, 1915-03-17

Merchant vessel OF any nationality that sailed
after March first will be permitted to pro-
ceed to any German port, and no ships
will be permitted to leave any German port.
Ships bound to neutral ports and ships Car
lylng goods OF enemy origin may be detained,
and all vessels seized are required to dis
charge their cargoes at British ports, or Mt
ports Of an Ally, 10 be dealt with in q Prize
Court. A suggestion is made TO the neutral
countries that if they guarantee that
vessels flying their flags do not carry Ger
man goods The order will be relaxed as far as
their ships ale concerned.
The Government expects protests from
the United States, Holland and the Scandi-
navian countries, whose commerce is hit
hard, but the Governments reply will be
that its drastic action, which is without
precedent, is made necessary by Germany's
violation of international Law in torpedoing
unarmed merchantmen.
A French official communique states:
The Belgians have continued their progress
in the bend Of the User ard south of Dix
nude. The British we're very violently at
tackled on Sunday evening at Steloi, south
of Ypres, and were at first pushed back
slightly, but they counter-attacked and re-
gained part Of the ground lost, and fighting
continues, In the Argonne the enemy at
tempted late on Sunday afternoon q third
very violent counter-attack at Bolante, to
retake the trenches won by US between Four
De Paris and Bolantea, but the assault was
repulsed."
A German official statement says: "Tho
Baths at Westende, Belgium, were shelled
yesterday without effect by two enemy gun
boats. The German attack on the height
south of Yprcs, occupied by the British, IS .
making good progress. Partial attacks by
the French. north of LIE Mesnil, in the
Champagne district, have been repulsed and
the enemy sustained heavy losses. The
humber Of Russian prisoners from the en-
gagements north Of the Augustowo forest
has increased to 5,400. Strong Russian at
tacks north and northeast of Przasnysz
failed with heavy losses to the enemy"
Censored at Jamaica).
London, March 16th-In the House of
Lords, Lord Kitchener, reviewing the war
situation, said there had been only trench
fighting for many weeks, but that recent
occurrences around Neuve IChapelle and
Epinette showed how successfully the Brit
ish were able to take the offensive. He also
praised the galIantry of the Indian and
French troops. The progress i'll equipplng
the new armies was, he stated, seriously
hampered by the failure to get sufficient
labour and factory facilities. The supply OF
war material for the Dext month OF two was
u very serious consideration and was causing
him much anxiety, it being absolutely essen
tlal that the output Of ammunition should
be increased, this being Of The utmost i'm
portance to The operations in the field. He
urged The firms in certain lines to place their
spare lahour and machinery at the disposal
Of the Government, and declared that he
considered that the men engaged III supply
log munitions were serving their country as
much as the men in the field, and he said
that medals would be issued to the wolLelo
on munitions ON the successful termination
of hoslilities. The Government was, he
added, considering arrangements by which
the armament firms would come IN
der Government control and their en-
ploYes thns rehp some of the benefits