New Britain Herald Newspaper, August 5, 1914, Page 1

“l - HERALD BEST OF ALL LOCAL NEWSPAPERS NEW BRITAIN HERAL HERALD “ADS” MEAN |BETTER BUSINESS —— PRICE THREE CENTS, NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1914 —~TWELVE PAGES. S FABHSHEF 1874, Five Great European Powers Now In State of War; British; and West German Transatlantic Cable Cut By aiser’s Armies Move Forward East British Declare German ‘ Steamers Prizes of War London, Aug. 5.—Although five of the great FKuropean powers—Austriu, England, France, Germany and Rus- sia—are at war and millions of men on land and sea are under arms and ready .to strike, developments of prime importance were few today. The cutting of the German tele- graph and telephone connections and the severance of the German trans- Atlantic cable virtually cut Germany off from commu gication with other countries, Reports from France, Bel- gium, Holland and Russia, however, showed that Germany’'s armies were ,.steadily moving forward east and west, and that her advanced posts were in contact with the opposing tussian and French armies, In England preparations were rapidly completed for naval activities after the declaration of war last night, but the authorities would not permit any leakage of news as to military or naval movements. Several German steamships in ¢ British waters including the Belgia with 73 German. reservists and a guantity of foodstuffs were declared <prizes of war. The Maria Leon- hardt, in the Thames, suffered a similar fate. The British government today com- mandeered the horses belonging to . express companies and big depart- ment stores, thus causing an appreci- able suspension of”business. On the coast of the North Sea where it had been erroneously re- portéed that a naval battle was in progress last night the British gov- ernment has taken over all schools «, and other public buildings for conver- sion into hospitals in readiness to re- « ceive the wounded men after the ex- -’ pected naval encounter between the German and British fleets. Volunteers were requested for the -British army and this was taken as - an indication that an expeditionary force was to be sent out; but no authentic information on this point : 4 was obtainable. In France the minister of war de- clared the mpbilization to have pr ceeded satisfactorily anhd everything to be in readiness with General Joifre, commander-in-chief, at the frontier. Ag the Black Sea has been tightly ¢losed by Turkey’'s shutting the Dar- danglles and Bosphorus In order (o maintain her neutrality, the Russ fleet there has had no difficulty making ‘captive many German Austrian vessels. Austria and Servia appear to have » stopped their activities or at least to have put a strict censorship on the news of any important events, as no and despatches of importance reached the British capital from those two coun- tries. The French fleet in the Mediter- or has received orders to capture or destroy three German cruisers but the despatches are conflicting. King George Expresses Confidence in Fleet London, Aug. 5—King George to- day sent the following message to Vice-Admiral Sir John_ Jellicoe, who has been made commander of the British fleets: “At this grave moment in our na- tional history, 1 send you and through you to the officers and men of the fleets of which you- have as- sumed command, assurance of my confidence that under your direction they will revive and renew the old glories of the royal navy and prove once again the sure shield of Brit- ain and her empire in the hour of trial.”” London, Aug. —Premier Asquith today announced that the British government would ask for another credit of $500,000.000 tomorrow, It was officially stated that Vis- count Morley and John Burns had resigned from the cabinet, Chancellor of the Exchequer Lloyd George announced in the house of commons that the Bank of England rate was to be reduced to six per cent, either tomorrow or Friday. The government, he sdid had not yet decided to suspend specie payments. London, Aug. bL.—Reginald Mec- Kenna, the home secretary an- nounced today that 21 spies had heen arrested in the British Isles, dur- ing the last 24 hours, chiefly in im- portant naval centers, Detectives during a raid on houses occupled by Germans in London in one place discovered a large number of bombs and rifles. Several arrests were made. Dutch Territory Invaded By Kmsers Troops Aug. 5.-—The Germans have invaded Dutch territory at Tiel- burg and is reported that the Ger- man troops met with resistance after crossing the River Meuse at Eysden, Belgium, The German ambassador to Britain ix not expected to leave don before tomorrow. It London, Great Lon- was re- BREMEN Y b OGNE @P; & A N SUBEL \\\! \’ OHAHBUIG “OANZIG |/ TETTIN ‘.\" @BERLIN A& R o @%NK *MANNHE ported today that a British cruiser might be placed at his disposal to insure his safe passage across the channel. He visited Viscount Hal- dane at his private residence this morning. The Gazette, the official newspaper, today published the notification of the state of war existing between Germany and England as well as an order in council signed by the King relating to the merchant vessels of the country with which the British Empire is at war. The order specifies as absolute contraband arms of all kinds, cloth- ing and harness of a military char- acter and animals suitable for war purposes. Articles specified as conditional contraband are foodstuffs, fuel, har- ness, telescopes and field glasses. The rumor that a naval engage- ment had occurred off Cromarty, Scotland, was set at rest today by an official denial that there had been a battle in that vicinity. A despatch from Servia today an- nounced that General Radomir Put- nik, chief of the Servian general staff, has fallen ill and that his son was wounded in a recent battle. Sailing of Tennessee Postponed Till Tomorrow Washington, Aug. 6.—It was nounced at the navy department day that the sailing of the armored cruiser Tennessee for Furope with gold for the relief of Americans, had been postponed until tomorrow morn- ing, in order to complete all neces- sary arrangements. The “"V)‘"d cruiser North Carolina an- to- probably il accompany the Tennes- see. The cruisers will carry millions of dollars in gold supplied by bankers and express companies, to be distri- bated at the principal ports in Europe for the use of banks and United Stutes diplomatic agencies in replen- irhing the purses of Americans who suddenly have found their letters of credit useless or their funds ex- hausted, In the seil a fleet vessels of neutral nations they can be mobilized to Ameérfean tourists home, nated today that there were cne hundred thousand Americ: zens abroad, one-fifth of whor Iy want (o return. The other: lieved, have sufl Europe until aft fluet can return them. Congress already has appropriated s ,000 for the rellef of Americans abroad, and both house and senate today were (o act on the president’s wi of ¢ cruisers will teamers and s soon a8 bring the It was esti- at le noeiti- urgent it is be- the s lirst emergency ss the Atlantic for ™ fikh"h ISLANDRS GO A : KRAKOW ENN A '« PRESSBURG « BUDAPEST HUNGAR 1"., EY FIUM request that an additional appropria- tion of $2,600,000 be made. On the cruisers will sail Assistant Secretary of War Breckenridge and several officials of the treasury and the army departments. They will have charge of the disbursement of funds and arrange transportation fa- cilities. Secretary Garrison, outlining the government’s relief plan, said Mr. Breckenridge and the officers would establish headquarters at the prac- ticable points of embarkation. Al Americans would be advised to com- municate with those officials. ‘‘Cases of emergency and destitution will be dealt with in the proper way as they arise,” said Mr. Garrison. While the cruisers are steaming across the Atlantic, government of- ficials will bend their energies to solve the transportation problem. The first canvass showed there were six American liners, each with a passen- ger capacity of one thousand, and thirty transports.and coastwise ships capable of carrying about seven thou- sand persons. It had been suggest- ed that available ships of neutral nations might have to be chartered. Secretary Garrison was scanning the Pacific coast today for ships. If suitable vessels can be found there they will be brought through the Pan- ama canal. Inquiry also was made for available ships on the Great Lakes. Mr. Garrison said no attempt would be made to start passenger vesseis to Europe until it has been deter- mined just what the needs of Amer- fcans were. If neutral commercial liners continue to run, they may be employed. The North lfllnllrm will carry ad- ditional gold. probably to Mediter- ranean ports, leaving the Tennessee free to supply needs in the north. Firing Heard Ofl’ Coast of Maine Portland, Me., Aug. 5.-—The firing of heavy guns off the Maine coast was heard early today. Eight or ten shots within two minutes were heard shortly before 7 o'clock by the keeper of Portland observatory. The.sound seemed o come from a point 25 or 30 miles south southeast of Portland and probably in the vicinity of Sesuia Island, The harbor at the between were heard at polnts also and shots forts Aug. tonlght 5. —Cloudy and Hartford, and here and Bath. They were quite dis- tinct at Bath, Seguin is a small island off the mouth of the Kennebec River, a few miles below Bath, The reported firing was not heard by the life savers at either Cape Eliz- abeth or Popham Beach stations. At Popham Beach, which is near Se- guin Island, the life Savers were cer- tain they would have heard the guns if there had been a naval engagement off Seguin. No information was available at Booth Bay Harbor but in this city the reports continued to come in from all sources that there had been heavy firing. One of the newspaper offices received at least 200 inquiries about it during the early forenoon. Blasting for a state highway at Fal- mouth Foreside, three miles to the eastward was suggested as an explan- ation but it was not generally ac- cepted owing to the volume of the sound. Eight Foreign Cruisers Hover Off Maine Coast New York, Aug. 5.—Eight cruisers —three German, three British and two French—are hovering somewgere off this coast. For days incoming steamships have reported news of fragmentary wireless indicating that these vessels were in Americen wa- ters but no skipper was aole %o fix their position. The firing heard off the Maine today may have mu first engagement between German or English or the German and French ships. 7The British eru ers known to be in American waters are the Berwick, Essex and Lancaster The German crulsers are .he Dresden, Strassburg and Karlsruhe. The French cruisers are the Conde and Descartes. These vessels have been primarily concerned of late in attempts to in- tercept merchant vessels of the »ne- my, and several big liners, notably the Kronprinzessin Cecilie, which put into Bar Harbor, Me., yesterday af- ter abandoning her trip to Europe have had narrow escapes. Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 5.—The heavy firing off the Maine coast re- d from Portland today could not caused by a sea fight be- ign warships, it was stated it the navy yard here, The d they were absolutely certain that no foreign naval vessels e in the vicinity The IFrench steamer port today from Marseilles, N Palermo, reported that yesterdi. she overheard both German wd British cruisers talking with the wirelass sta- tion at Sayville, L. 1. The (ext of the messages was not obtainabie The Venezia steamed ten 208t of wve been Venezia, in ples and nidles (Continuéd on Tenth Page.) « KISHENEF Wilson Offers Good Offices To All Washington, Aug. 5.—President Wilson has offered his good offices to all the European powers involved in the war. The president has sent the follow- ing message to Emperor Willlam, Emperor Nichol: Emperor Francis Joseph, President Poincare and King George. “As official head of one of the pow- ers signatory to The Hague conven- tion I feel it to be my privilege and my duty under article three of that convention to say to you, in a spirit of most earnest friendship, that I should welcome an opportunity to act in the interest of European either now or any other time might be more suitable, as an occa- sion to serve you and all concerned in a way that would afford me lasting vause for gratitude and happiness. “WOODROW WILSON.” The proffer of good offices was forwarded by Secretary Bryan to the American embassies in the nations involved and through them transmitted to the governments. It was said at the White House that no intimations had been received that such an offer would be favorably received. President Wilson took the position that the Kuropean war was so stupendous and its effect on the entire world was lia- ble to be so 'asting, that the United States as one of the few large neu- tral powers could not do otherwise than at least offer to be the means for bringing about peace. The proffer of good offices was not sent to the governments of Ser- via and Montenegro, because those countries are not parties to The Hague convention. A hope that president’s offer might be accepted was prevalent in official circles, because it 18 not necessary for any of the warring powers to change the present military status if they accept it Article seven of The Hague convention provides: “The acceptance of mediation can- not, unless there be an agreement to the contrary, have the effect of in- terrupting, delaying, or hindering mobllization or other measures of preparation for war. “If it takes place safter the oom- mencement of hostilitles the military opérations In progress are not inter- rupted in he absence of an agree ment to thé contrary.” A bill appropriating $2,500.000 for which President Wilson in a special message, was brought into the house for under suspension of rule exclusion of all other Biinines contained autherity fol asked pass and It European Powe use of army and navy facilities chartering of ships. The house promptly passed 0,000 appropriation and wil a ‘ow minutes the senate also and it went to the White Another neutrality proclamation cluding Great Britain and G not included in yesterday's prono ment, was prepared for issue today, United States to Look After England’s Ini Washington, Aug. 5.—=Colville clay, charge d'affaires of the Brit embassy, asked that the Unl States take over British dipl interests in Berlin. Secretary instructed Ambassador Gerard to s0. Official notice that a state of exists between Great Britain Germany was communigated by charge on receipt of a telegram fro the British foreign office, Engl naval reserves will immediately ceed to England without furth tice, Washington, Aug. §.—A ments are being made to return $10,600,000 gold aboard the Kronprinzessin Cecilie at Bar to the consignor bankers in New ¥ by revenue cutters, The cutter Androscoggin was dered to Bar Harbor today to the Cecilie’s treasure to New Yol under an escort of naval vessels, Inflamed Russian Mob Destroys German E Washington, Aug. §5.—The G e¢mbassy in St, Petersburg has b destroyed by a mob, inflamed by report that the Russian embassy been attacked. One German e was killed. The state department does credit the report of an attack on Russian embassy in Berlin. Its formation comes from St Petershi in diplomatic dispatches, Sweden Mu_v_-;ldi In European War Washington, Aug 5. —Diplo despatches indicate Sweden will joi ireat Britain, France and Russia she finds herself unable to neutral.