Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-26
English Officer Refuses Any
Terms, Demanding Capitu-
Iation Internationally.
DESPITE CASUALTIES
RECRUITING INCREASES
British Commander in France Re-
ports Troops in Excellent Spirits.
Asquith Talks in Commons.


| Premier Asquith, in the house Of COM
| mons this afternoon. read communica-
ton from the commander-in-chief of the
forces in British West Africa saying that
the authorities Of Togoland, the German
| colonial possession on the west coast Of
Africa. had offered to capitulate OF
terms. In reply the British officer sale
that the capitulation must be uncondi-
tional.
The report from British West Africa
read by the premier is as follows:
1.-THE German telegraph installation at
Carrima has been destroyed by the en-
envy, and they sent Tuesday afternoon a
flag Of truce offering. If given all the
honors of war, to capitulate and stipu-
lating specific terms. 1 replied that
they were not in a position to ask terms !;
that they must surrender Internationally.
Il told them that we would always
respect private property and that there
would be as little interference as pos.
sible with the trade of the country and
private interests and firms. I advanced
and occupied the crossing of the river
Anu. The German answer is expected
tonight
Recruits Flock to Colors.
Owing to the difficulty of compiling a
correct list along such an extended front,
no details of the British casualties,
which Premier Asquith estimated yester-
day at 1900. yet have been received.
This delay is increasing the distress OF
anxious relatives of men at the front.
The announcement of losses, however,
only seems to have intensified British
determination, judging from the extra
al hy 4.
ing officers today. This tenacity Of
purpose was further evidenced by Pre-
mier Asquith in the house of commons
this afternoon in making the announce
George to convey to the King Of the
Belgians the admiration with which
Great Britain regarded the heroic re-
sistance of his army and people to the
wanton invasion of their territory and
an assurance of the determination Of
this country to support in every way
the efforts Of Belgium to vindicate her
own independence and the public law
Of Europe"
The premier declared further that the
to get the established facts Of German
atrocities, as related in the statement
given out yesterday by the Belgian
minister here, to the knowledge of the
whole civilized world.
I'VE have heard this morning from
Sir John French, commander of the
British forces on the continent" Pre-
mier Asqufth informed the members Of
the house OF commons yesterday afSr-
noon, that the withdrawal Of his
fully effected. 1t was not. accomplish
ed without considerable losS They
were pressed hard by the enemy who.
however, were shaken off. 4:
Best of Spirits. ia
TT is not desirable to say anything
more at the present moment, except
that the field marshal reports that, in
spite of hard marching and hard fight
ing, the British forces are in the best
Of spirits.
HE estimates his casualties at some
thing over two thousand. but we have
not yet received any names"
The opponents Of compulsory military
service in Great Britain momentarily
raised their heads in the house of COM
mons today, but the premier treasured
them. He said there was no intention
Of introducing this system. He added.
ener needed all the recruits he could
get. 1t was a great mistake to think.
Premier Asquith declared, that Great
Britain wanted only 100000 men.
The rush of the main Russian army
toward the fortress of Posen. in the
regarded here as the sensational news
OF the day. It might account for the
Germans falling back in eastern Prus-
sia
The report that the French have
abandoned their positions in Alsace
has not been confirmed, although it Is
labeled as official by the news agency
which carried it. Other versions df the
same official statement do not contain
this reference, and the embassy today
declared that it knew nothing of the
matter.