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The Wingham Advance, 1917-07-05, Page 7ARMY IN MESOPOTAMIA NOW THOROUGHLY WELL EQUIPPED Former Slackness Entirely + Gone — Russ Inaction Up Gen. Maude. HUN LOSES LAST Holds ••••••••••••••••••............ London -Cable.— The Military correspondent of the Times gives L long •detailed account of the present eenditi011e of the Britieh forces th MeeoPotanlia, showing a con plete controst with the revelations in the report on the Mesopotamian expe- dition made public Tuesday alight in the blue book. The correspondent says tbe army there is now admirably pro- vided and medical arrangements are thoroughly satisfactory. A great change has occurred in India, which still is the base of the expedition, al- though control has been transferred to the War Office at London. e Bombay is the base depot, and is most efficiently administered. Stip- Ping and cargoes are well and quickly handled, and hospital arrangements are very good. Everything is effici- ently organized, india, the correspondent says, is now doing more. than she is receiving credit for, Her Government, recoeniz- ing the slackness of the past, deter- mined to do all humanly possible, and an altogether new spirit has arisen. The writer says events in Russia con- siderably influence the 13ritish position in 11,fesopotanma, and, in consequence er the inaction of the Russian army in the Caucasus, the situation of General Maude, commander-in-chief, is radical- ly changed, lf the Russian offensive under General Yudevitch, ex-c.omman- der-in-chief of the Caucasus, had been prosecuted, the Anglo-Indian army would now form the left flank of the Russian line. General Yudevitch was removed, and no offensive occurred. The situation required, and presumab- ly received, the earnest attention of the British Government, the writer Oncludes. 4 • HARRY LAUDER SHOWS COURAGE Takes Place On Stage in a Soldier Scene. Does His Tart, Though Heartbroken: (London, Eng., Express.) "When they're sitting round the fire- side, And the mother kisses her son." A little figure in mud -stained khaki stood in the tniddle of the stage of the Shaftesbury Theatre last night and, with a background of real soldiers, sang the lines with a face set and tern, struggling with all -his might not to break down. It was Mr. Harry Lander, returned to "Three Cheers," obviously strung up to breaking point and determined at all and every cost not.to give way. He laughed and danced, and his art proved triumphant over his grief. Not mita tins song of sacrifice for victory was there any -sign ot the ordeal through Which the artist was naming —and even then, though the struggle was fierce, he conquered. The audience, worked up to a higb tension, stood and waved and cheered with a heartfelt enthusiasm and spon- taneity seldom known in a theatre, re - intending to the fervour and passion with which Mr. Lauder sang the Slit - ring words of "The Lads Who Fought and Won!" This was not acting, it was nature, not to be denied. The actor had said to a friend earlier in the evening, "I will thew them what Scotland can do" --and he, the father, "fouseit and Avon." It was one of the most poignant and wonderful and moving things the thea- tre has given us, and it was because for the moment it ceased to be a thea- tre, and was part of a very life we all ttre living, that it was so great. Soh a conjunction of artist and man has rarely been seen on the stage, for lite has seldom given the reason for such a vital, vivid, tremendoue moment. It was not because it was Mr. Harry Lauder who sang the words, but because it was a father be- reaved. Every minute of the brilliant revue throbbed with emotion, because of the thoughts in the brain of all of us. At the close of the performance the cheering was so prolonged that Mr. Lauder was compelled to come before the curtain. "I would like to say to you hoe much 1 thank you for this expression of sympathy during thee sore trial," said Air. Lauder. 'I came here to -night because 1 knew there were 200 people depending on me for theirbreakfast, and that I must make a fight for it. I know it would have been the wish of my -sol- dier son that I should do my duty by my follow -men. "I want to say to you now, and I see lnany soldiers before me, that this great sacrifiee which is going on must not be made without victory." SLAVES TO HUNS. Sovereignty of Luxemburg Again Insulted. Ameterdain, Cable. — Detrails of the. leiners' strike in Luxemburg, which the Germans siuppreseed, have reached the Telegraaf. Over two-thirds of all the Luxemburg vorkere struck at the begin- ning of June. The workers demanied a Phare of the enormous war profits of these mines from work for the German army. The Luxemburg Government warned the people that the Germane Would eend troops to prevent disturban- ces, and that the troops 'Would be attar- tered on the population. In June IC 1,er cert. of Inc. miners. Dodelange atritelt, whereupon the Germans Waled a threatening mince to all touria,FW Luxenietirg forbidding Meetings and dee daring that the demonstrations would be suppreesed by force Of Arens and the leaders arrested for treason and tried by tOlait.eriartial. The Luxemburg (Meern. inent protested strongly against the lime attack againet Luxemburg sovereIgnitY. J'IieGermans replied with "lave" from the Etappe region, COMpelling thAM to renlalit the strikere. The following day 1,M0 Metre deported Pelgiaris arrived at IniXelritnirfe. The strike leaders were eurnmoned before the Military governor and lUUty informed leith menaces that the grace 'Meet tease. The followine day the strikers, evherrer per emit. Were without food, -capitulated, HIGH POSITIONS French Command All the Hills On Aisne Front, 'Sudden Thrust Disproves Story of Lassitude, Paris Cable.—The sharp blow de- livered against the Crown Prince's new Ailette River positions Wednes- day resulted in the loss of his last ex- isting high ground along the Chemin- des-Dames, north of Hurtebise Perm. The suddenness a,nd effectiveness of Gen. Petain's thrust, which was com- pleted in thirteen minutes, compares with the recapture of Douamont last autumn anti the British successes at Vines, and Messines. Oen. Petain's recent etaternent to the French troops explaining France's war aiM3 is significant, coming on the eve of the secret session of the Chamber of Deptities when Gen. Ni- velle'm April offensivewill be the sub- ject of investigation. The French high command's confidence in the unshak- able morale of the French soldiers is made clear by Petain, who, on the eve of the fourth year of theewar, reiter- ates the Allies' determination to fight on for a lasting peace. General Petain's pronounciamento, coupled with the lightning -like attack on the Dragon's Cave, where the French "shock" regimeots stormed one of the hardest posts on the whole front, goes far to disprove what a few pacifist pessimists have been spread- ing—that the French are sinking into lassitude after the tremendous strug- gle of the last three years. The old idea that the French pos- sessed dash, courage and daring, but lacked staying power, was completely refuted at Verdun, when the 'tonna gave grclund only inch by inch and after extorting a terrible price in bled from the pick of the Crown Prince's legions.' The French morale has been im- proving steadily since the German failure at Verdun, and the successful British onslaughts, with the appear- ance of American troops on this front, cause the men to look forward fuller of confidence than ever before. FRENCH REPORT. Paris Cable. --The official com- munication issued by the War Office Thursday night reads: 'Intermittent bombardments occur- red in the region of Hurtebise Monu- ment on Teton Height, Mont Blond, and Carnillet. The enemy artillery was vigorously counter -shelled by us along the whole front, and particularly on the left bank of the Meuse, on the slopes of Mont des Roches. North of .Touy a strong enemy patrol attempted a surprise attack, and was repulsed. "A German aeroplane was brought down by one of our machines and fell in the Bois de Bau-Marais, south of Craonne. The pildt, who was wound- ed, and an officer -observer, unwound- ed, were taken prisoner. "The Germans continued to bom- bard Rheims, into which 1,200 shells were fired to -day, eight on the cathe- dral." 4-4.4444 4, -**44-44 +44-44444 44444 A BELGIAN SLAVE RAID 4 -4,44 -4 -444.44 -4 -4 -44 -444 -4 -44 - (By an Eyewitness.) The district of Wavre (Brabant) Onsists of 22 communes—there are 2,800 moccunes in Belgium. The order which summoned at Wavre the entire male population between the ages of 17 and 56, of 22 millages of the dis- trict of that name—about 10,000 men— was posted an November 14, and read; NOTICE. All men between the ages of 37 and 56 (inclusive) ot the commune of — ale requested to present th.emselves at Wavre market place. The burgomas- ter should be present. The men concerned should be carrying - their identity cards, and in case Of need their meldekarte (card of control), Small hand bag- gage will be allowed. Those who fall to appear will be im- mediately transported without delay and by force to the places where they are to work. Be- sides, they are liable to very heavy fines and long imprison- ment. Priests, doctors, lawyers, • schoolmasters and professors need not present themselves. THIS IMPERIAL KREIS- CHEF OF ilivELLEs, Graf Von Schwerin. Ottignie, Noe, 3, 1916. So it is for to -morrow. And the no- tice was not posted until 7 o'clock in the morning, an hour when all men Who have work are already in the factories or the yards. When the no- tice was posted, suddenly among the women and children eame the panic- stricken desolation of complete sur- prise. The workers did not know of it and had to be warned; they had to be warned so that they might have time to prepare, so that this day might be Spent With their dear ones— the last perhaps—and together to take euch precaution% poor, unavailable, suet) as Were possible, The weeping women went to fetch their men to take them back to their homes; and there was heart -breaking scenes'poignant, but admirable in their feellnge of the simple stoleal devotion which they re- veal. The greater part ot these homes are poor; two yeard of war, of dear of rations have brought abent destitution; there is nothing in the house but the portion of food strictly measured for each one; and to -Morrow if the father, if the eldest son is sent awaY, there will be no more resources. That matters nothing; there is no thought mein for the beloved being who is threatened; in the bundle they are preparing they put the last warm garment, the last blanket, all the bread they have left, everything -- to -morrow, indeed, when he is eane, 'who will want to eat! ••••••••••,,•••••....,..14,-...•••••••,••. ....I.....metromm•••••,werMOMMOI*TTM.(01.1,40....41.1.*,....1.0,1•WVIOM011.1.00,1,.....*.••Wm.nr-.7 • They must be at Wavre at eight O'Clock, says the order. And for the greater part of the mon sumnaoned fAs the way to the chief town of the canton is long, one holar, two hours There are no more farm wagons in the country, there are no more TheY Mint Walk' earrYing their bags; so they Must leave early, Before 6 o'clock the procession, the meluncholy and erminable preen - Won, begins on the roads, In the biting cold the dark Novembei morning, the freezing wine, for the weather is cruel. Nature, menacing tee lark, accentuating the unguish In their hearts. But they 'Must be strong. The impression of despitir must not be given. Most of the men have forbidden their reptiles to ac- company them; the anguish of the separetion might melte-them show weakness. This must not be, so nearly all of them are going alone, (inc sees, marching to their Calvarin only groups of nsen, marching in Si-, lence, and heavily, heavily, as if their poor, meagre bundles were Very heavy, Only a few women, who have not been able to control themselves, follow, Wel-lerePinegis Wayne The little village Iles grim and gray on this sad morn- ing, It is hemmed in by tritons, who, at all opening, bar the way. Men. are engulfed In the Ilene -0 streets leading to the market Plate, the huge square, with its low houses, with shaky facades, sorrowful re- mains of a savage invasion. It has beeen completely evacuated and all the roads which lead to it are empty, Only one can see, at the and of those roads, behind the war- ring troora, the crowd from which come tries, names, words of fare- well to the poor people, rounded up, village by village, who are waiting, dejectedly pitiful in their impotence and their numiliation. A few among them eemember, with a little sorrow- ful smile, that yesterday in the same place there had been a pig market. BIG INCR E es00 The work of choosing begins. By groups Of a thousand the men are conducted to a school building where the agent of the German au- thorities keep office To get at this school building the road runs by the bank of the. Dyle. It le the picturesque spot of Wavre. in - normal times there is an atmos- phere of peaceful gaiety, of cheer- fulness. This morning at the win- dows of the houses the anguished faces of women, of children, of old people in tears. There are people on the roofs. They all gaze greedily at the passing lines. They want to see once more, perhaps for the last time, a husband, a son, a brother, perhaps a fiance. 0 ,,, After a wait for four bours the crowd is finally conducted to the school. I watched the men. I know a number of them. I saw a lot of their faces grow suddenly 'very pale. They walked in very firmly, but they are ghastly pale. One feels the anxiety which freezes them, ar- rests the blood in their veins. These are the,married men, the men who have left wife and children and who ask themseLves are they going to see them again very soon? If not, for how long a period; one never knows, perhaps never. The othere, the young men, go with a proud step. There is defi- ance in their eyes. As they ap- proach the schoolhouse all heads are raised listening. A rumor, a sound which grows, grows—it Is— yes,it is singing. .Almost one would ,Say it was the "Brabanconne," yea and that was the "Mareeillaise" coming from the courtyard of the school. And in fact, at the end of that courtyard are the • men who have already been taken. It is they who are singing the Belgian and French anthem. They are splendid. There is no anguish here., They are over that, full of bravado, a 'rude pride, of masculine virility. There are no complaints. When one among the men sees a friend released he askts him only to tell his family that he has been sent away; and then he starts te sing again passionately, singtng his song of defiance. The work of selecting those who are fit for labor proceeds briskly, and at nightfall a train .leaves the station to which the victims had been escorted. UP TO HOLLAND. Cam Keep Food by Not Aid- ing the Hun. Amsterdam, Cable.— In connection with the reported stoitnIng by women of a. dozen barges in the harbor of Rotter- dam last Saturday, and the seizure of a ton of potatoes destined for England, the British Legation at The Hague has issued a statement to the Dutch newspapers, in which it is pointed out that there is no obligation on the part of Holland to send potatoes to England as long as Mine are sent to Germany. The statement adds that the existing con - trace only stipulates that. exportations to Clermany must be. preceded by the ex- portation of 4, certain quantity to Great Britain. "It will thus seem," says the state- ment, that the remedy for any defic- iency in Holland rests entirely with the Duteli earties interested. The whole trouble has arisen from the anxiety of the Mitch to supply Germany with p0- ta tom " ••••••••••••••••• 41.* WOODEN SHOES FOR HUNS SOON Stockholm, Cable.—Wooden shoes Will be the, prevailing fashion in Germany Goon. At the first executive meeting of the newly organized War Shoe Dietribution Corporation, pablic authorities were tipped off that in N. tura only 10 per cent, Of Gertriany's shoe Could be ManufaCtured of leath- er, and that the populace must aemie`i tom itself to wooden shoes. ,An Increasingly painful pinch la rubber ehortitge for military purImeee, indicated by a new ordinance tonfle. eating rubber etishione in billiard table% Coat eltortage too is causing much discuseion. The lateet ordinanee requires all conmtmere Of more than ten tone monthly formally to report their requirentente to the Imperial Com Bureal. There is apparently an Inexhaustible supply of shortage, _• oernANo .aouAL SUFFRAGE, London, Cable.—Iludapeat despatches reported a great demonstration. in Buda. fleet in a demand for uniVereal, equal and secret suffrage. Twenty-five theuaand persons matched in procession through the principal streets. There was Holrie rioting and WIndOit's worn broken, and the police had some diffirulty in diaperaing the -crewds, Better be a poor Merman than Med- dle with the governing of Inen.--Dane ton. • OF MUNITION PRODUCTION British Commons Hears of What Control Has Done for Armies. LOSS TO SUBS. SMALL 6.91 P. C. of Amount Ship- ped Has Been Sunk by U -Boats, London Cable.—At the suggestion of the United States •Government, ne- gotiations are now in progress for fur- ther consolidation of interests in Am_ erica, and England, Dr, Addison, Min- ister of Munitions, said to -day, The result of these negotiations, if successful, will be of enormous value, not only in enabling the American Government to place its resources more readily and effectively at the disposal of the Allies, but in providing economy in purchase, Dr. Addison said these arrangements had been fa- cilitated greatly by the work of the Balfour mission in the United States, The Munition Ministry, Dr, Addison continued, had an interest in nearly 1,500,000 tons of shipments monthly. The submarine campaign, ' bad as it was, did not provide muck comfort for the enemy when he knew. for ex- ample, that of • the ehell components shipped from North America the total loss since the commencement of unre- stricted• submarine warfare had been 5.91 per cent. of the amount shipped. EMPLOYING MINERAL RESCUER, CES. Mr. Addison said that before the war the production of spelter in thi country was only one-third of the national requirements, but that he hoped the capacity would be doubled before the end of the year. Part of the plan involved the working of Aus- tralian zinc concentrate, which form- erly was under German control. Some time ago steps were taken to obtain control of the Wolfram ores of the empire with a view to regulating the stock of tungsten for production of steel, and if the prices at Sheffield were compared to those in New York It would be found the country had profited enormously by the enterprise. Arrangements were in hand, the Minister continued, which increased the home production of aluminum bY 45 per cent., while a committee of experts were considering development of copper and other mineral resources of the United Kingdom. Mr. Addison was speaking in- the House of Commons on the estimates for the Ministry of Munitions. He gave a striking account of, the work of the department since it started, a little more than two years ago. Mr, Addison said that some con- ception of the magnitude ef the pro - (lotion or explosives might be formed from the fact that in March, 1917, the opacity for the production of high explosives was more than four times that of March, 1916, and 28 times that of March, 1915. COMPONENT OF NEW TYPE. The Ministry had recently- reached such a state of production with re - spot to gun ammunition that it Was able to divert certain national fac- aories to assisting other sections of the munitions programme. He men- tioned the discoverw of a. component of a new type, which possessed great advantages of certain purposes. A large supply of this bad been pro- duced in a short time and was prov- ing of the greatest value in facilitat- ing the advance at the front and in saving life. The requirements regarding the ac- cumulation of a great reserve of field gun ammunition would be met in good time, and, despite the enormous ex- penditure in the first nine weeks of the offensive, the stock of filled shells had only fallen off seven per cent. Field Marshal Haig has enthusiasti- cally reported on the qualities of the munition, whether it was Used for wire -cutting, barrage or other" pur- poses. The output of machine guns and rifles was fully equal to the de- mands, while for railway purposes, tracks pulled up in England, Australia and. Canada had been utilized. Can ada had arranged to pull up 800 miles of track and ship it complete when wanted, More than 2,000 miles of track had already been supplied in complete condition, and nearly 1,000 locomotives) apart from hundreds sup Plied by the railways. SUPPLY OF STEEL. The supplies of the new design tanks were coming forward excellent- ly, and, continued the Minister, 'the end of the story is not yet, for Die enthusiasm of Col. 2sern the inventor of the tanks, and his colleagues knews no limits." With respect to Steel, the Minister said that the output of steel in this country for the war had been for some time Stationary at a little over seven million tons yearly. The out- put was now ten million tons, and he would be disappointed if the country did not reach a twelve -million -ton output by the end of next year. With- in fourteen months the capacity for the manufacture Of basic steel had he Creased by thirty per cent. The de - man& for steel were so many that the control had been very close, and, despite all the help from Canada and tint United States, he could not offer any imniediate prospect of relief, Not- withstanding the cost of Material and labor, the Government was obtaining steel plates in this country at less ehan half their cost in the United States, while shell steel cost thirty per cent, less. Referring to salvage °potations at the front. the 111inister saki it was now possible to reform hundreds of thousands of 18 -pounder cartridge casee weekly at a cost of fourpenee each, eompared with seven shillings for new eases. Regarding trona warfare he said: ADVANTAGE IN SUPPLIES. "While we eturted behind in the race, we are probably now as superior to the Germans in this eection of warfare as we are in that of mail - 'cry," More lim' 1.500,000 steel helmets had been moiled in tlte last ate months, and whereas le DereMber the tonnage required or trout wailer." material wee 7.643 teen, in the last els MOM; It wee 17,963 ton, The work of the Ministry lied almoat doubled within the last 12 months. Tile aircraft supply alone at the be- ginning of the year required an additional teri thousand workers, and that which applied tti the aircraft alndied aloo to shipbuilding, WM- making, Make, agricultural imple- m0010 end other necessities of War. The widespread employment of women bad been attended; singularly, with little difficulty. Wein 00 to 80 per cent. of the machine work on shells, fuse and trench warfare sup- plies was done by women, Comparing the cost of ammunition during the pant year with what the same would have cost the previous year, saicl Mr, Addison, the saving was I:43,000.0K 44* DUM33A'S PEACE PLAN Without Annexations or In- demnities. Amsterdam Cable — Dr. Cosine tine Dumba, the former Austrian AM - bonder at Washington, in aut article In the Vienna Nene Freie Presse. vocates peace without annexations or indemnities, "however disappointing that formula may sound to the Chau- vinists." Dr, Dumba, gpeaking from the Aus- tro-Hungarian standpoint, considers that "if the Serbian danger can be held in check by the permanent win- ning of our turbulent neighbor, and our own territories remain untouched, we shall have every reaeon to wel- come such a solution." Dr. Dumba's ideas are, briefly: Russia to restore the occupied Austro. Hungarian territory, while she regains the Russian territory occupied by Aus- tro -Germans, The re-establishment of Poland, Austria to make certaih "frOn- tier rectifications, for reasons of strategic safety" (for instance, she ought 'to retain possession of Belgrade and Mount Lovehen in Montenegro). The Roumanian wheat crops musi ber secured to the central powers by treaty. Italy must evacuate Valona (Avlona) and free navigation of the Adriatic must be guaranteed. Austria will assist Russia to obtain an un- hampered exit from the Black Sea, and Turkey -would not object to the real- ficatiOn of the Caucasian frontier In favor of Russia. Bulgaria should get Dobrudja and the Bulgarian part of Macedonia. ••••••-•-•111. ZEPPELIN FALL _TOOK 5 MINUTES Three of L -48's Crew Were Captured. . Officer Leaped as Car Reached Ground. Lolidon Cable. The Daily- Chron- icle publishes the following irom an East Anglian town: It is now permitted to disclose the remarkable fact in eonnection with the air raid of Sunday week in which Zeppelin L-48 was destroyed that three of her erew were captured alive. One is understood to be the second in command, He escaped apparently un- injured by leaping from the gondola just before it crashed to the ground. The two others, both suffering from broken legs and other injuries, were rescued from the fia-ming wreckage in the nick of time by the village con- stable. The uninjured German was in. the aet of walking away from the wreck, heedless of the•shouts of his disabled comrades, when he was cap- tured by a petty officer of the navy. How any of the crew survived is a matter of amazement, They obviously owe their `fate . to the length of time taken: by the airship in falling. All the evidence goes to prove the descent was • a prolonged glide. The most conservative estimate of the time tak- en in the fall puts it at three min- utes, but most accounts agree it was nearer five. "Just as I jumped a hedge of a field and raced toward the burning airship," a petty officer told me, "I saw one of her crew' walking towards me. He was a tall, clean-shaven man, wearing a big fur -collared overcoat and thick boots with leggings. He was very pale and seemed terribly shaken. I called to hint, and 'he came on at once. He Could not speak English, and as I assumed the military authorie ties would prize any document which could be found, I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket and made signs to him that I wanted any papers 'he might have about him. "I had no difficulty in making him understand my questions'but the German simply 'threw up his hands and shook his head to say 'No.' I then searched him to See if he had any firearms or explosives about him, but could find none, nor any papers. I beckoned hint to follow me, and took him to the nearest cottage, a few hun- dred yards away, where a sergeant and I kept him until a motor car Was sent to take him away. Before I left him, I asked him how many men were on board the Zeppelin, and he held out his hands with the thembs and fingers outstretched twice. Which I took to mean twenty." THE MARK'S 'VALUE. German Credit at Low Ebb —Gold Decreases. London Cable ---A despatch to The Dalle Mail from The Hague, eane that the exchange rate oh the Germnn raark in Ifollartd. 'Tee yesterday to 33.36 .guilders. The correspondent re- Nrs to the etatement of the Prankftir- ter Zeitung saying there are ihdita. tins that the neXt returns of the Im- perial Bank of Gerinany will show it considerable decrease in the deck of god, and Gaye German credit elands at a rallell lower ebb than the mark rate appeal% te shoW. A renewal of the German Treasury bolas, for ex- ported food etuffs, has been agreed to only upon extremely onerous tend!. Mona. Berlin, via Lamle% June 27, The eitatement of the Imperial Bank et Germany, !vetted lune 23, chows: Total eoitt end bullion, decreaced, 67,065,000 inarke; gold, detrefteed, 70.- 470,000 marks. Total gold holdinge 2. 4613,883,000 marks. If other people deal your thunder We a good plan to teme bark at them like lightning, GERMANS TO ABANDON LENS AND ENTIRE MINING BASIN +Swept by Shells and Chok- *4*-4-• e1÷.+41, ed by Gasp Must Reform Their Whole Line, 4 Mirages. and Their Cause +*4-44-4ee-e-e4-4-+4*++-f-he-.+49-.+4 More Vian one A.retic' explorer has banal that thingei aro not what tney seem, even J11 broad daylight. The 1.1440treulst retkpiolgeild bey" thCotnirrntanoifer ClIcPceitirtY: alai later said to have been a mirage by Ensign leitzhugh Green, if tho latter Is correct, is only one of many trieke whieh Meata of air heated to VarYIng temperatures have played upon Arctic ond Antarctic travels. A.. Operti, was on the Peary expeditions of 1896 aild 189'7, has made a sketch in oils of one sueh apparition, and it now rests on a desk in the office of Dr. Chester A. Reeds, assistant curator of the Ain- eriean elueeurn of Natural History, Mr. Operti has himself seen mirages tnna Edgewater, N. J., across the Iftid-< son. On foggy mornings, ehortiv after the run had risen and was still invisible because of the fog, he has seen reflec- tions of the sun on the ice of the Hud- son Paver below the bank of fog. Mar - Mere In Arctic waters, he said to -day. maUe use of this refraction when the sell is invisible by resting the point of the blade of a pocket knife on a thumb nini sufficient rheelow being cast by the knife to enable them to eetermine the sun's position, Dr. Reeds gave many instance:: of the mirages arid apparitions which have leen seen by Arctic explorers, many of them recorded in the journals and ne comas of early voyages of discovery. AN EXTRAORDINARY APPARITION One of tile early accounts is that oi Capt. 'W. Scoresby, published in his -Account of the Arctic Regions," In 1825. which is as follows: "A most extraordinary appearance of the foreland or Charles's Island Spitzber gen, occurred on the 16th of July, 1.814. While sailing to the southward along tne coast, with an easterly *Ind, 1 ot, tweed what appeared to be a mountain, In the ecirin or a slender but elevated, monument, was surprieed that I had nev- e.r seen it before, but was more eaten haled when I saw, not far distant, u ocligious and perfect arch, thrown across a valley ofabove a league in breadth. The neighboring mountains dis closed the cause, by exhibitihg an un- natural elevation, "-with the columnar structure of looming objects. Present- ly the scene was changed; the moun- tains along the whole coast assumed the most fantastic forms; the appearance of castles with lofty spires, 'towers abd battlements would in a few minutes be converted into a vast arch or romantic bridges. . . . The land was not alone affected by this peculiar refraction, since every object between the northeast and southeast points of the compass was more or less deflected by it. A. mass of Ice on the horizon appeared of the height of a cliff, and the prismatic structure of its front suggested the Ideaof basaltic ecsCha.imnirillsib." Plammarion also reports that "very frequently Admiral Wrangell and his companions believe they saw moun- tains of a bluish color, whose shapes were clearly defined and between which ttey believed they nould discern valleys and even rocks. But just as they were congratulating themselves on having dis_ covered the long -sought land, the bluish mass, carried away by the wind. extend- ed on each side and finally embraced the whole horizon." "Under the name of mirage," said Dr.* Reeds, "we designate those optical ap. earitions caused by a peculiar state of the density of the atmospheric strata. In consequence of these variations dis- tant objects appear either deformed. transported to a certain distance, or Inverted and reflected. JUST WHAT HAPPENS. "The phenomena occuts when the light rays, through whose agency we see ob- jects,are made to undergo it deviation ceused by difference of density in tne strata ca the air they pass through. 'When a luminious ray penetrates from a less dense into a, mere dense medium, it unciergoes a deviation' wilich bends it nearer to the line perpendicular to the boundaries of the two surfaces;and when it passes from a more donee' to a less dense medium, it suffers a devia- tion bending' it Irene the penclictilate "To °Warier discern a mirage a per- son must not only possess long and very accurate eyesight, but must also knew how to observe details and be ac- customed to the view. Yet he certain regions the mirage Is so plaintly evi- dent that it arrests the most inattentive gaze—for example. In the Gulf of Mes- e,na, on the sandy plains of Arabia and Egypt, and the Groat Plains of the United States. "The same may be said of those un- known islands which rise up in midocean before* •i.he astonished navigator, and which lead him astray toward imagin- try lands. Swedish :milers- for it long tilne went in search of a magic island that seemed to rise between those of Aland andarondiraofeg.lIpland; it turned out to be 'The superior mirage presents three different aspects. Sometimes the re- flection Is seen Inverted above the ob- jects, and above the former, a second reflection, erect as the object; some- times the first reflection alone is seen, :inverted above the objects, rind above the former, a second reflection, erect as the object; sometimes the first reflection alone ls seen, the upper ono having dis- appeared; and, thirdly, the upper reflec- tion remains without any inverted re- flection. ee'Weltering made observations upon the Sevenskii-Hogax, islands situated at the entrance ot the harbor of Stockholm. He says: 'Above each of the sand- banks u black spot rises and eppeare in the air; these spots' then become elongat- ed downward, and filially reach the sand- bank, which assumes the appearance of a ccilumn nine or ten times higher mart it really is. Ifenee there results o mock horizon, to which all objects are transported, eh thus appearing in n straight line upon the same level, though theli, absolute height differs consider- ably.' "Cranz saw in Greenland the shores of the heokernen Islands. raised in the shapes of high cliffs, ancient towers and reined edifices. Brandes several times witnessed the superior mirage. As n rule, the reflections of objects were hot seen veryedistinetly by him, for he adds that the tipper or direct reflection was generally wanting, and he attributes this fact to the want of spherical shape in the homogenous strata. He also remarke that this is a local phenomenon, being seeh often upon the holism in the east- ern part of Damgast, an1 at the Same time being invisible upon those in the western part of the town." AS SEEN IN PARIS. One of the amazing apparitions, &a - scribed by Plammarion, was seen in Peres in December of the year 1869. Be- tween the hours of 3 to 4 in the niorning, the Seine with its bridges and lights, a large part of the eity with its streets and towers, were delineated in an in- verted state at a considerable heiglit obove the horizon some of the images reieg tinged with .coloie—N. le Evening Post, 44,1* VENIZELOS IS GREEK PREMIER •••••••••••......whir Athens Cable — The new Greek Ministry, headed by Eueltherios Veni- .zeIos, took the oath at the palace to- day and was acclaimed by an enthusi- astic crowd on retuening to the Gov- ernment building, evhere M. VeniZeloe delivered a speech from a balcony, warmly thanking the people for their plaudits. Strong military precautions had been taken to prevent possible disorders, but they proved unneces- sary, as the InalcOntents showing thetuselves were in a MIMI' minority. Wild Duelcs. Canvaeback and redhead ducks, which are very quiek of movement, after deep diving are eepable of tak- ing flight immediately upon doming to the surface of the water. They do not spring directly upward into the eh', but fly at firstitt an angle until they reach the desired elevation. Surface feeding wild fowl, like the blatk thick, pintail and teal, fly dir- ectly upward from the eutface of the water it the eillergefieY deniatule it. ca- ble to the 1 Paris, dated e.14,,,,,P•••••,..priritoipaortii_Inn .A. New York special l'hursday, follows; `The correspondent of the Petit Journal on the British front believes that the Germans have decided to evacuate Lens and the whole mining basln kb saya: "it IFI not unreasonable to think that the invader, finally dominated lend rudely shaken, is being fatally drawn toward new rectifications of his sell- outs, and economies on his front, to eaiance the drain on his reserves. Proofs of this are seen in the gradual diminution of Ole enemy's artillery tire, giving a clear Impression, of a general withdrawal of the German batteries, and In the admissions of the Berlin communications that strategic considerations have caused tbe high command to readjust the lines behind Lens. "British aeroplanes have dropped nearly four thousand bombs behind the German lines within ten weeks end have taken three hundred photo- tgninnidreT adaiulYden Asq, the Journal's corres- pondent, telegraphs: "Lens is ;surrounded on three sides, and its outskirts have been invaded by strong British patrols. The town Is swept by an infernal bombardment, and shrouded in clouds of asphyxiat- ing gas, which have overwhelmed the enemy, who is quitting the town, leav- ing his wrecked defences and shelters. Wasted by shell fire, to slip away in successive waves to fresh quarters in the Drocourt-Queant line. "The encirclement of Lens Was pre - Pared by five weeks of intensive bom- bardment, and was assured on Mon day morning, when the British were easily able to chase the enemy from untenable positions on both banks of the Souchez.German lies, stating that the Briti.sh are suffering terrible losses, are refuted by the fact that this important success was obtained with only two killed and a few wounded." 4 * SHORT ITEMS OF THE NEWS OF THE DAY Austria and Bavaria Getting Together at Expense of Germany. CANADIAN INNS V‘ C. Elections for Russian Par- liament Set for Sept. 30. imemom••• One-armed veterans of the North To- ronto Convalescent Home have formed a baseball team. Over a million dollars in taxes was received at Toronto City Hall, a record for a day's receipts. By a .decision of the Toronto Parks Committee anti -conscriptionists maY hold a meeting in Queen's Park. The entry of the U. S. into the war makes it unnecessary to raise the Pro- vincial lean of seventeen million dol- lars.- Lieut.-Col. Gorge W. 'Fowler, M. P. for Kings and Albert, N. B., has been appointed to the Senate, G. W. Genong, ex -M. P., has been a\Np,opoodin.ted Lieut. -Governor of New • Brunswick, succeeding Hon. Josiah The city of London is asking for the appointment of a permanent board ot insurance, with powers simnel- to those of the Dominion iRallway Com- mission. The most successful sale of short- horns in Canada in many years was held at Elora, sixty-three head exclu- sive of calves at foot being sold for $49,150, the top price being $2,600. Compton County carried •the Canada Temperance Act by a majority expect- ed, when the polls are all heard from, to exceed 3,000, the largest yet for pro- hibition in the eastern townships. The body of O. M. Hennessey, sup- erintendent of the pulpwood cutting of the lebitibi PuIp & Paper Co., who had found in the rapids below Couchiching rbet:Inis.missing about eight days, was Lieut. Robert Combe, of Winnipeg, was awarded the Victoria Cross. William Heaver, for nearly half a century a resident of 'Woodstock, is dead. A maskinonge weighing 36 pounds, was caught in the river opposite Brockville by Meeers. E. Dwyer and Garnet Higgins. The London Times' fund for the British ilted Cross and Order of $t. John passed seven million pounds. Dr. J. n..Hett, ex -mayor of Kitchen- er, has been nominated bY the Inde- nendent Labor party for the riding ot North Waterloo. Albert Strong, aged 62 years, a for- mer munitions worker, was arrested In Toronto on a 'charge of bigemy. The Russian Provisional Govern- ment has issued a decree fixing Sep- tember 30th for the elections to the tonetitnent assembly, October 13 has been set for firet meeting of the as- eeinbly. Thirty-eight male pupils of the Belleville High School, who have un- dertaken thern Work in this vicinity during the holiday season, were nre- sented With farm service medals. The Will of the late Hon. Thomas Chase .Casgrain, Postmaster -General of Canada, was presented for ancillary probate in the Toronto Surrogate Court by the Royal Priest Company. the late Hon. T. C. Casgrain who died in Montreal an Dee. 2911t lest, left an estate valued at $170,1315. William. Wall was tonna guilty by Magistrate Weir, Kitehener, of the charge of abduetion, and allowed to go on suspended sentence. He took "a girl Under SiXteeli years of age to To - route about two Weeks ago, .CONTINGENTS FROM STATES REACH FRANCE Two First Sections of United States Forces Lod Amid Cheers, ALL TRAINED MEN Pick of Troops From Mexi- can , Border, Etc.—Car- ried Own Supplies. . . Washington Despatch—Tlae ad - lance guard of the mighty army the United, Statee le tpreparing to send ngainet Gerneway le on French soil to- night, In defiance of the German sub- Marineft, thousands of seasoned regu- lars and marine, trained fighting men -with the tan of long service on the Mexican border, or in Hayti or Santo Domingo, pent on their Paco, beve twee hastened overeeas to fight be- eide the French, the Britieh, the Bel- gian, the Russian, the Portuguese and front, eItalian trove on the weetern nt. New of tbe safe arrival of the troops sent a new thrill throigh Washington. No formal announce- ment ceme from the War Depart- atent. None will come, probably, until Major-General ,Pershing's offieial re- gportrreda, Bhas been received, Them there may be a statement aa to the num- eera and composition of the advance despatches from. Prance, pas- eibly sent forward with ,the approval tf General Perehing'e -staff, sihow that Major Shobert, pee of the new major- emeerale of the army, ho been given comMand of the !Drat force sent abroad, under Gen. Perching as com- mander-in-chief of the . expedition. CARRY THEIR OWN SUPPLIES. The American forces will be a net gain to the alliee, It will'throw no 'single burden of eapply or equipment an them. The troops will be fed, 3lothed, armed and equipped by the earno on French sail to -night are be - :hem going for months, and more will :nnoitNs.ed,States. Around them at the 'ng etorecl supplies that will keep General Perehing and hisestaff have been busy for days preparing for the irrival of the men. Deopite the enor- mote difficulties or unpreparednees Ind eubmarine dangers that faced .hem, the plane of the army general itaff have gone through with clock- ike precision. The regiments that were to go with General Pershing were all selected be - :ore he 'left and Moving toward the 3eaCOaet from the border. Other regi- nents also were moving north, ettit sled .wetet to the poem; where they were to be expanded, and the move - mote of the trotted who were to be 'het were -obecured in all thio ng of troop trains 'over the land. ARMADA OF TRANSPORTS. Great ehipments of war supplies began to assemble at the embarka- tion porta. Liners euddenly *were .alcen "off their regular runs with no announcemeat. A great armada was t made ready, supplied. equipped as n•aneports, loaded with men and guns end- eent to sea, and all with virtually to mention from the press. The navy bears its full share in tho achievement. From the time the troopships left their docics and head- ed toward sea, responsibility for the .ives of their thousands or men rested upon the officers and crewsof the figh ting ships that moved beside them ar swept free the sea lanes before them, As they pushed through the lays and nights toward the danger zone where German submarines ley 'n wait, every precaution that trained minds of the navy could devise was aken. And the news from France be- lay sinews that the plans were eve)1 aid, The War Department has no en- aouncement to make as to General Pershing's disposition of his forces, ereaumebly that has been left to him 'se decide in conference with the French general staff and officials of he British army, The American troops will be an in- lependep 0- force, co-operating with the illies. t has been suggested that the forces might be placed between :he British and the French forees as e connecting link, but the exigencies tf the Wattled campalgas will govern • hat question, U. S. TROOPS DISEMBARK. A French Seaport, June, 27.—The ieeond contingent of American troops arrived and disembarked this mottl- ing, 'The troops landed amid the frantic cheers of the people, wile had eathered fOr hours before in an atitice pation of duplicating yesterday's sur- prise. Enthusiasnt rose to fever pitch when it was learned that the trans- mrts and convoys had successfully aimed the submarine zone. The port was speedily befiagged in honor of ' .he occasion. All the troops now arrived were .ransferred to -day to a ealtp not far listant from this point, where Major- General William' L. Sibert is instal - !ed. Thence they Probably will gle some to aaaoint near the front. All the .roops are in excellent shape. Major-Generaly Pershing, the Ane ;1;i:commander, is expected tomer. row, when,. additional troops are ex - The harbor is dotted 'with convoys. The streets are filled with soldiers in khaki and with bluejackets. Great aumbers of trucks are transporting immense supplies to the camp in which the.a_e•-troopsttre concentrating. SERB. TRAITORS PAID PENALTY •••••.“...64.dmorilm. iSaloniki Cable --Several Mete none took plaee the outskirte et Saloniki to -day. 1. Dimitrievith, Major Vulovich, d an Atistro-Hine gariati volunteer, lobabaeh, con- cerned with man re in it cowl*. aky of a, Serbi ret society to overthrow the pre t regime of Ser- bia and substitute an oligareltie form of government, iv shot. :Utley othere i Heated reeeived long terms of Snap itsonment. Don't hoard even fur pntrletistn. Keep it in eireulati