LONDON IN WAR TIME

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 76, 22 December 1917, Page 10

LONDON IN WAR TIME

"The war still overshadows everything)" wrote the High Commissioner [Sir Thomas Mackenzie) recently to a friend in New Zealand. ''The coming In of America is «oinu: to be an ciiornons help, and as'the German expectations in regard to the siibinraino '.ucnice have not been fulfilled we think it safe to assume that ships will be ivailable for bringing assistance from the United States. I think the introduction of the American spirit into this war will do great good; it will correct the tendency to run m old grooves. The American troops marched through London a short time ago. It was a glorious sight to see them, rhcy had a-magnificent reception, ;;nd thev deserved it. . "One sometimes hears expressions of jealousy that the Americans may say thev had to assist 11s to win. the'war, but' I hope that spirit is not general. Rvcn if thev should boast a little thev are entitled to' do so, because their assistance will be of immense ralue to us. One ofte nhears the bands marching through St James a Park and thev stir up the Celtic spirit in the blood 'of the London Scottish. We are in better heart at the moment than'wo have been for many a day. We have got the German beaten absolutely on "the West, but he will continue to fiaht on. We must set wu face against any indefinite peace ci natched-up'arrangements for we are (jphtina: an unscrupulous, atrocious "'"'We shall prnbahlv have a dismal winter in London/with few lights and fewer conveyances. It is almost impossible to get a cah at a railway station. or even to get a porter to enrrj em's and the crush at some railwav stations and hus halting places is such that nnlv strong peorfle ear firiit their way through Another aspect of London life is the lack of accommodation. People are giving -v.\ hicr houses and renting smaller premises, flats, and tenements. A great number of the large hotels have beer commandeered for Goevrnment purnoS p S . so that those wishing to live in London have to face a difficult housinp -nroblem. "Recently I was at Salcombe, stav ; ing in the house in which it is <air TeniiTsnn -wrote Crossing inp Bar. From that house one beautiful sunnj day I saw a. fine steamer sunk by f tornedo. She was not more than * m ile and a half from where I was and a* I had a powerful telescope I sa\. n ii It was p depressing sight. :-nt n'nde one wish to get at .the villain; who perpetrate such atrocities. I believe thev afterwards go l l the submarine. We have had nightly visitations from German aeroplanes, but or September 4 ther«, was an exceeding Severe attack. This office was ,n the reutro of operattens. The nearesi Immh was dropped across the street notber about fifty yards away, one on the Embankment, and one. wh.cldid not explode, in the courtyard of ,• well-known hotel, which is perhaps cne hundred yards awav Tins office sustained no damage, but some of tly ex hihits were knocked over, and singularly enough, a portrait of Genera Birdwood. which was lodeed agamsl -mother exhibit in the window, cami rieht forward and fell nrer and snlil a'boar's \he window daughter Helen and I were. sleepin on the too storv of the premises, an< it was the second or third on which we had to rush down. lln noise of the smashing of glass anel nij ping of building was very alarming.