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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance, 1918-05-16, Page 7STORY OF RAID ON OSTEND TOLD BY THE PARTICIPANTS Daring Deed of British Navy Equal to Any of Her Traditions. Went in Under Furious Fire --Channel Not Totally Blocked.- - London Cable.—The ohl cruiser Vindictive went to her last berth 150 to 200 yards within the piers form- ing, the entrance to the harbor of Os- tend; one Of the German submarine bases on the Belgian coast, muter terrific fire from the German naval guns •and maehine guns on the shore, aceording to the Central News. Preparatory to the• raid lute Ostend, the naval air force bombarded ihe tc wrt and dropped bombs continuoue- ly on the halter works, Causing* fires. Latex, the airmen were assisted les dee- troyers and monitors in bombarding the enemy positions heavily. The entire operation was carried Out on lines similar to the raid oi April 23, when concrete -laden cruisers; were sunk in the karber of Zeebrugge, the most important German sub- marine base. For the eeeond time, in a month, a smoke screen was used successful's% About 2 o'clock in the mereing a, large force of destroyers and coastal motorboats steamed up to- e,aid the shore the motorboats going alongside it, The weather was every- thing desirable until 15 minutes be- . fore the Vindictive was Gunk. when a seafog drove Inshore, and reduced the Visibility to a range of between 300 and 400 yards. The Vindictive experienc,e1 the greateet difficulty in finding the en- trance to the harbor, The enemy em- ployed star shells and searchlights ex- tensively, and for twenty minutes 'the vessel was in full view of the enemy batteries. .As she cruised up and down eeeking the entrance she was hit re- peatedly, and several casualties were :sustained. ft was 2.20 o'clock when the piers were sighted almost along- side; and then the German =Chine gun S opened a fearful fire. Having found his bearinge, the cap- tain swung his concrete -laden Crui- ser around and rammed her stem against .the eastern pier, leaving his lieutenant to work the engines with the object of sending the ship across the channel. He then discovered that the cruiser was aground aft'and that it was impossible to turn net any further. He called his crew from the melte ram and stokehold, and then set off explosive charges. Airmen, according to the Central NO% report,. Bay the Vindictive is lying. submerged at an angle of forty degrees at the eastern entrance, with her stem against the pier. While the vessel •was being aban- doned, two motor launches went alongside under a heavy machine gun fire and succeeded in bringing off the men, including the wounded. A large number of the officers and men, who took part in the i operation against the Zeebrugge mole on April 23 claimed the right to partleipate in the Ostend operation says the Central Now story.of the raid, and their wish was gratified. All the men on the Vindictive were volunteers from the Dover pain'. STORY BY A PARTICISPANTe At 3.15 o'clock the Warwick, flag- ship of Admiral Keyes, sighted a motor launch which had on board two ofti- cers and thirty-eight men of the Vin- dictive. An officer who was on a destroyer described the operations: "Cp to 1.45 o'clock we heard nothing of the enemy," he said. "Then be sent, up star shelland flashed his searcu- lights. A 'Leavy bombardment fol- lowed, beginning when we Were about 2 1-2 miles from the shore. "By 'the light of star shells. Auld seanchlights our smoke screen was 's- eated. .Then a fog came on, and the airmen were prevented from continu- ing their work. For an hoar this state Of things continued. Then s the weather cleared sufficiently to permit our men to resume their operations. "A heavy fire was turned ‚on,. the Vindictive. When at last she found the entrance to the harbor she ran her stem into the pier and was aban- doned. "The crews of the motor launches behaved in the most gallant manner,. rushed into shore regardless of their • safety, to see that no one was left be- hind. One launch btoughtt off two of- ficers and 38 men from the Vindictive. Another which subsequently went alongside, took off a lieutenant and two ratings were wounded, while two other motor launches, also detailed foie, Scout work, kept close to the seem theft erew displaying the greatest. pluck and determination. • MONITORS DID GpOnte WORK, "Our vesseleffectiveey bombarded the shore batteries. The week of the tnonitors.in this respect was Darden- lary fine. Altogether 200 shells fell within a few yards of two of the moni- tors, but neither was a hit made nor was a casualty (-tweed. Duripg the Whole operation not one enemy craft Was seen. At 2.90 o'clock, according to the programme, the retiretnent was belatiri." -se Coinniander Lyons, who Condtibten- the Welting operations at Zeebrugge: was In command on the: pre'sent, *eta - sten. Ire tells the following story: "The weather conditions at the etarte were in every way suitable. There was a light northwest wind. The sea was favorable to mall craft. There was a clear eke's and the.Visibilitn: Was.. geed. "The °award paseage ,Wee . made, Without interference on the part of the enemy. The small craft were, all nenpatchedetontleir statione, With de- etroyers, in • Stiriport, and. two coastal Motor boats Were told off to "torpedo the piers, Before The arrivalebt•the, Vindictive, until 1.45 o'clock, the t;ff: etily woe remarkably quiet, but. 1net' At that Unto the Germans began to *open* fire, 'Star shells showed that the enteke ecreene Were progreseing excellentlY. "At anent thls titre the sky, whicb hitherto bad been -eltioSt uncleudel, began to be partially obscured by" IoW "drifting c.erlde. In abentenisett titinutres before the Vind:ctive was due ttt her de:Stilt:Won a sea fog set itt. rhisnittepfeed our air attack. fp. .deed, for se tinte tiVen the stettenlignise could not lie E co. Thle is etc tif tbIn3f•en firmed 'for alreot...1-4.1tr,, 01' .;,st Ale when it cleared sufficiently for the air attacks to be recommenced. "It was a lurid 'scene when the Vitt- dletive arrived at 2 o'elock, practically programme. time. There was a thundering .ef guns on sea and lead. . The exploiting 'bombe from airplanes added to the din, and there was an oceas.lonal cry of agcny from .sonee- oue mortally wounded, .-Searc'hVghts crise-exossed (thaw, and the whole scene was illumineted with flashes and star shells. This was the pic- ture for a full hour. "The Vindictive cruised about for twenty minutes in the fog, looking -for the entrance to the harbor, which she eventually found. She sank her- self about 200 yards inside the east- ern entrance, The Vindictive's crew was rescued by a motor launch, which brought off two ofiicers and 38 men, and another which went alongeide end iodic off a Lieutenant end two men, Two other motor boats; 'staled for rescue work searched the 'bores carefully under heavy rite, ut found no one." An interesting diselosure may now made regarding the previous at- empt to block Cstend, It was unstIO- 3cssful because the enemy had just moved about a mile from his former position. ,It is believed that if he had not made this change both biota( ships would have got in. HOW IT WILL HELP. Lonnon, Cable, via Reuter'e LiM- Itede—It is declared on unquestionable authority that the sunken cruiser Vin- dictive lies in the neck of the channel at the entrance to Ostend harbor at an angle of about forty .degrees. It is obvious that a vessel 300 feet long: Lying at this angle does not effectively block a channel some 320 feet wide, but a very useful purpose hag been served. A partial and very -serious bloekade hes been achieved, and under the con - dinette et tide end rapld ant preening en the Belgitth *MI% the cementation Will tlertainlY tend to inereitse, ()Wined that the 1/1.1111te4 ereller Will ereYent the otoress or subtorinse or AYOZI entirely stop thet or deetreiteve. etIoWeVer, it Will =Wildly lieniper both, anti thet a iMPOrtente Gentian light craft will not be able, when pure sued by Bride)), forces, to rush tun Sneed into the harbor as they have done heretofore. Conditions were fettle, favorable for the venture. That pert of the Belgian Nast 1s heavily Maned, and the amall number of Britifill ceaualtlea indicates the enemy waet surprised, and env phasizes the mimes of the attempt, With relearn to Zeebrugge, the Brits Mt Government is satisfied that Ger mac stories of unrestricted ingress And egress are inaccurate. Air plioto- gralihe taken within the last fortnight are said to demonstrate clearly the falsity of the eneMY statement, in the ease et Ostend, it is computed that at least three or four darn Must elapse before the channel can be cleared and buoys placen between the, etern of the Bunion cruiser and the land, In the meantime the tide and the silt- will be at work, In the Zen- brugg,e case the silt is collecting very fast, despite' the work of enemy dredges. The position of the blocning cruisers at Zeebrugge is such that any attempt to blow up the obstruction would be fraught with considerable ganger to neighboring, perinament etructures The seemliness of the casualties sus- tained at Ositend on Friday doe e not indicate bad shooting by the Germane. The weather conditions were Censor- able to the raldera, and the Vindictive. carried only sufficient men to work her properly. - A Household Medicine—They that are acquainted with the sterling pro- perties of Dr. Thomas' Balearic 011 In the treatment ot many ailments would not be without it in the house. R is truly a household medicine and es it is effective in dealing with many ordinary complaints it is cheaper than a doctor. So, keep it at hand, as the call for it may come most unex- pettedly. JOB FOR HON, SEVIGNY. Ottawa Report—Hon. Athert SevingnY, Foftner Minister of Inland Revenue, who suffered dmeat at the general election In December last, will be ap.nointed, it ie understood, to the office of General Librarian of PatIlament. He will suc- ceed Alfred D. Decelles, LL. D., who, It Is stated, is retiring with the superan- nuation allowance to which ids long ser- vice entitles hizn. "Are you t ering to economize?" "Yes, I've actually got on so far that I've quit telling other people what to go witheat and am going without a few things myeeinn—Washington Star. ALLIES STILL STONG POINTS i hest Wien peendleg the Welt erskis nerd, end dnr.ts tile pest us hours ittekt tilientititel Of gee 41101;4 -*-411,Y. tannt thrOWn lons.ritnie gutie, .Vrieoners reeently captlired tivu TAKING OVER Making Small, important Gains On West—Foe Attack Fails, HILL 44 FIUTS German Prisoner Tells of Awful Losses of His Comrades. r,•••••••••••••••••-,.... With the British Army in France, May 12.—Au important eection of high ground neer the Wyverbeek River, north of Kemmen has been eaptured by the French in it strong attack. Both Hill 44 and Goddezoue Farm, which lie between La Clytte and Vlerstraat, were atormed and occup.ed, thereby giving the French positions which had been bone of contention for many days, The Clemens awe received a knock on the southern front, where they made a drive in an attempt to capture defences on the elevation south of Malilsellaineval. Here the enemy suc- ceeded after hard fighting in obtaining a footing in the French front line at one place, but their success was short. lived, for a prompt counter-attack drove they out, and, besides their dead, they left more than a hundred prisoners la the hands of the defend. ere, • The battle for Hill 44 was the, out. *come of the German attack on May 8. When the Germans assaulted, the alliee were holding the elevation. Bitter fighting ensued all day long, and the Gerntane In the course of time secured Possession of the hill. The Britist almost immediately organized a coun- ter-attack and forced the enemy out. The next day the Germans again drove forward, They made such it heavy assault that they again cap- tured the lint, which they held until Yesterday. ARTILLERY IS_BUSY. No other infantry action of import mice has occurred in the past 24 hours. Raids and minor operations have been nentinue,d by both sides, and the artil- lery has been exceedingly busy at many points. The Gorman gunners v, Baron Shaiii vqh, s vaXAC.101021011M16,111111••■■ n the C.P.R. A Fascinating, Historical and Political Record Lord Shaughnessy's report • to shareholders at the annual meeting of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, embodied a.„ review 'of , the Salient features of the -coinpanyni financial polley and progress leading • up to its present stable pasition: It is shown that under 'the terms of the contract dated October 21stn1880, be- tween the GovernMent and the C.P.R. the Government undertook to give, by way of subsidy, to assist in the completion of certain western sec- tions_ of, the _hyaena, then itn.Pr.os of construction under gee -eminent auspices, $25,000,000 in cash and 25,- 000,00rf acres of land -suitable for settlement. Subsequently the cash subsidy was increased by $1e,00-0,000: -and aa•an offset the land subsidy.was• .decreasted• by 6,700,000 agree. In view of the' preiient high credit of the raiLvvay it is interesting to note that the company's destre in the early, days to finapee with capital. stock instead of bonds, was demonstrated to be aanimpoesibIlity, and Its a koli4' sequence . Parnement• authorized the issue of $25,0.00,00.), benele and $65,0,00,0n0 commonstock. Unfriendly .influenetes at none and, abroad so prejudieed. the intern:talon- al money markets that the original $65,000,000 stock 'Only yinteled an aeon, • age of lees than 16 p.cseof it Mee value. The unwillingness of inves- tors, to pay as higher . figure for the atlick In those. days need net be con- sidered extraordinary, however; when it is known. that as late as 1395, when the railway had beea in operation for over nine years,' the stock was of. fered in the market as low as 33 p.c. with but few takers. In 1885 13aring Bros. of London Were induced to find purehasers for the $35,000,004 first 'anortgage bonds,and bythis means the company was enabled to repay tne loans from the Government, and to meet its floating debt.. The review goes on to describe the Balking elle of eastern Canada With , If the company's system which served thousands of miles of territory that was practically uninhabanited. The • eastern peeneetnon was imperative if the unremunerative territorywas to , be nuecessfully developed. The history of capital einenditure is ut interestint chapter, not only in the history of the C.P.R. but also in ; that of the Doniinfon itself, After 1899, sole. rapid was the traffic de- velopmein it Was eiecessary to pro- , .• vide substantial additions to traffic • faeilities of every description. From • -1902 to 1914 neelueive, the recorde • shaVeiliendintree.for second tracks, ,nedUction .of gradieets, tatninals, • atetk-elinjet, nteenef4234,30nA01, and for can% locchnolives, and )(other e4. eleiment n130s000164.,. To meet this , expenditutei ct $133rin36400i1tthe tors appealed, successfully, to the or- dinary anareholders of the eompally, eIri, the thirteen ye.ars mentioned, the Shirelitildera Were attend and ac- cepted $1951,0n0,000 par vatitVof coin - mon stock for n..h.lch they paid the company no less a hum -than $2620 :1,04,1100, Out if 'title, $3a7n0sen0 of .bonds were paid off and retired, and $26,20,000 was used to pay the cost oe• railway' hues acquired. -dr con- Strtictdd, 111,14' bf achlitibtigt steam.. • ellipS; Ort Wlkiell no bentle deben.: tures were seld. The remaining sum • of '$02,10,(i0 was supplemented by the sale of preferred stocklee0 equip- ment note a bringing in $50,504,090 enn Malting netotal of S125841)000 to tretly againet expenditures of ' Ili.e.YeeleeTbe differenee of e7,050,000 \sat provided front the eisen ise mese. of the (=Deny being a further enetributien hthe sharetreiders of -reit amount from rplus or "tan- eVeetrise4 profits." p Ti,n• reatarkabee fluently , made age' of shareholders,, but the conc. patty in a position efficiently and economically to deal with a large and ever-iucreasing volume of traffic, at the same time enabling the directors substantially' to reduce the bonded debt. Notwithstanding the low price at which the original $65,000,00.0 cora- mon stock was sold ($46.00 a share) the entire $260,000,000 of this corn, mon stock now outstanding has ,yielded to the Company's Srreasury in cash an average of $1J,2 -for each ,$100; of stock, and if the sums pro- vided for capital out of surplus winnings are considered (a one pro- per' calculatio,n, as those earnings were at all times applicable for divi- dente) the Shareholders paid an aver- age of $143 for. each a10.0 of stock that they hold. The explanation of the „company's -extraordinary success in face of the Above' record, is to be found in the company:s policy of keeping down the annual fixed charges, while ex- tending* its rails into new productive territory as opportunity offered; also in,, the economies attending the long haul of traffic over one huge system, eliminating heavy tolls for switeh- ing and other kindred servicesbe. tween connecting companies. A brief referenee to the Ocean and •Coastal Steamship branches is to the effect that this property is secured by a comparatively small demand on capital account, and hap a, present market value, itt excess of $65,000,000. Other pinipertles and 'assets of the oompanY were purchased or develop. ed by the surplus income 'held in trust for the shareholders. • ; 'SoMething About the Land Grant. The company's • Land Grant, "whic1t is a source of serious aux- lay to financial doctrihaires who have only half studied the tubjecnn Is treated at considefeble length iti 'tne review, As late eta 1888, when the railway had been . in operatton for some time, the'Domiltion Govern. ment onsented, as 'a consideration fon some concessions untier`the Char- ter to guarantee the intereet en $15,- 000,000 Land Grant Bonds, but would, tin jo. cireutnetances gearantee the I)aylnent of the prinetpel which would have given the security increased market value, although the bends had fifty years to ran and only 'represents ed it value equal to 75e, per acre. This eid not refeect much confideilee on' the pelt of' the" Government los Wards Land Grant, values, and there is • no doubt that at 'that time the Govnrinent emit(' Wave recovered the Whole Land subsidy at the price per • acre, just Mentioned, Le., 75e. For many years thie Land Grant' was a etrae on the Company's develonenent: In`leitAt had to be *ink on the Laud Great bonne, whose proceeds had been . devoted to the purdozea of the rail- way, and althoegh censitlerable Mans WeTtl" spfint ou intluigration prove- gatida, lattd sales Were disappointing' and emsatisfactore, the prless ,yleltl.' Ing •the company only from $1,50 to $2,501 per acre, after selling expenees had been paid, /t ewes not until 1898nth3t agrieeltunal Una in West.; ern Canada ettreeted buyers in EMI Mislabel% and even. What year.when . 343,e00 move were. aoldnand In the three subsequent year's, the uet se turneeevae only $443deper acre. Shortly After the C.P.U. t on trat t wee' nade, the redeeral Parliemetit toMmenend to vote grants ot Yelile in ery large areas by Way of subelar Vara olio/ r diet' of railway tins itt westeen Cotimise io Mae), OMPallieS levoreorated tor that per - pose, 'Most of these eouipatilee aeVer nuteerielized, thottgh intieb mei latel neal baStetkeIV 1.v • 11011t, thee i•f( c,- 13)44-, only by die fath, nd roma r deg the C,P.It. gelng et.eel . • t te n. •*, • to satisfy the last 3,000,000 -acres of its Grant. The coaapany 'was com- pelled to accept lands along the line west of Medicine Hat, in the "semi- arid" district, where' there was little or no water, which made the lands practically valueless. To recover this tract it was decided to adopt it plan of irrigation, and an expenditure of $15,000,000 was made in. the con- struction of works and ditches com- prising an area of 2,24e,000 acres. Of this area, not Previously worth five cents an acre for practical purposes, portions now served by the ditches command high prides. The company has expended tip - proximately $17,000,000 in the en- couragement of immigration, and to forward the sale of such lands as it had received. Branch lines of rail- way were also constructed to open up the territory for prospective set- tlers. • .01 the original LandeGrant 14,00,- 000 acres have been sold to date, yielding,, approximately $34,000,000, or an average of $0.72 per acre, from which, however, must be deduct- ed 'the expenditures during thirty years for immigration propaganda, agenides,*commiesions, etce; together with irrigation costs, making the net return less than $e.00 per acre. On the 14,000,000 .acristhus far sold, taxes to the amount of $20,000,000 have been paid into the Public Treas- ury. • The "Ten Per Cent Clause." In regard to the much discussed "Ten per cent clause," the review states that the suggestion 'made 'in some quarters that the spirit and In- tent of .this Clause was to limit the company's dividend to.: ten per cent is entirely out ,of harmony with the clear, uneuestionablelanguage of the' - instrument. The Clause had no more relation, •direct or indirect, to the C.F.'S. dividens than it had to the dividends of any other railway com- pany, 'ov of any commercial or in- dustrial corporation. Seventeen per cent instead of ten per- cent per an- num might properly have been dis- tributed from the average earnings of the railway hail the directors not been convinced that a prudent and con- servative policy was in the best en.- terest of the prop,erty. • The total capital .ef the C.P.R. is $621i000,0e0 which contrasts with the actual cost of the gompany of e687,- 000,000 exclusive ,of $31,000.04e0 of rail- way COnStrtleted by the Governmeht and banded over to the Company,. It is also exelusive of $134000,000 pro- vided from Surplus earnings, land ot., expended on the property and written off without being capit- alized, so that based upon eost, the transportation oyster?' represents en outlay of $818,000,000 or about $61,- 000 per mile. . I The tonservatiVe financial policy of -tile/ director • cannot be bettet'lle; itistrafed than, by the fact that the net earnings per mile required to madennetial interestehar es on th a. TOW, e. N. It., a, I', Pe and gthe N. T. -It.. would suffice to cover the animal interest. charges, divideudd'oR the prereienete stock, ond :leveli per tent..d4v1dend on the conanfoi etoolt of the C,P3t, • . Extraneous Investments, ittelUding teaniship lines,. ;companies outside Casnada; 'Ooverdnieut steculi tidnial'Ioanst nidney see; asides tor:Ine vettnietit, these% lands, hmounte paye ALIO on landeleleead sold, cal Mtn eng •diel otittiv opl1e0, areetppre* el, at e233,1)(10,000eithich iietbattiitill daily below the I1iatitetientie.11Maije ointhese eiropilrelef4 lend reilburees litt'e or nu value whenthee; mime into eeeereeion of the' coneps,bi; but wag, ileveile,ed and etaftegliterdele until ther beeilfle profitalele: " " 'f't al ,•• 41 fpAti,i4•if1..'::;"/ , e • tee • that the gentian lesette in theft' 0,404 between Veormezeele end La Clette e"y8e)rlie41%gir1;1!>fii11/414( eua1 iaiwere e1 ; ti1 n'achine guns, which were werked to the last miriute. One prIsonet. suid he eaw raptd-firers sheeting into the ad - 'eat cod (Wyman lines at it range of Pb,) fear yards. The allied erttliery anti rifle fire also took a heave toll. Considerable disorganization was caused behind the German linen be- cause the gas from, their gas simile bliw back over th'elr tarritcley and forced them to don gas masks, For- tahatele for the enemy the gee wae only irritent, not lethal. . An interesting, entry has been found in the diary of a German candidate officer. Writing at Gain on the south. ern battlefront, on April 22. he said that an attaek which had been planned totradlexte .ace previously liad, been delayed becattee Clerman'nevel divi. sion had pillaged' Albert and created diso MORE,' GERMAN CLAIMS. . It is now possible to give the losses of a few of the units referred to. Here are some typical instances Of allegations made by the enemy. The German statement asserted 'that the 56th division was "almost. completely wiped out," This division lost 42 of- ficers and 1,425 other ranks. The 5th Berkshire .Regiment was, according to the Germane "annihin lated." The Berkshires' casualties, were 15 officers and 300 other ranks. Berlin asserted that the 33rd Royal Fusiliers' Regiment was "among the regiments which have suffered most heavily." This unit lost five officers and 050 other ranks. The 4t11 'York- shires, Berlin asserted ,"were cap- tured almost completely, The York- shires had 19' men misiing. BRITISH RDPORTS. • London, May 12.—"With tb.e excep- tion of artillery activity on both sides there is nothing to report' Says to- night's. official stetement. Sunday afternoon's report read: "In a successful operation yes- terday Frenchtroops improved their positions north of Hammel village and captured over ne hundred prison- ers. "A hostile raidin party was repulsed yesterday morning hear the Ypres-. Comines Canal. We secured a few prisoners. Several prisoners and machine guns were eeptured by us during the night in patrol engage- ments in the neighborhood of Met- eren. "The hostile artillery was active last night and early this morning in the Art:ere sector, south of Albert, on the forward, positions east of Loos and south of Voormezeele." FRDNCH REPORTS. Paris, 'May 12.—The War Office an- nouncement to -night reads: "The artiller yactivity was quite spirited in the region south of the Avre, but there was no infantry ad- 1°Is' "There afternoon's report says: was rather violent artillery ' fighting in the region west of Mailly- Reineval. "A German attack on our new posi- tions northwest of Orvillers-Sorel met with a complete cneck. Our fire in- flicted serious losses on the Germans, who left prisoners in our hands. "The artillery fighting .was spirited on the right bank ot the Meuse (Ver- dun front) in the sector between Cau- yieres Wood and Chambrettes. 'Everywhere elsd the night was caraiurday night's report said: "After very violent artillery actions, the Germans with special essault troops attacked this morning our posi- tions in the Baisla Caune, Enuthwest of Mailly-Maineval. Favored by mist, the enemy gained a footing in the northern part of the wood, • but was driven out by a brilliant counter-at- tack by our troops, Nilo conapletely re-established our lines. The Ger- mans suffered very heavy leases and left in our hands about 'one .hundred unwounded prisoners, fifteen machine guns and material.. "There was lively artiller yaction in the vicinity of OrvillerseSorel." WORDS•iliEAT, IJNOEL AVERAGE vol 1917 Pioduction.: of Oats Was Ileavier, And Corn ,Showed a Big „. • 'Increase. .. Ottawa, Alai.; 14•42ho f011owhw la a cabled summary 'an:the statistical notes issued to -day by the International Insti- tute of Agrieuiture: it includes all for- mation up to Aprli 33, 1918. The total production of wheat In D6- mar1c,^'Spain, Prance, Clredt Srltain and Ireland, Italy, Luxentrittrg, Norway, Netherlands, sweden, SWItzerland, Can- ada, United statesIndia, Japan, Alger - ,of South Africa, Au - arena. and•New Zealand in 1917 was 2,212,- 477,0 bushels, compared with 2,171,A82,000 In 111I6, and 2,479,519,000, the average of tho three years, 1314-10. The probable con- sumption of wheat in the same countries during the grain year, August 1, 1917, to Ju19-31; 1918, is estimated at 2,157,882,000 bu4h11:15tOtal vroduction of rye in Den. mark, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy; Lux- emburg, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada and the United States* in 1917 was 158,010,000 bushels, dom. pared, with 167,778,000 in 1910, and with a thz ee years' average of 172,276,000. The consumption of rye in 1917-1918 is estimat- ed 'anie0,010,000 bushels. The total produetion of barley inthe same eountrtee as for wheat, less India, Argentina, Uruguay and South Africa, In 1917, was 634,843,900 bushels, compared with 611,609,000 in 1910, and a three years' averare ,of 826,931,090. The consumption of barlek in 1917-18, in the same countries, as for production,is estimated at 593,- 824Tre'tbotita8l114.pirscluellen of oats in the same countzies as for wheat, less India, IOgypt, Uruguay, Mouth Atrica and Australia, hi. 1917, Was 2,033,112,000 bushels, compared with 2,333,442;000 in 1916, and a three yeitte' average of, 2,408,011,0t0. The consume - Lion' of out In 1917-18, in 'the same countries as fbr production, is estimat- ed at g 267,457,000 bushels, Thc,production Of corn In Pra:neo' Spain, Switzerland., Canada, United States, Japan, 'South Africa .and New Zealand In -1917 Was 3.334,550.00 buithels, compared with 2,739,570,000 in 1910, mad three years' average of 14943,86600. The consumption of corn In 1917-18 in tiese eountries ie •tstiniated at neret,5 n000 busbies. . • Tlie surplus; :shown above In the cane Of wheat Is due to the large erops • In Argentine, .a.ustralle and India. '-On account Of the great distallec • of these eountries ftom the mitre of consump- tion and the difficulties of, irensporta. Lift, it is Mitt produc- tion Mould be Inteestfied and vowel)** ticei testrleted Ili the countries ef Ales northern benitephere. ; —nestenees,--seen "Are you economizing ent tobadeoV" "I deal know. Somebody is. I pay 10l'eft,V for a' (agar, but lit„ as goody a elger."-Washington Star. „ 4a• ,t • , • `I 0,1•1 , -.ea . GREAT ORR BY. THE FOES 113 EXPECTED But Hindenburg Has Not as Yet 1Viade Start. BOTH NES READY Allies 'Meanwhile. Are Stead- ily Improving Their Line. London, May 12. --Another week has passed. wItheut a renewal by the Ger- Mans of the offs -wise that they began March 21. wnich was halted before Amiens . early in pril and came to definite 'melee on its right flank be- fore tne oarrier of the Flanders liills .;ast as tee month of May was open- ing*. lever since the costly defeat of Gen. von Arnim's army in its des- perate assault on the front south- west of Ypres, nearby two weeks ago, the beginning of a new effort by the enemy either here or on emu.° other front has neon looked for from day to day. Possibly the Germans have been waiting -for some allied counter -blow, which they felt able to withstand, and therefore, honed would be dealt. If this was the case, they must have been disappeinted by the wait- ing attitude of Gen. Foch, Nvlich it ts felt now will compel the enemy to reveal Isis further purpose with little delete,. as time is one of tb,e things he cannot afford to squander, with the American forces now rapidly swelling to formidable num- bers. 130TH SIDES READY. If, as is considered certain, the Germans have employed such time as they have felt impelled to spend in building up the machinery for a new offensive on probably a greater scale than before, it is equally sure that the allied armies under the uni- fied command have not neglected to employ the interval in making every preparation possible to meet the Ger- man blow. Every day gives evidenee of the -alertness of the allied forces. Nu- merous minor operations have beer, undertaken to improve their positions on the various fronts and their artil- lery fire has been directed to, equal- ly good purpose in breaking up the organizing efforts of the enemy. ALLIES RULING AIR. Airplane raids without number, in which the superiorty of the Entente air forces has been clearly shown, have served the same end, besides be- ing notably productive of valuable in- formation, wane inntuners.ble infantry raids have been almost uniformly fruitful in an informative sense. Betterrnente of the allied position reported yesterday included an ad,- vance by the French on the Flanders front, in the neighborhood of Locre, Where the approaches to Mont Rouge, FRENCH GAIN GROUND. Far tr the south of the Somme on the southerly side of the great Monte didier salient, French troops likewIle carved a slice oat of German -hetet ter- ritory, near Orvilliers-Sorel, several piles southeast of Montdidier, As a complement to both these op - ,ration is, there were numerous sue. ,cessful raids, notably eno of the French in the region north of Grieves - nes, south -oast of Ameins, near the point where General Petain's troops made a notable advance as the result of a local attack Thursday, and anotb. er along the line south -oast of Mont- didier. The British carried out profitable raiding operations near the wester") and of the Lys salient, in Flanders EXTENSIVE •.PUSII PROBAI3LE. The Associated Press correspondent with the British army in France writes: "Von Hindenburg, to whoni the next risove has thus far been conceded, 13 still holding his hand. It seems pss- thg that the enemy has not nlade any big drive before this, and it Neill be stranger Still if many days pa'ss without a renewal of the °Pfeil - site. There is no doubt that the Getnnans are ,anxious to begin opera- tiohs as soon as possinle. and the en lay -if such it may be termed—hide eaten. the prolinnility of an eetensive push_being in pi e,paration. "The completion of the enemy planseundoubtedly has boon hamper- ed greenly by the excellent counter - work en the allies, Ipartiettlarly in the aviatioi'. and artillery branches, but even this. could hardly hold back an attaek, such as ushered in the offen- sive tit INSerch 2Ist, nd ti large part of the batele-front would be involved if what seems to be the present plans of Wirmans were put into exe- eution. "The Germans have recently made some most eittrevagant claims in their wireless desatches regarding the leiltish casualties; it being .asserted diet enormous' -losses had beell suf- fered 1»' the various British Ales on the '!Lys and Somnie battlefielthl," 4.4 Not A paGERmAN IN ROUMANIA NOW 1 . • Londou has :beet{ learn- ed from iwell-Informete.•'llotimanian *cies thatelie first reS'it4,4. of the peace treatye between their.; country end the Central Powers es the there is not it single pro-Gernian left in Roumania. The fall of Count Czer- nin,. the former Austrian Premier clearly brought about ehardening of policy toward Roumania. •Tearon Burfan and Dr. von rettehlmann, the German Foreign Secretary, egged on by Pan -Germans, tried to achieve meet% and, they obtained' it by force. The majority of Ltoutimilialis realize that. the only, hopq of saving their country from becoming a virtual German dependeney la an all:td vie- teryeeof whieh they .are.contident." Wite • 6els that'Ishe Was , born to ettle: ilynietto--Meet woMen do feel, teat way ettlio get Tete. ried. 1 , IOWAN:0 WAR1411) ,4impp.1.00,4 By -; Ententet o »anger V* om Foe Claims. Lonecm, Me,7 22,--cienhani has meets claire? on Reiland which, aro deiertbhdi1laCentraNevuPatc:frrail'elagl:as:eryielsstl ultionethatvuldbring.l andv mgreatextentuaaithououIe influence Of the GerMens. Theee elamas are in addition to the one re - speeder; the Dutch tonnage whieia in demanded for use after the war, as an offset to the tonnage which the Allies are now usine. "Germany is actually endeavoring to make a see- ond Roumania of Holland," says the despatcl- At a, conferenee a few 'lays ago between Foreign Minister Loudon and thtk, 'Ministers of the United States, Great Britain, Prange full Italy, it was pointed out that the en. owe is viesiiing with great apprehen- sion the situatioa between Rolland and Germany. Holland was told ot the dangers which might befall .from agreFancnt v,ith the German claims in connection with grain shipments rom America. The Entente repro. sentatives pfornistd not to put diffi- culties in the way ot Hollaede but made it plain that their Governments had not deTarted from their original viewpo:nt. Gernany now makes an agreement t.n the economic questions 'tlePeaclent upon acc,eptairce by Hol- land of its claims regarding the ship- ping gaestione This raight again give rise to seri- ous difficUltifil. HUN bESERVES STILL ON SOW Bulk of Foe Forces Concen- trated There. ••••••••••.••• Battle Ends When One Side's Reserves Go. London Cable— The bulk of the German reserees are still in the rear of the, Somme front, and it must be as- sumed' the enemy's big main effort will be in that direction," said a repro sentative of Gen. Delma Radcliffe, Chief Director of Mililtary Operation!: at the War Office, in summing up the week's war developments to -day. "It is equally certain that he will not dis- continue his attacks in Flanders, nThe Germane have put in a consid- erable number of fresh divisions, both in Flanders and on the Somme front, during the past week; and this is satis- factory to us, for inshows that we are getting through their fresh divisions very fast. The enemy's proximity to the 'heights in Flanders makes it nely that he will continue his attacks thce, despite the lack of success during the past week," , "In considering the courseof these battles it must always be reniembered that the captive of any particular posi- tion is not a material factor. Mere geographical gains are not the mein consideration. It is rather a question of staying power. We must looken the end ot the battle, While the German gain in Flantle,rs is impos cant owing to the narrowness of our front. we must not judge by the loss of one position or another. The end of the battle will come when one side exhausts its re,serve3 or reaches the end of its re,sounme before the other." In the period between March 21, when the Germbn Offensive, was Non, and April 25, the losses of the French were telly o14:rourth to one-fifth those of the British. . Since April 25 there has been no eeeson to believe the lames of the rieneh have been -nay heavier than those of the British. This inforthation was given out in Tefutation of German propagandist assertions that the French have been bearing the brunt of the battle. WOULD REMOVE ROMA QUEEN German Rulers Working to That End, Because She. is Staunch. Pro - Ally. London Cable — The signing of the treaty of peace between Germany and Roumania will be by no means the last act in the Roumanian trag- edy, according to the view current here. The announcement by German newepapers that Queen Marie would rather abdteate than reign over the •country under tb,e German peace eon- ditione held to be a ease of the wish probably being, father to the thought. rho Queen was largely instrumental In bringing Roumania into the war on the side of the Allies, and she has !ought staboornly for many months ttl, avert peact.. Even, now' that peace ha o been signed, it is predicted he wil continue to be a formidable obstanle in the path of the German plates for "penetration," . . In a talk with the Associated Press correspondent at Jassy the day be- fore his departure from that cite', Queen Marie said: "I shall never becomn re00ncil3c1 to a humiliating peace with Germany— neYert and I hope, indeed I know, that I - shall have the support of Am. ericans as well as Itoumanlans in con - tinning the tight agaihst the invader. The time is it critical ote for Roo- maniabut we know we are right, and our courage is undaunted. We have been through critleal times before. Wo have borne great hardships be- fore, and undergone great suffering. Greater hardships and sufferIngs aro perhaps in store, but r continuo to hope. It is only it womaret-hope, but I cannot abandon it," Berlin is probably consid4ilig ways and means for ridding It ot, the Queen's inlinenee. As a prepar- atory step, the German newspapers Oparently lia1>e been' instreeked to speak or her as planning abdieation. It weins probable that the-oney, retie - on why Gerinany has not alteettlye in- eisted Upon ',the *Meriden' bt the queetreets" 'the te,reitiel Ferdintattleele • a 111011'16'er et tlub llolleezollern fetidly. and theref tet is etill regirded with settle degr yeeneideratlon by. Alert. men mime nee • * • SHORT ITEMS OF THE NEWS OF THE DAY Ex -Xing of Greece Had a Iteqapael and Rio Condi- tion is Grave. KERENSKY COMING British Mine -Sweeper Tor- pedoed, and Fifteen Missing, A Winnipeg newspaper has a cable from London saying that Kerenske, is on his way to America. The North -Oxford Farmers' Clubs have endorsed the Liberals' nominees. John, A. Calder, as candidate for the seat in the Legislature. ;Montreal City Council has adopted the Administrative Commission's rec- ommendation to impose a tax ot 40 cents per $100 valuation on real es- tate besides the regular tax on realty, Manitoba will produce front four to five million more bushels of wheat this year than the average crop as a result of the "break more land" cam- PAegirgitcluoitfurthee. Provincial Department of Emperor Charles of Austria, has re- turned Irom the Italian front and gone to the German army headquarters. General Rennenkampff, a Russian commander in the war with Japan mad the preeent war, has been murdere,d at Taganrog by the Bolsheviki, A new black rod for the Canadian Senate will be presented to Sir Rob- ert teBorden when he goes to England. It is to replace the one burned in the fire. All members of Commons aria Lords contributed towards the new o Louis Guilleman, wine maker, of Sanwick West Township, was com- mitted for trial on a charge of arson. Dr .Walter Tisdale, of Lyuedoch, has been appointed sheriff of Norfolk County, succeeding Dr, Fred Snider, who diee in February. A despatch from Essen to the Lekal Anzieger of Berlin says that fifteen thousand acres of forest land near Cchtrup_Westphalia, has been swept by fire. Land has been acquired in New Jersey by Norwegian shipping lu- terests for the construction of "one of the largest ehipyards in the world." Incompleted returns give Cararose district, Alberta, irio,000 subscriptions to the ,Military Y.M.C.A. Fund alld Still going strong. This is claimed to be a record..for Canada. Belmont Castle, the scene of the fin- al struggle between Macbeth and Mae - duff when Macbeth was OM, hae been. given to the City of Dundee by its owner, Mrs, Marryat. Following injuries received when hie airplane crashed late on Saturday at- ternoon. Cadet •Noble Jan Johnson, son of Mr. R. T. Johnston,' of St. Mary's died at the Toronto General Hospital. Serious loss bee colonies during the past 'Winter from starvation, Mee proper protection and severity of the weather was reported at the Spring meting of the Bee Kepers' Association of Kent ,County. Former King Constantine of Greece, W'ho is ill at Zurich, and recently was reported to have passed the danger point, is now said in a Zurich deepatcli to the Petit Journal to bo in a very grave condition. He had a _relapse and has a high fever. According to a telegram from Vien- na, Emperor Charles has made Bare Burian, Austro-Hungarian Feneign Minister, a Hungarian Count, in recog- mniatinoi. naof his services in connection with the conclusion of peace with Rou- The Admiralty announces that a British mine -sweeping sloop was tor- pedoed and sunk by a German sublime. -- Inc on May 6. Two officers and 18 men are migsing, and are preaumee to ohlianvepbaeceanrd,d raogNevdn e7d. 0 years, tollgate, keeper about five miles from Port Hope, was instantly killed early Sun- day morning, when struck by at au- tomobile in which were James Rooney and E. Plunkett, of Cobourg. TEUTON SLAVE DRIVE IN ITALY Districts Occupied by Aus- • trians Being Combed. All Between Ages of 16 and 55 Deported. Berne, Switzerland, May 12.—An AustrosGerinan commission is reported to be engaged in deporting the work- ing population of tho occupied districts or Italy, taking persona aged from Ile to 55, ott the pretence of inviting them to work voluntarily. At Para and Lathe& 200 working women clamored for broad and broke windows valued at 40;000 kronen in the CaSin.0 at Para. Many distriete. ot Bosnia. ma Herzegovina are de - edited owing to the deportations or the' inhabitants. Tne wheat ha.eVest of last year bare - 17 exceeded a quarter of the harvoat of 1014, The mess Of deaths over births, exclusixe of deaths on the bate tlefields, Was 15,132 in tell, in Para. The attempt to form at Serajevo an exclusively Create% Austrophile, anti -Czech Slav party under Bishop Stadler and Dr. Filar proved unsuc- cessful., At Para a Magyar detroty 'Mulled Stefan Sabo is reported to have deolared .that the people ot tiungAry ,o3A no longer oast en the. rations ale Tated to Them. The authorities aro rerntisitioping not only provisions, but bedaing, and the villagere are at the rola of lueurrectieu. Ate. deputy asked why it was that 110 statesman can be found in Hungary to teedre the Magyar peanut from no- tate grooto4 •tvon.in bite own -house by 601d1ere With Dud bayonots.