, 1916-12-13

He was unable to go to Buckingham Palace
today with members of his Cabinet to re-
ceive the seals of Office from the King. An
official announcement was made that the
Premier was suffering from q severe chill,
and that on the advice of his ply ~3icians, he
was remaining indoors todav-
London, Dec. 1lth.-The Premier has
sent the following to all members OF the
House of Commons. it was announced ofici-
ally today. "phe King has entrusted me
with the task of forming a government. I
have carried out the command. I hoped to
make o statement TO the House on Tuesday.
l now find it to be impossible. On Tuesday
Mr.. Bonar Law as Leader in the House, will
move an adjournment till Thursday. The
one FREEDOM uant task before the government
is tue vigorous prosecution of the war. I
feel confident the government can rely on
your supports as long as they devote their
energies effectively to that end".
London, Dec. It'll. After protracted
negotiations through the medium of the
United States. arrangements have been made
for the exchange OF German and British
civilian prisoners who are over ~forty6ve years
old. About 1000 Germans are interned in
the United Kingdom, aud 700 British civil
ians ars interned in Germany. Whether the
prisoners will reach their respective homes
depends upon the success of the Admiralty
in finding a neutral steamer on which to
make the exchange.
Berlin, Dec. 11th-Enperor William has
conferred upon Field Marshal vor linden
burg the Grand Cross Of the Iron Cross with
an autograph letter in which he credits him
with strategy in the Roumanian campaign
that "WiIl be valued in the war history of all
times as u bright example of the Strategic
art Of genius"
London, Dec 11th-The stand that was
made by the cretreating r ,umanian army
east of Ploechti, in eastern Wallachia, result.
ing i'll the driving bnck of the Teutonic
forces q distance of several kilometers,
according to u Petrogrud despatch relayed
iii il wireless Ia sssage from Ro he today. La
the course OF, the Rounanian attack two
hostile Squadrons are said to have been ami
hilated. s
London, Dec. 11th-Lloyds announces
that the Norwegian steamer Alnicita LII
tons; the British steamer Forth, 525 tous, the
,rwegian steamers MEDIUM aud Falk, the
Spanish steamer Bravo 1914 tons have been
sunk. The British steamer Nora, 772 tons,
is believed TO have been sunk, the British
steamers Huntington, ZOO tons, aud Harlyn,
3,459 tons have been damaged. The British
steome" Britannia has been sunk by IL aubmA-
rtne. Tue captain was ule prisoner.
Twenty-three members of the crew have
been landed at Lisbon, While Is IRE missing.
German submarine activities during the year
ending June Both last have resulted in a
decrease in the worlds merchant service of
$40 vessels OF q total tonnage Of 9S4. 739 tons.
A Berlin despatch says "Our Flemish naval
forces on Friday night stopped the Dutch
steamer Gale Jonia and the Brazilian steamer
Rio Pardo, both on the way to England with
cotton and brought them into harbour"
London, Dec. l1th-Ihat an Entente ulti-
matum would be presented to Greece today
was the report of Reuters Athens correspon-
dent under date of yesterday. The nature
of the proposed document was not disclosed.
Paris, Dec, 11th-Four German aeroplanss
were brought down yesterday, two of them
on the Verdun front, and two on the Cham
payne, the War Office announces. Inter-
mittent cannonading occurred south of the
Somme last night.
Washington, Dec. 10th.-Ofers Of media :
ton o. suggestions of peace to the European
nations have not been made by the United
States, they are not now being borne across
seas by Ambassador Gerard. and will not be
preached by this Government in the near
future, unless there is some quite unexpected
turp in world ovnntS ThaGo facts ora