OFFICIAL NEWS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2245, 3 September 1914, Page 6

OFFICIAL NEWS

HIGH COMMISSIONERS CABLES London, September 1, 8.20 p.m. War Office, Paris, states the. right after partial checks have taken offensive. Enemy retired. In centre alternating checks and successes. General battlo in progress. On left circumstances favoured Germans, and despite counter-attacks Anglo-French • yield ground. Nowhere have our armies been broken through. Three days' battle proceeding in districts of -Vervins, Hamperonne, and Saint Quintens. Left wing engaging best German troops. STEAMSHIPS AND THE WAR THE ADMIRALTY'S RIGHTS. Just prior to the departure of the Orient Royal Mail liner Omrah from London, Mr. Churchill was questioned in the House of Commons regarding the rights of,the Admiralty,in time of war, and in answer he 1 stated-.-r-The Admiralty possess the right of hire or preemption by virtue of contracts with the following companies:— . Cunard Steamship Company—over all the company's vessels. International Mercantile Marine—over all the Brltihs vessele in the association. .. , . ■ ; In addition, the Admiralty possess rights of hire or pre-emption over the vessels employed under : Post Office mail contracts with the following companies:— Pacific Steam Navigation Company.— Service: Liverpool-Callao via Magellan, Panama-Valparaiso. Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. —Service: , Southampton-West ■ Indies, SotithamDtoh-Brazil and River Plate. P. .ain3. 0. Steam Navigation Company.—Service: Brindisi-Bombay; BrindistiShanghai; Brindisi-Adelaide. .Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company.—Service: Anglo-South ' Alderney Steam Packet.—Service: Alderney-Guernse'y, Aldemey-Cherbonrg. Messrs.. MacSfayne, Orkney Steam Navigation Company.—North' of Scotland aiid Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company. Glasgow 'and South Western" Railway Company (purchase only).—Service: Scottish steamer mail service. ' '•'.'' AN AUSTRALIAN'S INVENTION FIELD "X" RAY OUTFIT. i When the Australian Light Horse goes to the front it will take with it, as part of its medical equipment, a contrivance which has never before been seen upon the battlefield. It is called a field "X" .rays equipment, and it differs from the ordinary Army Medical, Corps equipment in that it is intended to accompany the Light Horse to the yery forefront of the battle, and, if necessary, will be used at a field dressing station in the rear of the firing line. ■ It is the invention of Dr. 'Argyle, and tho financial arrangements, for its construction have been carried out by a number of private subscribers. The' difficulty at the outset wne to doviso an "X" rays equipment and hospital which should bo portable, and at tho same time exceedingly mobile. This difficulty has been overcome by the construction of a fully equipped outfit, fixed in a motor-car, the whole outfit being self-contained. In the car is the full "X" ray plant, a portable tent for a hospital, and a complete set of tho necessa.'y instruments. The car is fitted with its own electric .dynamo, and charges its own batteries. It is also self-starting, and supplies electric light, which will be used for surgical operations at night in the tent hospital. The whole equipment will bo officially attached to the Liaht Horse Ambulance Brigade. It has been readily accepted hv General Williams and Colonel Ryan. The doctor in charge will he Captain Nicholas, the bite junior "X" ray specialist at tte Melbourne, Hospital, i