FIFTH YEAR
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1914.
NUMBER 6
PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 24.—Badly damaged by the
German cruisers Leipsig and Nuremburg, the Canadian cruiser
Rainbow is in the drydock at Esquimalt and many of her
crew are wounded and in the hospitals of Victoria, according
to a private letter received by a Portland man from his sister
in Vancouver. The letter states that the fight between the
Rainbow and the German cruisers, which occurred off the
Oregon or Washington coast the latter part of last week, is
common knowledge in Vancouver and Victoria, but the news
was not permitted to be sent out because of rigid censorship.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.—A bomb from an unidenitnea
airship fell in front of the American consulate in Warsaw,
Russian Poland, early today, breaking windows in the
consulate but injuring no one within the structure, according
to a telegram from Ambassador Major, at Petrograd. Several
persons in the street in front of the consulate were killed.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 24.—German and Austrian forces
are being generally repulsed. General Yon Ilindenberg’s
army between the Vistula and Wartha rivers is in retreat,
with the Russians following closely, taking many prisoners
and harrassing the rear.
LONDON, Nov. 24.—The cities of Rheims, Soissons and
Ypres continue to suffer from cannonading by the Germans,
who have been unable to make further advances because of
the strong entrenchments of the allies.
THE HAGUE, Nov. 24.—The British fleet is bombarding
the Belgian towns of Zee and Brugge, which are near the coa>t
and in possession of the Germans.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 24.—The Russians are advancing
steadily in Galicia and are bombarding Kracow which is in
flames.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.—The safe shipment of cotton
to Germany through Holland has been guaranteed and a
revival of business in the cotton industry is expected.
BRIDEBERG, Ont., Nov. 24.—Corporal Paul Mazur, of
the Forty-sixth regiment, is under arrest at Toronto on the
charge of high treason for attempting to help three Austrian
reservists to leave Canada.
AMSTERDAM, Nov. 24.—The Berlin Lokal Anzeiger.
commenting on the German defeat at Tsing-Tau, says: “Ger
mans will never forget the heroic fighting at Kiao-Chow and
those who defended the colony. Never shall we forget the
brutal violence of the yellow robbers nor England, who insti
gated them. We know that we cannot settle our account with
Japan at present, for years she will enjoy her booty. Our mills
will grind slowly, but even if years should pass before the
right moment comes at last, then a shout of joy will resound
through Germany. Woe to you, Nippon!”
PETROGRAD, Nov. 23.—Fresh examples of the ingenuity
displayed by German spies are being discovered almost
daily, and the utmost vigilance has to be maintained in terri
tory occupied by Russian troops. Recently it became apparent
that information as to the positions and movements of troops
at Insterberg was being conveyed to the enemy, but try as
they might the Russians could not locate the spy or fathom
his methods. There were no telegraph or telephone wires
available, nor was it possible for couriers to do the work. By
day or night the so-called “optical connections.” heliographs,
lights, smoke, etc., could not exist, yet the Germans were
obtaining accurate and rapid information.
The Russian staff came to the conclusion that the only
solution was submarine lines laid before the outbreak of
hostilities. This assumption was justified in several instances,
and in the village of Margraboff, the local school teacher was
LONDON, Nov. 23.—A thrilling incident in the wonder
ful retreat of the British from Mons, is described by Sapj>er
Wells of the Royal Engineers, who passes lightly over his own
part in an extraordinary act of heroism.
“Our officer asked for a man to go with him to blow up
bridge, so that the Germans could not follow us, and I went
with him,” says Wells. “Well, to blow a bridge up we use
guncotton and a wire fuse. It is safe enough if you take your
wire well away, but this time it would not work. Our men i?t
running back had stepped on the wire so we had to go nearer
to the bridge and try again. Even then it would not act so the
officer said to me. ‘Get out of the way Wells.’ I said ‘No. I’ll
go with you.’ We were the only two on the bridge and the
Germans were shooting at us, but our luck was in. Well, we
both lay down and I fired ten rounds at the guncotton with my
rifle, and he did the same with a pistol, but it wouldn’t work.
If it had we should both have gone with it, so you see what a
shave we had. We made a dive back, got some more gun
cotton, and were making to mave another go when an officer
ordered us back, saying it was no use trying.”
SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAK
In one big tent at a Catherham camp is the following
happy family, all new recruits to Kitchener’s army: A London
teacher of languages, a Sheffield traveler in cutlery, a Buck
inghamshire groom, a Midlothian (Scotland) miner, a York
shire miner, a Cornish farmer’s son, a Sussex footman, an
Essex chauffeur, an English youth from Brussels, three
cockney clerks and two Surrey gardeners. All the dialects
and accents of Great Britain are represented, and the choral
effect when the occupants of the tent sing, “It’s a Long Wav
to Tipperary,” is ramarkable.
A delegation representing the National Millers’ Federa
tion has waited on the United States state department com
plaining that Holland had refused to permit of the import of
flour except when consigned to the government. This would
mean the ruin of the American flour industrv, it stated.
? Officials replied that this was a matter concerning Holland.
V
i
i War
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—Captain Decker of the cruiser i
Tennessee has reported to the navy department that the firing!
on the ship’s launch on Wednesday last was not intended as a |
hostile act. As the department does not make public the!
alleged reason for the act. the supposition prevails that the'
[shots were the regulation .signals fired across the bows of'
suspicious vessels when the usual flag signals are not seen or
are ignored.
COPENHAGEN, Nov. 23.—Socialist leaders here who are!
in touch with Berlin claim that 7,000,000 Russians and
Germans are engaged in a great battle which is raging on the,
Russo-German frontier. If this is a fact, the battle will bo
recorded as the greatest in point of numbers engaged, in the |
history of the world. This in part also explains the lull in j
activities on the French border and the recent concentration
of German forces along the eastern frontier.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 23.—An official of the war office has
announced that the fighting between the Vistula and Wartlia
rivers continues with great persistency and that “We have
obtained some partial success.”
BERLIN, Nov. 23.—Turkish troops have reached the
Suez Canal according to official reports received here, and are
in a position to dea^ a hard blow at British commerce by
obstructing this great artery of trade, even if they do not
succeed in gaining actual possession.
LONDON, Nov. 23.—The Germans have advanced into
Poland to a point where Warsaw was being threatened by
the Russians and are continuing the advance into Galicia.
ODESSA. Nov. 23.—Among the wounded from the battle
fields of Galicia now in the hospital here, is a Russian boy
of 13, who during the first stage of his military career used to
carry cartridges to the soldiers going into the firing line. Soon
he acquired the art of shooting, and against orders used to
march with the advance guards. In the course of encounter
he would collect abandoned Austrian rifles and bullets, and
when in the trenches he would employ them in firing upon the
enemy. He participated in eight skirmishes, before being
wounded at Przemysl, and always displayed the greatest
courage and endurance. In the hospital he has endeared him !
self to nurses and wounded alike, by his cheery optimism.
PARIS, Nov. 21.—The end of this week’s struggle along
the eastern border of France in Alsace and Lorraine finds the
invaders unable to recover territory from which they were
driven by the allies, with failure meeting all of their attempts
to comply with the Kaiser’s orders to move on to Paris. The
war office announced today that the latest attack of the
Germans in an effort to isolate Verdun failed.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—The French forces have
captured the heights at Ornes near Verdun and silenced two
German batteries, according to dispatches received at the
French embassy; thus adding another one to the week’s list of
victories for the allies.
LONDON, Nov. 21.—Three great battles are in progress
in the east. Two are in Russian Poland where the forward
movement of the Germans has been stopped with considerable
advantage to the Russians, and the other between the Vistula
and Wartha rivers, where neither of the contending forces
made any progress and the death list was greatly increased.
PARIS, Nov. 21.—The war office made an announcement
this morning which sent a thrill throughout the capital, to the
effect that the French had established trenches in the Argone
district within thirty yards of the enemy’s line. The early
announcment of another terrific hand to hand engagement is
expected.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 21.—A dispatch from Warsaw to the
Rusk Slav, one of the most influential newspapers here, says
that two German generals, Yon Bredo and Yon Brommel.
committed suicide at Czenstchowa. Russian Poland, after the
Germans were defeated. They preferred death to an exhibi
tion of the Kaiser’s wrath if they attempted to explain why
they were unable to overcome the Russians.
PARIS, Nov. 20.—The war office announced today that in
♦he region of the Argonne forest severe engagements have been
in progress during the past few days. Three vigorous attacks
were made by German infantry on the left wing and they
reoccupied that section including the town of Chauvoncourt
which was recently blown up by mines after the French forced
their way in.
LONDON, Nov. 20.—C'alm in the western war zone and
reawakened activity in the east indicate to the British experts
that the Germans'decided to deal the Russians a crushing blow.
Today’s despatches show they are still pushing the Russian*
back through Poland. A report from Petrograd states that
the Russian advance in Eastern Prussia and Galicia continues.
ATHENS, Nov. 20.—Servia is preparing to move the
seat of government from Belgrade to Uskub, a city of 28,000
population in southern Servia, in territory accjuired from
Turkey during the Balkau war. This action is prompted by
threatened capture of the capital by Austrians.
LONDON, Nov. 20.—The House of Commons today passed
the bill providing for the addition of a million more men to
the army, as recommended b yPremier Asquith.
PETROGRAD. Nov. 24.—The Czar while visiting the
wouuded in Tsarkoe Selo this afternoon told the men he had
received news of n great Russian success; that two entire
German regiments between the \Yartha and Vistula rivers had
been taken prisoners.
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CHIOS, Agean Sea, Nov. 18.—While Captain Decker of the
American cruiser Tennessee was on one of the sliip’^Irtiaiehcs
flying the American flag, on his way to pay his-respects to
Turkish officials at Smyrna, three shots were tired on tTie TSoat
from the fortifications. None of the shots hit The
American ambassador at Constantinople at the request of the
lurkish officials, ordered the Tennessee to leave Tuykish waters
at once. m ^
W ASHING TON, Nov. 18.—Captain Decker of the cruiser
Tennessee reported to Secretary of the Navy Daniels today
that while proceeding from Vourlah to Smyrna to hiake an
official call on 1 urkish authorities, his vessel was tired on.
Secretary Daniels issued a statement saying that the American
consul at Smyrna had been anxious for the safety of the
consulate and the T ennessee had been ordered to proceed to
and had left Vourlah at.the request of Ambassador Morgan
tliau. I he cruiser is now anchored in the harbor of Chios, from
which point Captain Decker's telegram was sent. Secretary
Daniels has requested the captain to immediately forward a
full report of the incident.
"WASHINGTON, Nov. 1?).—Although the navy de7iart
ment continued every effort to obtain a further and more
definite report in connection with the firing on -a launch
belonging to the cruiser Tennessee, by the Turkish forts at
Smyrna yesterday, nothing has been beard today from Captain
Decker or Ambassador Morganthau. The state department is
anxiously waiting for further information and everyone in
local naval and war circles is marking time with Exportation
of interesting developments within the next twenty-four
hours
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.—That the firing of" a shot
across the bows of the launch belonging tb the cruiser
Tennessee, by a Turkish fort on the 18th inst, wks a Wartling
because the launch was proceeding through a field of mines is
the \oluntary explanation given by the Turkish■ gbvernnient
before Ambassador Morgenthau requested an emanation.
BERLIN, Nov. -3.—-I he British squadron twico
approached the Belgian coast for the purpose of aiding the
allies, but was driven off by the German artillery. Fighting
continues with unabated vigor at and in the* vicinity of
Nieuport and Ypres.
LONDON, Nov. 19.—The body of Lord Roberts, field
marshal, who died in France last Saturday, is resting in state
in St. Paul’ Cathedral. General Kitchener, commander of the
British forces, and other dignitaries marched in a procession
to the funeral, which was attended by King George and. Queen
Mary. A delegation of Indian troops, with whom the dis
tinguished veteran of many wars in almost every cljme was.
visiting when he was-attacked with pneumonia because of
exposure, were given the position of honor in the procession
and at the cathedral.
TN ASHINGTON, Nov. 19.—The recent remarl^gble mobiliza
tion of German warships off the coast of Sofitf America with
disastrous results to an English squadron, has Ml jijitis i
embassy officials to believe that some secret means of* com
munication extends into South America and that the German
ships operating in Southern waters have bfibn receiving
supplies from somewhere on the Pacific coast of the southern
continent. Many letters have been received by,.the embassy
offering, for various considerations, information 'of German
wireless stations on American territory. Some tell pf secret
stations on the Pacific Coast, in Maine and in Scotland and
South America.
LONDON, Nov. 19.—A dispatch from Berlin reports a
naval battle off Sebastopol in which three Russian battleships
and five cruisers and an unknown number of Turkish warships
took part. One of the Russian battleships was seriouslv
damaged, the other two fleeing to Sebastopol pursued bv
Turkish vessels.
SEATTLE, Nov. 18.—Canadian authorities have discon
tinued the lights at Poultney point and Haddington reef for
the purposes ol defense, and notice of the act has been sent
to mariners.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 18.—The enemy in Eastern Prussia
is retreating along the front from Gumbinnen to Angerberg,
according to a brief official announcement.
PETROGRAD, Nov. 18.—The Singer Sewing Machine
Company’s Russian factory, the American Phonograph Dom
Pany s plant and a number of smelters operated by Americans
have been commandeered by the government for the manufac
ture of arms. The gun factories are unable to keep the army
supplied.
SEATTLE. Nov. 19.—That the
British naval force in the North
Pacific has beea strengthened by the
addition of a powerful cruiser or
battleship, making it possible for
Great Britain to spring a surprise
on the German cruisers in the event
of an attempted raid on the British
Columbia coast, is indicated by a
report brought down by late arrivals
While on the way south, the steamer
Jefferson sighted a powerful British
war vessel and a gunboat or sloop
of war at anchor in Alert Bay, 60
miles north of Seymour Narrows.
When last reported, the British
cruisers Newcastle and Rainbow
were off the California coast,
searching for the German cruisers
now in the Pacific. The Newcastle
'.nd Rainbow the latter a small ves
sel were the only two British
cruisers known to be in coast wat
ers, but the ne.ws brought by the
Jefferson’s passengej-s shows that a
warship of much greater strength
than the Newcastle is now lying in
Alert Bay, in a position to hasten
either to Vancouver or Prince
Rupert as occasion may require. Tlu>
smaller vessel with her approximated
the dimensions of a United States
revenue cutter.
The returns from the First divi
sion, w'here Mrs. Mary A Gibson was
a candidate for the legislature, show
that the, women at least of that divi
sion are not at all clannish or desir
ous of placing their destinies in the
hands of thefr own sex,' says the
Juneau Empire. Mrs. Gibson polled
only 29 votes in Juneau, 4 in Ketchi.
kan, IS in Douglas. 3 in Treadwell
and-Jicne at all in Skagway.