Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1916-01-01
BIG Liners DESTROYED
BY UNDERWATER BOATS
THE FRENCH STEAMER VILE DE
Ia CiOTAT WAS TORPEOOEO
AND MANY LIVES LOST.
British DEFEAT THE TURKS
British Successfully Defend Kut-El-
Amra in Nesopotamia. and British
Successes Also Reported in
Egypt-On Other War Fronts.
Submarines Active.

Submarines active.
The French steamer Vile de Ia Clo-
! tat, proceeding from the Far East for
/ MarseiIes with many passengers
/ aboard. has been torpedoed in the
| Mediterranean. The loss of life among
/ the passengers and crew is estimated
at between 50 and 100, the survivors
/ being picked up by a British steamer
and taken to Malta.
Casualties likewise are believed to
| have occurred i'm the tOrpedoing of the
| Belgian steamer Ninistre Beernaert.
/ two boatloads of the crew OF which
/ are said to be maccOunted for.
/ The activity of the submarines Of
| the Teutonic allies is further eyi-
denced by the fact that within the last
/ few days they have sent 10 the bottom
| British. French and Belgian shipping
| to a tonnage of nearly $4,000.
Should the American citizenship OF
! one OF the survivors of the Japanese
| steamship Yasaka Maru be establish
ed. the sinking of that vessel by a
/ submarine. il is announced from
Washington, will be made the SUD
| ject of diplomatic negotiations by the
American government.
Latest From All War Fronts.
A severe repulse for the Turks by
! the British MesopOtamian army at
Kutel-Amara, on the Tigris. is re-
ported by the British commander, Gen
eral Townshend The Turks attacked
determinedly, but were beaten off,
their losses being from 600 to 500 kill
ed and wounded. il is declared. while
the British casualties were under POO.
King Peter of Serbia arrived at
Brindlsi. Italy. on Christmas Day. hav-
ing been conveyed from Avlona, Al
bania, on an Italian cruiser. fle an
nounced before leaving Aplona that
he wished to go to Saloniki to consult
with the Serbian minister of war as
to military plans.
Berlin has received reports through
Constantinople that the Russian army
opposing the Turks in the Caucasus is
demoralized from various causes. not
ably illness and lack of proper equip
ment The latest official Russian re-
port announces successes for the eau
casus army in repulsing a strong
Turkish detachment and breaking up
Turkish fortifying operations.
Advices through Berlin declare that
NJ Gounaris, the Greek statesman
whose party won the recent election.
has announced his willingness to sup
port the present Skouloudis ministry.
relinqushing his own claims to the
premiership
The British Indian corps has been
withdrawn from the front in France
'for another field of operations"
King George. in a message delivered
to the departing soldiers by the prince
of Wales, highly praised them for
their courage and endurance and
deeds nObly done in the days of the
ever-memorable conflict"
There has been considerable fight
ing between the British and Arabs in
Western Egypt, near the Tripoli Dor
der, but the result is somewhat be-
clouded owing to the divergent reports
of London and ConstantinOple, London
claiming success for the British and
Constantinople for the Arabs.
Little fighting of consequence is go
ing on elsewhere except by means of
artillery and sapping operations. Both
Paris and London report the inflicting
of damage to German trenches at sew
eral points on the western line.
On the Austroftalian front the Ital-
ian bombardment of the TyrOlean sec
tor has grown in intensity, and on the
Isonzo front the big guns of both sides
are exchanging shells.
On the Russian front and in Galicia
there is no change in the situation,
while in the Balkan theater the fight
ing seemingly has ended except for
isolated battles in Montenegro.
Christmas passed without heavy
fighting anywhere on the European
fronts. 1t passed also without a truce
to give a touch of humanity to Christ
mas Day. The United Kingdom wit
messed a general abandonment of the
truce between the political parties.
which was observed during the early
months of the war and which appar-
emily was cemented for the duration
of the war when the coalition govern
ment was formed.
Speculation over the development of
an attack on the entente allies at Sa-
lOniki continues. Some papers credit
the central powers with a plan to
bear down on SaloniH from three
sides, the Germans forming the cen
ter with the Turks and Bulgarians on
the left and right wings, respectively.
Germany probably is confronted
with the problem of reconciling the
conflicting ambitions of her two Bal
kan allies-Turkey and Bulgaria-and