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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Times, 1916-3-23, Page 6Y.-d4ht"i NG ER, N EXHAUSTION z e pica .e:-eaeseeera ;el.' Dead `ee a .ale its pee up ea.hi' Wee Office theestate- +. a aeaneed -as abeee teiy -. -tui eiaazr.tering of There: - see atilt French eritiee gen- .. .. ;3: t. the third Battle of i . hee 'asset it: ,;rest, :I ltltoaFgh t'•e•-• Mrw_et aping the de.spera- that and fary of time German attempt, ce a that its cumulative ef- tt 4. . ••s- fe less than that of the earlier streggtes a. Dat:amont and In the oper::tio .s against Le Mort }Term:, the spee.d and energy of the earner ?rise h ns been lacking Not only leas the artillery fire much less intense, but the whole battle dragged ineacu-ably. When the batteries had done their best to destroy the French the Second Repulse e ak:,l ttca;ehes, instead of the easeeeneey rapid throwing forward of 'antsy, „ there was delay, in which t ::* Fu:a,;la had ample time to. reoeeu- ,y ;heir line:. Even the successes thee had been won wire not followed Observer, see in this weakening'at- tael• a general exhaustion of the Crown Prince's army.. •With the ter- rible slaughter e=:acted during twenty clays .at Douamont and Vanx, even the German commanders have resitat- ed in sacrificing greet masses of men for significant gains. Infantry at- tacks have grown constantly fewer with a consequent toss of vigor and elan in the troops. Indeed it would be difieult to de- scribe the general jubilation in Paris. ! There is no longer any uncertainty about the fate of the battle. The last ; doubt, and it can be admitted now that even in high quarters there were mis- givings, that the great fortress could withstand the 42 centimetre Krupps and the terrible skodas has been swept aside. The big gun has been met and conquered by men and other guns. Markets of the lorld Breadstuffs. Toronto, Mar. 21. -Manitoba wheat -New crop, No. 1, Norbhern, $1.09; No. 2, do., $1.06%; No, 3, do., 31.04k,a,, in store, Fore William, Manitoba oats -No, 2 C,W., 42e; No. 3,. do., 41c; extra No, 1 feed, 41e; No. 1 feed, 40e, in store, Fort Wile liana American corn -No. 3 yellow, 80c, track Toronto. I Canadian corn -Feed, 68 to 70e,` track Toronto. j Ontario oats -No. 3 white, 42 to 43c; commercial, 41 to 42c, according . to freights outside, Ontario wheat -No. 2 Winter, per car lot, $1 to $1.02; No. 1 commer- eial, 98e.to $1; No. 2, do., 96 to 98c;; •No. 3, do., 93 to 95e; feed wheat, 85 to 88e, according to freights outside. Peas -No. 2, $1.60; according to sample, $1 to $1.30, according to • freights outside. Barley -Malting; 60 to 62c; feed, 57 to OOe, according to freights out- I side. Buckwheat -Nominal, 68 to 69c, ac- cording to freights outside. Rye -No. 1 commercial, 85 to 86c; rejected, according to sample, 82 to 84c, according to freights outside. Manitoba flour -First patents, in jute bags. $6.50; second patents, in jute bags, $6; strong bakers', in jute bags, $5.80, Toronto. Ontario flour -Winter, according to sample, $4.15 to $4.30, track, Toron- to; $4.15 to $4.25, bulk seaboard, prompt shipment. Millfeed-Car lots, delivered Mont- real freights -Bran, per ton, $24; shorts, per ton, $25; middlings, per ton, $26; good feed flour, per bag, $1.60 to $1.70. Ar AT WOAD OAD .fY A T Russians in a Virtual Co-operation With the British at Kut. A despatch from Petrograd says: The Russian troops in Persia are now so far advanced toward the Mesopo- tamian frontier that they may be said to be in virtual co-operation with the Bziteh at Kut -el -Amara, where General Townsend's forces have been beseiged for several months, and the campaign against Bagdad has be- come two -fold, with the likelihood of the Russians being as important a factor in the Mesopotamia operations as their allies. Before the Russian penetration 'through the mountain passes of the Kermanshah region it was generally held that the chief aim of the Rus- sian operations on the extreme southern front was, effectively and once for all, to • crush German influ- ence and ambitions in Persia, and t.nly the most visionary critics here conceived the possibility of Russia's successfully traversing the Persian mountain provinces and assuming an important role in Mesopotamian af- fairs. The latest news, however, of the euccess of the Russians in working their way through the passes of the formidable range which acts as a na- tural boundary between Persia and Turkey, shows that the Russians are in a position to convert their poten- tial threats against Mesopotamia into a positive menace. The Turkish reinforcements which were sent from Bagdad and Mosul, by way of Suleimanieh and Sehna, to threaten the flank of the Russian forces at Kermanshah and make a further Russian advance c!angemus, have been compelled to withdraw on iceount of British pressure from the =.oath and Russian activity in the north, which some time ago resulted in the capture of Bitlir.. The Rus - Flans, therefore, are now opposed only by• frontal resistance, against :which they have advanced through 111 but one of the difficult passes of ,he mountains separating them from .fesopotamia. RIOTS IN HUNGARY; ALL BAKERIES CLOSED Disorders Occur on the Roumanian Frontier. A despatch from Milan, Italy, says: Reports from Budapest state that dis- tress is becoming painfully evident in many Hungarian.towns. Arad, con- taining 70,000 inhabitants, was forty - i wo days without bread or flour. All bakeries were closed. The Mayor tele- phoned to Budapest asking for flour and was told that none could be sup -- plied. It is feared riots will follow. Disorders have broken out at Talac on the Roumanian frontier. A mob broke into the warehouses, smashed the shop windows and clamored for bread. Soldiers were called out, to restore order. FIVE ASSAULTS BEATEN ACK New Attempt to Brent. Through the Defences North of Verdun. A despatch from Paris says: An- other determined effort was made by the Germans Thursday night to cap- ture the fort and village of Vaux, to, the north of Verdun. Large numbers of men were used by the attacking forces, who delivered five separate assaults against the positions. Each assault was broken down by the French fire curtain and machine-gun fire, with heavy losses to tho attack • ers. The new attempt to break through the French defences at this point was preceded by a renewal of violent ar- tillery fire directed against the fort and the whole system of French de- fences in this sector. At 8 o'clock the German infantry debouched from !its trenches under cover of the ar- tillery and moved in sections against the village of Vaux, against the slopes :leading up to the fort, and against the French positions contesting a roadway south-east of the village. All told, two attacks were made against the village, two against the slopes leading to the fort, and one to gain position of the road. There were no infantry action in the Verdun' region on Friday. The artillery fire. was intense in the Douaumont and Damloup regions, on the east bank of the Meuse, and intermittent on the west bank and in the Woevre. The. dininution of the fire on the west bank was noted Thursday night and reported in Friday afternoon's come I munique, which said that after the; costly check suffered by the Germans': attacking Le Mort Homme no further,; attack had been made in this sector. Thursday night a French detach- ment made a surprise attack on a salient of the German lines in the wood of Mort Mare, west of Pont-a- Mousson, taking some prisoners. LAUDS "PROUD FLEET" IN KIEL CANAL President of Reichtag Pays Tribute to German Navy. A despatch from London says: At the opening of the German Reichtag on Wednesday, says Reuter's Amster- dam correspondent, Dr. Johannes Kaempf, President of the Reichtag, paid a eulogistic tribute to the abil- ity of the German leaders and to the bravery of the German troops "who are shattering the enemy's front in the west." "Our thoughts are with them," Dr. Kaempf is quoted as hav- ing added, "no less than with our proud fleet, which by so many deeds and recently by the gallant achieve- ments and the happy home -coming of the Moewe has proved that our sail- ors are at least the equal of the bold - est sea fighters in any age or country. We at home "must prove by making the newest war loan an unqualified success, that the financial strength of Germany is unbroken." RUSSIAN PURSUIT CONTINUES, TOWN ON EUPHRATES OCCUPIED in the Battle Which Preceded Its Fall the Turks Lost a Provision Convoy and Five Cannon. A despatch from Petrograd says:' "We have occupied the town of The Russians advancing from Erzer-1Zamakhuatan, on the Euphrates* ar- um have occupied the Turkish, town I ter a battle 00 'verstsG0 mile west ( ,s� of Maznalchuatan, on the Euphrates of tr'erum, capturing in the course River,: after a battle, in the course of o! the operation five cannon -maul ma- nhiex,the Lurks veaodefeated, chine guns and a provisions convoy; a number of, guns and prisoners, Thel and making pilsofers of 44 allxders official report ;says; and 77 .Aslcars." Country Produce. Butter -Fresh dairy, 28 to 31e; in- ferior, 23 to 250; creamery prints, 34 to 36c; solids, 32 to 34c. Eggs -New -laid, 29 to 30c; do., in cartons, 31 to 32c. Beans -$4.10 to 34.40, the latter for hand-picked. Poultry -Chickens, 19 to 20c; fowls, 15 bo 1Gc; ducks, 17 to 20c; geese, 18 to 20c; turkeys, 23 to 25c. Cheese -Large, 19c; twins 1911%. Potatoes -Car lots of Ontarios quoted at $1.70 to $1.75, and New Brunswicks at $1.80 to 31.90 per bag, on track. Seed Prices Steady. Wholesalers are selling to the coun- try trade: -No. 1 red clover, cwt., $26 to $28; No. 2 do:, $24.50 to 325.50; No. 3 do., $24; No. 1 alsike, cwt., $21 to 322; No. 2 do., 318 to 319; No. 3 do., 316; No. 1 alfalfa, cwt., 325 to $28; No. 2 do., 322; No. 3 do., $19; No. 1 timothy, cwt., $12 to $14; No. 2 do., 310 to 311; No. 3 do., 39.50 to 310. Winnipeg Grain. Winnipeg, Mar. 21. -Cash -Wheat No. 1 Northern, 31.08%; No. 2, do., $1.05%; No. 3, do., $1.03%; No. 4, $1.00y2,; No. 5,91%c; No. 6,84%e. Oats -No. 2 C.W., 41%c; No. 3, do., 39%c; extra No. 1 feed, 39%c; No. 1 feed, 38'hsc; No. 2, do., 37%c. Bar- ley -No. 3, 60c; No. 4, 55c; rejected, 51c; feed, 51c. Flax -No. 1 N: W.C., $2.0231; No. 2 C.W., Montreal Markets. Montreal, Mar. 31. -Oats -Canad- ian Western, No. 2, 501 to 51c; do., No. 3, 48', to 49c; extra No. 1 feed, 48M to 49c; No. 2 local white, 47% to 48e; No. 3 local white, 46% to 47c; No. 4 local white, 45% to 46c. Barley -Man. feed, 66c; malting, 75 to 77c. Flour -Man. spring wheat patents, firsts, 36.60; seconds, 36.10; strong. bakers', 35.90; winter patents, choice, $6.30; straight rollers, $5.70 to 35.80; do., bags, $2.65 to 32.75. Roll- ed oats -Barrels, $5.05; do., bags, 90 pounds, $2.35. 13ran-$23.50 to $24. Shorts -Middlings, 328 to 330. Moul- lie-$31 to 333. Hay -No. 2 per ton, car lots, $20 to 320.50. United States Markets. Minneapolis, Mar. 31. -Wheat - May -$1.11%; July, $1.11%; No. 1 hard, $1.16%; No. 1 Northern, $1.12% to $1.14%; No. 2 Northern, $1.08% to $1.11%. Corn -No. 3 yel- low, 75 to 76c. Oats -No. 3 white, 42 to 4214c.• Flour unchanged; ship- ments, 74,062 bbls. Bran, $18.25 to $18.75. Duluth, Mar. 31. -Wheat -No. 1 hard, $1.13%; No. 1 Northern, $1.11% to $1.13%; No. 2 Northern, $1.06% to $1.10%. Linseed-Cloes: -Cash, May and July, $2.26%. Live Stock Markets. Toronto, Mar. 21. --Choice Ifeavy steers, $8.10 to $8.50; butchers cattle, choice, 37.75 to $8.10; do., good, $7.35 to $7.60; do., medium, $6.75 to $7; do., common, $6.30 to $6.60; butchers' hulls, choice, $6.50 to 37.50; do., good" bulls, $5.85 to 36,25; do., rough bells, $4.65 to 35.15; butchers' cows, choice, $6.40,'td $7; do., good, $5.85 to $6.25; do., medium, $5.50 to $5.75; do., common, $5 to $5.45; feed- ers, good, $6.25 to $7; stockers, 700 to 900 Ibe., •$6.10 to $6'.75; canners and cutters, • 33.75 to $4.50; milkers, cahoice, each,$75,to $1,00; do., common and medium, each, 385''to 360; spring - 'era; $60 to $100flight'ewes, $8.50 to ;$9.50; sheetil'heatrgs, 14m-4 • $7.50;' bucks and'eulta, $8.50 to $4.50; yearl- ing leriibe,'$7• tis"$'7`176 ';Ititi1•fdjrutielco, $11"to413•; dalVed, ine1110n414o relidice, • $7.50" to '$12; "circ:{ ` 6sfitinokf,'x°, t ^" to. $5 Go; holes, fed and't#abili'bdln$ ft' 50, to $1.0155; do., weighedi s ears, fi rcdr,-r AT WAR CONFERENCE. Sir Douglas Haig. CoI. Pachitch. ere General Joffre. A war conference is reported to be in progress on the Western front at French Army Headquarters. Great Britain is represented by Sir Douglas Haig, ,commander -in chief of the British forces in France; Russia by Gen. Gilinsky, aide-de-camp to the Russian Emperor; Belgium by the chief of the general staff, and Serbia by Premier Pachitch. 'SUGARS ARE BUTCHERING THE CONQUERED SERBIANS They Are Official`. Accused or' Massacres Thoroll'. out the invaded Rei;ioti. • A despatch from Paris 'says: Tho Serbian Press Bureau las issued a re- port of atrocities committed by But- gars on the Serbian population in the frontier districts. • The reporb,snys: "The. invaders, especially the Buie. gars, are doing their utmost to ex: terminate the remnants of the 'con- quered people:. There is a veritable reign of terror in all Macdonia. "Refugees say that life in Serbia under the heel of the conqueror is hopeless. For instance, the town of 'Skoplie was wiped out through pure • PORTUGAL GRATIFIED. AT • WAR WITH GERMANY Teuton Interests at Lisbon Will Be Looked After by Spain, vandalism: The houses were wanton- ly destroyed to make bonfires for the ribald soldiery, who also prey on the population, znassacking them by scorns. At Bitolji the majority of the population, particularly the priests and intellectuals, Were esse.nbled and ordered bo march under guard to Sofia. ` "They never arrived at their o`r,ten- sible destination. ..They were massa- cred to the last man en route. The Bulgarians theznaelves admit that an. order to go to Sofia is tantamount to a death warrant." ATTACK TREBLED &e,7I riff. A despatch from Paris says: The --. interests of Austria in Portugal have o been confided to the Spanish Minister Russian Reinfore means Landedat Lisbon. A Havas despatch from Under Cover of the Lisbon says bands paraded the streets of the city• all Wednesday night, play- Fleet. ing the Mar;seillaise and the Porta- guese hymn, accompanied by cheer- ing crowds. Otherwise calm prevail- ed throughout Portugal. Duke Mi - geed of Braganca, has left the Aus- trian Red Cross and his sons have abandoned 'the armies of the central empires. Prince Alphonse of Bra- ganca and Savoy has offered his ser- vices to the Portuguese Government. BRISK% RECRUITING OVER DOMINION Department Deluged With Applica- tions for Official Positions. A despatch from Ottawa says: It is announced by the Militia Depart- . ment that. recruiting is going on briskly throughout the country and! the different units are being filled up in the regular way, by applying to the commanding officers of each bat- talion. The department, however, is deluged with direct application for positions of paymaster, chaplain or quartermaster in the Canadian expedi- tionary 'forces: The number of ap- plications is already far in excess of vacancies.. RUSSIA TO ARRAIGN FORMER WAR MINISTER A despatch from London says: Em- peror Nicholas has approved the de- cision of the commission of inquiry to bring evidence of alleged illegal acts of former Minister of War Gen, Soukhomlanoff before the judicial de- partment of the Imperial Council with a view to . the arraignment on a Marge of being responsible. for the A despatch from Rome says: Ac- cording to information received here from a diplomatic source in Petro- grad the Russians are attacking the outskirts of Trebizond, the Turkish stronghold on the Bleck Sea. The as- sault is being made on three sides, from the north by sea with the guns of the Russian fleet, and' from the east and south by land. Large .Rus- sian reinforcements are continuing to land east of Trcbizond under the'pro- tection of the fleet. Trebizond . is practically the only place of import- ance left to the Turks on the Black Sea. tIs fall is declared to be immin- ent, and indeed it has been expected that the place would be surrendered with only a show of defence. HIGHER TAX FOR GERMANS. As Much as Thirty Per Cent. of In- come Taken in Saxony. A desnateh from Dresden, Saxony says: The Finance Committee of the Second Chamber of Parliament on. Friday voted unanimously to revise the income tax schedules upward, so that persons receiving 2,200 marks annually shall pay ten, per cent, and those receiving 50,000 marks or more shall contribute thirty per cent. of their incomes to the State. Fathers suppolting three or more children and having incomes less than 5,000 marks are exempted' from the increase and will pay at the old rate. $10.90 to $11; do., f.o.b., $1.15 .. to 310.20. Montreal, Mar. 21. -Choice steers at 38 to 38.25; good at $7.50 to 37.75, fair at $6.50 to $7, and com- mon at $5.50 to $6, while butchers' cows sold at from 35.25 to $7, and bulls from $5.50 to 37.25 per 100 lbs. Hogs, $11.10 to 311.35 per cwt. weighed off cars. Sheep, $7.50 to. $8.50, and lambs 311.75 to $12 per cwt. Calves, 8 to 10c per Ib. for milkfed stock, and at •4% to 51/s for other grades. NEWFOUNDLAND WILL INCREASE CONTINGENT A pespatch from St. John's, Nfld., says: Governor Davidson, in open- ing the Colonial Legislature on Thurs- day announced his intention to en- force strictly the newly enacted pro- hibition law which goes into effect at the end of the present. year. The speech from the throne praised the record of the colony's naval. and mili- tary contingents and announced that both forces would be increased. OTTAWA CITY COUNCIL DISMISSES ALL GER11iiANS A despatch from Ottawa says: The Water Works Committe of the Ottawa City Council has voted to dismiss all alien 'citizens of German nationality from its employ. The motion carried by a vote of 6 to 2. There are a ,same 1 er of Germans in the pay ,of the canimittee, NO POP ,CAN TAKE • SALONICA, GREEK SAYS A despatch from Athens says: Gen. i4oschopoulos, commanding the Greek forces in Macedonia, declared to King Cbnstantine on Friday afternoon that Itis -opinion $aloelea, which he had • ., to iFny ens ecteci was • sola 1 'just a p a>a y iiregntable. c shortage of munitions for the Russian army, says Reuter's Petrograd cor- respondent. 30 DEATHS IN BELGRADE FROM ASIATIC CHOLERA A despatch from London says: As- iatic cholera has broken out at Be' - grade, according to an Athens des- patch to the Exchange Telegraph Company. Fifty eases have been re- ported daily and thirty deaths have occurred. The people of. Belgrade are suffering from a shortage of pro- visions, and sanitary conditions are bad. .7- A CENT A 1VIILE. Canadian Railways Have Agreed on Rate for 17.5. Farm Laborers. IA despatch from Montreal says: It is understood in transportation circle;; here that the Canadian railways have agreed to the request of the Canadian Government to grant the rate of a cent a mile in Canada for American farm laborers, who are expected to come to Canada in large numbers owing to the active campaign now be- ing carried on in the United States by the Department of the Interior. FRENCH PARLIAMENT APPROVES PORTUGAL A despatch from Paris says: The Chamber of Deputies has unanimous - sympathy for and consideration of Portugal, "which has joined the allies in the defence of the cause of right and liberty." The President of the Chamber, Paul Deschanel, will trans- mit the resolution to the Portuguese Parliament. THREE BRITISH AIRMEN FALL TO DEATH ly passed a resolution expressin A despatch from London says: Three British airmen, Lieuts. John- stone, Beaumont and Laidlaw, were killed on Friday in accidents while on experimental flights. Lieuts. John- stone and Beaumont were killed on the east coast of Scotland, and Lieut. Laidlaw at the Hendon Aerodrome. YOUTHS OF 18 CALLED TO AUSTRIAN COLORS A despatch from Vienna says: An Imperial decree just published calls into service all those aged eighteen who. are fit for military duty. They well be added to the Landsturm Cate- gory. The decree applies to Austria and Hungary. KAISER WILL SELL CASTLES FOR CASH A. despatch from Rome says: Press despatches received _ from Switzerland say that the Kaiser has ordered the sale of several of his castles in order to contribute the proceeds to the new German war loan. KING -OF BULGARIA OBJECTS TO BOMBERS • A despatch from London says: A nunilser of bombs have been discover- ed under the Bulgarian Royal Palace at Sofia, according to wireless des- patches from Rome on Friday. Sev- ,eral arrests are reported to have been made. ESCAPED PRISONERS ARE TO, BE COMPENSATED A despatch from Paris says: ' The Minister of War has announced that French soldiers, taken prisoners 'by the enemy, and, who have subsequent- ly escaped shall bo recompensed in the largest measure possible for their courage and . attaehment to their country, KAISER RETIRES VON TIRPITZ • DEMANDS FLEET MAKE • DASH Thursday, March 16.-A despatch to the Exchange Telegraph' Conn any, London, from Copenhagen, says, the Wolff Bureau, the German setii-of- news agency, annoutkce's that t >r g Yr 'Admiral . . Admkral Alfred von. Trr atr, • German P , =Minister of the Navy, has retired, and that Admiral von Capelle, director of the administration department of the Admiralty has been appointed his successor. The resignation of von Tirpitz is said to be due to a break The with elle Raiser. 'T 1 e E m e p not and Prince Henry object to the fleet's in- activity. AMUSING EX.I'.l+l' +NCBS. Australian Troops, Are Short on •1 iscilkllne. The znilit�nry authoritios are having an increasingly difficult bask in pre- serving, discipline among the Austra- lian recruits, There have been a num- ber of outbreaks by soldiers, resulting in the burning of tents, the stoning of Greek fruit shops and oyster saloons' in Sydney and Neweastle, and refusal' among soldiers en masse to pay their fares on tale State-owned railroads. The,,'f,iverpool camp, 25 .miles from Sydney, being much the largest and most important one in the State, is chiefly affected. There may be seen the inept!tudes; short-eomings k� abases which spt'ing from an unpzc: pared nation being suddenly called upon, to cope with the mobilization, care and preparation of ,volunteer tunnies. Seores of instances of the demo cratie spirit of the recruits at Liver- pool, especially those .from the "hush," could be given to illustrate Che prob- lems facing the military powers high and low in Australia. A strapping "rookie" wishing to ask a question of an officer who was about 100 yards ahead of him, whistled lousily in tyni- cal country fashion and then yelled "Hey!" The officer naturally believ- ed that he was wanted on seine im- portant business, walked rapidly back to the man who had hailed him. "I say, old chap," the recruit began, ' propping himself against a post, "I say"- , "You shouldn't slouch that way when you address an, officer," the officer gently reproved him. "Per- haps you haven't been taught' yet, but always remember in the future that before speaking to an• officer you should stand at attention." The recruit eyed the officer critical- ly and then turning on his heel, re- marked: "Well, if that's the way you're going to take it I won't bother asking you any questions." Another raw recruit digging a trench was accosted by an officer who happened not to have his sword belt on. "Hard at it?" the officer asked. "My oath, mate," was the man's re- ply. "But while you're hare, sergeant, can you tell a chap the difference be- tween all these officers I see knock- ing around. I don't know one bloke from another?" "Well, to start with," said the of- ficer, "I'm not a sergeant." "No?" "No!" "Well, I don't know what you call yourself, but they call me a 'marma- Iade,' " was the response, "Marna- i' lade being the cant word, on account of the frequency of that ration, ap- plied to the privates at the camp by the privates themselves. Stiff -Necked Rapture. The youthful orator came down from the platform at the close of his address, and many people pressed forward to shake him by the hands. Re accepted their congratulations with a smiling face, but his eyes were on a certain man who lingered in his seat. The young lecturer pressed through the throng about him and'ex- tendecl his hand to the waiting man. "I want to thank you," he said to that gentleman, "for the close attention you gave to my remarks. Your up- turned face was an inspiration to me. I am sure you never changed your earnest attitude during my lecture." "No," said the man; "but don't flat- ter yourself on the account; I have a stiff neck!" Very Strange. :^ Little Willie would at times ac- quire an absorbing thirst for infor- mation, and on such occasions would give his parents uneasy quarters of an hour. "Pa," he said, one evening, holding up a' seed, "if I plant this will it grow into an apple tree?" "Of course it will," replied the father. "That is one of the most interesting. . things in nature. You see, my son, • the apple is just a covering for the seed, and-" "And would it grow into a big apple -tree, papa?" went on the bright little fellow. "Of course,'' returned his parent, somewhat snap- pishly. "That is what I am telling you about." "Well, it's very strange, pa," Willie continued, "for,you see, this is the seed of a pear!" KEEP DOWN DISEASE ON THE BRITISH FRONT A despatch front London says: The Government informed United States Ambassador Page on Wednesday that four surgeons from the American army service list would be permitted to inspect the medical corps of the British army at the front, particular- ly with a'View to observing the suc- cess of the British in keeping clown disease. • FRENCH WAR MINISTER COMPELLED TO RESIGN A despatch froin Paris says; Gen. eral Joseph Simeon Gallieni, Minister. of War, has resigned because of ill - health, and General. Charles Roque has been appointed to succeed him. No Truck With Germany. A despatch from. Manchester, Beg - land, says: The election of directors of the Manchester Chamber of Com- merce on Wednesday resulted in the return of 1.$ out of 22 directors who •are definitely committed to the policy of no free trade with Germany aftete the war.