PART ONE.
NEWS SECTION
PAGES ONE TO TEN.
The Omaha Sunday
Bee
THE WEAIKEE.
Unsettled
-1
'k
VOL. XLIV. NO. 2S.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MOIIN1NO, DECEMBER 27, 1014 FIVE 81 ACTIONS Tl 1 I lilT-TWO PAGES.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS
MEXICO LAND OF
FAMINE EQUAL TO
ANY IN EUROPE
SISTERS OF MERO YON ERRANDS OF MERCY Nuns doing their work of ministra
tion to the wounded everywhere " ' rs. This picture was taken within the sound
of the firing.
Conditions on Eastern Continent
Shocking Civilization for Years
at U. S. Door.
SO REPORTS AMERICAN CONSUL
Country Peopled with Widows and
Orphans and Starvation
Everywhere.
JL- DYING FROM LACK OF FOOD
Sound of LaughteT and Playing
Children No More Heard.
REACHING END OF STOICISM
Cry for Ilread in rte.pablto Arrow
the Bordrr melon and Heed
la Met with X Bf-spons.
' - A -
,.,-. i t-'r -.-i' 'V i '-Vi.'irJS
WASHINGTON. Dec 26. Conditions of
famine and Buffering in Mexico, said by
Rome observers to rival the distress In
the European theater of war, are de
scribed In reports today to the American
Red Cross, with appeals for help.
Consul General llanna has sent the fol
lowing message from Monterey:
"There is an alarming shortage of sta
ple food supplies. Several outlying towns
are appealing to me for help. If the
winter keeps cold there will be great
suffering. I need 2,000 cheap blankets.
After four years of war this whole coun
try Is short of food."
Famine Everywhere.
The consul at Ma. tarn or as confirms an
appeal, which said:
"The conditions in Europe, which
shock the civilised world, have existed
here against our borders for four years,
unconsidered. Mexico la peopled with
widows and orphans and famine Is in
the land. One sees It dally in emaciated
forms, shrunken cheeks, tightly-drawn
skin and burning eyes; sees it In the
faces of women, old men and little chil
dren. Many have died on American soil
during the last year, ostensibly from dis
eases, but actually from starvation, and
there are hundreds of children who have
never had sufficient food in their Uvea.
The sound of laughter and playing chil
dren is stilled in Mexico.
"They have endured much, but now
have reached the end of even their stolo
Ism, and from the east and the west and
the south comes a cry for bread from the
starving.
Need Is Pressing;.
"There is need for food and clothes
and medical aid. The need Is' pressing.
There Is no time to be lost. Arrange
ment nave been made whereby supplies
Can ,bV distributed from the American
consulate at this place to any locality in
Mexico."
The Red Cross a short time ago. on an
appeal from Rear Admiral Howard, sent
11.000 worth of food supplies to Acapulco
on the west coast
BRITISH MAKE AIR
RAID ON GERMANY;
FOG STOPS FiGHT
English Ships Dash Into Teuton Bay
and Hydroplanes Assail
River Mouths.
DROP BOMBS ON VESSELS
t. '- .V .' w..,: (
1
Ml
2JiJ
REGULAR BLIZZARD
IN CENTRAL STATES
Heavy Snow Accompanied by High
Wind and Extreme Cold Blocks
Iowa and Illinois Traffic.
Also Shell Gas Tank, but Fail to Hit
Anything or Do Any
Damage.
BERLIN ANNOUNCEMENT TELLS
English Say Nothing of Christmas
Day Assault to Fay Back
Coast
NO NAMES OF PLACES GIVEN
Assumed Streams Referred to Elbe
and Weiser.
MIST HINDERS AN ENGAGEMENT
Kataer's Planes, It la Ileported,
Land Explosives on Two
Destroyers of the
Hne.nir.
Bryan Disclaims All
Action Respecting
Belgian War Tax
PARIS, Dec. 26. "German proclam
ations announcing a levy of 500,000,000
francs 0100,000,000) Indemnity at Brussels
have been pasted over," says the Jour
nale, "and the report is current that the
measure was withdrawn by the German
governor as the result of representations
by the American secretary of state, Wil
liam J. B"yan, througn Minister Brand
Whitlock, pointing out that the tax was
lr. violation of the Hague convention.
"It is announced that ths Oermans
have imposed a tax of 25 francs on all
unmarried persons over 27 years of agt
in Brussels."
WASHINGTON, Deo 2S. Secretary
Bryan reiterated today that if Brand
"Whitlock, American minister to Belgium,
had taken any action to dissuade the
Otrman military authorities from col
lecting a war levy on Brussels, be had
been acting entirely in a personal and
unofficial capacity, and without any In
structions from the American govern
ment. The secretary said he had no In
formation that Mr. Whitlock had been
concerned.
ADMIRAL DEWEY IS
SEVENTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26. Admiral
Dewey was 77 years old today. Secretary
Daniels and his aides and members of
the navy general board called on the
admiral at his home and found htm in
good spirits and health.
The admiral took his customary drive
during tho morning, and later received a
number of officials and friends.
The Weather
Forecast till 7 p. m. Sunday:
For Omaha, Council Bluffs and Vldnity
Unsettled; probably snow; warmer.
Temperature at Omaha Yesterday.
B a. m 1
l
i
0
0
t
4
t
I
10
II
14
la
, 11
jWARMEB
m...
iu...
in..,
m. . ,
m...
m..
m..
a. m.
7 a. fl
it a, m.
9 a. in.
10 a. hi..
11 a. lu. .
14 111. ...
1 1'.
s u-
p.
6 P.
7 p.
luayirmUTl Local Record,
mi. iu. mi i9it
Highest yttterday 17 2 17 24
Uul yesterday 0 10 23 12
Wain temperature .... S 18 SO IS
1'recipitaUon . T .00 .00 .40
Temperature and precipitation depar
tures from the normal:
Normal temperature - 23
1 eUi'iem y tr the day In
Total ficm since March 1
Normal precipitation 01 inch
l'.ful nvr for itie day OS inch
Total rainfall since March 1... .25.&0 Inches
l'iclt iu y since March 1 S ' im-ius
1 itficienc y fur cor. period, M3. 6.42 Inches
ixjlicleucy for cor. period. 112. 4 17 Inches
"I" indicates trace of precipitation,
a. .a. (uuiu r i 1 1 i - T 1 1 1 n
WARMER TO WEST OF HERE
Zero Weather la Omaha, hot St
Seems Much Colder Beeans of
Raw Wind Warmer Pre
dicted by Weather Man.
According to the advices received by
the railroads, the most severe bllzsard
In several years Is sweeping over Illinois
and Iowa, extending went as far as the
central portion . of . the state. In addition
to the wind and snow, temperatures are
low, running from IS to 20 degrees below
sero.
Among the coldest places were Charles
City, la., 24 below; LaCrosse, 24 below;
Peoria, III., IS below; Davenport and Dos
Moines. Ia., 14 below; Devil's Lake. N.
D., 18 below; St Paul, IS below; Oreen
Bay, Wis., 18 below.
As a result of the storm In the Missis
sippi river valley, all trains from tne east,
except those that arrived early and
ahead of the blizzard, are badly off
schedule. The Burlington trains are from
three to six hours late; the Northwestern,
one to three; the Rock Island, four to
slx( and those of the other roads, from
cne to four.
A wire to Burlington headquarters con
veyed the information that in Chicago
and across Illinois the wind was blow
ing a gale, that there was a heavy fall
cf new snow and that temperatures
ranged from 15 to 20 degrees below sero
and that conditions were growing worse,
Instead of better.
Along the Northwestern, from Boone,
la., east, all the way to Chicago there
was a heavy fall of snow, that was
drifting badly before a wind that was
blowing from twenty-five to thirty miles
per hour.
While Nebraska laid no claim to
weather that was summer-like, it was
torrid, compared with that ever In Iowa.
According to the railroads, Nebraska
City, with 3 degres below at 7 o'clock,
was the coldest point in the state. Far
ther west It aa much warmer, being 20
above at Chadron and 2S at Crawford.
Out In Wyoming temperatures were from
10 to 16 above sero, with clear to calm,
following light snows Friday and Friday
night.
The thermometer reached zero here Sat
urday morning, though ahT.fy winds from
the south made it most uncomfortable
for pedestrians. The morcury droed
again to sero at ( and 9 o'clock and again
started up, accompanied by snow flur
ries. Cold In New York.
WATBRTOWN, N. Y., Dec. 26. North-
..m k'aw Vnpl, la ATtwriAnHnv t CiA m v t h A
coldest weather of the winter. The of
I ficial thermometer registered ' 24 below
zero during the night in this city. Tem
peratures from' 80 to 40 below have been
reported from various points In the
Adirondack mountains. '
New Records la New fork.
NEW YORK, Dec 26. New York shiv
ered today in the grip of the coldest
weather of the season. The temperature
dropped to degrees above "Vero. Ths
wind blew ttirty miles an hour.
New cold weather records for Decem
ber were reported upstatt. ' Ogdensburg
reported 82 below ana Utlca 26 below.
Thirty Below la Peaasylvaala.
CORRY, Pa., Deo. 26. December rec
ords for cold weather in northern Penn
sylvania were broken here today, when
thermometers registered 24 to 80 degrees
lelow zero.
The New Army
Kipling Describes the Guns and the
Supplies Now Being Prepared : !
Half Million Motor
Cars Made in United
States Within Year
CHICAGO, Dee. H In the year draw
ing to a dose, American manufacturers
turned out 606,000 motor vehicles valued
at $486,000,100.
This Information came today from Al
fred Reeves, general manager of the
Automobile Chamber cf Commerce, who
added that this output came from 43)
concerns. He said that there are 1.U0.000
care egistered in the various states; that
then) are 15,000 automobile dealers In the
country, 13,S0 garage and W0 supply
t
Ily BCDTARD KIPLING.
(Copyright. 1914, by Rudvard Kipling. AH Rights Reserved.)
LONDON, Dec 18. One had known the place fop years as a pictur
esque old house standing In a peaceful park; had watched the growth of
certain young oaks along a new-laid avenue, and applauded the owner's
enterprise In turning a stretch of pasture to plow. There are scores of such
estates In England which the motorist, through passing so often, comes
to look upon as almost his own.
In a single day the brackened turf between the oaks and the Iron
road-fence blossomed Into tents, sad the drives were all cut up with hoofs
ad wheels. A little later one's1 ear "sweeping home of warm autumn
nights was stopped by sentries who asked her name and business; for the
owner of that retired house and discreetly wooded park had gone else
where in haste, and his house and lands were taken over by the military.
Then one met men and horses arguing with each other for miles
about that countryside; or the car would be flung on her brakes by artil
lery Issuing from cross lanes clean batteries Jingling off to their work
on the downs, and hungry ones coming back to meals. Every day brought
the men and the horses and the weights behind them to a better under
standing, till In a little while the car could pass a quarter of a mile of
them without having to hoot more than once.
"Why are you so virtuous?" she asked of a section encountered at a
blind and brambly corner. "Why do you obtrude your personality less
than an average tax -cart?"
"Because," said the driver, his arm flung up to keep the untrimmed
hedge from sweeping his cap off "because those are our blessed orders.
We don't do it for love."
No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except
his beasts and his weapons. He hasn't the time. He serves at least three
jealous gods his horse and all Its saddlery and harness; his gun whose
least detail of efficiency la more important than men's lives; and, when
these have been attended to, the never-ending mystery of his art commands
him.
Crazy Mixture In the Rain.
It was a wettlsh windy day when I visited the so long known house
and ' park. Cock-pheasants ducked in and out of trim rhododendron
clumps; neat gates opened into sacredly preserved vegetable gardens; the
many-colored leaves of specimen trees pasted themselves stickily against
sodden tent walls; and there was a mixture of circus smells from the horse
lines, and the faint civilized breath of chrysanthemums In the potting
Lheds. The main drive was being relald with a foot of flint; the other ap
proaches were churned and; pitted under gunwheels and heavy supply wagons.
Great breadths of what had been well-kept turf between unbrowsed trees
were blanks of slippery brown wetness, dotted with picketed horses and
field kitchens. It was all a crazy mixture of stark necessity and manicured
luxury, cheek by jowl in the undlscrlmlnatlng rain.
The cook bouses, storerooms, forges and workshops were collections of
tilts, poles, rickcloths and odd lumber, beavered together as on service.
The officers' mess was a thin, soaked marquee.
Less than a hundred yards away were downs of vacant, well furnished
rooms In the big brick house of which the staff furtively occupied one
corner. There was accommodation for Very, many of the men In its sta
bles and outhouses alone, or the whole building might have been gutted
and rearranged for barracks twice over in the last three months.
Scattered among the tents were rows of half-built tin sheds, the ready
prepared lumber and the corrugated Iron lying beside them, ready to be
pieced together like children's toys. . But there were no workmen. I was
told that they came at morning, but had knocked off because It was wet.
"I see. And where are the batterlesT" I demanded.
"Out at work, of course. They've been out since 7."
"How shocking! In this dreadful weather, too."
, "They took some bread and cheese with them. They'll be back about
d'nner time, if yon care to wait. Here's one of our field kitchens."
Batteries look after their own stomachs, and are not catered for by
contractors. The cook house was a wagon-tilt. The wood, being damp,
timoked a good deal. One thought of the wide, adequate kitchen ranges
and the concrete passages of the service quarters In the big house just be
hind. One even dared to think Teutonically of the perfectly good paneling
and the thick hardwood floors that could
"Service conditions, you see," said my guide, as the cook inspected the
baked meats and the men inside the wagon-tilt grated the carrots and pre
pared the onions. It was old work to them after all these months; done
swiftly with the clean economy of effort that life teaches.
"What are these lads when they're at home?" I Inquired,
"Londoners chiefly all sorts and conditions.
Battery Gets Hungry.
The cook In his shirt sleeves made another Investigation and sniffed
Judicially. He might have been cooking since the Peninsular. He looked
at his watch and across toward the park gates. lie was responsible for 160
rations, and a battery has the habit of. saying all that It thinks of its food.
"How often do the batteries go out?" I continued.
BERLIN, Pec. 2 6. (By Wireless
via Sayville.) The German admir
alty made the following announce
ment today:
"On December 25 eight British
ships made a dash Into a German
bay. Hydro-aeroplanes, convoyed by
them, made an advance against the
mouths of German rivers and dropped
bombs at ships lying at anchor and
a gas tank near Cuxhaven without
hitting them or doing damage.
"The hydro-aeroplanes were fired at
and withdrew In a westerly direction.
Onrman airships and aeroplanes recon
noitored against the British forces and
succeeded In hitting with bombs two
British destroyers and one other vessel
of the convoy. On the latter fire broke
out
"Fog prevented a continuation of the
fighting."
The announcement by the German ad
miralty of an attempt by British war
ships aKalnst the German coast is the
first Intimation of what appears to be
a reply to the recent attack by German
cruisers against the English seaports of
Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool, the
British authorities having as yet made
no mention of this operation.
From the reference to Cuxhaven In the
German announcement it would seem
that the German rivers indicated, but
not named, were the Elbe and Weser.
Cuxhaven Is a fortified seaport of Ger
many, fifty-eight miles wost-northwest
of Hamburg. It is at the mouth of tho
estuary of the Elbe. The approximate
distance across the North Bea from the
English coast to Cuxhaven is 800 miles.
The Day's
War News
Bombardment by an American
cruiser of the Turkish port of
Tripoli, Syria, Is said at Athens
to have been threatened on ac
count of an attack by Turks on
the crew of an American mer
chantman, on which British and
French cltltens desired to depart.
The Incomplete reports received
from Athens state that the threat
of the warship's commander
quelled the attack. The cruiser
Tennessee has been In the eastern
Mediterranean for several months
and was last reported not fnr
from Tripoli.
Italy's occupation of the Al
banian port of Avlona was be
lieved to open up possibilities of
complications which might make
it difficult for the Roman gov
ernment to maintain Us neutral
ity. The attitude of Roumunla,
also, was more than ever a mat
ter of doubt on account of re
ports from Paris that tho only
obstacle which prevented It from
Joining with the triple entente
had boon removed. Bulgaria
was represented as having given
asnurances that It would remain
neutral, relieving Roumanta from
the fear of an attack from that
quarter should It enter the war.
The German cruiser Dresden,
with the converted cruiser Prince
Eltel Frledrlch, were said to have
been engaged by the British
cruiser New Castle, near Valparaiso.
ASKS RECOGNITION
OF RDLEIN BELGIDM
Kaiier Demands Neutral Nations As
sume Sovereignty of Oermans
in Conquered State.
U. S. STAND IS NOT YET TAKEN
RUSSIANS AGAIN
TAKE OFFENSIVE
ON POLISH FRONT
Dispatches from Petrograd Report
Victories at Several Points and
Capture of 11,000 Prisoners.
BERLIN REPORTS DIFFERENT
There Has Been No Change and Von
Hindenburg Still Holds Grip on
Vistula Positions.
BATTLES ALONG WESTERN LINE
French Claim Gains Near Nienport
and Germans Report Capture,
of British Trenches.
AIRMEN FIGHT OVER THAMES
German Aeroplane Driven Away by
Two English Biplanes.
TURKS TRY TO HOLD U. S. SHIP
An erica a Position Nat Deflae.d at
Just This Time British Aathor
Itlea Arn Surprised.
jlContlnaed on Pag Fire, Column Two.)
Letter by Edison
Tells How His Fire
Might Be Avoided
Tf the TJJison laboratory buildings had
been properly constructed, of tha most
modern materials thy would not bava
burned.
Who says soT
Why, Thomas A. Edison, ths treat
wizard of invention, says so himself.
When he read ths aoeount of ths big
fire at Oranae, C. Louis Meysr, who is
In business hora In Omaha as a concrete
construction engineer, wrote direct to
headquarters to ascertain tha facts, and
ths letter which hs has Just received In
reply, under date of. December 1, not
only autographed by Mr. Bdlsoa, but
with a postscript added In his own band,
reads as follows:
"Dear Sir: I am In receipt of your
favor and in reply beg to say that my
wooden buildings and my brick and steel
roof buildings are flat on the ground
with all their contents of machinery
ruined.
"My principal buildings, which are
made of reinforced concrete, are all In
good condition, except some of ths col
umns and the few spots where the con
crete floor has saKged. Ths concrete
buildings have saved nearly all of my
machinery, so that it can be cleaned up
and used.
"The effects of ths firs constitute a
great triumph for reinforced oo no re to.
Vours very truly.
THOMAS A. EDISON.
"P. B. Hsd ooncrete buildings had steel
windows and wired glas there would not
have been any fire In concrots buildings
at aU."
Turks Win Decisive
Victory Over Euss
BERLIN, Deo. M (by Wireless to Lon
don). Reports received In Berlin from
Constsntlnnple ssy that the Turks have
won a decisive victory over ths Russians
In the Caucasus between tho towns of
Oltl and Id.
Oltl Is In the Russian territory of Kars,
while Id lies about twenty miles further
to the south la the Turkish province of
Ezerura.
WASHINGTON, Doo. 26.-Oermany has
notlflsd soms of tha neutral countries
having consuls in Belgian territory now
under German military authority, that
the exequaturs crediting tha consuls to
Bolglum wilt not be recognised further,
I though provisional recognition will b
granted to those whose countries so de
sir. Representatives of South American re
publics have Informed Secretary Bryan
of ths receipt of such notice from Ger
many, but State department officials said
tonight they knew of no communication
on this subject being received here. It
Is believed In diplomatic circles, however,
that tha notice is on its way to all pow
ers whoso consuls would b affected.
Anrrimi Attltade.
Tho attltuds to be assumed by the
American republics toward this action is
expected to be considered by ths Pan
Amcrlcan commlnHlon, composed of Sec
retary Bryan and eight other members
of the governing board of the Pan-Amor-Ican
union, recently named to study ques
tions relating to neutrality of the western
hemisphere. Dlplomata. say ths subjeot
Is one of exceeding delicacy and ons in
regard to which tho American countries
would deslr to act In unity.
It became known tonight that all the
members of the Van-American commis
sion already have peen apprised of ths
Gorman notification. A special commis
sion of three mombeis, it wss said, might
be selected to give preliminary study to
tha matter and report to tha full com
mission. In tho meantime constant cable com
munication between the ambassadors and
ministers her and ihelr governments will
bo maintained, but the former will b
guided largely by the opinions and de
sires of their respective governments.
Up to this point the American govern
ment's view regarding any change in
the exequature of diplomatic and consu
lar officers In Belgium resulting from
the German occupation has been that the
cases of the coueuls and that of Brand
Whitlock, the American minister, would
be dealt with separately.
Consuls who are transacting local busi
ness. It has been pointed out, deal with
the de facto government, which now in
Belgium Is Oerman. If their Belgian
exequaturs should be cancelled by Gar
many and they proceeded to deal with
that government as being In d facto
control of Belgium, that, officials point
out, would In no way recognise for ths
I'nlted States a German government over
Belgium.
Brand Whitlock, the American minister,
however, has up to this point, besn re
garded as the minister of tho United
States to tho Belgian government wher
ever It exists and his case, therefore, is
more complex. Tb situation bas not yet
ooms up for decision, but th legal ss
perto of th American government ar
following It
Commander of Crnlser Threateaa to)
Itombard Town Vkrs Officials'
Itefnse to Permit Allies'
Consols to Leave,
LONDON, Deo. 26. Christmas"
has come and gone without a truce
on the part of any of the warring; na
tions of Europe. While there has
been no cessation of military activ
ity, no decisive action has occurred
along either of the great battle
fronts.
A spectacular element of the re
cent news was supplied bj an aerial
duel between a Oerman aircraft and
two Kngllsh biplanes over the
Thames. This occurred on Chriat
nias day and was witnessed by mt
eral thousand people. The Oerman
escaped.
From Petrograd comes news that
the Russians have resumed the of
fensive at several points In Poland '.
and that ' they have captured no '
fewer than 11,000 prisonera. To
offset this, however, Berlin reports
Inactivity along the Polish front.
An Austrian army Is still making a
courageous effort to strike down th val
ley of th Nlda In th direction of Car
now. British observer ar of th opin
ion that this movement will b to lata '
If It is a fact that tb Austro-German
attack In tha center has really reoeived Its
reported check.
General von Hindenburg, the German
commander In th east, still keep hi
bulldog grip on th Vistula and seems to
be making his present movement toward
Warsaw from Thorn, which Is northwest
of the Polish capital. In th province of
West Prussia.
On tho wsstern battle tin Paris reports
slight progress from Nleuport, whll Ber
lin balances this with th claim that th
Germans had taken some British tranches.
The French on their side again claim th
capture of a trench near Pulsaletna.
whla hthey held in spit of svrl coun
ter attacks.
From Athens comes an Incomplete re
port of ths refusal of th Turkish au
thorities to permit th departure ffom
Tripoli, In Syria, of th British and
French consuls and a number of British
and French citizens on American mar-
j -"- nmjr 01 an Ameri
can cruiser. Their refusal Is said to have
resulted in an attack by a Turkish crowd
Ion th crew of an American -jierchant-i
man while th sailors were embarking
ome rrenenmen. This attack ceased,
however, when th warship threatened a
bombardment. Th cruiser subsequently
esoorted this vessel to Dedeagatch, north,
of th Dardanelles, in Turkoy.
Report of Sea Fight
Off Coast of Chile .
is Not Confirmed
Italian Queen Gives
Birt hto Daughter
ROME, Dec. Z& Queen Helena of Italy
gave birth to a daughter this afternoon.
Both mother and child are doing well.
ueen Helena, who is a daughter of
King Nicholas of Montenegro, married
King Victor Emmanuel, October U, l&vu.
Tb royal coupl now have five children,
four daughter and eae sot).
British Authorities Darprtsed.
LONDON, Deo. M. Th British aw
I thorttlf s have been advised of Germany's
notification to neutral governments that
It will no longer recognize the exequaturs
crediting their consuls to Bvlgium.
This action has created some surprixe
In England, where It is regarded as a
preliminary step to tho official taking
over of Belgium by ths Germans. The re
sult of this action probably would be th
refusal to reoogntz Brand Whitlock, th
American minister at Brussels, or th
marquis of VUlalobar, th Spanish min
ister, as dlpllmatlsU accredited to Bel
glum. Pa Wit host Aerie.
W. H. Pas, tha American embassador
here, la without advices in th situation.
Nevertheless great interest Is manifestd
in London as to tho probable action of the
Aiuarican government If Germany grants
only provisional recognition to neutral
eonsnl.
VALPARAISO. Chile. Dec. 28. No
sea fight has occurred off tha Chilean
I coast, so far as can bo ascertained today
at Valparaiso.
I The cannonading reported last night
' teen miles off this port by th Chilean
'torpedo gunboat Tome, and whloh was'
supposed to be an engagement betwwen
the British cruiser Newcastle and the .
German cruiser Dresden and oonvertoA '
! cruiser, Prlns Eltel Frledrlch, la now be
lieved to have been th Newcastle salnt
I lng the flag of Vice Admiral Sir Freder-
Ick Sturdee, commander of tb British,
i squadron which ssnk tha German squad
ron off the Falkland Islands.
The Australian battle crulasr. Anstrn
anchored In the bay this morning. Woe
Admiral Sir George Patey, commander e
tho Australia, cam ashore and paid has
respects to th Chilean authorities. Be
said he had not met th cruiser Newcas
tle while on hi way to Valparaiso
declared he was unable to explain the
origin of the firing reported off th coast.
Tho Australia has been cruising? alone
th Pacific coast of South America for
the last severul weeks. A few days ago it
paid a visit to Callao, Peru.
South Dakota
Gold Output for
Year is Lowe?
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17. The" output ok
South Dakota gold mines this year wan
valued at $7.ITO,uOO. compared with fT.&a,
tM In 1V1J. according to ths federal geo
logical survey today. Production of sti
ver war about l't.OuO ounces, against 17X
TC3 ounces in 1311 From UTS to the n4
of 1814. tb stat has produced
in geid and fjoaflat euaoae e
s 1
1 1