The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-02-05
By ED. l.. KEEN.

By ED. Il. KEEN.
| (Sfdn Correspondent United Press)
LONDON. Feb. 6.--England accept.
ed Germany challenge today. The
admiralty defled the kaiser and dared
the German sea lords to put TO test
their latest threat to starve out Eng
land by sinking all merchant men Of
bclligerent nations that approach
British ports after Feb. 10. Admiralty
lomcials went into conference early
today. What they discussed was a
closely guarded secret. But II was
reported cn good authority that orders
for q part Of the English notilla OF de-
|stroyers to detach itself from the
North sea fleet and report for duty
In waters nearer home win be issued
before night.
Part of this destroyer feet II Is ex.
lpected will be assigned the task of
sweeping the seas free OF German sub
marines. Others will be detailed to
iconvoy merchantmen after Feb. 10,
when the German admiralty decree
becomes effective, until such time ~
the admiralty II positive that the
German undersea terrors no longer
menace shipping. II II possible that
q few British cruisers Of the Royal
type will be assigned to convoy duty.
to allay the fear OF timid shipowners.
Admiralty oflcials frankly declared
the latest German threat a. q blum.
They said II climaxed q series of on
cial statements from the German gov
eminent that indicated that the kais-
er's advisers are becoming desperate.
Neither admiralty officials nor repre-
sentatives Of the big shipping inter-
ests would concede for the moment
that Germany could carry out her
threat to shut OF England's food sup
plies.
The English nation turned It's eyes
toward America today. What the
United States will say to the German
admiraltys announcement that the
neutral ships may be endangered by
German submarines was considered
only secondary In importance to the
German proclamation itself.
"Any attempt by the Germans to
ignore the American flag on the
strength OF the paper blockade" said
the naval writer OF the Daily Chron-
icle. would be hostile act toward
the United States. To sink an Amer
lean liner, with her passengers and
crew, would be an atrocity that would
almost inevitably mean war"
That the United States will make
formal protest against the German de-
cree upon It's receipt at Washington,
Is deemed certain here. Admiralty
|ofEcials protested confidence today
that neither America or any Of the
other strong neutral powers would
respect what they called a paper
blockade" OF the British coast. In
some quarters II was suggested that
the United States might Join with
other neutral powers In formal pro-
test to Germany.
BERLIN, Feb. Shy wireless
Telegraphy Direct to Sayville and
New York.)--The German admiralty
Issued, Thursday evening. the follow
ing communication:
"The waters around Great Britain
and Ireland. including the whole OF
the English channel. are declared .
war zone from and after Feb. Is, 1915.
war zone will be destroyed, even II It
Is impossible to avert dangers which
threaten the crew and passengers.
Also, neutral ships In the war zone
are in danger. as In consequence Of
the misuse Of neutral flags ordered by
the British government on Jan. 81 and
In view of the hazards OF naval war
fare. II cannot always be avoided that
attacks meant for enemy ships endan-
ger neutral ships.
shipping northward around the
Shetland islands, In the eastern ba-
sin Of the North sea, and In q strip
OF At least 80 nautical miles In breadth
along the Dutch coast Ia endangered
In the same way"
PETRoGRAD, Feb. 5.--one hun
ldred thousand Germans are hurting
themselves In headlong rushes against
the Russian earthworks west Of War
saw. It was officiaily announced to-
day.
One Of the greatest battles of the
war In developing. Seven divisions
Of Germans, comprising the flower Of
Won Hindenburg's armies, are max
Ing impetuous frontal attacks upon
the Russians between the Bsura and
Rawka. Behind them 100 German
batteries are playing shells upon the
cars trenches. The snowy fields
west of the Polish capital are Grim
son with blood.
| Fifty thousand fresh German troops
were rushed into the firing line early
yesterday as reinforcements. They
nled huge gaps In the German lines.
torn by Russian shells and Russian
infantry charges. Their arrival was
signal for the renewal of the on
slaught For "a hours Mackensen's
divisions have surged toward the
Russian lines. The battle has be
come q gigantic death grapple with
thousands OF men stabbing with their
bayonets, nghting with dubbed rifles
and dealing death on the frosen
fields.
In the Carpathians, the Russians
have been forced to withdraw from
the Beskid passes, where q superior
force Of Germans and Austrians were