The Holly chieftain., 1914-12-04
Germans Assert They Control
the Baltic, and Turks
Hold Black Sea.
SULTAN DECLARES HOLY war
Calls on All Faithful the World Over
to Slaughter British, French
and usslans-vietery
In Poland.
Summary Of Events.)

y -
The Russian navy is useless for
the present. This is the gist of
an official declaration made by
the German war office. The
Turkish navy dominates the Black
sea and the Sea of Azov, accord
ing to the declaration. A bonn
bardment of Odessa is feared and
Russian shipping companies have
removed their ships from these
bodies Of water. A blockade Of
the harbor of Libau places the
control of the Black sea in the
hands of the Germans, while the
freezing of the harbor of Arch
angel, in the White sea, sewers
Russian communication with the
outside world.
German Defeat In Poland.
Russia and Germany each claim .
great victory in Poland. The Russian
claim is supported. however, by re-
ports from neutral countries and from
that the Slavs have virtually crushed
one of Germany's finest armies in an
engagement staged between the Wis
tula and Warta rivers In Poland and
have taken about $4,000 prisoners.
When the full details Of the Russian
victory are known, declares Lord
Kitchener, commander-in-chief Of all
the British forces, they will furnish q
story that will astonish the world
describing q blow such as has not
been dealt since the days Of Napoleon.
Abandon Guns and Transport.
The Germans have begun a retreat
along the entire front, and In many
places the hight ID . disorderly rout,
marked by the abandonment Of artil-
lery. maxims and transports. Berlin
meanwhile Is beginning to talk about
repulsing Russian attacks, which is Q
subtle method of announcing that the
German troops are on the defensive.
The main Russian force Is exclu-
sively engaged against the Plock
group, whose front Is cut In halves.
Its right half is surrounded on all
sides and is vainly struggling as in an
iron wise and striving to break through
to the left wing at Lowicz, which in
turn is battling unsuccessfully.
A Second Battle Probable.
The same dispatches that tell Of
Won Hindenburg's reverses, however,
say that the German re-enforcements
uyoro ho{py a I,ro,,Obt IN on <Iok opothor
great battle is likely to develop on a
line nearer to the frontier of Posen,
where the Germans will have the
same chances Of renewing vigorous
offensive as had the Russians In the
present instance.
General Won Hindenburg has about
100000 men, but II the Petrograd re-
port can be accepted, they have been
separated, badly cut up and thousands
taken prisoner, 80 these German forces
will require reformation and rest.
Another Russian army is operating
along the border OF East Prussia, and
third one is pursuing a vigorous
campaign in northern Austria. It
was said by military experts that the
purpose Of the Austro.G German attack
and pursuit of the Russian center
was to draw of the second and third
armies from East Prussia and Galfcia.
British Warshlp Sunk.
The British warship Bulwark has
been blown up in the Medway river
off Sheerness by an explosion in her
magazines. Only twelve were saved
out of the crew of 700 or 800 aboard
the Bulwark. The explosion is be-
lieved to have been in an internal
magazine. Whether it was caused by
German agents or was an accident
such as might have occurred in times
OF peace, has not been determined.
British Lose Another Boat.
Striking a mine off Grimsby at the
mouth of the Humber river, near Hull,
the British collier Khartoum was
blown up, q report from the British
admiralty announces. The crew was
saved, but the Khartoum went to the
bottom.
To Help England.
A brief dispatch from Lisbon says
he Portuguese congress has decided
that Portugal. should cooperate with
the Allies. The minister Of war has
called for partial mobilization Of the
army. The treaty by which Portugal