Blog

26 DECEMBER 1925

Fighting between rival Chinese forces has taken place on a considerable scale. The troops of General Feng Yu Hsiang have entered Tientsin.

Lord Lloyd, the British High Commissioner in Egypt, speaking at a gathering of Egyptian notables, advised them to eschew party strife and to care for the working people.

Litvinoff, acting Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, said in an interview that the consolidation of the existing friendly relations between the Soviet Union and Turkey was a serious step towards the consolidation of general peace. He denied that there were any secret clauses in the treaty recently concluded between the two Governments.

After three days’ discussion the fourteenth Congress of the Russian Communist party has adopted by 559 votes to 65 a resolution expressing entire approval of the lines followed by the Central Committee on home and foreign policy.

The Greek Cabinet, in order to combat Communism, has decided to make voting compulsory.

The Indian National Congress will be opened at Cawnpore to-day.

Impressive scenes were witnessed at the closing of the Holy Door by the Pope.

Pilot Officer Cecil William Woodbine was fatally injured, and Aircraftsman Arthur Thomas Groom seriously injured in an aeroplane accident near Neisha, Egypt.

A message from Charleston, U.S.A., reports a train collision in which four railway employees were killed.

New shipping launched on the Clyde during the year has consisted of 256 vessels of 524,185 tons. This shows a slight decrease from the tonnage of last year. While the output has been fairly satisfactory, the dearth of orders causes considerable anxiety as to the immediate future of the industry.

Shipbuilders on the Forth, as well as in other parts of the country, have again experienced a year of lean trade. Within the past few weeks, however, the outlook has brightened considerably. A number of important orders have been placed on the East Coast, and it is hoped that these are the forerunners of others. At present there is a brisk spell in ship repairing.

24 DECEMBER 1925

Some details of M. Doumer’s financial proposals to save the French franc are given. A pamphlet, voicing opinions of 2000 economic organisations, urges that the example of the “Geddes axe” should be followed.

A German Professor who took a prominent part in the war as commander of a gas battalion expresses the conviction that poison gas, despite the protests of “sentimentalists,” is destined to play an increasingly important part in future wars on the lines already defined and exploited by the German armies.

Four volunteer firemen were killed and five injured in a fire at Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.

In the opinion of part of the French Press, Captain Canning’s visit to Paris on behalf of Abdel Krim has been planned to prejudice the Franco-Spanish entente.

Nine lives were lost in an American coal mine fire.

At a meeting of the Chamber of Mines at Johannesburg, it was stated that owing to the prosperity of agriculture the number of natives offering themselves had substantially decreased, and that the added cost of white labour policy would be over £18,000,000 annually.

Sir James Craig, in a message to the people of Ulster, says the celebration of this Christmas festival would be incomplete if they did not feel genuinely grateful for their delivery by divine mercy from anxieties of bygone years, and for the birth of a new spirit of goodwill.

23 DECEMBER 1925

In his Speech to the Parliament of Northern Ireland the King expressed gratification regarding the recent settlement with the Irish Free State, and said he hoped it would be cemented by a spirit of goodwill and friendship.

In his speech proroguing Parliament until February 2 the King reviewed the legislation of the session, especially referring to industrial and social Acts. Hopes were expressed for peace and goodwill at home and abroad.

The Lords amendments to the Rating Bill and the Criminal Justice Bill were disposed of in the House of Commons.

Mr Baldwin had an interview in London with the Turkish Ambassador on the subject of the Iraq boundary.

In an interview in London Emir Zaid, who has been acting as Regent of Iraq, expressed the belief that the decision of the League of Nations would have an immense effect in ensuring a bright and happy future for his country.

Mr Churchill, replying to a deputation on the subject of a tax on betting, promised to examine impartially the question in all its aspects.

Sharp fighting is reported between the Chinese belligerents. The troops of Feng Yu Hsiang have advanced, and Tientsin is in danger of falling. At Mukden Japanese troops are prepared forcibly to keep the contending forces six miles from the railway, and in the event of the Chinese pledges being broken, the nature of the action to be taken by the Japanese troops is left to the discretion of the respective Commanders.

Chinese pirates seized and looted the British steamer Tungchow. The captain was wounded by a shot, and the officers navigated the vessel at the point of the pistol. Europeans on board were not molested.

Captain Gordon Canning, hon. secretary of the Riff Committee in London, in an interview with a Press representative, at Marseilles, made a statement in regard to Abdel Krim’s views on peace terms with France and Spain.

22 DECEMBER 1925

The Prime Minister stated in the House of Commons that the safeguarding of a basic industry of the magnitude of the iron and steel trades would have repercussions which might be held to be in conflict with the Government’s declaration in regard to a general tariff. While in all the circumstances of the time they had decided that the application of these trades could not be granted, the Government would keep them under observation with a view to promoting their well-being should any other measures be deemed desirable.

By 239 votes to four, the Socialists taking no part in the debate or the division, the House of Commons carried the Prime Minister’s resolution expressing approval of the action taken by the British representatives at Geneva in accepting the Iraq boundary award.

In the House of Lords, the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, replying to a question regarding Rosyth, stated that when the full economies the Admiralty proposed were brought into operation it would be found that Scotland had not been unfairly dealt with as compared with England.

A cheque of £1000 has been sent by the Prince of Wales to Mr J. H. Thomas, M.P., the desire of His Royal Highness being “to share in some small degree the burdens” shouldered by the guarantors of the British Empire Exhibition.