GERMAN AGGRESSION HAS SET EUROPE ABLAZE WITH WAR
Great Britain, France, Russia, Belgium and Servia arrayed against Germany and Austria.
German Land forces making for France and invading Russia.
The only topic of conversion just now is the war and every available source of information is eagerly besieged for new. Telegram continue to pour in at intervals but for the most part these are mere guesses to the real state of affairs. The telegraph and telephone services of Europe are practically all in the hands of the various powers, and the censorship exercised is so strict that little information is allowed to leak out as to movements of the armies and navies involved in the conflict.
From the mass of contradictory material which is being passed around it is difficult to sift out much which bears the stamp of truth.
Sir Edward Grey
The ultimatum sent to Germany by the British government to respect the neutrality of Belgium expired at midnight Tuesday, and on Wednesday definite news was received that both Germany and England had declared war
In a statement made in the House of Commons Tuesday Premier Asquith stated that Sir Edward Grey had sent to the British Ambassador in Berlin a telegram informing him of the appeal of King Albert of Belgium for diplomacy intervention. He proceeded to state that Belgium has categorically refused to sanction the flagrant violation of the “Law of Nations” and announced that the German government had been asked to give satisfactory reply by midnight on the question of Belgium neutrality.
“The British government,” said Premier Asquith, “had requested that the neutrality of Belgium be respected by Germany and has asked an immediate reply. The German ministry has notified Belgium that as that country had declined the well-intended offer of Germany it is necessary to carry it out by the force of arms.”
Continuing, the Premier said that Germany had assured Belgium that it would compensate her for any damage that it might suffer by march of troops across Belgian territory.
Herbert Asquith
“The British government can not regard this as in any way satisfactory. We must protect Belgium’s neutrality to prevent what means to her a question of life or death, the advance of troops through Belgium” said the Premier.
Germany had declared war on Russia some days ago after an ultimatum regarding the latter’s intentions regarding her troops.
As soon as war between Great Britain and Germany was announced the flood of telegrams was suddenly stopped and only the most meagre reports are allowed to pass.
The intensest excitement prevails as to the whereabouts of the British fleet which sailed out under sealed orders and which has not been heard of since except in vague telegrams which throw very little light upon it. Reports were received earlier in the week of a great naval engagement in the North Sea in which seven German vessels were supposed to have sunk and two British.
Two German forces are converging from the east in the direction of the French capital. German troops crossed the frontier into France near the village of Cirey between Nancy and Straasburg and are reported repulsed with heavy loss.
Military observers believe the German plan is to attempt to vanquish France in the interval before Russia will be able to create serious trouble on her northern frontier. It is supposed complete Russian mobilisation will take three weeks.
A report at Liege, France, says that 20,000 German troops crossed the French frontier near Nancy and were repulsed with heavy loss.
There are 14,000,000 bushels of wheat in Canadian granaries and the crop that is being harvested is estimated at 175,000,000 bushels. The number of horses suitable for military work is not large. The Canadian contingent probably would use up the available supply.
* Transcript of article (Images added)
2nd CMR 