EUROPEAN WAR
BERLIN, March 30.—The Swiss newspapers declare that
the German chancellor is inflexible in his determination that
Austria shall cede certain territory to Italy, in order to secure
the latter’s neutrality. On the other hand the Austrian
Emperor is equally determined not to give any of his territory.
It is said that the matter is becoming a serious question
between the two governments. In the meantime Italy is
preparing for war.
SEATTLE, March 30.—After a more thorough examina
tion into the charges of conspiracy against German Consul
Mueller, the federal authorities have decided that the evidence
is not sufficient to secure a conviction. As a consequence the
charges will be dismissed.
WASHINGTON, March 30.—President Wilson announced
today that the American note to Great Britain, concerning the
order in council regarding shipments to and from Germany,
would be forwarded to London within the next 24 hours.
BERLIN, March 3Q.—While inspecting the advance posi
tions of his forces in France it is reported that General Yon
Kluek has been wounded, but it is not of a serious nature.
NEW YORK, March 30.—Bankers were informed todav
that negotiations had been virtually completed between tin*
house of Morgan and the representatives of the French
government for the establishment in the United States of
$50,000,000 credit for the benefit of France.
LONDON, March 30.—In sinking the British steamers
Falaba and Aquila, German submarines destroyed the lives of
140 persons, among the number that perished being 05
passengers. Most of the crew of the Aquila were saved. The
quartermaster of the Falaba said that as scores of the crew
and passengers from his ship were struggling in the water,
the submarine stood by but made no effort at rescue. The
Quartermaster says he saw at least 20 men on the submarine
laughing like brutes at the plight of the unfortunates.
CONSTANTINOPLE, March 30.—An official statement
today from the war office states that one of our sea-planes
dropped bombs on a British warship that was cruising outside
the Dardanelles. The report states that the ship was almost
blown to pieces.
ROME, March 29.—All Alpie troops, of men born in 1883,
have been called to colors. Also all artillery engineers and
reserve officers, for 60 days from April 16.
WASHINGTON, March 29.—Ambassador Morganthaa
l cabled today that in his interview with the Turkish govern
ment strong denial was made that there had been any disorders
among the American missions at Urumiah, in Persia.
LONDON, March 29.—The Russian navy is again bom
barding the Turkish forts on the Straits of Bosphorous. with
disastrous results, and causing terror to the people of
Constantinople.
PARIS, March 29.—A new decoration to be known as the
War Cross, to be conferred upon all officers and men mentioned
in official dispatches, has been voted by the Chamber of
Deputies.
CJIALONS, Submarmane, France, March 29.—Eleven
thousand dead Germans have been taken from the trenches
won by the French during the twenty days fisrhting in the
Champagne country. The German losses in killed, wounded
* and prisoners is estimated by the French military authorities
as 50,000. The German wastage, they say, has been two to
one compared with French losses. This was brought about
^ because the Germans would try to regain lost ground by
counter attacks, repeated again and again with obstinate
courage but with disastrous results.
LONDON, March 29.—Constantinople is being shaken
with the roar of hostile guns. Russian shells are falling
within 12 miles of the Sultan’s palace. For the first time in
history the Moslem capital has been bombarded from the air.
The people of the city are in an intense state of excitement and
it is realized that its fall cannot be averted very long.
ROME, March 26.—German and Austrian families are
[ leaving all parts of Italy, in compliance with an order that
was issued. All trains and steamship lines are crowded.
TIFLIS, March 26.—The Turkish troops have com
k mitted further acts of violence at the American mission
at Urumiah. Information to this effect was received this
morning by the local viceroy from Gordon Paddock, American
consul at Tabriz.
LONDON, March 26.—The Dutch steamship Medea has
* been sunk off Beachy head by a German submarine, number
yet unknown.
LONDON, March 26.—The admiralty has announced that
there is good reason for believing that the German submarine
IT-29, has been sunk with all hands lost. This is the submarine
which has sunk many British vessels.
LONDON, March 26.—The steamer Delmera has been
sunk in the English Channel, off Boulougne by a German
submarine. The crew was given ten minutes to get off, which
f all succeeded in doing. They landed on the Isle of Wight.
WASHINGTON, March 26.—Major Geo. T. Langhorne,
, who was recently withdrawn as military attache from the
American Embassy at Berlin, has denied the authorship of
certain dispatches sent from Berlin to the war department
and signed by his name.
WASHINGTON, March 24—This afternoon a protest was
sent to Germany against the dropping of bombs near relief
ships bound for Belgium.
OF BEST TO UK
WASHINGTON, March 27.—It is known that President
Wilson is about ready to make announcement of his selection
of routes for the government buliding of railroads in Alaska.
He may take the public into his confidence on Monday, unless
he decides to wait a little longer until Secretary Lane
reaches here from California.
Attorney General Gregory has decided that the President
I has authority to contract for the purchase of either or both
| the Alaska Northern and the Copper River & Northwestern
I Railways. He has the right to do so right now or to enter any
sort of a contract for acquiring them, up to the full $35,000,000
i that was provided for in the railroad bill.
It is authoritatively known that negotiations for the pur
chase of the Alaska Northern have been practically closed.
The price is $1,150,000. That is the valuation placed on the
road by Engineer Eugene Underwood, a brother of Senator
Underwood. He was one of the engineers employed by the
Engineering Commission last summer and made an examiife
tion of the road and placed a valuation on it.
In the agreement for the purchase of the Alaska Northern
one-half of the money is to be paid in cash and the balance in
two years.
A party is now being dispatched to Seattle to establish
a purchasing agency for the Alaska Engineering Commission,
to buy the necessary supplies for use in the building of roads
this summer.
One of the engineers employed by the Commission is H. P.
j Warren. He is now in Panama selecting material from the
Panama Railway for use in Alaska. It is presumably to be
sent to Ship Creek, for use in building the Matanuska line.
This material will be charged up to the Alaska fund only the
transportation charges. Although narrow gauge the locomo
tives are so built that they may be converted to broad gauge.
SEATTLE, March 27.—An arrival from Washington, a
man of some prominence and with close connections with the
administration, states that at an early date, possibly Monday,
the President will announce the route for government rail
roads. He states that Seward will be the permanent coast
terminus, and that the line will then run over the Alaska
Northern to the present end at Mile 72, on Kern Creek, then
on past Ship Creek to Matanuska Junction, a distance of 77
miles. A spur of 38 miles will run from this junction to the
Matanuska coal fields. But he states that the main line will
continue north from Matanuska Junction through the Susitna
Valley, on through Broad Pass to Nenana, on the Tanana
River, with ultimately a branch from Mile 187 to Nulato, on
the lower Yukon river.
This informant asserts that the contract for the purchase
of the Alaska Northern has been signed and that the govern
ment has not at any time seriously considered the purchase of
the Copper River & Northwestern Railway. He states that
talk of probable purchase was thrown out in order to secure
the Alaska Northern at a more reasonable price. He states
that the agreement is to pay $1,150,000 for that railroad. He
further adds that the Alaska Syndicate has known for some
time past that there was not much likelihood of the govern
ment taking over their road, notwithstanding that additional
information was sought as to operating and maintenance
expense. This was only secured in the event that the improb
able resulted and the Alaska Northern deal had to be
thrown up.
WASHINGTON, March 24.—William C. Edes, chairman
of the Alaska Engineering Commission, announced this
morning that Alaska would practically furnish all the labor
needed for the construction of the first unit of the government
railroad. He states that of the thousands of applications
received from every section of the United States that all have
been rejected, with a few exceptions.
The labor will be secured in Alaska and Chairman Edes
further states that early next month several men will be sent
from Seattle to recruit and assemble labor in the north. At
least two members of the Commission also expect to sail from
Seattle about the middle of April, to get the work started.
While Chairman Edes did not say definitely that the first
unit to be constructed was from Ship Creek to the Matanuska
coal fields, it is taken as an accepted fact that such is the
intention, without reference to what may be done later.
Attorney Cotton is still negotiating with the owners of
the Alaska Northern railroad and Attorney General Gregory
has had a couple of interviews with the President on matters
connected with the taking over of the Seward and Cordova
railroads.. It is known that a clause in the railroad bill that
has given some concern reads, “that the price to be paid in
case of purchase shall in no case exceed the actual physical
value of the railroad.”
Everything now tends to indicate that the decision of tho
President will be made known next week, possibly immediately
after the return of Secretary Lane from California. The
members of the Engineering Commission are making arrange
ments to leave this city for the west by the 10th of April. That
the work will be done under their direction is an accepted fact
LONDON, March 29.—There are 70,000 railway employes
serving in the British army and navy, according to latest
official statistics. B'
EVENTS OFJf 816 MR
SASKATOON, March 2G.—The Minister of the Militia
has authorized the organization of a company from the
University of Canada. It is said practically all the students
are anxious to enlist.
ROME, March 2G.—Gen. A on Buelow, the German
ambassador, says that he has abandoned his efforts fo bring
about an agreement between Austria and Italy. The final
offer of Austria for territorial concessions to Italy is far from
meeting with Italy's demands.
LONDON, March 25.—The first stage of the great battle,
which will precede the Russian advance against Budapest, has
resulted in a victory for the Slavs. Reports from Petrograd
and ^ ienna agree that the Czar’s troops won their way
through Dukla pass in the Carpathians. It is further said that
they are entrenched within 15 miles of the Hungarian town of
Bartfa, located about 150 miles from the Hungarian capital.
PETROGRAD, March 25.—One hundred and ninety
thousand Russian soldiers who have been freed by the fall of
Przemysl will be sent to the foothills of the Carpathian moun
tains, to join the advancing forces.
LONDON, March 25.—It is reported that late yesterday
severe equinoxial storms set in, resulting in a cessation of
hostilities. The mine sweepers alone have been able to main
tain a naval activity in the Dardanelles. It is said, however,
that there will be a resumption of bombardment in thos-*
waters as soon as the storms cease.
1IFLIS, March 25.—Turkish troops and Kurds are perse
cuting and massacreing Assyrian Christians. Twenty thousand
of them are reported as dead and missing. Seventeen thousand
are in imminent danger at Urumiah missions. Twelve
thousand have taken refuge with the Caucasians at Urumiah.
The Turkish troops hanged Bishop Marelia and four
clergymen.
NEM ^ ORK, March 25.—Second Officer Boyd, who had
been seized from the steamship Carib, arrived on the Rotter
dam. Officers on this steamship quote Bremerhaven naval
authorities with saying that the cruiser Karlslirue is lying at
the bottom of the ocean in the West Indies.
LONDON, March 25.—Report received here today states
that Italy has seized a freight train of cars of graphite and
sulphur consigned to Ivrupps. The train was near the Swiss
frontier when it was seized.
M ASHINGTON, March 25.—Secretary Bryan has cabled
Ambassador Morganthau asking that Turkey extend protec
tion to American missionaries and refugees who are in peril
in Persia.
AAnrji\o, -uarcn —nans nave been completed tor an
early effort to secure possession of the Dardanelles. A land
attack on the fortifications, in connection with the operations
of the allied fleet, will be made soon. Troops have been
conveyed to the Dardanelles on transports and were landed
yesterday on Gallipoli peninsula. Delay is now being made for
the arrival of British and French warships, which are on the
way. After they reinforce the present fleet a general attack
bv land and sea will be made.
PETROGRAD, March 24.—During the latter days of the
siege of Przemysl the suffering in that city was general and
intense. Food supplies had become exhausted and for days
there had been intense suffering. The most meagre kind of
rations were doled out, just enough to keep body and soul
together. Advices received today from Kieve state that
prisoners who are there and in relating their experiences
declare that they had been almost starved and that for several
days before the end rats were a rare delicacy.
PEKING, March 24.—Ministers from China and Japan
are working out an agreement as to the government of
Manchuria, and it is expected that the settlement will be
mutually agreeable. Already five of the articles have been
agreed upon regarding Japan’s demands.
WASHINGTON, March 24.—American Consul Felit
Willoughby Smith, stationed at Batum, Russia, but who is
now at Tiflis, today informed the state department that
American missionaries and refugees are in danger at Urumiah,
Persia. Raghib Bey, the Turkish consul at that point, at the
head of 7,000 Askaris, was recently reported to have led an
uprising against the American missionaries.
HONOLULU, March 26.—Carrying a crew of 25 men the
American submarine F-4 was sunk yesterday morning two
miles off the entrance to this harbor. She was built in Seattle
and was in command of Lieut. Alfred C. Ede, who was also
lost. This morning the F-4 had not been located with any
absolute definiteness.. Rescue vessels were at work and
grappling hooks have made fast at a depth of 30 fathoms to
what is believed to be the hull of a vessel. But even if they
have found the unfortunate craft it is not believed that it can
be raised in time to save the lives of the crew. .Later this
morning wireless messages received from the rescue vessels
state that there is no encouraging news.. They merely con
veyed the information that the search was being continued
but that there was nothing definite to report. The shore off
which the F-4 is believed to be lying in the ocean bed ha*
various steep shelves which break to a precipitous drop. The
chief electrician on the sunken boat is Earley Colwell of
Seattle. > ' ■ • '
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