Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1915-01-30
A RI.TNING FIGHT
IN The NORTH SEA
SUPERIOR FORCE OF PATROL
LING WARsHIPS SINK A GER
MAN CRUISER.
WAR SITUATION IN EUROPE
Reports of Much Fighting and Bac
Weather Throughout War zone
eombardments Along the Belgian
Coast.
Latest War News to Date.


ly made on Scarborough, the Hartle
pools and other British coast towns
was frustrated Sunday by the British
patrolling squadron, and in running
fight the German cruiser Bleuche
was sunk and two German battle
cruisers were damaged seriously.
So far as is known only 1913 of the
Bleucher's crew of $50 We're saved.
A battle also occurred between the
light cruisers and destroyers accom-
panying the bigger ships, but the re
suit of this engagement is not known
The British were superior in ships
engaged, weight of armament and
speed, and the flight Of the German
ships into the mine and submarine
infested field possibly saved them
from further losses.
The Bleucher was a cruiser of 10,
$50 tons displacement and although
commissioned in 1905, was completely
rerigged last year.
She was not classed as a battle
cruiser, but was in the next class tc
those formidable fighters. With heI
were the Derflinger, Germany's latest
cruiser, which had just left the build
ers' hands, and the battle cruisers
Zeydlitz and Moltke, the latter a sis
ter ship of the GOeben, formerly OF
the German but now of the Turkish
fleet, which was recently reported
damaged by the Russians in the Black
sea.
The British squadron, commanded
by Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty,
who also was in command at the bat
tie off Helgoland last August, con-
sisted of the battle cruisers Tiger,
Lion and Princess Royal and New
Zealand and Indomitable. The first
three of these cruisers mount eight
13.5-inch guns each, and even the New
Zealand and Indomitable carry 12-inch
guns, which are equal to those of the
Derflinger, the only one of the Ger
man ships that had better than IL
inch guns.
Although official description OF
fighting on the western front con
tinue to be brief, there is evidence
that it is growing fiercer at many
points. The Germans are showing re
newed activity in the neighborhooG
of Ypres and heavy bombardments o!
the left wing of the allies are almost
incessant
1t is from the center eastward, how
In the Argonne, around Verdun an6
in Alase heavy engagements are il
progress apparently without any de
cision having been reached. But these
are merely local affairs compared t.
what is expected when the ground be
comes more suitable for moving
troops.
Along the Belgian coast every move
of the Germans is the signal for re
newed bombardment' by the British
ships, while the aviators of boil
forces are continually dropping bombs
| behind the lines.
Dunkirk has been singled out for ;
German air attack, doubtless because
it is being used by the British as ;
base of supplies FROM England, while
| Ostend, Bruges and Zeebrugge are re
ceiving attention from the allies TO
a similar reason. There is no confiT
nation from official sources OF thu
reported visit of the allies airmel
to Essen and Dusseldorf early in tn
week.
A remarkable situation has arisel
| in Poland. The Russian troops nortl
| of the lower Vistula are now fit.
miles further west than the German
in the direction of Warsaw so that
successful crossing OF the Vistuli
would make a flank attack by eithe
army possible.
Germany, in a note to Roumanis
| declares that the measures under
! taken by the latter country which ar
tantamount to mobilization order
and it's encouragement of revolution
airy propaganda in Pennsylvania, ar
| hostile acts.
The German airships-for they ar
thus described by the German officia
report-which paid a four hours visi
to the coast towns of Norfolk Tue:
day night, dropped twenty or NOR
bombs. The raiders missiles kille
four persons, injured ten or NOR
others and did considerable damag
to property.
The report that a fifth person,
soldier, had been killed proved incol
rect.
Yarmouth and Kings Lynn, tn
| largest towns visited, suffered tn
heaviest damage. Eight bombs wer
dropped in the former town.
Except in Alsace, where a stul
born battle has been in progress fo
several days, but which receives onl
the briefest mention in the official r,
ports, the fighting has dbeen compar;
lively light on both eastern and ives
ern fronts.
The siege continues and. accordin
to the opinion of the military expert
| will so on until the ground harden