A SENSATIONAL ESCAPE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3992, 27 July 1915, Page 5

A SENSATIONAL ESCAPE.

BRITISH AVAR CORRESPONDENT TRAVEL SES GERAIA NY. ESCAPE FROAI A PRISON CAMP. AAJSTERDAAI, July 25. Geoffrey l’yke the war correspondent, reports that he and Edward Falk, a civilian, escaped from Euhleben detention cam]) and after an arduous tramp reached the Dutch frontier. They were arrested on suspicion of being smugglers arid were released. (Received July 2G, 10.20 p.m.) Mr Pyke relates that he penetrated to Berlin in September last and, after arrest, was kept in a small cell for JO weeks until his mind and spirit almost gave way. A police doctor refused to examine him when .suffering from blood poisoning in the foot. He was afterwards removed to Ruhleben. where 300 prisoners slept in one haylot t. Air Pyke here nearly died of pneumonia, but did not receive medical attention. He suffered from repeated illnesses from February to June. Air Falk, who was ;i Nigerian oflieial, suggested escape, and they spent three months in perfeeting thenplans, which, out of respect for the camp commandant's feelings, he does not reveal. They escaped in -broad daylight ori the afternoon of July 5), and after passing through a cordon of sentries ami four barbed wire fences, spent the night at an adjoining sandpit. They entered Berlin the next morning and obtained their first good meal for months. They purehased an outfit for a walking tour in the Hartz mountains and took the train to Belofehl and tramped tile rest of the way cross country at nighttime with the aid of a luminous compass, passing fields of barbed wire and dense forests. They were drenched | to the skin every flay by heavy Jain;-, j and stole turnips, beets and potatoes j in the fields. On one occasion they j ualk'ed throncdi a powder factory nil- j challenged 1> V the sleepy Landst-iirni. j When within fifty miles of the j frontier, they found themselves in the centre of cavalry, ajid lost themselves on the night of the 22nd in a pent Log. ~ bile hiding next-day within a mile of the frontier, an armed guard surprised them and turned them over to j the Dutch frontier guard, who took i tnem for smugglers-.

LIVERPOOL GAMP INQUIRY THE MICAWBER PRINCIPLE. YESTERDAY’S EVIDENCE. (Received Julv 2G 10.50 p.m./ SYDNEY, JuK 20. At the camp inquiry Lieut.-Colonel Perkins gave evidence that he had urges! the necessity for a permanent medical staff, hut only got three ojiicers. Cohnif'i Kirkland (Can)]) Csmmandant) slated that he had n-csimni nded the purchase of mattresses and the erection of a fumigating plant, buthad not received a reply. Air. Justice Rich interposed: “Tiemethod of dealing with rer-omnn iKkitions seems an <-xi< nsiou. of the Alicawher principle.” Colonel Kirkland gave further evidence that there had never been a shortage of ball cartridge, but there was a scarcity cl dummies. Minn he took over the camp, he found an undesirable state of affairs. The parades showed seven to eight hundred men absent daily without leave. It was nothing unusual for certain battalions to find all their officers a’ .s un except one or two. \v it ness thought a good deal of the •.sickness was due: to drink. He had noticed incidents of immorality every pay day. but plainclothes constables were now on duty. Witness knew that men had departed for the Front without sufficient musketry instruction, but they would receive it- in Egypt. He ootid.lered that the facilities with which the men obtained drink should be rest rioted. Colonel Perkins further maintained that reforms recommended were not adopted expeditiously owing to centralisation, the authority having to send requisitions to Alelbonrne. where the systeam insisted upon could not but result- in a breakdown. Pending a final report, Air Justice Rich recommends the drainage of the streets and that the huts be swept daily and sprayed weekly, and the blankets aired and sunned.

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS. THE SAIALL ARMS FACTORY. (Received Julv 26. 10.50 p.m.) MELBOURNE, July 2b. The Government has approved or the transference of the small arms factory to Canberra at an estimated cost of £92.200, to be completed in eighteen months. Alojor Dowse, Assistant Quarter-master-General for A let ori a. and Colonel Cascade)), principal medical officer, have been suspended in connection with Kyarra. At a conference of co-operative dairy factory in lingers the i: reside tit predicted a prolific season, although transport difficulties would be keenly felt. Rickard Halm, an unnu turn used German, previously a traveller tor a Hamburg firm, was fined £450 for attempting to trade with the enemy.

NEW ZEALAND-MADE SHELLS. TEST AT~TRENTH AM. (Press Association Telegram.) WELLINGTON. July 2b. At Trent ham this morning a New Zealand-made shell for field guns was given a practical test under serviceconditions. The maker of the shell is Mr G. Birch, of Blenheim, who. is sanguine, concerning the possibilities of establishing shell-making among the industries of the Dominion. Last week, a sample shell was exhibited in Parliament, and to-dav about a dozen Parliamentarians, headed hv the Hon. E. W. Lang (Speaker) journeyed out. to Trentlmm to witness the tests. These were carried out by a squad of the Sixth Reinforcements 1 9-pounder quick-firing batterv, under Lieutenant Tomlin, Captain Bradley (artillery instructor) directing the work. Briga-dier-General Robin (Commandant o the Forces). Colonel G. F. C. Campbell (Coast Defence Commander), Colonel Potter (Camp Commandant), and a number of other officers watched the tests. ' . ~ The shell used was shrapnel, Luce rounds of Imperial make being bred just to fix the range, the targets coexisting of a mixed line of khaki ci ci w.hite'objerts on a dull background on a hill a mile distant, The range having been found, the new amnmmtion was put to the test and, so fa' as the layman could judge, the result, was eminently satisfactory. .Lhe lit hursts of the shrapnel just above or in front of the target line indicated that an enemy • thereabouts, would have had a very bad Time indeed amidst the spreading showers of leaden pellets. A subsequent visit to the target, area showed that the shrapnel had searched the ground thoroughly over a space a hundred yards by fifty yards on tlie side of the hill. Shell cases that, were found seemed to have lmrst in accordance with tlu> of their special purpose in warfare, which was, as General Rohm explained, before the shooting began, to kill the enemy’s men, but the official vei diet will ‘be given later after a careful examination ot to-days results.