General War News.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 6 November 1917, Page 4

General War News.

"BATTLE FOR U-BOAT BASE." An official narrative supplied to late German papers by the Berlin General Staff on the rcccnt lighting in Flanders describes it is "the first battle for the Inlanders U-boat base.'' PUTTING IT IN A NUTSHELL. The officer was lecturing the new recruits on the preventative measures for gas attacks, and the necessity for the smart adjustment of gas helmets. "Remember," he said, "there are only two classcs when the gas alarm is sounded—the quick and the dead! " LORD NAPIER AS A PRIVATE. After being fined £2 at Ayr as an absentee, Lord Napier of Ettriek arrived at Berwick Barracks and entered the army as an ordinary soldier. He is 40 years old. As an escort did not arrive at Ayr the sheriff said Lord Napier would be trusted to go by himself to Berwick. He did so, arriving late in the evening, and was allowed to spend the night in an hotel before joining up. HUN OFFICER'S DISGUISE. The authorities have arrested at the village of Gerakis, in Laconia, an individual dressed as a peasant and possessing a considerable sum of money, who turns out to be a German marine officer who has been the organiser of a submarine supply depot on the Kardamyli coast. He was aided by two deputies of the former Greek regime. BULLET-PROOF. One of the most distinguished Russians at present in London is Captain Oshinansky, one of the brilliant band of officers trained under General Korniloif. Captain Oshniansky defied all medical etiquette by refusing to be killed when he was shot through the heart at the battle of Kolomea. He is working hard as a member of the Russian Government Committee in London. STANDARD BOOTS. After standard ships we are now likely to have standard boots at an early date. During the last three years close on fifty million pairs of boots have been turned out for the army alone, and now the supplies are running so very low —all the surplus stock at the beginning of the war having been exhausted —that the Government is considering the question of supplying only bootj of a uniform pattern to the gcncal public as well. TOYMAKERS' GIFT TO THE GUEEN. The Queen has accepted the gift of three toy crocodiles from Norwich toymakers. Toy making has been zealously taken up in the city with a view to capturing a trade which the Germans and Austrians formerly claimed so much their own. Her Majesty, in a letter acknowledging the gift, expresses her appreciation of the specimens of Norwich toy-makers' work, considering the toys to be well executed. A CRITIC'S BLUNDER. When the world-famous author of ■'The First Hundred Thousand" was in San Francisco he told an amusing story on himself. It seems that after his great war book had brought him ooputarity his publishers dug up some :if his earlier stories and republished :hem. They were well received, although the author regarded them rather is amateur efforts. But a critic in New YTork waxed enthusiastic over them, uid congratulated him on his improvement as a writer since the production if his most popular book, VISITORS TO THE MONUMENT. After having been closed from the ..••• rly days of the war, the Monument was reopened to the public on July 11. Since 1 hen there has been an unusually large number of visitors daily, and the votal now stands at upwards of 20,000. The fee for admission is 3d, and in normal times the income derived by the Jity Corporation ranges between £800 and £000. In the last pre-war year the profit secured by the corporation from sliis sourse was £-146.