do.. light, 600 to 650 lbs,` - 6.00 to $6.60; canners, $4.00 to $4.25; cutters, $4.60 to $4.75 milkers. choice. each. 360.00 to 385.00: springers. $60,00 0 $86.00. calves veal. choice. 39.00 to 10.60; do., medium. $6.00 to $7.50: do.,' common, 35.00 to 35.50; lambs, yoarlinga, 310.00 to 313.50; culled Iambs, 37.00 to, $7.25; spring lambs, each, $7.00 to 312.00; ewes. light, $9.00 to $10.10; sheep heavy and bucks. $6.50 to $8.50;; hogs, fed and w$11.66atered,to $11 $11.4.760•. do., 'weighed off cars,, Montreal. May 16, -Butchers' steers,! ebofce, $8.75 to $9.26; medium, $7.60 to $8; common to fair. $7 to $8; butchers' bulls, choice, $7 to $8; fair to good, 36.78' to $7; medium, $5.60 common, 35; butchers' cows, choice, $6.76 to 37.50; fair to good, $6.50 to 36.60; canners and cullers, $3.75 to $4.50, Sheep, light,; 84c, to 9c; lambs, sluing, 35, to $8. Calves, choice, Sic. to 9c; medium, 630 to 74e, Hogs, selects, $12 to $12.25; heavy and sows, $10 to 31U0.25. FOE MAKE VAIN ATTEMPT TO RAID BRITISH TRENCHES. A despatch from London says: The following communication was issued on Thursday night: "The enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to raid our, trenches near Orvillers on Wednes-! day night. Thursday there has been mining activity near Beaumont, Ha- mer and Fricourt, both sides blowing up camouilets. The advantage re-' mains with us. The artillery on both sides has been active about Angry and on the east of Ypres. At the Horn. henzollern redoubt a severe mutual bombardment developed this after, noon, HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA. A despatch from Cape Town says: Heavy loss of life and enormous pro 'party damage have resulted from sud- den floods, followed by the heavy rains which have broken the long drought in the midland districts. Forty persons have been -drowned in the Gamtoos Valley, and there have. been smaller losses of life in other districts. Everywhere railways, homesteads, dams and livestock have been swept away by the floods.