The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-05

BOOM OF GUNS
Heavy Firing Heard on the
Coast of Maine.
German Cable Limo Is Cut East
Of the Azores.
wlRsHIPs LOWERING NEAR
Three German, Three British
and Two French Cruisers.
Firing Believed to Indicate
There Has Been . Fight.



within two minutes were heard short
ly before z o'clock by the keeper OF
Portland observatory. Tho sound
seemed to come from a point rs - 30
miles south-southeast Of Portland and
probably in the vicinity OF sesuin
island.
The shots also were heard. at the
harbor forts and at points between
here and Bath.
sesuin IL & small. island on the
mouth of the Kennebeo river. q Few
miles below 1'ath. :,
The reported firing was not heard
by the life savers at either Cape Eliza
Popham Beach. which is near Seguin
Island, the life savers were certain
they would have heard the guns II
there had been a naval engagement OH
Seguin. .u.,,.
Bath or Booth Bay Harbor, but in this
city the reports continued to come In
from all sources that there had been
heavy firing.
ceived at least 200 Inquiries about it
during the early forenoon.
Heard Them Talking.
New York, Aug. 5.-The French
steamer Venezia. in port today from
Marseilles. Naples. and Palermo. re,
ported that yesterday she overheard
both German and British cruisers talk
ing with the wireless station at Say
vile, Long Island. The text of the
messages was not obtainable.
The Venezia steamed ten miles
south of her usual course in order to
avoid capture by any German war
ships. Her operator was warned not
to send any wireless messages.
The Uranium line steamer Uranium
Naval Officers Doubtful.
Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 5.-The
heavy firing off the Maine coast, re-
ported from Portland today. could not
have been caused by a sea fight be-
by officers at the navy yard here. The
officers say they were absolutely GER
tain that no foreign naval vessels were
in the vicinity.
Gables Are Gut.
New York. Aug. 5.-Direct cable
communication with Germany was
stopped today. st.
The German-Atlantic cable lines
from New York to .Emden, via the
Azores, were cut about $50 q. m. at
some point east Of the Azores. possibly
by British warships. The Commercial
American end Of this line, made the
announcement of the cutting today.
and refused to accept messages for
Germany. 1t vas denied that the
lines had been cut by British war
ships on this side Of the Atlantic. The
cable was working, according to the
announcement, as far a. the Azores.
Charles p. Adams, second vice pres.
tdent Of the Postal Cable COM
pany. said ,lere was no trouble with
the regular Commercial Cable COM
pany's lines, which run from New
York to Nova Scotia and thence to
points on the English coast. Com
munication with England over these
lines was still being maintained. No
hopc was held out, however, for any
immediate restoration Of communities
ton with Germany over the direct
lines.
Germany Is Isolated.
The cutting of the German cable
between Emden and the Azores vir-
tually completes the isolation of Ger
many from communication with the
outside world, except insofar as mes
All direct communication with the
United States IL severed. Hereafter
all news of happenings in Germany
will have to filter through hostile
on the west, and England on the
north.
All the submarine lines in the Med
iterranean sea belong to the Eastern
Telegraph company, q British concern,
and any German news that did make
it's way to southeastern Europe
through Austria-Hungary. would not
be transmitted over the lines OF this
company.
News Of the cutting Of the German
lines between Germany and England
may be expected at any moment. Al
ready these lines are in the hands Of
authorities. where they land ON Brit
isn tsrritSry The only other possible
to the east, but on this side she is
hemmed in by Russia, with whom she
il at war. The land lines from Ger
many in every direction except to Aus
t sexsrs1 already have been
Any cable communication from Ger
many to the north. to Norway and
Sweden, which may still be in opera
the reason that news transmitted tc
reach the outside world, would have
to be relayed to England.
The Last Message.
The last direct Berlin message re-.
ceived by the Associated Press wal
between IL ana 1 o'clock last night
1t was the ofiicial account Of the Brit.
ish ambassadors formal announce.
ment to the German foreign office o.
tho declaration of war and the am
bassador's request for his passports
Up>to this time direct communication
over the line that was severed TO-DAY
had been constant and quick although
subject. Of course. to censorship a
Berlin.
The Atlantic Communication com
pany. q German wireless organization
ha9 q high-power station ut Sayville
Long Island, N. T. This station ha,
at times communicated successful,
with Nauen. near Berlin. The com
pany announced Sunday that it wa
closed for all private business, having
been turned over to the German gov
ernnspt.
WaFships Arc Near.
New York, Aug. Slight cruisers
three German. three British and tyr
French-are lowering somewhere Of
thu enact ROr dava i0coyntu~ efon ~