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GENERAL. NEWS NOTES OF THE DAY. Meager advices from .Belgium indicate that the Germans, who Irave crossed the Yser in enormous force, are pressing slowly forward, but encountering determined opposition. At other points in the north of France, notably to the east and northeast of Ypres and between Lillo and Armentieres, the German offensive is energetic. As claimed by Berlin arid acknowledged by Paris, the Germans crossed the Yser river between Dixmude and .Viewport, but whether this means a foward step in ; the "on to Calais movement may depend on operations farther eastward. Rumors continue to reach London of tlie impending evacuation Of Ostend and the reduction in strength of the German garrison in Antwerp. This docs not nccessa.ily imply preparations for o retreat, but it may mean that the Germans are throwing every available man against the allies" left, in their effort to cummer the channel ports;. The correspondent of the Loudon Times at Rotterdam savs: "The Germans are putting Ant- j werp in a state for defense. In most of the important forts the Belgian guns have been replaced with. German fortress artillery, of the. latest type. The authorities have ordered the railroads to cease the free conveyance of refugees from Holland. Reports reaching .the Japanese legation at Pekin declare that an Austrian cruiser which took refuge m the harbor at Kiachau at the outbreak of the war, has been sunk by the Japanese heavy artillery lasted on the hills near the harbor mouth. According to Berlin newspapers, the number of war prisoners in Germany up to October 21 aggregated 2tH!,SK; including .5,401.. officers. Of these it is said that there are 2,472 French otliccrs and 146.-897 men, 2.101 Russian officers and 104.524 men, 547 Belgian officers and 31.378 men and 21S British officers and 8,069 men. In Poland a heavy battle is in progress between the fortresses- of Ivangorort and Radom, where the Germans and Austriaus, wh6 were defeated in their Urst attempt to cross the Vistula liefore the former city have made a stand against the Russians, who followed in the hope of destroying them. Lieut. Col. Maritz. the head of the rebellion in British South Africa, attacked Kelmos Capo Province-, at 5 oclock on the morning, of Oct. 22 with a force of over 1,000 men. including several hundred Germans and artillery and machine guns, but was repulsed. Despite their furious attacks, the Germans, who succeeded in crossing the Yser in northwestern Belgium, have failed to make any further progress, it is officially annbunced by the French war office. The allies have been able to maintain their frontal positions, it is said. Reports from the eastern front indicate that the greatest battle of the war in that area is impending. Austria, in its latest official statement, claims to have thrust strong forces across the Carpathians in the face of determined, resistance. German and Austrian forces, it is said, now have a strong wall of troops along a well established line which stretches from the northern spurs of the Carpathians before the loug disputed fortress of Praemsyl nhd on Into the district of Ploek. Before this line is arrayed the main army c the Russians, said to have been re-enforced by troops from the Caucasus, Siberia and Turkestan. Sir Cecil Spriug-Rice. British ambassador at Washington, by instruction Of Sir Edward Grey, issued a warning to American shippers; through the state department, to consign all cargoes bound for neutral countries to the neutral government or a specific consignee. Two notes address to Acting Sccretarv Lansing sav British cruisers will not interfere with neutral commerce when shipments are properly consigned. A bitter fight waged since 1SS0 to reduce the representation of southern states in republican national conventions has been won. The chairman of the. Republican National Committee lias announced that the call for the convention of 191G would be on the new basis, which reduces the number of delegates by 89. Most of this loss falls on the South. Sir Edward Grey. British minister for foreign affairs, has assured the United States, through Ambassador Page at London, that England will not iuterfere with American cotton shipments as "contraband of war." Ambassador Page also reported that the British ship Camperdoon. laden with American cotton ami products, detained at Sornaway, Scotland, was not held because of her manifest, but on account of a disagreement between her owners and the charter party. Gen. Maclovia Hcrrera, a Carranza follower, has broken the armistice Used by the peace convention at Agaus Callentcs by attacking Parial, Cnl-buahua, defended by a Villa garrison, according to official constitutionalist advices received in Juarez. The twenty-four persons accused, of conspiracy in connection with the murder of the Archduke and Archduchess Ferdinand were found guilty of high treason yesterday and probably will be sentenced to immediate death tomorrow.
