The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], September 21, 1914, Image 1

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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_THE BIRMINGHAM AGE HERALD
j VOLUME XXXXIV
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1D14
NTMBKR i:i8
i CATHEDRAL AT RHEIMS REPORTED DESTROYED
French Say Allies Slowly Press Onward; German Report Says There Is Flo Change in Situation
! RUSSIANS CHECK THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN EAST PRUSSIA
RHEIMS CATHEDRAL
REPORTED DAMAGED
BY GERMAN CANNON
' Other Historic Buildings Reported Seriously
Damaged—French Government Will Address
Note to Powers Protesting Against “Odious Act
of Vandalism”—Indication of Seriousness of
German Position
Bordeaux, September 20.—(1 p. m.)—Minister of Interior
Louis J. Malvy announced todav that the famous cathedral i
Klieims had been destroyed and other historic and public lupV
ings either laid in ruins or seriously damaged by Germa^^^
Coupled with this announcement was a statement .c the
government had decided to address to all the powers a note of
♦indignant protest against “this act of odious vandalism.”
Structures, the minister said, that had ’
been destroyed or ruined, included the •
cathedral, the twelfth century church of
St. Jacques, the fifteenth century arch
bishop’s palace and the city hall, dat
I lug from the seventeenth century.
M. Malvy said official reports revealed
that the cathedral was in flames today,
the burning having begun yesterday as a
result of the ceaseless bombardment. |
It was officially stated that the de
struction of these historic buildings in- [
dicated the Germans considered their sit
uation desperate.
Is Great Loss
If the reported destruction of the Cathe
dral of Rhelins is true, it is the greatest
loss from a historical and artistic sense J
| of the present war. Begun on the site of
an earlier church erected by Robert de
< ’ourcy in 1212, and continued at intervals
down to the fifteenth century, it has been
described as “the most perfect example
in grandeur and grace of Gothic style In
Existence."
The west front, which was begun about
i 1241-42, is said to be the most beautiful
structure produced during the middle
ages, with its deeply recessed triple portal
and the wonderful rose window that sur- j
mounts it. This window, more than 40 4
leet in diai.c er, was report *-^3 in coble |
dispatches yesterday as having been de
stroyed by a shell. It was in the Cathe
dral of Rheinis that the successive Kings 1
of France from Thilip 11 to Charles X, 11
were crowned and it was there the Maid i
of Orleans stood, banner In hand, before (l
the great altar and saw the coronation
of Charles VII, which marked the ful- *'
| Ailment of her vision. i
The elaborate richness of the sculpture. H
| its stained glass and statuary are not
Surpassed in any existing structure.
Many Priceless Treasures
In the north transept over the sacristy v
was a clock said to have been the oldest 1
moving piece of horology in existence, t
Among the pricel^s cathedral treasures .s
were some wonderful church plates of ^
the early centuries, reliquaries containing t
a stone of the holy crown, and countless
I tapestries, some dating from the fifteenth
century. '
Tn a chapel attached to the sacristy 1
was u rare collection of Roman and t
medieval sculpture, including the famous {
sarcophagus of Jovinus. the Roman pre
fect of Kheims, who was converted to 1
Christianity in .*166. *'
The archbishop’s palace, also reported i
as destroyed, is a double chapel, dat- r
ing from about 12J0. There the mon
archs of France were housed at their
I coronations and there Joan of Arc lodged
when she came to Rheims to crown c
Charles VII. The palace adjoins the ca
) thedral and about a quarter of a mile
to the southwest Is the Church of St.
Jacques, also reported destroyed or seri- 11
oualy damaged In the bombardment. ri
Another church of great antiquity and 0
interest is that of St. Remy but no men
tion of its fate is made.
The hotel De Vllle. also said to have ”
been ruined or badly damaged by shell v
fire, was commenced in 1627 but not com- a
pleted until the present century. It con
tained a fine library, with hundreds of b
volumes of manuscripts, some antiquities p
and a good collection of paintings. n
v Aside from these notable monuments
a thorough shelling might destroy many g
lesser antiquities. n
Aside fiorn its houses, dating from the
twelfth and thirteenth centuries, here and c
there still exist evidences of the Roman
occupation.
)F BAFFLE OF AISNE
Han in Trenches Along:
River Matchlessly Op
timistic Over Outcome of
Greatest Battle of History.
Says Losses Are Terrible
London, September — (OtIO p. m.)
eoi'eMpondent of the Time* send* the
I'llowinK dispatch from ••Deliind the
lines" duted September Kl:
••The great battle drawn to a close,
xhoiistion rather thaa shot and shell
«s wrought a terrible peace along
tie river hunks—a pence which my ex
eriences of the Inst few dHys lead*
ic to believe may be the herulded vie
>rj. Tlint. nt lenst Is how I read the
It nation.
"I have seen our troops and the French
o into battle these last days, not as
orn ami weary men. but as conquerors,
have seen them return wounded from
ds valley of death with the conquering
pirlt fanned to fierce fury. Here Is a
ypical description from the trenches of
tie great struggle:
" 'We arc slowly beating them back.
Ve have to do it foot by foot, for they
ave huge guns and their shell fire is
[frribje. But we keep pegging away,
low? Well, we dig ourselves in—we
tritish lads have learned that lesson—
nd then we go on fighting and fighting
ntil the moment comes when we can
lake small advance. We crawl up again
nd dig ourselves In, and so on.
*' ‘At the end, it, of course, comes to
Did steel. We are all right there.’
River Scene Magnificent
‘‘The scene on the river at night was
munificent and appalling beyond w’ords.
he whole valley was swept with a blase
f search lights from darkness until
awn. Great beams moved up and down,
marching the skies and trenches and re
ealing masked batteries on the heights 1
nd dark forms lying along the ridges.
"Here and there a flash revealed the
ursting of a shell. Over all rolled the
erpetual thunder of the guns—a fierce
nd thrilling accompaniment.
“An incessant rain, too, flooded the
reat river, making the work of the engi
eers a veritable task of Hercules.
"This was a battle to the last ounce
f strength, in which man and horse
(ContlnaeA a a Page Two,)
1 ENGLISH AND GERMAN
FIGHTERSMEETATSEA
}
British Admiralty Issues Statement of Battles
Fought On Sea, Chronicling Success and Fail
ure Impartially—No Fighting In North Sea
London, September 20.—(11:20 p. m.)—there has not been a
gun fired in the North Sea for days, so far as the British public
knows, but the admiralty tonight issued bulletins of the en
counter in the far off waters. Successes and misfortunes were
chronicled impartially.
The German protected cruiser is.oe
nigsberg caught the British light
cruiser Pagasus overhauling her ma
chinery in Zanzibar harbor this morn
ing and attacked and disabled her.
The British lost heavily and the
Koenigsbefg was able to steam away,
k The German cruiser, while of the
same class as the British had more
modern guns which outranged those
of her antagonist. The British loss
ie given as 25 killed and 80 wounded.
The German cruiser Emden captured
jjgfcx British merchantmen in the Bay of
in ■ix days and sunk five of
\ O -
mem. 1 ne nmaen reappeared at Ran
goon, possibly having taken part in
other exploits, as yet not known.
On the British side was the score of the
sinking of a German merchant cruiser
supposed to have been the Cap Trafalgar
or tlie Berlin, by the former Cunard loner
Carmania. familiar to transatlantic trav
elers. who armed as a cruiser on Septem
ber It, in wuters which the admiralty de
scribes as "off the east coast of South
America,” the British loss was smnil.
9 killed and M wounded. The Gei ma^i .uss
is unknown.
Carmania Steams Away
Apparently the Carmania steamed away
(CMtissts m p«w Tmi
[ POSITION OF WESTERN ARMIES
I
KiiNMlnnn are continuing their encircling movement around the Auatrlan armlen near I’raemyal, from which
fortrenn they are only 10 mllen dlatant. In Kant l*runaln the iioaltloua of tht contending force* appear to he un
changed. According to report* from INl*h the Auatrlan* have again panned the l>rlna river. Invading Kervla on the
wvMtern frontier, where a denpernte hattle I* *nld to be proceeding on a front of more than tIO mile*.
GERMAN OFFICIAL STATEMENT
CLAIMS AUSTRIAN VICTORY
Says Anglo-French Forces Have Been Compelled to Assume Defensive A1
Along the Line, and That Decisive Assault On Verdun Soon Will Begin
Russian Statements Contradicted—Wireless Message Indicates Cen
sorship Has Become Less Strict
Berlin, September 20.—(By Wireless Vi«
Sayville, L. I.)—The Gerfnan war head
quarters made the following announce
ir.ent last night:
“The situation on the western front ii
generally unchanged. The Anglo-Frencl
forces have been compelled to assume th<
defensive on the whole line. Ae decisiv*
assault on the line of forts south of Ver
dun is about to begin.
“The Germans are in contact with th«
French along the frontier in Alsace.
“In the east the Germans have defeated
the fourth Finnish rifle brigade at Au
gustow and forces advancing against Os
somiec have captured Grajewo and Szou
ozyw.”
War Loan Made
Bubacriptiona to the war loan closed
Saturday. Although full returns have not
been announced It la officially announced
that subscriptions to the Imperial bonda
of 2,600,000,000 marka (1626,000,000) and to
the treasury certificates of 1,000,000,000
marka (1260,000,000) are reported.
Telegrams from Brussels state that the
military governor has announced that Bel
gian flags should be removed from sight
to avoid provocation to the German troops
and make Impossible regrettable Inci
dents. The order has been explained to
the public by the mayor of^russels, who
Is working in co-operation with the Ger
man civil authorities.
The substance of the first part of the
foregoing dispatch, referring to the sit
uation on the battle line In France was
received earlier -In two Berlin dispatches
coming by way of London and subjected
to censorship.
The fact that the unscored wireless
dispatch is virtually Identical In wording
with the cable messages, allowing for
discrepancy In translation, would seem
to Indicate that the censorship In Lon
don Is being somewhat relaxed.
AUSTRIA HAS OFTEN
DEFEATED RUSSIA
London, September 20.-6:22 p. m.)—The
following official dispatches have been
received from Berlin by Marconi wire
less:
"It Is reported from Vienna, by way
of contradiction of the Aggies published
from Russian sources, as to the Aus
trian losses, ttjat the Austrian army re
peatedly has defeated the weakened Rus
sian forces: that the Austrian troops hold
a strong position In Garcia and are ready
for further fighting.
"Hamburg has been visited by a strung
/v . „
gale and has suffered considerable dam
age from a flood. Near the village or
Moor burg, the bursting of a dyke has
■ flooded the neighboring country.
“Counsellor of Justice Rlumenthal, a
former member of the Reichstag, Bur
1 gomaster of Colmar and member of the ;
i first chamber of Alsace, has been placed
on trial charged with high treason. His
1 property has been confiscated.
Russian to Be Tried
“The Russian general, Martos, who or
dered all male Inhabitants of east, Prus
sia to be shot and the villages destroyed
has been brought into Halle in chains.
He will be tried by court martial.”
General Martos wras reported September
2 to have been killed In battle in East
Prussia.
“A Russian major has been condemned
to death after a trial by courtmartial.
He is alleged to have committed in
famous acts.
“General DankI has thanked first army
for their glorious victories at Krasnik
and Lublin. He states that his unde
feated army haB suspended Its attack on
an enemy of twice its strength and has
occupied a position It has gained.”
Russian Statement
New York, September 20.—Colonel Nico- ]
lal Golejewski, military attache of the i
Russian embassy, gave out an official *
statement from his headquarters here to- :
day as follows: 1
I “In Eastern Prussia by September 15, i
I General Bennekampf finally has checked |
the German advance. ,
"In some places the retirement and ^
the shifting of the enemy’s troops is
observed. (
“In Austria we are continuing the pur- ,
suit of the enemy. Our troops hate 'j
drawn near the fortress of Pzemya and
the fortifications of Sleniawa (Siniava) M
and Yaroslaw (Jaroslau). _
“Our troops have taken the fortifica- J
lions of Sambor. The Austrian rear
guards have been drive from the river
Wissxnta (Vlchnla) beyond the San. In
♦ .........f
t WOULD SAVE CATHEDRAL j
♦ - 4
4 Nerlla. Bepteinber 21.—ItiBO a. 4
4 ■»., via London, 4iUS a. la-)—An 4
4 official afateaient ja«t lamed 4
4 nayai 4
4 ‘‘Rhelnie was la the battle 4
4 lla« of the French and the Uer- 4
4 man* were ebllued to bombard 4
4 It. W« rearret the aeei-aaltr. 'bat 4
4 the flee af tbr French came 4
4 from that direction. Ordera 4
4 have heen laaued to aave the 4
i cathedral. 4
4 “The attach* af the French 4
are pnamnlaf at aeveral 4
4 potato.” 4
.pm....t
•etiring they drove the tribes over th
former from Kadymno to Medyke.
“Yaroslaw (Jaroslau) Is in flames.
“September 15. in the region of Sai
Domir-Mire-Radomysi, in the corner be
ween the Vistula and the San, we tool
1000 prisoners and 10 guns. At Nlemlrov
uid its vicinity we took 3000 wagons o
irtillery supplies. Crowds of Austria!
ioldkrs are straggling In the region or
Jupled by our armies. Gradually the!
*ome out of their hiding places and give
ihemseives up."
OF AUSTRALIA SAID
Melbourne, Australia, September 20
-(Via Lorylon.)—Rear Admiral Sir Georg<
’atey, commander of the Australian navy
n a wireless dispatch to the government
tates that the submarine AE-1, reporter
esterday as lost, disappeared with al
lands on board. Other vessels of the flee
ailed to discover any wreckage. Th
uss is attributed to accident, as ther
raw no enemy within 100 and th<
-cather was fine at the time.
This is the first disaster in the histor<
f the Australian .navy. The AE-1 wa
nder command of Lieutenant Commande
'homas F. Besant.
ODAY’S AGE-HERALE
1—Cathedral at Ithelms reported de
stroyed.
Allied urmlee keep in trenchei
while artllery duels.
Fury of battle eomewhat dimmet
by Herman fatigue.
Thrilling account of battle of Aleni
went London Times.
Disarmament by percentage urge<
by speakers.
i—Foreign buyers already here to ge
In market.
I—Editorial commment.
>—Weatherly and Jonee before peopli
today. '
War declared on rats at city hall
Party of hunters saw A. Q. 8. Ill
open switch.
Telescope at Press club prove)
unique diversion.
i—Spurts.
i—Etowah farmers to reduce cottoi
acreage next year.
1—Bishop dedicates Italian church a
Busier
ALLIED ARMIES KEEP
IN TRENCHES WHILE
ARTILLERY HAS DUEL
Brilliant Feats At Arms Performed Along the
Battle Line—Jules Vedrines Wins Courageous
Fight In Mid-Air With German Aviator—Alger
ians Capture Another German Flag—Believed
Long Battle Will Favor Allies
From the battle front, September 20. —(Via Paris, 5:2ti p. m.)
The bulk of the allied armies remained today in the trenches
waiting while their artillery exchanged a furious cannonade
with strongly placed German batteries.
Some brilliant feats at arms were performed at various points
on the linos, extending along tin* Oise, the Aisne and Woevre.
The seasoned Algerian troops made a gallant capture of another
n...*ci_
FURY OF THE BATTIC
SOMEWHAT DIMMoj
!BY FATIGUE OF THE!
fjoF
—
Remarkable Feats of Engi
neering Performed by Al
lies and Germans—French
Report Says Germans Re
pulsed All Along the Line
—
London, September 20.—(0:10 p. in.) |
A dlnpntch to the Time* from l'nrtn j
any mi
“The public mu rennniirrd by the »n
nouncement that the fury of the oxttlt
hnd been Nomcuhut dlmlnlNhed along
the whole line, iin tills denoted fatigue
on the part of the Germunn. The ene
my iiiude extraordinary prepnmtlonM
with the ndvnnce, for tlielr retirement
on tlielr choNen IlneM, tlielr engineer*
having worked nt the treneliew for 10
(li<before the opening of the luittle.
Hut the French entrenchment Im mImo j
reninrknhle. \t one point near SoIm
* Mons, the French concealed 120 gmiM off j
7.*» HilllmetreM which opened fire Nlmiil- j
Inncousty with tremendous force. The |
lent which nttraeteil moat attention j
. uhn the conatriictlou liy the French j
of pontoon bridges neronn the Alnue, i
which were several tlinen destroyed by J
the German artillery fire. Denplte |
thin, the French got over 20,000 kiiiimvcm j
I who charged the German linen, almont !
before the enemy wn* aware off their
prenenee.
1 "Whatever be the result of the battle
, it cannot be final in the sense of Anglo
Fr» m n resistance, for the allies would
retire under the forts, where a, third bat
tle would be fought.
"if the Germans lose. French territory
will re free from invasion. If the allies
do not score a definite success they will
i bring up fresh troops and strike again.
Allies Maneuvering
The Impression exists that the allies
are maneuvering and that the principal
offensive is taking place along their left
i wing. Recent 'official communications in
dicate progress in that direction. If this I
succeeds, the enemy will he driven from
the natural bastions formed by depres
sions in the plateau above Solssoits.
“In abandoning Solssons the enemy have
only two roads to the north. One has
too many convolutions, which would ex
pose them to a flank attack, and the oilier
leading to l.aon. would be the natural line j
(W! retreat. Craonne, which the French
hold, Is a fine strategic point, the town
being on a plateau above the plains
•
lContinued on Page Two I
Jules Vedrlnes. the noted French avia
tor. was credited with a courageous UK til
a\ mid-air with a German aviator whom
lhJ brought to earth. The German was
‘jMugly reeonnoltering the position of tin*
a'lies, when Vedrlnes ascended.
Vedrines Gives Chase
Moving swiftly upward until he was
ubove the German. Vedrines gave chase,
and as ho skimmed along fusilladed the
air scout with his automatic gun. Th->
German machine was riddled and the
aviator killed, botii collapsing to the
ground 15 minutes after Vedrines took
tiie air. Vedrlnes had accomplished a
similar feat once before.
These incidents, however, are important
wily foi their influence in encouraging
the allied troops, and do not affect the
result of tiie great battle which already
has lasted a week and promises to con
tinue for many days longer.
Military experts here believe tiie longer
the battle endures the better It will i»o
for the allied armies, who thus will bo
able to press strong forces to places
where they are needed along the front.
Would Capture Kheims
At the western end of the battle Kheitns
has been the object of the greatest atten
tion from the Gormans, who time alter
time have unsuccessfully attempted to
break through the allies’ lines aftei sub
jecting the town to an Intense bombard
ment. It’s the German’s intention, it is
understood, to capture Rlieims, whi.h
would give them tiie command of another
x'ftd to the north. They have made in
especial mark of the magnificent cathe
dral, which bas been in flames since yes
terday. The allies meantime have mud*
for themselves a strong position on tiie
right bank of tha Aisne, where they oc
cupy all tin heights. Tiie Germans have
taken advantage of the sites of the lorts
intended for the defense of Rheims. but
which were abandoned by tiie allies vvh n
tlic invaders made a rapid dash outii
ward from Rlgluni.
A heavy hailstorm, with a cold wind,
added today to the hardships of tiie en
trenched troops, who are entirely with
out tents, but it did not affect their spir
its. All the comlssariat departments of
tin* allies are working splendidly; «h«*
men are fed and clothed and are on
tented. Jr
When tiie German army exacuuto.i
(’haions it left one of Its chief surgeons
and a corps of nurses In charge of a hos
pital filled with German and French
wounded. Tile Freneh medical office.*
found the hospital so well maintained
and the French wounded so well treated
that the German surgeon was left In
charge.
Austrian.) Surrounded
Paris, September JO.—12:05 p. m.)—The
Rome correspondent of the Echo de I’oris
states under reserve that reports from
Petrograd indicate that General Dankl's
army has b^en surrounded by the Rus
sians.
-
Hrilains Capture German Vessel
Falmouth, England. September 'JO.- (Via
London, J: 45 p. m.i—The German bark
Ponape. from lqic|Ue, Chile, for Antwerp*
with nitrate, lias been captured by a
Uriilsh warship and brought here.
FIERCEST BATTLE OF
HISTORY UNDECIDED
Germans and Allies Face Each Other In Trenches.
Artillery Duels Such As Never Before Seen Are
Being- Carried On—Allies Left Bears Brunt
London, September 20.—(9:45 p. m.)—One id the fiercest
battles of all times, which has been raging across northern
' France for a week past, with a slight advantage on one side and
then on the other, remains undecided.
The two great armies which have
, been fighting for a month, with few,
if any intermissions, have dug them
selves into entrenchments on rivers
1 and mountain ranges on a front rcach
i ing from the Oise to the Meuse, and
. thence southeastward along the
Granco-German frontier,
i Artillery duels such as never before
have been seen are being carried on
: with the hope of compelling the evacu
, ation of the strongly held positions,
with occasional successes to the op
i posing sides, while the infantry, in
the face of a galling fire, have
charged right up to the guns, only to
make their opponents give way
slightly, or to be repulsed with great
losses.
Fighting has been flerciest on the allies'
left, which lies on the right hank of tho
River Oise, in the vicinity of Rhelilis, th*
lufnous cathedral of which has been set
afire by German Hhells. and between that
town and the Argonne ridge It has been
give and take all the time.
French Claim Progress
French official reports again claim
slight progress on the French left and
that the allies again have repulsed strong
frontal attacks between Gramme and
Rhelnts.
Around Rhelnts itself matters have been
shout equalised, ns the Germans have re
captured the heights of Brlmont, wltUO
the French have taken the defenses of
La Ponipelle. The French also have
scored a success between Rhelnts and
(Ceatinned an Page Two)
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