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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton News Record, 1916-08-31, Page 3PREPARE FATHERLAND FOR REVERSE IN WEST German Correspondents With Proops in France 'Magnify Horrors' • Of Fighting AgainSt Allied Artillery. A deseateh from. Rotberdam says: Max Osborne in a despatch from the Somme front to The Voesische Zei- tung, says: • "Day and night the British and French guns continuously hurl their murderous lead. Shell burst all around, many exploding' before posi- tions where masses of dead are lying. They fling sand and stone splinters over the defenders. They fling, too, torn -off limbs, so when day comes and the men are able to eat the very sight of meat is horrible to them. "The noiee tears to pieces all nerves and senses. It continually drums in one's ears. Ndt a few find their hear- ing completely gone. The worst of all is the effect of the heavy mines. True, they can be seen coming and one can get out of the wey, but if one runs to the right there is a hostile flyer above the trenches who ,directs the flee of the guns so one has to run to the left. • "So it goes on, and one is hunted up and down like a wild beast. -There are times when our men curse and . are homesick, but in the moment of fighting all their feelings disappear. The sense of duty and discipline holds them together and they are ready with iron decision and bitter cour- age." George Wegener, in a despatch eto The Koelnische Zeitung, says: "The present line held by the Ger- inane consists only of a 'chain of shell holes instead of the girdle of strongly -built and fortified trenchee. Immovable men crouch in these holes with no cover from the sun or rain and not the slightest protection against the shells from above. "Hostile, flyers cover the Positions at a 'low height. They see the men in the holes and direct the Anglo- French fire with, a 'deadly 'certainty upon them or else they fire themselves with machine guns. "Everything has to be -done at night: the bringing up of reinforces merits, removing the wounded and blare:ink the dead. To procure warm food for the men lying out in those horrible conditions is seldom possi- ble. The want of drinking water is leading the men to driak dirty water out of the shell holes where there are human bodies and other things. "When an attack begins the terrors of these places are beyond descrip- tion. Like the fire rain in Gomorrah the drum fire of the enemy pours from heaven. The little shelter that there is in the trenches or holes is quickly flattened out. With thunder- ing roar heavy shells from the gigan- tic mine wipe out everything in the neighborhood with their explosion. At the same time a rain of shrapnel falls and poisonous gases roll for- ward." NO `OVERTURES ON , BEHALF OF PEACE Such Proposals Would Have to Come From, the Enemy. A despatch from London says: No peace overtimes have been made to Great Britain, Lord Robert Cecil, Minister of Wax Trade and Parlia- mentary Under-secretary for Foreign Affairs, stated in the House of Com- mons on Wednesday. Lord Robert's statement was made in response to a question by Sir James Henry Dalziel, in regard to "peace rumors," and the situation in the Balkahs. "No over- tures have been made for peace," said Lord Robert. "Thee° is only one way In which overtures for peace could be made, and that is from an enemy to the Government of thie country. If any such overtures were made the first thing we would do would be to commit with our allies, but no com- munication of the kind has been made." As to the Balkans, Lord Robert said the most important factor consisted of the operations from Sa- lonica. The allies' „A:elation with the new Greek Government, he stated, were thoroughly satisfactory. NEW CANAPIAN LOAN AROUSES MUCH INTEREST. -- Terms to be Announced About the , Middle of September. A despatch from Ottawa says: Al- ready numerous inquiries are being made as to the date and terms of the new Canadian war loan to be floated by Sir Thomas White within the next two months. The terms, etc., cannot of course be announced until the pros- pectus is ready for publication, about the middle of September. In the meantime the Minister and 'his de- partment are giving the question painstaking consideration, market conditions are being studied, and ad- vice from exports in the financial and investment world. BOYS LIKE "WAR BOOTS." Wooden -soled Shoes Fail to Suit Ger- man Girls, However. Berlin women and girls are re- ported as not being over -enthusiastic about the wooden soled shoes which German shoe manufacturers are said to have produced to fill the gap in foot -wear due to the scarcity of lea- ther caused by 'the war, but the boys are taking to them more kindly. The Berliner Lokal-Anzeiger declares that new shoes with wooden soles are so comfortable that "they can be worn even by persons afflicted with fiat feet or varicose veins." The authorities of Charlottenburg, one of the largest and wealthiest of Berlin's residential suburbs, have de- cided that in view of the necessity of using practically all the leather in the country for military purposes, the use of the wooden -soled boots and shoes must be popularized, so they have started to fit out the poorer residents with theee "war boots." It is eetimated that 200,000 people from the United States annually visit the Canadian National Exhibition. OPEN HUNGER RIOTS' - IN HANIgURG PORT People There Also Clamor for PeaCe-"Those at the Top Need War." A despatch to The London Chroni- cle from Amsterdam says: "For a week past the port of Ham- burg has been in a state of revolu- tion. One who has just 'escaped,' as he expressed it, tells an extraordin- ary story of the gradually rising ex- asperation. of the population, until early last week they broke out into open hunger riots and peace demon- strations. The authorities appear to have been taken by surprise, for the police were unable and perhaps un- willing, to quell the disturbances. They were completely overpowered, and before the soldiers could arrive angry crowds had foeced their way through several of the principal streets and smashed every shop and business house window. Only vigor- ous military measures were able to restore order. The utmost «'erity le shown to all who venecue outdoors, except during strictly limited daylight hours." STORY OF' A FRENCH HERO. Captured One Hundred Prussians by Good Bluff. The recent death of the Duke de Rohan in the Somme offensive re- calls the story of how one of France's heroes won the medal of the Legion of Honor by a daring ruse. At the beginning of the war the duke and his orderly rode, unaccom- panied, to a French farmhouse which had been occupied by one hundred Prussians. A peasant warned them that the enemy was in possession but the duke hoped that a squadron of French cavalry would soon rein- force hip'. The duke left his orderly in the stone -paved court of the farm with orders to gallop his horse back and forth and make as much noise as possible. He then pressed on into the house. The Prussians were refreshing themselves in the dining -room. The duke strode in boldly, crying: "You are surrotnided. Surrender at once." The Prussians leaped to their feet in alarm and surrendered their arms, herding them into a corner of the room. Fortunately for the Duke de Rohan, the squadron of cavalry soon appeared to make good his bluff. ALBERTA WILL YIELD 38 BUSHELS TO THE ACRE The Crolt Is Almost Equal to 'Ruin- er One of 1915. A despatch from Calgary, Alberta, says: -"The wheat fields of southern Alberta will average thirty-eight bushels to the acre. Along the lines of the Canadian Northern Railway the yield will be better than forty bushels to the acre. In other parts the yield will be well over thirty bushels to the acre for all Alberta." This was the opinion expressed on Thursday morning by a prominent of- ficial of the United Farmers of Al- berta and the Farmers' Elevator Com- pany of this Province. a MONSTER SUPER -ZEPPELINS TO HAVE LENGTH OF 780 FEET • Baron Montagu Says New Machines Germany is Building Capable of Carrying Five Tons of Bombs. • A despatch from Landon says: In a speech delivered at Bury St. Ed- rne untie on Wednesday night, Baran Iliontagu of Beaulieu, former eke - chairman of the joint Naval and Mili- tary Beard, • told 'of new monster Oper-Zeppeline which Germany is aWiding. aWe have obtained some details of the AupereZappelins which Germany Lt mew building," said Baron Montagu, "The plan:anal features of the craft A'eek A elapaelty.ef two million cubic. feells 1?.p: length of /80 feet, a beam of SO feete,Sanlaximent speed of 80 miles ideekuleing epeed of 85 miles an hour and a radius of action of 2,- 000.' miles. The engines, six Or seven of them, have a total of 15,000. horse- power. "The airships can carry a lead of bombe of five tens. They are able to ascend 17,000 feet. They are armed with machine guns at bow and stern and on top of the envelope. They carry a crew of 85 men. "Theo perticulars show how large- ly the Germans are relying on Zep- pelins tee a means for harrassing es. Two of those new craft have alreedy been completed, and four will be available in October," Markets of the Word itreadstugs Toronto, Aug,' 29.' -Manitoba wheat: - No. 1 Northern,. $1.66 ; No. 2 Northern, $1.64 ; No,'I Northern, $1.61, track.BaY Manabba oats --No. 2 ow., 571c ; No. 2 0.W., 6000 ; extra No. I feed, 566c: • No. 1 Teed, Coo, track Bay ports. American corn -Nor' 3 yellow, 070., track Toronto, Ontario oats-Ne,,8 white, 52 to 53c. norainal, according to freights outside. $1M4lo$avOh;IW,NP%gTe%ar$1A to 91.24..; No. 2 commercial, $...,18 to 0.1%20 : No, 8 commercial, $1,14 to '$1.161 according_to freights outside. '.Pats -No. 3, ,nominal, according to freights outside. BoileY,:-Malting, nominal ; to, .norninal, ecording to freights outside. 1luckw eat -Nominal, according to freights outside. Ilye•-No. 2. new, $1.02. to $1..05. ; No. commercial, nominal, according to freigh to outside. Manitoba noun -First patents, in jute bags, $8.40 ; secongt patents, in jute bogs, $7,90 ; ' strong,. lookers', in jute bagS,'57,70, ToroutO, toOsnatinarii,ole,floar7-0Ntoewsraloner,,,oameienciarldining bags, track Toronto, .prompt shipment ; new, according, to sample, $5.60 to $5.70, nominal, bulk seaboard, prompt ship- inf reeivnitgtuti. ts, bags included :-Bran, per ton, Iteed-Oar lots, delivered Montreal $25 to $26 ; shorts, per ton, 37 to $28, middling. Per ten, $28 to 20 ; good rfoeendtoil. our, per bag, $2.00 to $2.22. No. 2, per ton, $9 to $9.50, track To - Bay -New, No. 1, per ton; $10 to $12 ; Straw -Car lots, Per tom, $0 to $7, track Toronto. Country PrOduee-Wholesale. Butter -Fresh dairy, Choice, 28 to 29e * inferior, 24 to 25c ; creamery prints, 33 to ; solids, 32 to no. Eggs -New -laid, 29 to 30c ; do., in cartons, 33 to 356. Live chickens were selling at from p118c1tcoed2.0°' and fowl at 15 to 16c. Beans -$4.50 to $5, the latter for hand - Cheese -New, large, 182 to 19e ; twins Vito 101e ; triplets, 192 to 19bc. Dressed poultry -Chickens, 25 to 270-1 Cowl, 18 to 20c. Live poultry -Chickens, 18 to 20e ; fowl, 15 to 16c. Potatoes -Jerseys, per bag, $2.50 ; Ontarlos, per hag. $2.35 to $2.40. Honey -Five -pound tins, 120 to 13c; do., 10 -lb., 12 to 1210. Maple s2'rup-$1.50 per Imperial gal- lon, Provisions -Wholesale. Baoon-Long clear, 18 to 18Ac per lb. Hams -Medium. 24. to 26e ; do, heavY, ' 21 to 22e • rolls, 19 to 20e • breakfast bacon, 25 to 27e ; backs, plain, 2tic ; boneless backs, 25 to be. Cooked ham, 35 to 37c. Lard -Pure lard, tierces, 101 to 57e ; tubs, 17 to 1720 • Palls, 171 to 17/c ; compoUnd, 14 to 1'41e. ---- SlontreaLldarkets. Montreal, ' Aug. 29, -Corn -American No. 2 yellow, 95 to 90c, Oats -Canadian Western, No. 2, 600 : do, No. 3, 500 ; ex- tra No. 1 feed, 59c ; No. 3 local white. 54e, Flour -Manitoba Spring wheat patents, firsts, $8.50 ; do., seconds, $8.: strong baker's, $7.80 ; Winter patents, choice. $7.00 ; straight rollers, $0.90 to 51,20 ; do., in bags, $3.25 to $3,40. Rolled oats -barrels, $6.05 ; bag of 90 lbs., $2.90. Millfeed-Bran, $25 ; shorts, $27 ; middlings, $29 ; mouillie, $31 to $34. Hay -No. 2, per ton, car lots, $16 to $17. Cheese -Finest westerns, 10 to 19to ; do., easterns, 182 to 19o. Butter - Choicest creamery, 342 to 850 ; seconds, 33 to Me. Eggs-Fresla, 800 ; selected: 94c ; No. 1 stock, 31c ; N. 2, do., 27c. Dressed hogs-Ahattoh•-killed, $17 to 517.55. Pork -Heavy Canada short mess, barrels, 35 to '45 pieces, $30 to $35 ; Canada shoet cut back, barrels, 45 to 66 pieces, $32 to $33. Lard -Pure, wood nails, 20 lbs. not, 16 to 161c. Winnipeg -Grain. Winnipeg, Aug. 25. -Cash quotations : -Wheat-No. 1 Northern, $1,58i: ; No, 2, do., $1,569 ; No. 3, do., 01.529 I NO. 4, $1.45 • No. 6, $1.393 No. 6; $1,291 ; feed, '$1.312, Oats -No. 2 C.W„ 6010. Barley -No. 3, 790 ; No. 4, 750 ; re- jected, 000; feed 60c. Flax -No, 1 N.- W.C., $1,92 ; No. 2 C.W., $1,39, United States Markets, Minneapolis, Aug. 29. -What -Sep- tember, $1.591 ; No. 1 hard, $1.651; No. 1 Northern, $1.592 to $1,632 ; No. 2 Northern, $1.661 to $1.61.1. Corn -No. 3 yellow, SG to 87e. Oats -No. 3 white, 442 to 450, Flour unchanged. Bran -- $19.50 to $21.00. Live Stock Markets. Toronto, Aug. 29,-01301c° heavy steers, $8.50 to $5,75 ; Butcher steers, phoice, $8.00 to $8.15 ; do., good, $7.75 'to $7.86 ; do., medium $7,50 to $7.60 ; do., common, $6.75 to ,$7.00 ; Miters, good to choice, $7.70 to $3.00 ; do., medium, $7,50 to $7.76 ; Butcher cows, choice, $6.60 to $6.80 ; do., !medium, $5.25 to $6,25 ; Butcher built, choice, $6.85 to $7.35 .• do., good, $6.50 to Mu do., medium, $6.75 to $7.00 ; Feeders, 900 to 1,000 lbs, , $6.60 to $7.00 ; do., bulls, $6.60 to $6.00 ; Stockers, 700 to 800 lbs., $4.20 to $6.15 ; do., med., 650 to 750 lbs., $6.75 ; do., light, 600 to 060 lbs., $6.00 to $1.60 ; Canners, $3.75 to $4.75 ; Cutters, $4.25 to $4.50 ; Sheen, light, clipped. $7.25 to $7,50 ; do., heavy, clipped, $5.00 to $5.60 ; do., light, un- clipped, $3.95 to $3.75 ; do., yearlings, $9.50 to $10,00 ; Spring lambs, per lb„ 11 to 12e •, Calves, $7.50 to $12.00; Hogs, Sod and watered, $12.00 to $12.25 ; do.. f.o.b., $11.60 to $11.75 ; do., weighed off Cars, 512,25 to $13.50. Montreal, Aug. Mi. -Butchers' steers, good, $7.60 to $8 ; fair, $7 to $7,25 ; medium, $6,60 to $6.75 ; common, $5 to $6.35 ,* Butchers' cows, good, $6 to 07 fair, $6.60 to $0.71; common, $5 to $5.25 ; canners, $3.50 to $4,50 ; Butchers' bulls best, $6,50 to' $7 ; good, $6 to $6.50 fair, $5,60 to $6 ; canners, $4,50 to $5 Sheep, 6a. to 7/e lb. ; lambs, Sc to 100 lb. Calves ; milk fed, Sc to 10e lb ; -press fed, 50 to 6c la Hogs, selects, $12,60 to $12,75 ; roughs and mixed lots. $11 to $12 : sows, $10.50 to $10.76 ; all weighed oft cars. HALF POUND OF MEAT ALLOWED WEEKLY. Berlin Government Issues a Decree Providing Meat Cards. * A despatch from Berlin says: The Government has issued a decree pro- viding for the introduction of meat cards for the whok empire on Oct. 2. Families butchering for their own - consumption are subject to the card system. They will be required to .procure permission from local author- ities before butchering animals for household consumption. The maxi- mum amount of meat provided for un- der the new card system will be 250 grams (slightly, more than half a pound) weekly. BRITISH PROGRESSING IN GERMAN EAST AFRICA A despatch from London says: - An important advance in the cam- paign for the .conquest of German East Africa is reported in a Reuter despatch from Nairobi, British East Africa. The despatch says that Bri- tish troops under Lieue-Col. Vander - venter on August 22 entered the town of Kilosse, near the Wami River. The British- eustainecl few casualties. GET 3,524 RECRUITS IN HALF OF AUGUST. A despatch from Ottawa says, Of- ficial recruiting figures for the first two weeks of August show that the total enlistments for all Canada in that period numbered 8,524. :The Kingston Military Dietrict covering Eastern Ontario, leads again with 694. The numbers of men who join- ed the colors in the other districts were: Alberta, 603; Toronto, 577; Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 541; Montreal, 446; British Columbia, 227; London, 202; Maritime Provinces, 193; Qaebee, 41, Infantile Paralysis Affects Entire United States LITTLE paralysis victim being treated by nurse in the Lincoln Hospitall The hospitals that have been handling patients with this disease are no *, so overm crowded that temporary quarters are being arranged for and isolation Hospitals are being built. , . , The dread plague still takes its daily toll of little liv,eS. Reports front the Southern States, the Mississippi Valley, and the Far West indicate that within the last two months there have been approximately 600 cases of in- lantile paralysis and fifty deaths from the, disease Minnesota has had 249 cases with a death rate of one in ten. In the East and especially in New York the disease still holds sway. ,,, .. FROM SUNSET COAST WHAT THE WESTERN PEOPLE ARE DOING. Progress of the Great West Told in a Few Pointed Paragraphs.. - Honey crop of B.C. will not be as heavy as expected earlier in the sea- son. Vancouver Island is- hnproving in an indilstrial sense to a marked degree. e No deer may be exposed for sale' this year in Victoria, says a recently - made law. The death -of Mrs. Julia O'Connor, aged 96, occurred recently at New Westminster. Partridge shooting is to: be allowed on the Delta, Vancouver, for two days only this season. Nearly 300 Italians who have been called back to serve will soon leave Vancouver for the front. Fishing has improved of late at Maple, B.C., grilse and a few sal- mon being caught just now. Vancouver wholesale dealers an- nounce an increase of 30 cents per barrel in all grades of flour. Between 800 and 900 people en- joyed the Vancouver Grocers picnic at Bowen Island last week. The West Saanich Women's Insti- tute held a flower show. last week which netted $214 for the Red Cross. The province has arranged for a course of six free lectures on domes- tic science to be held in Vancouver. • 'The Vernon, B.C., coomentration camp is nearly depleted of soldiers, who tire at work in the harvest fields. A bargain in hay was secured by the city of Victoria veceetly, when three carloads were bought at $21.50 a ton. In response to the call for harvest- ers in Saskatchewan, 1,051 men have registered in the Vancouver employ- ment offices. The school for 'military engineer- ing opened at the Sixth Engineers' Drill Hall in North Vancouver, with a class of 35. It is said that mineral discoveries at Herb Lake, Beaver and Flim Elam Lakes, and the area between, may yet rival Nevada, The Sovereign Lumber Co., of Brenton, near Ladysmith, hae reor- ganized and moved the mill into the Morrison property. A refining plant for making beet sugar may be established in the New Westminster Valley if co-operation of farmers can be secured. Potatoes in large quantities are being evaporated at the packing plant, Ladner. The price paid is be- tween $10 and $12 a ton. A decision to have a pheasant sea- son of one month on the mainland of B. C. is contained in an Order -ins council passed at Victoria. The sea- son begins Oct. 18. During the month of July the total amount of bright sunshine .in Nanai- mo was 173 hours and 80 minutes, rain 1.33 inches, highest temperature 77 on the 80th, lowest 46 on the 26th. FRENCH TO CALL KAISER TO ACCOUNT , • Chamber Will Discuss Meabures to be Taken Against. Him. A despatch from Paris says :-Whitt measures can be taken at the proper time against the Emperor of Germany and other persons held to be answer- able for compelling inhabitants of the invaded cities of Northern France to work in the fields, and the hnmedi- ate steps which France might take in 'behalf of these people, are questions to be. raised in the approaching ses- sine of the Chamber of Deputies. De- puty Bouyssom in a letter to Premier! Roland, in which he severely criticised ' =miss ritom ARMY . GOMM'S DEFENDER MUSH RETAKEN BY THE RUSSIANS Previously Captured by the Grand DUke, but Lost to Enemy on Aug. 8. A despatch from London Basra': The armies of the Grand Duke Nicholas have scored two important suceessee in the Caucasus. Forces operating in Southern Turkish Armenia have re- occupied Mush, which was captured by the Turks on Aug. 8, and in the direction of Mosul part of a Turkish division was Surrounded and 2,300 prisoners taken. The Russian official report reads: "Caucasus front: Our troops, press- ing the enemy in the region to the west of Lake Van, entered *lash, where they took some prisoners. "In the direction of Mosul our gal- lant troops defeated four Turkish divisions in the region of the village of Bachta. We surrounded portions of the division, and took prisoner the whole of the 11th Turkish Regiment, consisting of its commander, 56 offi- cers and 1,600 of the rank and file, as well as nearly all of the remnants of the 10th Turkish Regiment, consisting cif. two staff officers, several other of- ficers and 650 Askaris. We also cap- tured in this battle three cannon and three machine guns." The repulse of a Russian attack on the Turkish positions along the Cau- casus front with a loss of 3,400 Rus- sian troops, is reported in the Turkish official eeetement of Thursday. The announcement follows: "Caucasus front: On our right wing, separate at- tacks on the Turkish advanced posi- tions were repulsed by counter at- tacks with considerable enemy loss. In the Ova sector alone the Rus- sians lost 3,000 men, and in front of the Turkish position at Might we counted 400 killed." ---tr BRITAIN AND SWEDEN NEARING THE BRINK ? Latter Persisted in Blocking Parcels to Russia. A despatch from London says: The British Government, following the lead of Sweden, has made public the entire correspondence 'with Sweden concerning British seizures of the Swedish parcel -post with the United States and Swedish retaliation in stopping ell British parcels in transit to Russia. The correspondence dis- closed that the situation has not yet been satisfactorily adjusted. Some of the letters and notes teem with language so sharp as to indicate that the relations of the two ckuntries at one time aproached the breaking point. As a result of the negotiations Sweden retently released 601000 par- cels to Russia under agreement with the British Crovenment to submit the matter to arbitration after the war. AVIATOR DROPS WREATH FOR HIS FATHER'S GRAVE. Enemy Airman Answers Saying That Favor Had Been Accomplished. A despatch from Paris says: Aviator Lieut. Fevre, flying over Sainte Marie aux Mines, in German Alsace, deopfiecl a wreath and letter requesting the curate of the village to place the wreath on the tomb of his father, Col. Fevre, of the 221st Regi- ment of French infantry, who was killed in that locality during the French offensive of 1914. A German aviator, flying over the French lines, dropped the curate's answer saying that the favor had been accomplished. the acts of the Germans toward the population of the invaded regionagave notice that he would iateepollate the Premier on these subjects, AUTO JUMPED BRIDGE FOUR PERSONS DROWN A respateh from Digby, N.S., says :,' -Four were drowned at Metighan Riven, forty miles west of here, late Wednesday night when an automobile in meek on the bridge anti plunged evith its ,,occupants into the water. Names of the dead: Mr. and Mrs. Leo Aeroire, both of Saulnierville; Mary Lombard, 25, of Metighan River, end Monique Comeau, 20, • Saulnierville, Frank Sauthier, driver of the cae: managed to escape, though badly in- jure& He says he lost control of the cal: while on the bridge. All bodies weak reeoverefd, Gen. Riedel, Who Was in Command of e Austrians, Loses His*Rank. A despatch from Berne,. Switzer- land, says :-A wireless despatch re- ceived from Austria says that a court-martial sitting at Klagenfurt has sem:tent* General Riedel, who was in command at Gorizia hen the city was metered by the Italians, to dismissal from the army ane loss of his rank and pension. GERMAN MILITARY wor-::s ARE HEAVILY BA IAGED. A despatch from Amster:. in says: German military works ..ae Lichter- velde Ardoye and Thielt wee heavily damaged in the recent al- :aid of the allies over West 'Ian.' :s, says The Echo de Beige. ALL T T REMAINS TO GER NY IS ARTIFICIAL NATIONAL urimt The Allies Are in Twofold Superiority to the Teutons, Japanese Admiral Says -German Advantage No Longer Exists. A despatch from Paris says: Ad- miral 'Altiyarna, who as aide to Ad- miral Togo, plann4d the Battle of Tsushima, is on the way to New York after visiting all of the allied coun- tries. "I am thoroughly convinced that the allies are in twofold superiority to the Germans," said the Admiral before sailing. "To be perfectly truthful., the Germans were a nation much stronger than we ever imagin- ed What they have done in the last two years will remain a marvellous monument in the history of the world. "But what has made them so strong) is their organization and preparation1 in military matters. Their advantage no longer exists. The allies by prac-I Lice and experience have accomplish- ed all the Germans had perfected. "All that remains to Germany to-' day is her national unity, which is' the fundamental element of her' strength. But I have come to won-' der how long such unity can with- stand the strain of the dangers which threaten. German unity is artificial rather than natural. Their discipline lacks elasticity, and cannot last. Anyway, the development of the war is entirely fa-vorable to the allies." PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA ABOUT THE UPS AND DOWNS OF "BILLY" HUGHES. This Wonderful Man Was .Born in North Wales of eepor Parents. A man of middle height, of frail build, with very long legs and arms, a straight mouth, the lean chin and cheeks of the student. The figure is testhetic, emaciated; it is the form of a man wasted by dyspepsia. All day long he is chewing, not the cud of reflection, but various prepara- tions for persuading his food not to quarrel with his. interior, Yet he is as tough as whipcord, has the endur- ance of a camel, and the pluck of a prizefighter, says London Answers. That is an Australian view of the maxiwho is the man of the moment throughout the British Empire -the Rh. lion. W. M. Hughes, Prime Min- ister of the Commonwealth -and it is quoted in Mr. Douglas Sladen's ex- cellent little book, "Hughes of Aus- tralia." Watching the Ships. Fifty-two years ago this wonderful man was born in North Wales of poor parents. In 1874 he went to London to the Burdett -Coutts School at West- minster. Ten years later he landed in Australia. Ten years later, again, he was a member of the New South Wales Parliament, and twenty years later he was in the Cabinet of the Federal Parliament of Australia. AS a pupil -teacher at the Burdett - Coutts School he attracted the notice of Matthew Arnold, who inspired in him a taste for the best literature, to which probably his wonderfully mov- ing oratory may be traced. During these years his chief recreation was to stand on London Bridge and watch the shipping. It is clarions to note on what small chances our fates depend. Tiring of the life of a teacher -he load a class of ninety boys -he arranged to emi- grate with another fellow to Mexico. On the way home, after a visit -to a shippieg alio, Hughes espied a boomerang in an old curiosity shop. It caught his fancy, and he bought it. All Through a Boomerang. His friend -the Mexico enthusiast offered to show him how to throw it. He knew as much about boomerangs as Hughes did, and, in throwing it, cut Hughes' eye very badly. After the quarrel that ensued they parted for ever. ; The boomerang had done it -Hughes decided for Australia. ....At the age of nineteen, therefore, he took all his savings, amounting to ten pounds, and shipped to Australia; and there, until he was nearly forty, his life was one continual hardship and battle. He has known what it means to go without food for two days. He has known the life of the worker from the very bottom. That is why he is per- haps the ideal of a Labor leader. He can never forget what he himself has suffered at the hands of exploiters, yet at the same time he has the clear, swift brain which enables him to see the other side also. ' He has worked on sea, in towns, and in the bush, as sheep -shearer, boundary -rider, cook, seaman before the mast, school -teacher in an up- country township, sundowner, gold - prospector, sheep -drover -indeed, he has sampled every kind of labor that the Australian continent provides, A Real Fighter, It was while working as sheep - drover that he caught the chill which resulted in the affliction that would have handicapped any ordinary man for life -namely, deafness. Always he has been a fighter for the people, and quite early in his career he formed out of one of the roughest crowds in Australia -the Sydney dockers -the famous Water- side Workers' Union. He risked his life a dozen times in their turbulent meetings, -Yet by sheer force of attr- acted and clear reasoning he managed to sway therm He has consistently been against strikes, taking the view that they do not help the worker. On the 'eve of his departure for England at the end of last year a strike broke out among the clock -laborers at Sydney, and though every course was taken to settle it nothing could be done. It was to Hughes that they had to aprsaal. last hope he visited the docks himself and addressed the men. "You --- fools!" was his mode of address. "Can't you see that you're playing the enemy's game? The stuff iosweted for the nation. Shift it at ne The men continued, to refuse. Hughes continued to command, And - at the eleventh hew Hughes won. A loss of dollars sometlines brings the spendthrift to his senses., • FROM OLD SCOTLAND NOTES OF INTEREST FROM HER BANdiS AND BRAES. Mat Is Going On in the Highlands and Lowlands of Auld Scotia. Sergt. James Happel, ILL,L, prior to enlisting 'employed in the pits in Dailly, has been awarded the Military Medal. The death has occurred in Edin- burgh of Mr. James Porteous, J.P.,' for mora than 20 years Provost of Coldstream. Temporary Lieut. -Col. R. Sturdy, M.R.C.V.S., of the Army Veteran Corps, well known in Edinburgh, has been awarded the D.S.O. Among those mentioned in des- patches was Major Deroyil Hughes - Onslow, of Balkissock, Ballantrae, a well-known Carrick laird. The postmen and telegraph mes- sengers in the Buckle district have succeeded in collecting over 800 razors for the troops. The Edinburgh and Leith Mesta Bakers' Bread Committee have de- cided to reduce the price of bread one cent ,per 4 -pound loaf. Lord Provost Sir Robert Inches opened the St. George's Red Cross Auxiliary Hospital at Churchill in the presence of a large gathering. Since the beginning of February, the rainfall for Aberlady district has been phenomenal and constitutes"one of the wettest seasons on record. Damage estimated at $5,000 was caused by a fire that occurred at Rowallan Creamery, the property of the Fenwick Farmers' Association. Three persons Were killed and three seriously injured when the premises of the Nutrimol Feed Corn - pally, Glasgow, suddenly collapsed. The people of Motherwell have pre- sented to the Red Cross for use al the front, a fully-equiped motor am. bulance, and have promised to main- tain it for a year. The operative bakers in Paisley have demanded an increase of 72 cents per week, with 12 cents per day for jobbing bakers, and the abo- lition of half-day jobbers. At Selkirk High School, Gaston Mind, a Belgian refugee, has been presented with the Oliver medal as dux of the school. It is only 18 . months since he began to learn Eng- lish. The question of licenses being granted by the Board of Trade to im- porting firms to bring over granite from Scandinavian countries to Scot- land is giving vise to keen discussion in Aberdeen. The report on education in Scot- land just issued alludes to the severe trials which 'education had to undergo in 1915, particularly the lack of suit- able accommodation for scholars and insufficient teaching staff. BIRDS IN THE TRENCHES. They Care Little or Nothing for the Noise of War. An English soldier sends the Field some interesting facts in regard to the behavior of birds in the war zone'. He says; "I have been in the - trenches barely three Months, but quite long enough to convince me that birds care little or nothing for the noise of war, although, of course, it must interfere with thein to a cer- tain degree. I happen to be in a very pretty part of the country, which fa- vors observation; nevertheless it is a very- active part of the line. Often when doing my tour of duty in the trenches at night I have heard the nightingale near by, and the culccoo by day, while in `no man's land' the -kestrel habitually hovers, and we are reminded that dawn is approaching by a lark that soars to the heavens and pours forth his song. Even a cloud clearing the moon made him do this. In the trenches we also hear owls and the whistle of birds on mi- gration overhead. In a small thin copse running from our front line into no man's land magpies may be seen busy at their nests, and this same copse is a favorite shelling ground of the enemy. As I sib now in the dug -out linnets are perched on the ground, singing outside the door. My first swallow of the year was seen . shimmering in no man's land amidst flying lead. Four or five common partridges were shot front the trenches with a rifle, and, being neat- ly allot, went to swell our daily memo. All this occur::: amongst shells, trench mortars, grenades, rifle flre, and all the other horrorrof war. Their dis- regard of all these seems astounding., Not only birds but insects, too, the, trenches hold -butterflies and moths. of various species; and often the eye, is gladdened ley the pretty vision of; a rare or a common swallow poised on the front-line parapet, lighteningl the subaltern's dreary round or tourk on duty." ee It's surprising how smart a bon 5,541; bc-when his mother tells it.1