The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-11-10
British Leader Confident of Final
y Victory-Reviews Conflict up to
This Date-Tells Of Dardanelles
Operations and the Servien Cam


The premier took up all the as
poets Of the war on the various
3ronts, explaining the situation as
yell as military necessity would per-
.nit, and pointing out the reasons &C
tuating the government in its extern
sion Of the field Of activity.
He would disappoint many expecta-
tons, he said; not the least, the ex-
pectations Of those who thought he
ought to appear as criminal or
penitent in white sheet. H. in
tended to describe as far as possible
the actual prospective position to
the nation, which sis as determined
to-day as it has ever been to prose-
cute the war to successful conclu-
sion and which trusts the govern
ment by whomsoever controlled TO
use every means to the attainment
Of that purpose"
He continued: "It is true. that to-
day some parts cf the horizon are
overcast. This, like other wars, has
been fruitful Of surprises and disap-
pointments. The moment calls for
three things: A proper sense Of per
spective, a lirnitless stock Of patience.
and overflowing reservoirs Of cour-
age, both active and passive
Mr.. Asquith declared that from an
expeditionary force Of six infantry
and two cavalry divisions, the British
overseas army had increased until
now at the French front alone there
was q British force not far short Of
100000 men. In addition there
were contingents in the Dardanelles,
Egypt and other theatres Of war. In
dia's contribution, he said, was splen-
did: Canada sent $4,000 men; Aus
tralia $4,000; New Zealand $4,000,
and the Union of South Africa, after
subduins the Germans in that sec
don. had sent $500. New Found
land had contributed 1900, he said.
Ceylon, Fiji and other parts Of the
empire also had sent contingents.
Nearly 100000 men had been
carried by the transportation service
OF the empire, in addition to vas:
quantities of supplies, and the loss OF
life had been considerably less than
one-tenth of per cent. The British
fleet, he asserted, had reduced the
entire maritime resources of Ger
many to sporadic and constantly
diminishing efforts of submarines.
Passing over the western front
with the statement that the Germans
had not netted one foot Of ground
since April, the premier turned to a
discussion of the much debated Dar-
danelles operations. Some action
there. he said, had been adjudged
necessary to curtail Turkish activity
in Egypt, the Caucasus and the Bal
kan States. The naval attack was
made, he declared, after consultation
with the war council and with the en-
thusiastic assent Of France and Rus
sia. For this, he said, he was willing
to assume his full share Of response
bility.
The setback in the Narrows, he
told the House, was followed by in
vestigation of the feasibility Of joint
operations. On Gen. Sir Ian Hamil-
toms recommendation, they were be-
gun. That they had failed, the pre-
mier said, was not due to lack Of gal
Iantry by the men in the expedition.
Even in the face of the failure to
force the DardaneNes. he said, the eX-
petition had produced good results
limiting the power of the Turks in
Mesopotam:a, Egypt and the CaU-
casus. Nov, he said, the forces on
GaIlipoIi rere holding a Turkish
army OF 100000 men.
The present Dardanelles situation.
the premier asserted, was receiving
the most careful consideration of the
government cas- part Of a larger
strategical question raised by devel-
opments in the Balkans" The French
and British, he explained, were In
complete accord both as to this cam
paign and as to operations in the
Balkan states.
Premier Asquith revealed that
Premier Venizelos of Greece had
agreed to mobilize the Greek army II
Great Britain and France together
furnished 900 men and explained
that any delay in going to the rescue
Of Servia was due to the beller that
Greece would live up to her treaty
obligation.
Explaining the slow support &C
corded Servia, Mr.. Asquith declared
that up to the last moment the Allies
had accepted at its face value the
promise of Greece to mobilize, believ-
ing that this would mean adhesion to
the treaty with Servia. Then came
the refusal of the Greek government
to do more than maintain an attitude
OF friendly neutrality, leaving Servia
alone to face the brunt &C two at
tacks.
eve in the United Kingdom.
France and Russia" he said, could
not allow Servia to become the prey
OF this sinister, mysterious combina-
ton. The general staffs of France
and Great Britain have been in the
closest consultation which eliminated
in the welcome visit of the illustrious
commandments The result, /
am glad to say, is complete agree
ment between US as to the end and
the means, but I can disclose nothing
more. Servia may rest assured that
her independence is regarded by US
as one of the essential objects Of the
war"
Referring to Lord Derbys recruit
ing scheme, the premier said that if
it proved a failure, he will not hesi-
tate to recommend "supplementing
the voluntary system by some form
.of legal obligation" He dwelt. how
ever, on his hopes that the Derby
plan would produce results and on
the fear that compulsion might en-
danger "the maintenance Of national
unity
he stated that it was desirable to
maintain the cabinet war committee,
but to limit its membership. He sug-
gested that it should contain no more
than five and no less than three. but
should have the power to summon
persons having special knowledge for
its information.
The premier promised that IN fu-
ture there would be closer co-ordina-
ton between the staffs of the allied
powers.
Mr.. Asquith also urged strict econ
omy, both for the government and
for individuals, the financial co1dl-