Loading...
Exeter Advocate, 1915-5-20, Page 7St e SCENE INCREASES I6. TERRORT German Infantry Wretchedly Inferior to Artillery and No Attack Has Been Really Pressed Home A despatehfrom London says : "The great battle hangs in sus- pense, or, at any rate, in equi- poise and .the scene increases in terror. Nothing is left of Ypres, as raging fires of shells knock to atoms the relics of what were once its walls. Nothing could live in the city and there have been fires at Poperinghe to give the name of only one town near the fighting. "Every road and cross road has been blown up and shelled into craters. The Germans have launch- ed a new fleet of aeroplanes or have stimulated new activity in the old ones. Some flew over Dunkirk re- cently and over different epots be- hind Ypres. The clear sky is clouded with the smoke of shrapnel bursting around them. "Our lines in front of Ypres are like a piece of Galway bog slides. To such extent have the trenches been knocked out of shape that a great deal of fighting has been in the open and under the cover of half dug shelters or in pits made by the shells. "The precision of the German artillery has been as notable as its fury and pace. As a result of colos- sal eouerntration of cannon our loeses,have been heavy. No infan- try attack in the Ypres district has really been pressed home. In the last few days at Ypres, advances have been made almost lazily and placidly. The German staff can- not sow the ground they have so thoroughly tilled and they will reapI no harvest, though the ploughing is terrible enough in itself. It has seemed to some on the side of the allies that they are engaged in a varfare between human and evil. elements, so persistent has been the rain of explosives and gas-filled bombs from the enemy, and then so superior is their own power when the human element comes into play. The occasional losses from I1 the allies' own artillery increases � this feeling except at Ypres, where the battle ebbs for a moment. "Heavy German reinforcements] deboaached from cover of the French towns occupied by them and held the ridge of Aubers, "The French continue their ad- vances. They took Blagny and a horde of German prisoners, who surrendered with certain readiness.'', At no time in the war have our men spoken with more whoeesale nitration of the work of the French gunner and guns, although at that' point the battle has not yet reach- ed its climax. GERMANS WORSE THAN SAVAGES Crimes of Unparalleled Horror Committed by Kaiser's Armies, A despateb from London says: When Canadians, secure in their homes thousands of miles away from the devastated battlefields of France and Belgium, hear stories of -crime and outrage beyond the conception of their wildest imagina- tion, they may perhaps be excused for being sceptical. But now the last vestige of doubt has vanished. The powerful light of sworn evi- dence taken by a specially picked Imperial Government, committee, under the chairmanship of Viscount Bryce, former British Ambassador at Washington, has been turned on, and Germany, in the eyes of the civilized world, stands convicted of having deliberately planned and tarried out wholesale massacres of crime of unimagined horror. Many months ago Premier As- quith named this committee, whose personnel includes such men as Sir Frederick Pollocic, Sir Edward Clarke, Sir Alfred Hopkinson, H. A. L. Fisher (vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield), Harold. Cox and Iienelm Digby, and in- structed them to carefully sift all evidence of "outrages alleged t•u have been committed by German troops •during the present war." This they have done, and their re- port is a document that will at- tract world-wide attention. The report of this committee has re- peatedly been asked for by indi- viduals and newspapers during the • last few months, but the members refused to be hurried, and only published it after they had thor- oughly established the authenticity of every statement contained in it Couched in simple terms, the re- port lays bare the story of a great German army sweeping across Bel- gium literally with fire and sword. Organized bodies of troops, direct- ed by officers, systematically mur- dered innocent non-combatants; young girls and women were out- raged, mutilated and murdered; children were the object of the most revolting of crimes. Breaking into shops and private houses, German soldiers looted the wine 'cellars and far days on end debauched them- selves, committing crimes of every description• while in a. state of in- toxication. Anxious to be ecrupu- ' lousy fair, the committee reports that in some cases German Officers themselves were horrified and sick- ened •at what was going on, but were forced to continue the slaugh- ter ordered by their superiors, In other eases isolated -crimes were ' committed • by individual soldiers. These • were very numerous and "more shocking than would be ex- pected in warfare between civilized powers." Kept from C'alaia. A despatela from London says: Donald MacMaster, Ii.C., informs us that a friend of his who has just returned from Germany says the feeling of hatred among the Ger- mans is naw stranger against' the Canadians than the rest of the British forces. They say: "If it had not been for the Canadian rats we .should have been through to Calais." EFFORdSTOBREAKTHkOCGH Enemy Sacrifices Tien By Thousands in Effort to Reach Ypres A despatch from London says: Officers arriving from France tell that the British troops, infuriated over the Lusitania disaster, are fighting with greater vigor and more fiercely •than ,over before.. The news .spread quickly through the army, arousing the inte•nse.st indignation. The Morning Post correspondent in Northern France says : "At no time have the Germans displayed greater determination to break through at all costs, sacrificing large numbers of men, violating every rule of God and man,in a desperate, almost despairing ef- • fdrt. The fighting between Ypres and Hill 60, which westill hold, has been of the most desperate de- scription. Despite losses, we have held our ..own: Last :Obstacle to Lille. "On the next sector, that of the Aub-ers ridge, the action has been of a quite different nature. Fol- lowing ol-low ng : up. our quiet, but steady, progress around Armentieres • and Houplines, both of . whio'h places :,are now under heavy bombardment, we were enabled to launch an at- tack upon the ridge; the last ob- stacle between us and the plains which lead to Lille, some five'or ex m less, away. "Swinging around. iat :Frornelles to the left of ;our old Neuve Ghia pelle battle mound', the horse shoe ridge ;here runs in a north-easterly direction and before rromelles there -Bee a, small wood similar to Pie'tre wood, which ; proved a Ambling block at Neuve Chapelle.. This Gass quietly captured by our Indian troops—Pathans and Gurk Chas. "We opened then upon the ridge a bombardment which if it could not exceed in intensity that of Neuve Chapelle, continued for a much longer period, It was found that, profiting by previous experi- ence, the Germans had greatly strengthened their defences with dugouts and shelters made of con- crete and steel. Thus it fell out that, after having carried the ridge and the first lines of the German trenches, apparently obliterated by our artillery fire; we were • e«aught by concealed machine guns cunning ly placed, so that they should es- cape Ml e general devastation: "When these • opened 'on us at short range our position was made untenable, and we had to content ourselves with the footing of the lower slopes of the ridge in the meantime.. To meetour onslaught at Aube•rs the Germans have. brought up; great masses, of men, and they had apparently been con- centrating at Lille. "Preceded by_ a terrible bom- bardment, our troops delivered an attack upon the famous railway triangle west of La-Bassee, where embankments had been converted into a strong, . efficient fortress. So strong have they made their trench- es with concrete ;and, iron plates that it was found our artillery had really made very little impression upon them. Even wire entangle- ments ntangle-me nsts were pretty nearly intact. "The enemy „aleo, 'resorted to stratagem. He .left his two first lines empty of men and maberiatlss to undergo - bom'bards ent, which was therefore harmless, hewas waiting for ou-r infantry '� in his third line. At the same time the now fatuous brick fields of this part of the country were veritable nests of machine guns." epee s t Vat- > b.� . i9 i s e- 43. zs4s- These Sese- Novel Home of French Soldiers Near the Front. rench troops have found comfortable homes in a rabbit hutch near the battlefront. Eaeh oompartm: nt holds one man: RITISH BATTLESHiP British Submarine E-14 Avenges By Sinki Turkish Gunboats A despatch from London says: The British battleship Goliath has been torpedoed in the Dardanelles. It is feared 500 lives have been. Jost. Announcement of the loss of the Goliath was made in the House of i Commons by Winston Spencer I Churchill, First Lord of the Ad -1 miralty. Mr. C'hur'chill also announced that the Brit::=.h submarine E-14 had penetrated through the Darda- • nelles and into the Sea of Mar mora, sinking two Turkish gun- boats and a Turkish transport. The Goliath was torpedoed and sunk by Turkish destroyers last night. The Goliath was attacked and sunk while protecting the flank of the French troops in their laud operations. Despatches to the- Admiralty. from Vice -Admiral Michael De Ito - FIRM STAND OF UNITED STATES Wilson Expects Germany to End Submarine War on Illerchantmen A despatch from Washington says: Germany must abandon her entire submarine programme i against merchant vessels if ehe is fullyto satisfy the stand taken by President Wilson in the note sent to Berlin. She must disavow the Lusitania and other outrages upon American life and property of which the United States complains. She must make reparation "so far as reparation is possible for injur- ies which are without measure," and she must take "immediate steps" to prevent a recurrence of the attacks on the American flag and on American lives and Ameri- can vessels. No doubt exists here of the diffi- culty -of the position in which this note places Germany. Nothing less than a repudiation of :all she has done and abandonment of practi- cally all she hopes s to do with sale - marines against merchantmen and an admin=don that ehe has violated. the laws of nations and humanity will enable Germany entirely to meet the views so earnestly com- municated to her by the United States. Stripped of its diplomatic dress, the ]'resident's note carries not only the demands, but, a threat. Stress is laid upon the expectation of the United Staters for prompt action, and as regards the most im- portant demand, that of guaran- tees for the future, "immediate steps" are required. Finally, the plain intimation is conveyed that the note itself is not ai t Germany must expect if any action is not forthcoming. DROVE GERMANS BACK A IRE British Millet High Losses on the Invading Germans North ,of La Bassee. A despatch from London says: The fighting in Flanders and Nerth- ern France, temporarily halted by the rain the end of last week, was resumed with redoubled fury on Saturday night and Sunday, and resulted in important successes for the British and French forces south of Lille, 'north of Arras, in Cham- pagne and in Belgium. The Bri- tish army continues its offensive north of La Basses, capturing more than a mile of the- enemy's trench- es at one part, and advancing a mile on a half -mile front further south, the German losses in the en- counter being, very high, BOTHA. OCCUPIES CAPITAL. Chief City of German South-West Africa Has Been Captured. A despatch from London Says: An official statement made public at Cape Town and received by the Renter Telegram Company says that Windhoek, capital of German South -we -et Africa., was captured without resistance by Union of South Africa forces under Gen. Botha. The population of the town consists of 3,000 Europeans and 12,000 natives, Gen Bobha's troops took a considerable quan- tity of railway railing stock. Mar- tial law has been proclaimed throughout the conquered terri- tory. Gen, Botha, addressing his vic- torious troops, declared that the capture of the capital of German South-west Africa was of the "ut- most importance to the Empire and the Union of South Africa, as it means practically complete posses- sion of German South-west Afri- ca." Continuing, the General dwelt upon. the responsibility of the army of occupation tocare for German women and children in Windhoek, saying in this connection : "I rely on your honor to perform this responsible work well and faithfully." Germany Threatens Reprisals: A. despatch from Rotterdam says : The Hamb•wrger Nachri,chten, in a telegram from Berlin, announces it is certain that the German Gov- ernment will immediately make comprehensive reprisals if the mea- sures announced by the British Government for interning all Ger- mans are adopted.. A NAKED, UNASHAMED MONSTER Simulating Humanity, Germany is in Fact a Re- version to Pre -Historic Barbarism A. despatch from London says: The riots which occurred earlier in the week have given place to eon - dem -nation by public meat of the German Emperor and his advisers, who are charged -with the responei-• bnlity for the actions 'which have aroused public anger. The demand is made that the British: Govern- ment public proclaimthe pereonal responsibility of ' members of the . German Government for "the out- rages perpetraate,d by German offi- cers or their .agents during the present wean.'.', A resolution in this sense was moved at la public meeting in Chel- sea' to -night, Lord ,_Cli�arles Beresford and• was seconded by Lord Robert Cecil. It was unani- mously passed. Lord Beresford urged that all German property in the British Empire be confiscated and that all rich Germans, whether naturalized OT' not, be. interned until British prisoners in Germany are treated as -honorable prisoners of war. Lord Cecil said he had been told that Emperor William did not ap- prove of what had beendone, but the -speaker declared that if the German Emperor disaspproved and allowed these t'hin'gs to go on, he was ten tunes more guilty and must be punished:;. this must be one Con- dition of any peace. Lewis, T;aac ort; B leiSe•r re, - kw,y of tate foe. the colonies, speaking at a meeting -on, the water front to -might, said; trhat Germany "stood at -the bar ;of . the world a naked and auvasihamied monster, simulating humanity, but in: fact •a reversion to prehistoric barbar- ism.'' - Two beck, eommander of the Briti:th fleet in the Dardanelles sphere of operations, said that twenty offi- cers and 160 men of the Gotaa,th's crew had been saved. The battle- ship normally earned a, complement of 750 men. The Goliath was a sister ship of the Canopus, Ocean, Glary, Albion and Vengeance. She was command- ed by Captain Thomas L. Shelford. The Goliath was once of the older British battleships. of the pre - dreadnought type. She was built in 1099. Her complement was 7e'0 men. The G&-iath was ta0 feet long on the water line and 74 feet beam. Her displacement was 12 950 tons. She was armed with four 12 -inch and twelve 6 -inch guns; twelve 12 - pounders, six 3-p•.unders .and two machine guns. She had four torpe- do tubes. • WILL DOOR UP lIALE PRISONERS Those Not of Military Age nail Women .tre to Be Re- patriated. A despatch from London says: Premier acquit -h announced in the House of Commons that "all male enemies over military age will be repatriated." He also said that women and children in suitable cases will be repatriated, though some might remain. The Govern- ment proposes to segregate all adult male enemies for their own safety and for the safety of the country, Premier Asquith told the House of Commons. In announc- ing the alien policy of the Govern- ment the Premier said: "At this moment some 40.000 un - naturalized aliens, of whom 24,000- are men, are at large in this coup-, try. The Government proposes that all adult males of this class should, for their own safety and that of the country. be segregated and interned. If over the military age they should be repatriated. The Government recognizes there may be cases calling for exceptional treatment. Women and children in suitable oases should be repatriat- ed, but there no doubt will be many cases in which justice and humanity y will require that they be allowed to remain. "It would be difficult to find a parallel for the feeling of righteous indignation aroused in all classes in this country," the Premier said. "One result of this, unhappily, is that innocent and unoffending per- sons a -re in danger of being made to pay the penalty for the crimes of others. Anti -German riots in the East End of London were renewed with even greater violence. Wherever a German showed himself he was at- tacked. The police force has been so thinned by drafts sent to the army that it had difficulty in deal- ing with the angry crowds. Special constables had to be called out. A number of German establish- ments were raided and sacked and their contents scattered over the streets. The Germans themselves were forced to go into hiding. The police in some cases were defied by the angry crowds, and some officers were injured during their endea- vors to protect the Teutons. The furniture and fitting" of German h:.eases aqui stares were hurled through •win ows to the streets. When the proprietors were caught they were severely mauled. In some eases their clothes were torn from their' hacks. -One German was thrown into a horse trough with the reminder that his eompatriots had- been spending their time drowning women and •children. He was only saved from a similar fate •by the intervention of the police. There were several instances of German butchers trying to escape in their carts. They went racing down the streets at a mad gallop, hut in most eases they ultimately were run down and their vehicles e mashed. A number of Russian Jewesses were flocking this morning to the police stations in the East End and pleading for protection, explaining that they were being mistaken for Germans. Reports are reaching the polio. Haat private houses belonging to wealthy Germans in the fashion- able West End are liable to bre burned. Large placards in the windows 01 almost all busine -s houses and mar- kets bear the words : "No business transact:ed with Germans." Anti -German outbreaks of par'- tieulaa• severity occurred in the neighborhood of the East India docks. Sixty or seventy German shops were wrecked. Germans in the vicinity . ate uniting for self• defence and police reinforceanente are being rushed to the scene. Feeling in Iohannesburg. "Anti -German feeling is running high as the result of the Lusitania tragedy. Extraordinary scenes are being enacted in front of the town hall, where crowds of citizens wait patiently for an opportunity to sign petitions to the • Mayor re- questing him to call a mass meeting to voice protests against Germany's action. "A large German flag is sprout on the ground, where the peti- tioners strand while writing their names. Another German flag was publicly burned in front of the• town hall. Placards have been dis- played urging- a boycott of Ger- mans, and a Stock Exchange com- mittee has adopted a- resolution a'king members of Teutonic birth. to avoid the exchange during the war. "The Mayor has consented to comply with the request that he call a mass meeting." GERMANS ARE WEAKENING Will. Abandon Offensive Before Ypres and Begin Attack Against Dixmude A despatch. from London says: This Daily Mail's correspondent at Rotterdam forwards as report from Bruges that the German offensive before Ypres is weakening, becatise of the vigorous •eaunter-attacks oaf the allies farther south of the city. "The British," he says, "rein- forced and encouraged by the sue- cessful defence, have attacked vig- orously and advanced against the Germans east of the -city. The . Germans are terribly ,exhausted by their ferocious efforts to. win their way to Calais. I learn," he con - eludes, "that the next ambitious attack of the Germans will be against Dixnnude." ALLIES FORCE ZEPPELIN TO EARTH Squadron of Allied Airships Engaged Dirigible— Two Two •of the Aeroplanes Were Also Destroyed A despatch from London says: The Daily Mail's correspondent' at Rotterdam' •sends sin account of an engagement between as Zeppelin. and is, squadron of alln•esct aeroplanes- in, eroplanesin 13,4,Qilly:a in whieth; the Zeppelin and •bwo, ,the •aeroplanes we -re destroyed., . TWO Ze • pelins -are said. to have �c over❑a rael; cro,.u,.e d Brussels t v ling westward.: .Ons, of them returned alone, and was surrounded and attacked by the ,aeroplane. squad- ron. Many persons 'counted' 27 w machines in the allied• fleet. The Zeppelin made a.•.spirited fight with' its machine guns and tried to ,es- •carie : by • -soaring, but • the teeno- pllapeis manoeuvred skilfully amid quickly and gave the dirigible no cha-nce to -get away. The Zeppelin mus d al led in less than 15 ml,nu'ei and et ' ill l'oetweien Brusisels and Ghent. S-eve,ual cxpliostan-s stoasaat panned its fall ,and all the drew of.- 60 of.-64) are 'said to have been kilned. Two of the aeroplanes were des.' troyed and their pilots by the Zeppelin's fire.