, 1916-12-13

mandant at Bucharest, bearing q letter from
Field Marshal Won Mackensen, d%amuuding
the surrender of the fortress. A second
letter notilied the commandant that fire
would be opened, unless the parlementaire
returned within "a hours. Captain LANCE
returned before the expiration of the limit,
the commander.in-chief of the Rumanian
Danube army having refused to accept
Field Marshal Won Mackenssen's letter, on
the ground that Bucharest was not a for
tress, bot an open town. He declared there
existed neither armed forts nor troops des-
tined for it's defence, and there was neither
a governor nor a commandment. Captain
LANCE pointed out the character of Bucha-
rest as a fortress, and said that such IN eva
sion would not binder The German operations.
In the course of Wednesday morning por-
tions of General Schmittows cavalry corps
took possession of u fort on the north trout
aud portions of the 54tb. Army corps push
ed on and took the line of forts from Chi
roma on the west front to Odaiie in the north
The enemy offered resistance which was
quickly overcome. Fromthe south, portions
of the Danube army pressed into the city
through the eirdle of forts meeting with no
resistance. The troops entering the town
were received enthusiastically aud were
decorated with flowers. Field Marshal Won
Mnckensen drove in q motor car to the Royal
Castle where he was greeted with d bouquet
of flowers.
Amsterdam, Dec 7th-Cardinal MERCER,
Primate of Belgium. IS confined to his palace
by the German authorities, according TO the
frontier correspondent of the "Ielegraaf"
who saws he hears this on good authority.
The reason given is the action taken by the
Cardinal against deportation of Belgians.
Tondon noo 7fb- Tha official cOmInuni-
. cation from British headquarters issued to-
night reads: Today there was considerable
Smelling by both sides in the vicinity of
Thiepval ridge. Elsewhere except for the
usual trench mortar aud artillery fire there
is nothing to report:
Paris. Dec. 7th-The Chamber of Deputies
by o vote of 344 to 100 tonight passed a reso-
luton expressing confidence III the Govern
ment in it's conduct OF the war.
Washington, December 8th.-Great Bril-
tain has been asked by the State Department
for information of the status Of the ?. and
o. Liner Arabia, sunk by II German submar-
inc without warning. Germany in q note
Yesterday cited circumstances which con-
tents justified the submarine commander
in taking the Arabia for an armed transport.
The State departments information to date
was that the ship was a passenger carrying
AluSI, uOt SuDISCO ~ ubldGh WlLuOut WuAhHhS'
The next step in the situation, admittedly
the most serious since the Sussex case, will
not be taken until all the information has
been gathered.
Montreal, December 8th.-A special Lon
den cable received here reports that many
British merchandising are beng armed with
heavier guns in order to better fit them to
meet submarine attacks. Il is stated that if
the United States holds that such armament
places these ships in the war vessel class,
that Halifax will become the chief American
port for trans Atlantic ships during the war
London, December 6th. The Anchor Line
steamship Caledonia of 1928 tons gross is
believed to have been sunk, says an an
nouncement at Lloyds. The Caledonia has
for some time been III the service Of the Bri-
fish Government.
Paris, December 8th.-The Germans last
night were driven cut of the trenches which
they had captured on the eastern side of
Hill 3O4 on the Verdun front, it is announced
officially.
Paris, December 6th.-Heavy fighting is in
progress on the Macedonian front. Three
successive counter attacks on the SerbiaDs
have been made by German and Bulgarian
troops in the region of Stravina. The War
Office announces that these attacks were re-