LONDON'S BLACK WAR WEEK

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2264, 25 September 1914, Page 6

LONDON'S BLACK WAR WEEK

,;A NEW ZEALANDER'S DIARY. A young ■• New. Zealander, writing, from London on August 1 last, to his people in New Zealand,' gives an interesting picture, of London just on the eve!of the outbreak of hostilities. He writes:-— . „ ' ■ J 1-8-14.—T0-day is Saturday, and 'Monday is the Augusf; Bank Holiday, jbut mighty few peoplo , are in a holiday mood. Many are doing nothing. They are too anxious to leave London. , On Thursday the bank rate ro* from 3 per cent..'to 4 per cent., on Friday'to , 8 per cent., and to-day to 10 per cent. A-10 per cent, bank rate in London 1 Yesterday and.to-day cheques, when cashed,. got only 10 per cent, in coin and the balance in notes.. If things gel. much worse, I expect the banks will refuse to cash cheques. Then we will have to pay for everything in chequesj as in the' United States in 1907. Today there is practically real news from Europe, though there is plenty of talk.'in the newspapers. Our own papers are not going to publish any news relative to movements of our own Army; Navy, 'or Territorials. Food prices are 'rising , rapidly. Flour has risen. Gs. a sack this week; over 20 per cent., and other commodities . are also rising. ' There is a rumour that on, Monday the bakers will raiso the price of. bread by 2d; the 41b. loaf. God help'the* poor if war breaks out, for then food will be dear, and there will be no wages coming in, as. trade will liractically cease.

. : 2-8-14. —Tb.day we woke to find that Germany had declared war upon Franco and Russia; that France-had''issued her mobilisation orders; that . Norway, Switzerland, and Holland were mobilising. This afternoon throe of us went to Eppmg Forest for a walk', and re-, turned to Liverpool Street ' Station about 8 o'clock. . There we saw crowds of Germans waiting for tho HarwichHook of. Holland express, to depart. Poor wretches I There wasn't much enthusiasm about them. They were silent—very silent for a German crowd. Most of them didn't look actiVely depressed, but there was absolutely no evidence of tho reverse.' They were of all'ages, but mostly quite young,, and there was a sprinkling of obvious tourists, whose visit had been cut .short. Late this evening special editions of the newspapers came out' with . the news that Great Britain has mobilised the Fleet. "What will bo next, we wonder? Will we throw our Army into Belgium, to prevent violation of her neutrality by Germany, who has already invaded Luxemburg? Or. will we declare war? Not tho latter just yet, I think. Certainly, tho Government won't, rush us into n war without, doing its best to keep 1 out. Six weeks ago everybody would have said that a European war was inconceivable at this stage of civilisation, but now we see that civilisation is only skin deep after all. 4-8-14.—This morning we,knew,war was acortainty unless a,miracle occurred: Germany had invaded Belgium, and had made an impertinent offer to England. If we did not interfere she would not attack the west coast of France by sea!" War 'is not. yet declared, but wo expect it every minute. This evening tho news is out, that tho Government has taken over tho railways. Things are moving rapidly. The Bank Holiday has been extended for- an additional three days. To-day I was at the office as usual, and did a fair amount of work, .but most of the staff seemed to do nothing but' talk about the situation, Talk is no good, however, worse luck I _ It .will be action next. Then Britain will, appreciate war. Know What it means at .her own door. A /moratorium in connexion with bills of exchange has been declared. This iu civilised London! Porhirps it won't bo long boforo it is extended to other things—to debts generally'. . 5-8-14.—1.g0t a letter from mother to-day, saying that Charlotte was. to be married yesterday, and her husband was to leave immediately, for the south, to join his regiment.. ; Waif was do-" clared-upon Germany at midnight, and to-day there have been all sorts of rumours about. The British and German fleets are said to have been engaged in the North Sea, and the French and German fleets in the Mediterranean. To-day the office manager informed us as we arrived that some readjustment would require to take place, and suggested that we should suggest a reduction of salaries rathor than a dismissal of the staff. Accordingly a meeting Was called, and two delegates appointed, who suggested an'all-round reduction of 30 per cent. . The partners admitted that something would need to bo done, and said they would consider the suggestion, so that is probably what will happen, oxcept in the case of the lowerpaid clerical staff, to whom a 80 per cent, reduction would be very serious.

6-8-14.—The lack of coin does not seem to be so bad as was feared, and the measures taken by the Government to get over the difficulty will be effective, if people do not hoard coin. Notes for £1 and 10s. will bo issued at the rate of about £5,000,000 a day, until the demand is satisfied. At present the smallest note in England is for £5, though there are £1 note's in Scotland, and I think also in Ireland. Tho Government is handling the whole situation in a very splendid fashion. "Wo actually seem to havo been prepared for war, and mobilised without'muddle or noise. It is really extraordinary for England, who usually "muddles through somehow." Tho Fleet, which disappeared on Tuesday (I think) of 'asfc week, has not been heard of yet, although there are rumours that it was in the Channel, off Lowestoft, and .off Heligoland yesterday. Wo do know that ono small ship destroyed a German mine-layer yesterday. That is all, We don't know where the army, is , either 1