Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-01-01
STORY OF YEAR MARKED
BY SENSATIONAL EVENTS
Most Momentous Twelve Months of Modern Times
ReyieWed-Great European War, Mexican
Troubles and Other World Happenings

British fleet sailed under sealed orders Au-
gust 4. and big naval battle in the
North sea was confidently expected by
the waiting world, 1t soon became APP
parent that Great Britain's purpose was
to deal fatal blow at German commerce,
safeguard that of Belgium, France and its
own and render the enemy's fleet inopera-
tive by holding it in the Baltic. A week
later, the port authorities of New York
were notified that the Atlantic lines were
unobstructed, and a few days afterward
the Pacific lines were pronounced "open
and SAFE Sixty British war vessels
guarded the exit of the Kiel Canal and
prevented the thirty German battleships
anchored there from coming out. Within
few days, more than thirty of the great
German ocean liners We're interned in
neutral waters and number of German
merchant ships were captured or de-
stroyed.
BY the middle of November more than
four hundred war vessels and merchant
men ON all sides had been captured or in
termed in neutral ports. The Emden in
the Pacific and the Karlsruhe in the
South Atlantic, two German raiders,
preyed successfully upon allied and neu-
trail commerce until the former was put
out of action. During the past three
months the Germans have destroyed
iiuhADCl VI ollllSlI Wy iiiOdHO VI
torpedoes. In an action off the coast of
Chile, squadron of five German war
ships sank the Monmouth and Good Hope
with all on board. On October 27-al-
though it was not known to the public
for fortnight afterward-the British
super-dreadnaught Audacious was sunk
by mine off the coast of Ireland. Short
ly afterward, the British admiralty de-
clared the North sea closed military
area. va
On December the German cruisers
Scharnhorst Gneisau, Leipzig and Nuern-
berg, under Admiral Won Spec, were sunk
by British squadron under Vice-Admiral
Sir Frederick Sturdee, off the Falkland
islands. The German cruiser Dresden es-
capped, badly damaged. December Is a
German fleet bombarded the English coast
towns of Hartlepool, Whitby and Scar
borough. killing $50 and wounding 300 citi-
zens and causing much property damage.
Three British merchant vessels were sunk
by mines laid by the bombarding fleet.
At the close of the year operations in
the west seem practically at a standstill.
December II the Germans reported VIC
tory in Poland
AS result of the immediate paralysis
in the financial world due to the sudden
embodiment of the European nations.
Americans abrbad were subjected to
great Inconvenience and not little actual
hardship. Much relief was afforded the
Belgian sufferers and large sums of
money for the purpose were raised all
over the country.
The American Red Cross sent the relief
ship Red Cross to European waters,
with full equipment of physicians
nurses and supplies, on September II.
Chaotic Conditions in Mexico.
Early in the year foreign nations began
to be critical of the Administrators
'hands-off" Mexican policy and to insist
that the job of pacifying Mexico belonged
logically to the United States. victo-
riano Huerta had held the provisional
presidency for year and boasted in his
cups that he would hold his Office longer
than President Wilson would remain in
the White House. Meanwhile the bandit
chief Pancho Villa was steadily gaining
ground in the north The fiercest battle
of the revolution, which was fought for
almost two weeks, ended in victory for
the rebel forces.
There was an appalling loss of life in
this long continued fight, and more than
four thousand fugitives crossed the Rio
Grande and took refuge in American ter
ritory. Here they were cared for by the
United States authorities.
On February 8 President Wilson re-
voked Gn order by his predecessor in Of
fee to put stop to the shipment of arms
and ammunition into Mexico BY citizens
of the United States. On April IA, Presi-
dent Wilson instructed Secretary Daniels
to assemble an imposing naval force at
Tampico, on the Mexican coast. This
was due to the refusal of the Mexican
president and his military aids to salute
the American flag as an essential feature
of an apology for an unwarranted arrest
and Imprisonment of several American
~ DO H. H. L 1a,. IN1
soil to obtain supply of gasoline.
Although the episode was the result of
misunderstanding in which all the par
ties concerned shared about equally, it
was manifest that Huerta was in no mood
to comply with any request of the Wash
ington authorities, however politely and
even delicately made. He refused to or
der the salute. and the naval demonstra-
tion followed.
the president in the position which he
had taken. On April q Admiral Fletcher
seized the custom house at Vera Cruz.
The Mexicans resisted the occupation of
the custom house and the result was a
fight in which 16 Americans were killed
and II wounded. General Mas, in COM
mand of the garrison, withdrew and left
the Americans in possession.
Nelson O'Shaugnessy, the American rep
| fcScutdtlNC, WdS given HIS passports ana
requested to leave the country. Brig.
Gen, Frederick Funston, commander of
the American forces at Vera Cruz, was
ready to enter on a vigorous campaign.
Before hostilities were carried further
| the diplomatic representatives at Wash
ington of Argentina, Brazil and Chile sent
| in to the Office of the department of state
a formal tender of their services as medi-
ators. President Wilson accepted the Of
| fnr ma not nd fFso
cepted the proffered mediation.
| The mediatory conference was held al
/ Niagara Falls, Canada, and opened or
May 20. On June II the conference had
1 agreed upon a plan accepted both by
President Wilson and Huerta. Then a
| deadlock arose over the choice for presi.
| dent-the American delegates declined tc
| accept the name of any unconstitutional.
4 ist
Meanwhile, the constitutionalists were
making unmistakable advance toward the
| capital. Their success was so pronounced
that it was evident they would soon be ir
control of the government.
On July / the conference came to ar
end without definite result, and four DAYS
later Huerta was reelected president by
his partisans. On July Is the dictator re
signed the presidency and took passagt
for Europe leaving the executive author
ity in the hands of a prominent citizen
Francisco Carbajal.
The new president and Carranza could
not agree upon the surrender of the gov
ernment to the victorious constitutional
ist army, and on August 10 Carbajal re
signed and the chamber of deputies dis
solved. Five days later, the constitution
alist army entered the City of Mexico
without opposition. Venustiano Carranz;
Immediately took upon himself the offic,