view raw text
EUROPEAN WAR DEVELOPMENTS. Paris advices are to the effect that as the result of a heavy bombardment with new heavy guns recently rushed to the West Flanders front, the Oennans have been able to make some progress at DIxmude. There is ground for the belief that the invaders have regained their foothold on the western bank of the Yer at this point. Fresh British troops are being rushed to reinforce the allies line west of Dixmude, particularly in the region of Lanipernlsse. which is under a terrific artillery lire from the gigantic German howitzers. It is reported that the lighting in West Flanders has assumed such a critical aspect that Field Marshal Sir John French, commander-in-chief of the IJritish expeditionary forces, has been sent there to take command in person. Heavy cannonading by the Germans with a vigorous reply by the allied guns marked the fighting in the region between Ypres and Arras yesterday. The allies continued to press their offensive south of Laon, but only slight progress is reported. I5oth the French and Uritlsn armies are preparing for the new attempt of the Germans to drive their way through the strongly intrenched line to the coast. Upward of 000,000 Germans are declared to be on the front from the sea to Ypres. Heavy reinforcements are reported south of Ostend. During the last few days ltlO.OOO German reinforcements are reported to have arrived. The French ollicial report says that Wedr nesday there was a lively artillery exchange at Nieuport and south of Ypres. A heavy bombardment took place to the west of Lens. In the Ar-gonne several German attacks were repulsed. Other- wise the situation shows little change. The text of the communication follows: "In Belgium there-was a lively artillery fire directed against Nieu-port and to the south of Ypres. The inundations have, extended to the south of Dixmude. From, tlie Lys to the Somme there lias been a violent-bombardment, particularly at Aix-Noulettc, to tlu west of Lens. There was quiet along the entire front from the Somme to the Aisne and in Champagne. In the Argonne several attacks on the part of the enemy were repulsed and we made slight progress. In the Woevre district the German artillery evidence a certain activity, but with insignificant results. In Lorraine and in the Vosges there is nothing important to report." The German forces in Poland have turned and are now taking the offensive against the ltussiaus 011 a new front. While both official reports indicate that the fighting in this war area is quieting down, there are persistent unofficial reports that the great battle, still undecisive, is progressing bitter- Iv. That the IJussian chcclc is complete is admitted ! by persons who are in touch with the military authorities. It has become known that the Russian failure to surround and decisively defeat the Germans at Lodz was caused by the tardiness of Gen. Itennenkanipf, the Itussiau cavalry leader. He was two days late, reports say. As a result of not arriving on time the general has been relieved of his command, a Petrograd dispatch says. The , Itussiau ollicial statement issued at Petrograd says: "On December 1 there was a relative lull on all the fronts. In the region of Ixnvicz the action continued, hut was less intense. Toward miduight the Germans, marching compactly, made a fierce attack against our positions north of Lodz, but were repulsed. South of Cracow we entered Vielickska twelve miles south of the city." The Italian parliament reassembled yesterday and its deliberations are awaited with anxiety; as this is considered the gravest moment for Italy since its unification.. Four hundred and fifty deputies and three hundred senators are in Homo to attend the session. Premier Salandra, in present-1 ing the new cabinet, will make a statement con- curoing tlie ministerial policy. An especially interesting passage will deal with the attitude of Italv witli reference to the present European war. The" statement will contain an announcsment of the military and naval preparations, for which almost .s;U0,000,000 have been appropriated, and al. of the steps taken to alleviate the suffering of th unemployed. Aa ollicial German war office statement says that the Germans have succeeded in cutting through the Itussiau right wing in Poland, capturing 12,000 prisoners and twenty-five guns. The statement adds: "There has been no marked change in the situation in the eastern theater in the last few days. Hard fighting is in progress at Lodz. Our losses have been heavy, but they can not be called enormous." The archbishop of Przemysl. who is en route to Kouie, is credited in an interview published at Venice with declaring that the situation of Przemysl is desperate and the surrender of the fortress is imminent. The hospitals are crowded, according to the published statement, the mortality is enormous and the food supply exhausted. "Australian and New Zealand contingents have been disembarked in Egypt," according to an an-, nouncement of the British official bureau, "to assist in the defense of that country and complete their training there. "When this training is completed I they will go directly to the front to fight with the other British troops in Europe." Empercr William had a conference at Breslau, in Silesia, with Archduke Frederick, commander In chief of the Austro-IIuhgarian army. Arcnduke Charles Francis, heir to the throne, and Gen. von Hoetzendorf, chief of the general staff, also were present. Later Emperor William visited a milita.y hospital at Breslau. A dispatch from The Hague says that the Krupp factory at Essen, Germany, was bombarded by an aeronaut. It is said that bombs were dropped from the aeroplane on tlie buildings devoted to the manufacture of cannon. The airman escaped uninjured and the extent of the damage has not bemi ascertained. "Tlie object of Austrias tremendous attack on the wornout Servian army," says the London DatiV Chronicles Athens correspondent, "is to obtaiu control of the railroad from Belgrade to Sofia and Constantinople, tints allowing tlie free movement of troops and munitions between Turkey and Germany." Ollicial announcement was made to the Portuguese Chamber of Deputies by Premier Maehado that mobilization of the Portuguese army has been cammenced. Four expeditious have been prepared for service in Africa and one division has been mobilized "for service wherever it is needed." Tlie Uome correspondent of the Exchange Tele-1 graph company reports that at the opening of the . Italian parliament yesterday Premier Salandr.i . stated that there was no new factor in the war situation at present which would prompt Italy t- : alter her policy of neutrality. The citv or Belgrade, captured Wednesday by the Austnans, was taken by storm at the point of bavonets. Tlie Austro-llungarian troops approached the citv from the west and rushed the defenses. After their victorious assault they marched into the city, cheering loudly. The French parliament has been called to meet in extraordinary session at Paris Dec. 22. The members of the cabinet are to leave Bordeaux next week for Paris, where they will put themselves at the disposal of the finance committee of the chamber of deputies. It was ofliciallv announced at Constantinople that Turkish troops have occupied the Russian town of Ardamitsch, thirty miles south by southwest from Datum. "We are making steady progress through the Tchorokh valley," the statement says. A dispatch from Suva, Fiji Islands, via Sydney, New South Wales, quotes the colonial secretary of Tahita as saving that, tlie German business houses of Papeete sire to pay 1914.sh00,000 as compensation fof the damage done by the German bombardment. An Austrian advance against Nish, the present Serb capital, will be commenced at once. Tlieiv are 15,000 wounded Servian soldiers at Nish. The Austrians captured 1!,000 Servians during their recent operations in Servia. it is claimed. The Hamburg-American line steamer, Presidenr. which formerly plied among the West Indian islands, but which has been lying in Havana harbor since Sept. 25. slipped out of that port Tuesday night without lights or papers. Sir Cecil Spring-Bice, the British ambassador, delivered to the state department a note giving assurances that Great Britain does not intend to de lay American ships unduly in searching them 3: contraband. Iiioting broke out in the Belgian concentration camp at Zeist. Holland, according to Hot Volk. published at Amsterdam. Dutch troops fired on the Belgians, killing six and wounding nine of them. Tlie Norwegian steamer Kan, which reachc,d Liverpool from New -York, has been taken info custody by the British authorities and is held as a prize. Emperor William lias awarded the Order of .Merit to Lieut. Sen. Likiuaii, commander of the Guard-4 division, for distinguished servica at the battle of Lodz. Gen. Christian de Wet, leader of tlie rebellion in the Ililon of South Africa, has been captured, according to a Pretoria ollicial dispatch. With only one dissenting vote, that of Ilerr Liebkneclit. Socialist, the German reichstag voted a new war credit of J?1.2r.0,C0O,000. A Flanders dispatch reports tlie return of Queen 1 Elizabeth of Belgium" through France to rejoin King Albert. . 1 1 Belgrade was evacuated by the Servians Just before the Austrians marched in.
