Valdez Daily Prospector
PUBLISHED BY THE
Prospector Publishing Co.
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Daily Prospector.
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By matl, per annum.10.00
The Weekly Miner.
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Business Office and Editorial Rooms,
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1914.
SOME GERMAN MILITARY DIS
COVERIES.
The German army has given the
world a great surprise by the 42-cen
timetre guns and its demonstration
that forts are no longer of value in
the presence of these weapons. Its
general staff has proved also that
their military machine, as evidenced
by their ability in mobilization, their
preparedness andi their wondrous
swiftness of their first stroke at Par
is, was, if anything, in better shape
than in 1870. And yet the war is far
enough along to make it clear that
those in charge of the machine have
made a number of discoveries they
had not counted upon, and which must
be distinctly distasteful to them
First of these is the discovery that
trenches, when held by brave men,
'are infinitely superior to forts, and
that they cannot be taken by fron'
al attack, unless occasionally al a
terrible cost.
Now, the significance of this ap
pears if wre consider that a chief de
fence by Germans of the violation of
Belgian neutrality is that, if they,
had not entered Belgium, the Allies
would have done so and poured into
Germany on her undefended right
flank—there being no forts on the
German-Belgian frontier. But the Al
lies have shown in Flanders how
readily an absolutely flat country may
- be defended against the best Prus
sian infantry without forts, simply by
means of trenches and skillful use of
natural obstacles, and that this has
been done even by the despised Brit
ish "hirelings.” We have yet to hear
of a military man who believes that
if the Germans had kept out of Bel
gium, stayed on the defensive, and
fought behind trenches on their own
frontier, they could have been vic
toriously assaulted before they were
starved out. But the general staff,
firmly convinced of its omniscience,
insisted on its Belgian plan, with the
result of adding four nations to its
list of enemies, and rousing the re
sentment of the entire civilized world
over the fate of the innocent Bel
gians. When it is further considered
that the plan to take Paris is one
overwhelming rusn has been com
pletely shattered, it would seem as
if the German general staff had dealt
its own great reputation a fearful
blow.
When one looks further down t:ie
western battle-line the value of the
trenches becomes still more apparent.
Probably Verdun and Toul would fall
in a few' days if the 42-centimetre
guns could reach them. But French
troops’ in trenches have successfully
kept them out of range, and the fort
resses are safe—not because of arm
or, or their heavy guns, or their elab
orately fitted-up and scientifically
constructed works. It is generally ad
mitted now that the collapse of the
rush on Paris was due to the failure
to crush the Verdun and Toul forts
by the German centre, quite as much
as to Gen. Joffre’s having unexpect
edly thrown a fresh army at the ex
treme right of Von Kluck’s hosts;
and it was the trenches twenty miles
away from Verdun and Toul that held
up the most valiant efforts of the
crown princes of Germany and of Ba
varia to break through. Curiously
enough, the lesson of all this is pre
cisely the one that Grant learned af
ter terrible slaughtering of his men
in the campaign of 1864. He drove
his magnificent veterans headlong
against Lee’s worn and half-starved
troops, inferior in numbers but skill
ed in intrenching, until his corps
commanders protested after Cold Har
bor against undertaking any further
frontal attacks which meant merely
massacre.
Still another German discovery is
the value of the despised British
troops. An editor of the Berlin Tage
blatt who took part, as a reserve lieu
tenant, in the capture of Dixmude,
confesses his complete change of
opinion about “King George’s hire
lings.” The British proved them
selves in his view "equal to the best
troops in the world,” and superior to
the Germans in reconnoitring and in
making skillful use of the terrain.
The way they wriggled their way for
ward, sheltering themselves behind
every shrub, compelled his wonder.
He attributes it to the British train
ing through sport, and to hunting hab
its, as also to the boy-scout move
ment, and says that this is one of the
things that the German general staff
will have to take up after the war 's
over. So they will have to revise
their method of attack. If it is true
that many of the reports alleging that
the Germans charged in solid masses
were false, they were true enough
to bear out the criticisms of the Ger
man Colonel Gadke, made a year be
fore the war, that the general staff
had not sufficiently profited in this
respect by the lessons of the Russo
Japanese war.
. The Germans seem very well pleas
ed with the work of their cavalry,
which they believe has shown itself
the superior of the British and the
French. They are particularly enthu
siastic about the work done by their
cavalry in protecting the retreat
(alias “taking back”) of their right
wing when it retired in September.
But here again they might profit by
a study of our own Civil war. They
obstinately stick to their conception
of cavalry as being merely a screen;
the idea of independent raiding forces
led by a dashing cavalryman like
their Von der Goltz of 1870, or our
own Sheridan, James H. Wilson, and
Grierson, is foreign to them. It is,
however, a tempting speculation as to
what such a force could have done;
one recalls the fact that Gen. Sheri
dan felt, when he accompanied the
German army In 1870, that they could
learn much from our Civil war ex
perience. Finally, a most cherish
ed tradition of the German army is
crashing to the ground in their use
.of slightly drilled volunteers and
their discovery that the poorest train
ed French troops behind earthworks
appear now to be impregnable. In
the attacks at Ypres and in the east
as well, newly formed German regi
ments of Landstrum and Landwehr
have shown as splendid courage and
fighting ability as the pick of the
Prussian Guards, and so have many
young volunteers who were put in
to regiments to fill the gaps created
in earlier fighting. If comparatively
new military material can be used
like this, what becomes of the argu
ment for two and three years’ ser
vice?—New York Post.
SANTA COMES TO
VALDEZJONIGHT
The Congregat.onal church will
hold its annual Christmas festival
this evening at the church building.
A huge tree has been erected in the
building and Santa Claus has decor
ated it with plenty of good things.
Old Santa has wired to Rev. Price
that he will be at the church at 8:30.
The exercises will Commence at 8
sharp. All the people of Valdez are
invited. The tree is at the servii-.e
of all who wish to place presents up
on it for their friends.
_
LOCAL brevities.
Suits pressed Tor 51.00 at Silver
man’s the tailor. Tel- phone 198.
Latest popular copyrights and clas
sics at Valdez Drug Co. tf
See Tod Winter ror your watch and
jewelry repairing at E. Winter’s store.
All work guaranteed. tf
The Church of the Epiphany will
hold its Christmas exercises on Mon
day evening, Holy Innocence day.
Art leather goods make appropri
ate Xmas presents. See Valdez Drug
Company. tf
A nice line of art pictures Just re
ceived from New York at Valdez
Drug Co. tr
Judge Robbins, of Ellamar, is in
town, having arrived this afternoon
to spend Christmas with Mr. and
Mrs. Gilson.
Suits pressed ror 51.00 at Silver
man's the taller. Telephone 198.
Sterling silver (cut of Valdez) sou
venir hat pins 90c at the Emporium.
Beautiful hand-painted vases Just
received at Valdez Drug Co. tf
Imported Japanese baskets at Val
dez Drug Co. tf
Yakima netted Gem spuds, 17 lbs.
for 60c at Yakima Fruit Co. tf
This is a good time to return that
book you’ve read to the library at
Everyman’s Club. Library hours:
1 to 2 p. m. every day, Monday, Wed
nesday, Saturday 3 to 6 p. m., Tues
days and Fridays 7:30 to 9:30 p. m.
8weat Bath a
First-class sweat baths and mas
sage parlors at room 6. Montana, tf
GERMANS ARE
LOSINGjN POLAND
(Continued from page 1.)
will be charged with the supervision
of army contracts.
This appointment of a business
man of great experience to control
the contracts has been made because
of criticism arising out of the alleged
action of some contractors in supply
ing inferior articles to the ramy.
Turks Murdering Jews.
CAIRO, Egypt, Dec. 24.—Word has
reached here that the Turks in Jaffa,
in Palestine, have murdered many
Jewish men, women and children.
Many of the women have been mis
treated and girls have been taken
away to be placed in the harems of
the Turks.
It is feared that the "holy war”
ordered by the Sultan has started.
Nothing can be done at this time ex
cept to depend upon the aid given
the Jews and missionaries, who are
also in danger, by the American con
sular agents. The Turks, however,
seem inclined to throw off all re
straint and the firing on the launch
of the American cruiser Tennessee in
dicates that they do not respect the
American flag or fear its vengeance.
Anxiety for Missionaries.
LONDON, Dec. 24.—With absolute
ly no word from Turkey and Syria
regarding the English missionaries,
considerable anxiety exists here
among organizations with representa
tives there.
Christmas for German Soldiers.
BERLIN, Dec. 24.—Every soldier at
the front will receive Christmas gifts
and presents from his home and from
the patriotic societies. Christmas
trees will also be sent to each com
pany, even where they are station
ed in the trenches. The postoffiee
department has been sending thou
sands and thousands or packages to
the trenches in the eastern and west
ern fighting zones.
Seeking German Cruiser.
TOKIO, Dec. 24.—According to in
formation received here the Japanese
fleet is still seeking for the German
converted cruiser Prinz Eitel Fried
rich which is thought to be off the
coast of China.
The (steamer Eitel Friedrich be
longs to the North German Lloyd
Company. Early in the war guns
were mounted on board her and she
was transferred into an auxiliary
cruiser. Recently she has been act
ive off the coast of Chili, and one of
her most recent exploits was the
sinking, early in December, of the
British steamer cnarcas, off Port
Corral, Chili.
Business Good In Berlin.
BERLIN, Dec. 24.—Business condi
tions in this city and all through Ger
many are becoming normal. The dis
count rate is again at five per cent.
The banks have plenty of money and
are loaning it when required. No ef
fort is made to collect rents and ac
counts and especially from families of
soldiers. The government has special
officers at work to see that families
of the soldiers are not in want. So
cieties have been organized to care
for children of soldiers at the front
who are motherless. Most of the
school buildings have been turned in
to hospitals.
Franz Joseph Dying.
VIENNA, Dec. 24.—rEmperor Franz
Joseph is dying according to a ru
mor which started here last night.
The aged emperor, according to some
reports, has been dead for a week and
the fact kept a secret. It is not be
lieved here that the death of the em
peror will make any difference in the
present war. Austria will put for
ward every man to maintain her free
dom from Russian control.
Mines Off Finnish Coast
STOCKHOLM, Dec. 24.—The Swed
ish press Is indignant over the plant
ing of floating mines along the coast
of Finland, which nas resulted so far
in the loss of three large Swedish
steamers and the drowning of 40 men.
Navigation of Finnish waters hither
WEATHER BULLETIN.
„ Valdez, Alaska, Dec. 24, 1914.
STATION Above Below Snow. In. WEATHER CONDITIONS
Donnelly . z 8
McCallum . 0 12
Paxson’s . 0 16
Hogan .<- 4 12
Gulkana . 10 12
Copper Center .... 11 12
Donsina . 12 22
Teikhell . 18 24
Beaver Dam . 2 23
Summit . 25 35
Wortman’a . 11 18
Cloudy, calm, trail rair.
Cloudy, calm, trail fair.
Clear, windy, trail fair.
Cloudy, calm, trail open.
Cloudy, calm, trail heavy.
Cloudy, calm, trail good.
Cloudy, calm, trail heavy.
Cloudy, calm, trail heavy.
Cloudy, calm, trail heavy.
Cloudy, calm, trail open south, drift
ed north.
Clear, calm, trail drifted north, open
south.
«
Utprry CHJjristmas mtb
Snappy Nnu fkar
to All.
For the Convenience of the Public Our Store will remain open
This Evening until 10 o’clock.
to has been unimpeded, and no warn
ing of the laying of mines has been
given. Captains of Swedish steamers
reaching here say they saw German
warships near the Finnish coast on
Saturday and Sunday; consequently,
the strewing of mines in these waters
is credited to the Germans. Traffic
in Finnish waters is to be discontin
ued until they have been swept for
mines.
Mariposa Leaves Seattle Tonight.
The steamer Mariposa is due to
leave Seattle tonight for Valdez.
LOCAL BREVITIES.
Go to the Valdez Cafe for Lutefi.sk.
Harry Hoffman is in bed suffering
with grippe.
Chinese noodles and chop suey at
Valdez Cafe after 7 p. m. if
Universal percolators and chafing
dishes at Valdez Drug Co. tf
Over a dozen varieties of apples to
pick from at the Yakima Fruit Co. tf
Latset dances of the day wilt be
shown in moving pictures at the Or
pheum tonight.
Before purchasing Christmas pres
ents drop in and see the stock on dis
play at Valdez Drug Co. tf
A fine assortment of Christmas
cards at the Valdez Drug Co. Make
your selection early.
Cooking apples $2 per box at the
Yakima Fruit Co. tf
Just arrived largest assortment of
Christmas ties at Ben Silverman’s, tf
Prescriptions earerully compound
ed at Yaldex Drug Co. tf
O. O. Reinke, the watchmaker and
Jeweler, is at the Valdex Drug Co.
All work guaranteed.
The most exquisite hand-painted
ohlna ever seen in Yaldex at Yaldex
Drug Co. tf
For home cooked meals go to Mrs.
Matilda Olson’s on Hobart street.
Phone 219. Special Sunday dinner
served at B o’clock. Week days din
ner served at 6 p. m. tf
Copper River Lumber Co., Inc.
ALL KINDS OF
Native and f f TA/IDCD and Building
Puget Sound JLUlVlDlllX Material
CONSTANTLY ON HAND
Prices Right W. M. FINICAL, Mgr. Phone 18
Patronize a Home Industry
Pacific Alaska
Navigation Company
Alaska Pacific S. S. Co. Alaska Coast Co.
PUGET SOUND-ALASKA ROUTE
Steamers sail from Seattle
Nov. 15th, Dec. 5th and 25th
via the Inside Passage for Ketchikan. Juneau, Yakutat, Ka
talla, Cordova, Valdez, Seward, Cook Inlet points and Kodiak.
PUGET SOUND--CALIFORNIA ROUTE
Seattle-San Francisco, connecting with steamers Yale and j
Harvard for southern California ports. j
Ripht reserved to change dates and steamers without notice i
VALDEZ DOCK CO.
Local Agent <
S. S. Mariposa and S. S. Alameda sail from Seattle
the 1st, 8th, 16th and 24th
EVERY MONTH
From Valdez south—7th, 15th, 23rd and 30th for Cordova,
Juneau, Ketchikan and Seattle.
Regular freight aerrioe for Ketchikan, Juneau, Sheep creek Treadwell. Deuglac
Oordova, Ellamar. Valdez and Latouohe. Explosives. S S Seward. S S Seward. Sth*
S S Latouohe, 15th; S S Cordova. 15th of eaeh month—Right reserved to ehaage this
schedule without notlee.
F B. Tracy, Gcal Agt- Vaides Dock Co., Local Aft.
FULL
QUART
.BOTTLED IN BOND
Has Had no Peers for Fifty Years
SOLD BY ALL DEALERS