St. John's Daily Star, 1917-10-19

              The St. John's Daily Star Newfoundland VOLUME 111. ($3.00 per Annum) FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1917. (Price: One Cent) No. 240. RUSSIAN FLEET BOTTLED UP BY GERMAN SQUADRON. Austrian Sailors Resent Hun Treatment and Fierce Fight Ensues BOMBARDED OUR POSITIONS Hostile Infantry Vigorously Shell British Positions East of Ypres —British Batteries reply With Telling: EffectIONDON, Oct. 19.—An official report issued this evening says: During the day hostile infantry shelled vigorously various localities in our forward battery positions east of Ypfes. This afternoon our positions southwest of Poelcapelle were heavily bombarded. Our own artillery continues its successful counter-battery work. Concentrated fire has been directed with good effect upon a number of targets. Our patrols on the battle fronts have brought in a few prisoners, but there has been no further infarrtry action. On the remainder of the front there is nothing to report. On Wednesday the fine weather produced great aerial activity, the visibility was excellent and enabled our machines to do a great deal of successful artillery work and photography. Ninety-eight bombs were dropped by our airplanes during trfe day on enemy billets and hutments. Strong west winds and the clear atmosphere were ideal for the enemy's artillery reconnaissance and fighting machines, which were active and very aggressive in the forenoon. Several flights were made at' high altitudes over our lines, with the result that, of enemy machines brought down by our airplanes, three fell in our territory. In all, eleven German machines were brought down by us, including one shot down by anti-aircraft gun fire. Four others were driven down out of control. Three of ours are missing. K. OF C. WILL AID CATHOLIC BOYS IN CAMPS AMD TRENCHES What the Y. M. C. A. is going to do for the Protestaat boys and the Y. M. H. A. for the Jewish boys in Uncle Sen's armies, the Knights ef Columbus are going to do for the Catholic soldiers, who are aboat 34 per caat of the nation's American armed forces. f Waller N. Kernan has Just been name das the Kofekis of Columbus commissioner with the American Orereeas Army and is now on his way to Paris where he will establish his aersMUMat headquarters.V&VLTER. H.KEJU*AK Russian Fleet Bottled Up In Moon Sound By Germans Germans Have Cordon of Craft Around Russian Fleet—Sank One Cruiser GERMAN SAILORS REFUSE SUB. DUTY. AUSTRIANS AND HUNS ON BAD TERMS Insole ?e of German Sailors Rouse Enmity of Aus trians to Fighting Pitch. APPARENTLY contingents of the Russian fleet, in all about twenty warships of various classes, are bottled up in Moon Sound with a cordon of German war craft barring their egress northward back into the Gulf of Finland or to the south into the Gulf of Riga. Brave, but outclassed, by reason of superior gun range and heavier tonnage, the Russians wave battle to the Germans and attempted to force back the enemy armada off Oesel Island. Standing far outside the shell zone of the Russians, however, German dreadnoughts sank the battleship Slava, a relic of days before the Russo-Japanese war, and so badly damaged other units that the Russian flotilla was forced to seek refuge in Moon Sound, lying between Moon Island and Esthonia coast. Immediately seeing their advantage, the Germans, according to the latest German official statement, began intensive operations against Moon Island, hammering its eastern shore batteries till they were silenced and also attacking Russian guns on the mainland, putting them out of action. Moon Island was captured and the Russians took refuge inside Moon Sound. Thereupon the Germans threw their warships to the eastern part of Kassar Bay, lying to the north of Moon Island, barring the exit from the northern entrance to Moon Sound, and also rushed contingents to the south of Moon Island, apparently closing the passage to the south into the Gulf of Riga. Already the Germans have attempted to attack from the north into Moon Sound, bat the Russian guns have held them back successfully. Among the German warships attacking the old line vessels of.the Russian fleet were at least two dreadnoughts of the Grosser Kurfuerst type of vessel, displacing 25,000 tons, as against 13,--518 tons for the Slava. A majority of the crew of the Salava was saved by Russian torpedo boats when the vessel took its final plunge. With the advantage of the German naval forces over the Russians, however, comes news of fresh disaffection in the German fleet, also of mutiny in the Austrian fleet in the Adriatic; also of bitter feeling between German and Austrian seamen in the Adriatic. German sailors at Ostend are reported to have declined to go aboard submarines for duty, and have thrown overboard one of their officers. In the Adriatic the Austrian seamen have mutineed owing to ill-treatment by their officers and bad food served to them. Bitterness of feeling between German and Austrians at the naval base in the Adriatic resulted in a fight in which men on both sides were killed. The trouble was due to the overbearing conduct of German seamen who were attached to the submarine flotilla, and it was necessary, as a result of bad blood, to change the German base in the Adriatic to a point further south. On the land there have been no battles of noteworthy importance. In Belgium the British and French guns are still hammering the German lines in front of them, but there has been no indication, either officially or unofficially, of when renewed infantry attacks may be expected. French troops on the southern portion of the line have repulsed strong German attacks in the Verdun sector, near Besonyaux, also along the Aisne front on Vauclerc plateau. At other fronts only reconnoitering engagements and bombardments are reported. Intensive air fighting took place Wednesday between the French and Germans. Eleven German airplanes were driven down by French aviators, making a total of 36 destroyed up to that time this week. GERMAN SOCIALISTS FAVOR WAR VOTE German Socialists Will Vote for War Credit If Peace Demands Are Adopted. Amsterdam, Oct. 19.—After the Socialist conference at Wurzburg had adopted a resolution rejecting the motion to bind the party to vote against ,the war credits in the Reichstag, Herr IHoch, a member of the Reichstag, declared on behalf of the Independent Socialists, that they were in favor of the country's defense and would only refuse to vote for credits as long as the Imperial Government failed to promise the adoption of peace demands of social democrats and to make changes in the constitution. Herr Roch added, that the patience and strength of the people in all countries were coming to an end, and that the Government ought to understand that unless peace came within a few weeks, revolutionary convulsions would arise from the masses. Not Present at Opening. Paris, Oct. 19.—Neither Premier Painleve nor Foreign Minister Ribot was present when the Chamber of Deputies opened today.. The President of the chamber, M. JDeschanel, announced he had received demands for interpellation by M. Riboyre, on the Governments general policy. After an agitated discussion, the debate was postponed until tomorrow* CONSPIRACY TRIAL REVEALS MANY PLOTS Reveals Plot to Murder English Explorer and Assume Disguise for Seditious Purposes. £HICAGO, Oct. Fred A. Cook and crew of nineteen sailors, were among those marked for assassination by the leaders directing the alleged plot to foment a revolution in India, to embarrass Great Britain during the war, according to testimony given by Sukupar Chatterji, a Hindu Priest ,in Judge Landis' court yesterday, at a session of the trial of Gustav H. Jacobsen, Chicago Real Estate dealer, and his three confederates, charged with conspiracy. Wholesale murder and kidnapping of numerous persons was part of the programme outlined, the witness testified.This part of the plot, Chatterji said, was revealed to him in Manilla by George Paul Boehm, one of the defendants. Boehm said that he had planned to kill Captain Cook and his crew, who were to make an expedition in the vicinity of the Himlaya Mountains, said witness. Boehm was to assume the name of Captain Cook, and the other men. Our party were to assume names of other sailors who were to be killed. I protested. It was Boehm's plan to go through India under the guise of an explorer, and foment revolt among the natives against England. ■ » ■  PREPARES SHELTERS King and Queen Visit Poor Quarters and Inspect Shelters. London, Oct. 19.—King George and Queen Mary, accompanied by Princess Mary and Prince AlbeTt, today toured the east of London to inspect the air raid shelters, where thousands of poor families live. The royal party went through many buildings, including warehouses and factories, and also several tunnels. With the approach of the "Hunter's Moon," which is expected to be at its brightest next Tuesday, London is preparing so as not to be caught napping by German air raiders. TRYING to forestall Allied Blows, th e Germans have delivered two h«£ivy infantry attacks, one (1) against Haig's positions east of Ypres, and the other, (2) against the French lin es. Both broke down under gun fire. TOLD BROTHER TO CARRY ON Dying Newfoundland Bey's Last Words Were British Battle Slogan. ATLANTIC PORT, Oct. 11.— The story of two brothers who were fighting side by side, one of whom was shot, and whose dying words were a cry to his brother to "Carry on," was learned late today when a British steamship arrived here from a Canadian port. The actors were Lieutenant Ralph Herder and his brother, Hubert, sons of the editor of the St. John's (Nfld.) Telegram. Both enlisted as privates in the First Newfoundland contingent when the war broke out. They went first to Gallipoli, but soon were transferred to the British front in France. One day, about a year ago, the order came to "go over the top." The two brothers, side by side, were foremost in the charge. A bullet, however, caught one of them. Ralph, the survivor, stopped to care for him, heedless of the rain of shot around him, but Hubert was beyond need of care. The only words from the dying boy's lips was the battle cry of the British troops—"Carry on!" Ralph did, and took full vengeance for his brother's death. Another Newfoundland soldier on board was Major George Carty, who saw service in Gallipoli and on the western front. Moon Island Captured. Berlin, Oct. 19.—An official statement from general headquarters this evening says: In Flanders the artillery duel was less intense, while northeast of Soissonse it was very intense. jMoon Island has been captured as a result of a combined land and sea attack.ECONOMIC CONDITION OF ITALY, SERIOUS Depending Upon Outride Supplies of Coal and Other Necessities, Her Situation Is Serious. »  WASHINGTON, Oct. 16.—Further details of Italy's serious economic situation while her soldiers are pressing the Austrians at the front, reached here today in official despatches. Producing no coal within her own territory, Italy depends for many of her other supplies upon the outside world, which now virtually means the United States. Britain requires all her ships for her own purposes. The situation is so grave that there is almost no coal for private consumption and few furnaces will be lighted this winter in either Italian hotels or private houses. Even military operations are hindered. Italy already has accomplished a great deal by limiting the consumption of all kinds of supplies, reorganizing the imports of foodstuffs, distribution, fixing minimum lines of prices and introducing a system of rationing for the population in many cities. ■ •  It is hoped that Mrs. Hawvremale's health will improve as the result of the trip, which will last abo»t six weeks. POLICY OF UNION GOVT. Political Opponents Sink All Differences and Form National Govern ment In Canada For Better Prosecution Of The War QTTAWA, Oct. 19.—After consulting with his colleagues, the Prime Minister issued a statement with regard to the formation and personnel of the new Government, and with respect to its policy so far as there has been an opportunity to cosider it. The present Union or National Government has been formed with the desire to give representation to ail elements of the population who support the purpose and effort of Canada in this war. Representative men of the political parties are included in its personnel, and it is intended forthwith to give to labor a special representative upon the principle already followed with regard to agriculture. Impressed by the urgent necessity of putting aside all minor considerations, of sinking ail parly differences and representing a united front at this solemn and momentous juncture in the nation's history, the members of the Government have come together in the duty of service to national interest. The lines of policy which will be followed, chiefly relate -to the prosecution of the war and to the consideration and solution of problems which will arise during its progress of which will supervene on the conclusion of peace. LADIES' FURS A Sample Lot in MUFFS COLLARS NECKLETS STOLES WHICH WE OFFER AT prices HARD TO BEAT AH of the Very Latjbst SHAPES & STYLES And Quite A Variety to Select From. SEE IthEM. BOWRING BROS., LIMITED. 1 CLOSE OUT SALE, j CVERY WOMAN'S PTORE OFFERS TODAY ' Ladies' $10 Coats | for $5.50. i Children's Coats, 1 One Third Off / | Regular prices. I Ladies' $31.0 c/ I Black SlljK Coats I /or $25*00. I New York's Latest. | $2.3«AINE BLOUSES, C4## woo/;, I /or $1.50. I STRICTLY CASH. NO APPROBATION. 1