GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1371, 9 March 1915, Page 4

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

GERMAN WAR MATERIAL.

The Handelsblad learns from Berlin that the German ammunition works are manufacturing some three million tons of shrapnel monthly, and that their highest capacity of production has not yet been reached.

BATTALIONS EACH 1026

An army order states that the four company organisation will now be adopted in territorial battalions. The war establishment of an infantry battalion will consist ot 30 officers, 52 staff sergeants and sergeants, 16 drummers or buglers, 928 rank and file ; total, 1026. FORBIDDEN LANGUAGE. A message from Strasburg states that anybody using the French language in shop window signs, etc., will be liable to one j ear’s imprisonment. The prohibition applies also to business letters, accounts and receipts. PRISONER SHOT BY SENTRY. In the case of Private Owen Ross, ot the Bth Middlesex (Territorials), who at Gibraltar fatally shot a German prisoner of war named Ernst Palm, a verdict of "Justifiable homicide” was returned at the inquest, as the jury beimved that Palm was trying to escape from the Windmill Hill Military honours were .1 -be funeral of the man n ret-3 mental band attend iug. /HUNG LIME EN BERTA IN ER. The members ot Mr Seymour Hicks’ party who have been entertaining the soldiers in France have returned to England. Unfortunately the strenuous experience has laid aside several members ot the parly, and both Mr Hicks himself and Miss O'ga Hudson were prevented trom re turning owing to attacks of influenza. Miss Hudson is resting in Rouen. Mr Hicks had to stop at Southampton on the doctor’s orders, ROUMANIA’S ATTITUDE. The Petit Paiisien, which lately prophesied that Roumunia will come into line with the allies, now says the intervention of the Roumanian Array is assured, at k'est when the season ol great cold is passed, and when the necessary ammunition has been received. A fleet of Roumanian - monitors will be able to go up the Danube and threaten Buda-Peslb. Five hundred thousand Roumanians will then ento 1 : Hungarian territory. UNDER THEIR OWN GUNS. A curious story is fold by a French artillery officer who was In the fighting near Rheims. He writes that the other day, alter his battery had abundantly a German trench, the French infantrymen advanced to take possession thereof. They found two German machine guns which the French shells had partly smashed and half buried, and these they tried to remove. Great resistance was experienced, and suddenly they heard shouts for assistance. It was discovered that the shouts came from the German gunners, who were entombed with their guns.