PPR Phd Sede bey ' 4 12 PAGES | Pret bt bret h YE AR 84: TNO. 48 A BIG GERMAN RETREAT | BEFORE THE BRITISH On the Ancre Front- - hey Abandon Serre and ttie Miraumonts---The British Will Soon Force the Eva pau British Headquarters in France, Feb. 25, via London, Feb, 26. --0On portion of the British front at] one least the war to-day became a war of | movement, Under cover of a fog] and mist, which have been particu-| larly heavy in the past forty-eight' hours, the Germans carried out the | grifitest retirement they have made| on the western front in the last two| years, and the British have swept in to possession of | Pys, Serre, Mirau i mont and Petit Miraumount, includ- ing the famous Butte de Warlencourt, which has been the scene of some of | the fiercest fighting of the war, and | in places is deep with the bones of | dead men. | The exact extent of the German re-| tirement is not known to-night, but | it is estimated that it approacies a| depth of three miles at some points. British patrols are out in all direc-| tions harrassing the Germans and! keeping in touch 'with * their move-| ments. Until they report it will not! be possible to say just where the Ger- mans have determined to fix their) next line of resistance, | Nevertheless it can be stated that] the British now, or soon, &ill be in| a position possibly to force the eva- cuation of Bapaume, wiiich has been the key to the German position since the 'beginning of the battle of the Somme. The points: which already have fallen into the British hands havé stood out in the history of the fighting on this front and had been most stubbornly defended. Only a week ago, when the British attacked on a two-mile front east and south of Miraumont and Pys, the German resistance was bitter and the high ground desired was won only after desperate hand-to-hand encounters taking of more. than 800 German prisoners. Germans Decide to Run. The British have been waitng for a clearing of the foggy weather be- fore pressing the advance, but mean- me it is apparent that the German igh command decided to retire with- out any further fighting to stronger positions prepared well to the rear. Friday night fires were obse rved in the German front line trenches. THey were only glimly visible ee the thick mist of the particularly black night, but It wis discovered that the flames issued from burning German dugouts, (Patrols sent forward re- ported the evacuation of the German outposts. Similar reports came from north of the Ancre and by nightfall yesterday the British had established them- selves ip Petit Mirauymont and ad- vanced allalong the line, meeting on- ly with sniping resistance here and there. To-day the British patrols pressed AA A A A MA AA AANA AN | to-day a big mine | before the | entered, | ground, | gung well to the ~straight northwest from l.e Sars to cuation of Ba- me. : forward keeping in'glose contact with & the Germans, who d retreated a further 2,000 yards duiag the night. , Thus the way- was opeded to the ground which for months had been contested, Kept Up Show of Resistance, There were bursts of stiff resis- tance from German obstructing par- ties which had been scattered in the rear of the retiring columns, Early* was exploded in main street of Miramount just British advanced patrols the It is evident now that the Germans | taking advantage of the last days of | the recent heavy frost and arg moved a great many rear, nn Ebel forward to keep up a «how of Fests: tance. This they had been valian doing for the past three or four Barly firing more rounds than any German | guns in recent months, The reason | for this is considered, as probably al desire to shoot up store of ammuni- tion which there was not time to re- | move, The foggy, misty weather was ideal for the beginning of the Ger- man retirement, as it completely. hid the purpose of the~movement from the prying eyes of the aeroplanes, which otherwise "would have daily searched out the German positions, Germans made prisoners yesterday and to-day said they had been left behind to walk about and fire their rifles and make as much noise as possible. They were delighted to be relieved from their thankless task. Raids Force Withdrawal. The dominant reason for the Ger- | man withdrawal, which was made apparently with little opposition, was the individually small but collective~ ly-large advances ihe British bave been making'on the Ancre this month, taking advantage of the hard- ened ground. The last of these nib- bling advances was recorded Friday, when a German outpost just south of Petit Miraumont was taken, By these small advances the Germans -have been squeezed out of their positions, which had been nearly ruined by the accompanying bombardments, The British line south of the Ancre has now been brought up almost even with We line "established by the Somme - offensiye major operations last Autimn and -.runs practically. Petit Miramont. A salient has been formed in the German line north of the Ancre from Baillescourt farm to Miraumont, Another raid was carried out by | the British east of Viersraat, Bel- glum, Here on a front of 500 yards | the British entered German trenches, inflicted heavy casualties on the oe- cupants, destroyed dugouts and other works, and took 45 prisoners, OFFICIAL WAR STATEMENTS : French. Paris, Feb. 25.---The official com- munication issued by the War Office Sunday night reads: «Our artillery was active in"the re. gion of Le Mort Homme. AOur shell- ing was attended with good results. Intermittent artillery actions occur- red at various points along the front in Lorraine and the Vosges. Quiet prevailed everywhere else." Sunday afternoon's statement read: "Last night our reconnoitring parties made two successful surprise attacks on German posts, in the for- est of Apremont and north of Badon- viller., There was intermittent can- nondding on the remainder of the front, : "One of our aerial squadrons ef-| fectively bombarded the railroad stations at Grand Prea and Romagne- Sous-Montfaucon." "The usual ~eannonade occurred 3 - = whe CONTENTS Retreat Before Bri- 1 ; Tn Re Brunswick Goes : 'Britain Strips for Viatory: = Sinking | Yoland 2-30 Got Two Months; Locale by the Whig: Will Voice Be ne Toa The de of Ques iEditerial Notes: Random ~ » by along the whole front," says the official communication issued by the War Office Saturday. 'Except for two fruitless attempts by the enemy against our trenches at Violn (Al- sace), there was no infantry action." Petrograd, Feb. 25.--Sunday's offi- cial statement read: . "Western front--In the Semenki- Leshchaniaty, sector, south of Vich- nevskoi Lake, the enemy liberated a gas dloud which, after reaching our trenches, was driven back to his trenches by a change in the wind. "Rumanian froni--Reeiproeal, fir- ing is taking place. "Caucasian front -- Turks in strength of about a company attempt- ed 5 attack one of our outposts south of Petra Kale, south-west of Ellau, but ge attempt was frustrat- ed by our fire. "Aviation--In the region south- of Baramovichi an ememy aero- and machine gun fire turned over ny's line." italian. ~ 8 Liberal Conserva- oie island Needs Canadian CE PN: forced to Act, hor ro Sitiary Theatrical 8-Totter 1 from' Chaplain Brom- wich; to Cat Railway, 10---Roxatie's Condession: Menus. 3-Puahion Ilastrated; Coun- Naws: er. Pontebana Valley, but was repulsed everywhere. "The Weather was favorable for 13-in the World of Sport. ; plage which was subjected to rifle; Th several times and fell into the ene- : British MON DAY, FEBRU UARY 26, C1917. pan ST EDITION i T oKhiva Turkistan NEW BRUNSWICK There Was a Regular Landslide Down There on on Saturdy. TORY GOVERNMENT FALLS AND THREE MID WITH IT. The Liberals Will Likely Have a Ma- Jority of Six--The Last Legislature Was Almost All Conservative. St. John, N. B., Fen. 26.--There was a political landslide in New Brunswick on Saturday, when Pre- mier Murray's Conservative Govern- ment met defeat in the general elec- tions. The Government now has 21 seas and the Opposition 23, with four seals to be filled by the delayed elections in Gloucester to-day. Chances for four Glotcester seats favor the Opposition, indicating a majority of six for the new Liberal Government. Three Ministers were defeated. W. E. Foster, Opposition | leader, was beaten in St. John Coun- ty. In the last Legislature the Liberals d three members and the Indepen- dents two,'out of a total membership of 48. Zz The members elected are: Conservatives. King's County -- Murray, Jones, Dickson. St. John County-- Baxter, Carson. Charlotte--Taylor, Grimmer, Gup- till, 8 Alpe Smith, Peck. York--Pinder, Hunter, Crocket, Young. -------- Liberals, Westmoreland--Dr. E. A. Smith, Fred Magee, Hon. F. J. Sweeney, C. F. Leger. Moncton City--Hon. C. W, son. Madawaska--L, A. Dugal and J. E. Michaud. Queen's--G. H. King and Dr. J. E. Hetherington. Sunbury--D. Mersereau, R. Smith. Victoria--J. Burgess, J. F. Tweed- Robin- ale. Restigouche---A. J. Leblanc, W. Currie. « Northumberland--Hon. J. P. Bure-| hill, Dr. McGrath, R. Murray, D. Al- lain. Kent--P. Melanson, A. A. Dysart, A. Zbordage. LL "WIN-THE-WAR"" LOAN. (Special toghe Whig.) London, Feb. 26.--England's "win-the-war'" loan subserip- tions totalled £1.,312,950,000 (approximately $7,500,000,000) of new money Chancellor Bonar Law announced in the House of 4 Commons to-day. Shep bpbade sessssssesrs Hy CUNARD SS. LACONIA HAS BEEN The Biggest Victim of the Ger- man Submarine Warfare So Far. (Special to the Wh London, Feb, 26.--The TY ,099 ton Ounard Laconia.fell a.victim: to-day to the German \submarine warfare, ff the Irish coast. te from A Rome, Feb. 35eBaturdays War ahoard Office report read: Another steamer rescued 270 "The artill They the Astice a the head o! torrents and in area ast of Gori- Life Was Lost. zia. BS | New York, Feb. 6.--aA cable mes: our positiohs on , on; to the Cunard line this after. the Asiago platesu. in 1 Grande Boon told of the sinking of the La- Valley, on the But and in the conia and said one life was lost. A fiers Top a GOES LIBERAL STERS GO hows) | ' BREMEN LOST IN ATLANTIC STORM Foundered on rst Voyage, According to German In- formants. Copenhagen, Scandinavian Feb. 26.-- While newspapers are print- ing. a report that the German sub- | marine Bremen has not been lost, | but is being used as a supply ship |e Sermany! s blockade, informatiba, @ has been in possession of the ue Press .in. Berlin for oaths is thay the submarine actual- t down"on her first voyage to | the" United States. The submarine was not captured | by a British patrol boat, ag was ru- mored in the United States, but went down in the great storms which were prevailing in the North Atlantic, ac- cording to this information, The date and the circumstances of the departure of the submarine for the United States were well known in Berlin at the time, and there was ill-concealed anxiety on the part of the owners of the under-water mer- chantman for news of her arrival, as the craft became increasingly overdue at New London, Conn, When a published report of the arrival of the Bremen in Long Island nd prove d without . foundation, DiTector Phillip Heineken of the company owning the Bremen, told the Associated Presg that he regard- ed her as lost, and said the craft probably foundered in the prevailing gales, To Protect' Commerce, Prop- erty and Lives of U. 8. Citizens. Washington, Feb. 26.--A resolu- tion authorzing the President to use' the armed forces of the United Stats to protest the commerce, property, and lives of the citizens of the United S¢ates was introduced Saturday in the Senate by Senator Fall (Republi- can). Senator Fall's resolution was offer- ed by unanimous consent after a bit- ter two-hour debate on the inter- national situation, in which Republi- cans disclaimed any desire to wip. hold support from the President in handling the situation. The authority to be extended by the resolution is along the general line of that which, as has been un- derstood . President Wilson would request from Congress some time next week. Senator Fall's action took Administration . Senators com- pletely by surprise. PROHIBITION REFERENDUM, Washington Will Have Chance to De- clare for Law. Washington, Feb. 26.--The House Distriet of Columbia Committee Sat- urday agreed to substitute the Gould Bill, which embodies 'bone-dry" pro- hibition, but requires a popular ref- erendum on the subject in place of the Senate bill for prohibition in the National eapital. The committee ad- journed to meet to-day, under in- structions to the chairman to report the Gould bill as substitute to-the House by noon on Tuesday. Five ships in all steamed into New York harbor Saturday. having|® passed safely through the submarine danger zone. i Kut-El-Amara Captured By the British (Special to the Whig.) London, Feb. 26.--Kut- el-Amara in Mesopotamia has been recaptured by WAR IN ITS LAST STAGE ED FORCE] °%, {should be able to solve the problem." BRITAIN STRIPS FOR | VICTORY And Wil Now Carry on the War 10 the Bitter End. 7 . SUPREME TEST OF EMPIRE'S POWER. 'WITH THE New York Comments Upon the Dif- ference Between British and Ger- man Ruthlessness-- Britain With Lloyd George... New "York, Feb. 26.--The news- papers here, commenting on the speech of Premier Lloyd George in the House of Commons, view his programme as another indication that Great Britain has stripped to bring the war to a successful con- clusion. "It is a test of the nation's grit," says the New York Tribune, "nor is there any reason to doubt that the nation is with him." Discussing the prime minister's suggestions, the New York World says: "Great Britain will feed on no il- lusions. If his economies are carried out--and if they were not to be they would not have been announced-- Great Britain will at lasg have strip- ped with grim Germanic thorough- ness for a war which is to go on to the bitter end." The Sun believes "the war has entered on the last stage" with the supreme test of the empire's war power. The Times, commenting gn the fact that Lloyd George proposes to deal "ruthlessly and promptly' with the tonnage problem, says: . "The British ruthlessness is of a different kind from the German; ft slarslters no innocents, and breaks no commandments, but in its own fa. n it is just as vigorously ap- plied; not to neutrals, but to the men and women of Great Britain, It is almost amusing to-look' back and reflect that this is the nation which Germany imagined could be scared into begging for peace by a few Zep- pelin raids and the bombardment of fishing villages and summer resorts." War Tidings. J The German Socialists have decid- to support the new German war German Government leaders in the Reichstag Saturday again afirm- ed their decision to use the subma- rine to the utmost limit to win the war. The Steamer Ortega, reported by the Germans as sunk, has turned up safe at Liverpool. Americans have been warned by unknown persons, not to sail from Madrid on the same ship as Gerard, as the Germans will sink it. Italian aviators dropped bombs on the Austrian naval base of Pola, the Austrian emperor narrowly escaping. Eleven vessels were sunk during the week-end, including five British. The German Admiralty announces that the Italian transport Minas, car- rying 1,000 soldiers to Salonika was sunk and that all on board except two' men perished. The sinking: of the Minas was announced officially in Paris last Wednesday. "The date of her sinking was given as February 16th... LARGE ACREAGE TO SEED. Sir Wm. McKenzie Says West Has Got Good Prospects. 'Winnipeg, Feb. 26.--Returning from a trip to the Pacific coast, Sir William McKenzie spent an hour in the city yesterday on his way to To- ronto. As a result of his obsefva- tions and enquiries regarding busi- ness conditions and prospects in the west. - Sir William was in the most cheerful frame of mind and express- ed himself optimistically on the out: look for this year. "There is one satisfactory feature of the situation and that is the large amount of fall plowing that was done last year, more, I am informed, than was done in any previous sea- son in the west. Thus there will be a large acreage ready for seed. "With the approach of the seeding time there is uneasiness with respect to the question of labor. I have no doubt that the situation will be satis- factory met. 'Those who are organ- izing manpower of cities and towns » Speaking of business conditions, Was Sir Williani said the high prices of last year for wheat and big yields had placed the prairie provinces in an. excellent financial condition. Business was good. trom For Workers. 'Berlin, . 26.--Employes of Krupps who this y completed the British forces. : Chancellor of Exchequ- er Andrew Bonar Law made the announcement this afternoon in the House of Commons. He said the was in full ie ene le { | | | wouLp INDICT BIG POTATO DEALERS he New Brunswick Exchange Is Holding Large Quantities. Ottawa, Feb. 26. "26. --The = of New Brunswick potato ex- change have been attracting a good | deal of attention at Ottawa, It is | understood that this ly responsible for the high prices of potatoes, and that large quantities are still being held for further in- Hon. B. F. New Brunswick Cabinet, O'Connor, the high cost commissioner, has applied to the at ings against not only but the members individually. Mr. Smith will therefore be indicted also. The price of potatoes in Canada has been running more the price n the United Kin though the difficulties and cost of im- portation there has heen The imperial government the price at $1.17 a bag, tawa to-day the price is $3.5 upwards wholesale, |8IX BIG LINERS | TO PEFY U-BOATS 3 Hope to Outspeed the Pirates --Aquitania 'and Others to Be Utilized. New York, Feb. to smash the blockade by the use of six biggest and fastest liners now afloat as freighters between New York and Liverpool is planned by according to reports in circles here. The report is said to have been! brought over by officers recently ar- riving from Europe. The fast, erful vessels are counted on to be able to elude the submarines, but will also be well armed for combat should submersibles be encountered. The ships named are the Cunard liner Aquitania, White Star liner Olympic, French liner France, land-Ameriak liner Statendam, has fixed 26 shipping Car- gian liner Belgenland. GERMANY'S BACHELORS ARE HEAVILY TAXED Men With Families Will Thus Be Relieved of the Burden. § - London, Feb, 26.--Dr. August Von Lentze, Prussian minister of finance, has announced a new heavy tax on bachelors, according to a Berlin tele- gram transmitted by the Exchange Telegraph Company's Copenhagen correspondent. Families with chil- dren, on the other hand, the an- nouncement states, will be relieved of a part of the burden of ordinary taxation, according to the number of their children . Pr---- "TEST SHIP" REACHES FRANCE. Rochester is Expected to Dock at Bordeaux To-night. Bordeaux, Feb. 26.--The American | J / evening, having safely through the barred zone. Brazillian Steamers Safe. Havre, France, Feb. 26.--The Bra-| zilian steamers Toguary and Tebagy | arrived here Saturday, having passe d | through the German submarine zone | undamaged. CASEMENT ESTATE SMAY.L: Had Only £135, Which He Left to a Cousin. London, Feb. 26.--The will of} Roger Casement, the former British! knight and consul, who as hanged in Pentonville. prison August 3rd| 'ing to .cause the Dublin revolt last] Easter, was probated Saturday. disposed of his estate of £135 sterl- ing (less than $675), which he left to his cousin, Mrs. Parry. Tortwre for Condémned, Ibany, N.Y., Feb 28.--Amazed at the legal tortures to which con- viets condemned to death.in Sing Sing are subjected, members of the Legislature will declare that if necessary the statutes be changed to ease the final days of murderers in the death house. The consensus was that, while there should be no maudlin sympathy for persons who are sentenced to pay the penalty for murder, there should be no infliction of added punishment, such as soli- tary confinement within sight of the "little door" under any and all con- ditions. Most of the lawmakers were astonished to learn that an inmate of the condemned tier must remain in his cell even if he is dying. -- Food Parade in New York. New York, Feb. 26. --Carrying banners calling for more and cheap- er food and with potatoes, onions vegetables Madison Sq lice stopped all traffic on avenue between 23rd and 25th, and the parade ended in a score of groups which were addressed in Yiddish and Italian and by many Socialist speak- ers. ' 8irc. Robert Borden, Premier of exchange, | !'which constitutes a combine is large-| torney-general of New Brunswick for leave to institutg, criminal proceed-| the exchange. than double tom, al- so great. | but in Ot-| 0 and] --Af attempt | German submarine | of the| England, | pow-| Hol- | nard liner Mauretania, and the Bel- 'steamer Rochester docked here last] passed | last, after his conviction of conspir- | It} uso ANGRY ~ OVER SINKING et operations | Of Seve Ditch Sigs. marines Last SITUATION MOST ACUTE creases. One of the members of the New Brunswick potato exchange is| ¢ Smith, a member of the SOME OF THE SHIPS. CHARTER- and W. F.| of living | ED BY DUTCH GOVERNMENT. Only Three Were Sunk, While Four Were Severely Damaged--Ger- many Must Make Reparation Speedily. Washington, Feb. 26.--The du- struction of Dutch shipping during {the last few days is regarded here as | the most acute phase-of the interna- tional situation. . It is regarded even as bringing nearer the probability of a break in | diplomatic relations between | | Netherlands and Germany. {Holland has only made against destruction of her neutral { ships by German submarines, but the startling operations reported Sat- | urday are expected to arouse a wave j of popular indignation in the Nether- { lands, which that Government may find difficult to withstand even should it desire to do so. The situation for Holland in rela- the So far protests | tion to Germany, as it is observed from Washington, is growing more and more difficult. ° Officials and diplomats will be surprised it {| Government does not take some | tion. the ac- Only Three Were Sunk. London, Fab. 26.--Early Satur- day it was announced that seven Dutch steamers with over 33,000 had been sunk. In the j evening, however, brought the good news that of the seven Dutch steam- [ers torpedoed, only three were sunk, while the four others were severely damaged, but remained afloat. Those sunk were the Gaasterland, Jacatra, and the Noorderdijk. Must Be Reparation. . London, Feb. 26.---Aecording to an Exchange Telegraph despatch from The Hague, the attack on the Dutch freighters, some of which had been chartered by the Dutch Gov- ernment, produced widespread in- dignation in Holland. The Amster- dam Boerse became very weak on receipt of the news. The opinion is expressed, the despatch says, that reparation 'must be obtained speedi- ly. y thei, Due to German Plotting, (Special to the Whig.) Tokio, Feb, 26.--The British steamers Perseus, 6,728 tons, and Worchestershire, 7,176 tons, have been sunk off Colombo. No details have so'fag been received, but it was reported there were explosions aboard both vessels 'due to German plotting. The Perseus was reported sunk | from London on February 23rd and the 'Worcestershire on February 19th. It was then assumed they fell victims to the German submarine | warfare in the barred zone. | Colombo is the principal seaport | town of Ceylon, an English possess- fon. PENALTY OF OF $1,000 | Upon Any Corporation Which Dis- { obeys Railway Board. i (#pectil to the Whig.) { Toronto, Feb. 26.---Attorney-Gene- ny ral Lucas will introduce in the Legis- {lature this afternoon a bill to pro- |v ide a penalty of one thousand dollars day upon any corporation or muni- | cipality which fails to obey any or- {der made by the Ontario Railway { Board. It is said there have been many such cases of disobedience Jate- ly. DAILY MEMORANDUM City Council, § pm. Bee top of pages, right hand corner, for tor prada Mf BORN, HARKNESS On the 24th Feb, 1017, at 62 Colborne street, to Mr. and Mrs. John Harkness, a daughter. FLEMING--At Kingston, Ont, on Feb, 126ch, 1817, to Mr. and Mrs. George B. Fleming (nee Minnie Murphy), a daughter. DIED. BOYDEN--At-Wolfe Toland, Feb. 25th, - 4917; 'Harriet BEilzabeth Dean, be- Joved wife of Samuel den, aged ' - 84 years Funeral took place today. RUPTAN-At oh Sunday, Feb, rest, 25th, 1917, Mary Isabella Hart, aged years and three months, younger ghter of the late ge Hart, and beloved wife of Henry MM. Panes private Service at #t. Paul's church at 2,30 on Tuesday, Febru- ary 27th. No flowers, JAMES REID The Old Firm of Undertakers. 254 na 1 256 PRINCESS STREET Phone 147 for Ambulance. eB " Fa as £ND TEE often as we think we do, a tonnage of if