GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1747, 1 November 1917, Page 4

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

AEROPLANE’S TERM OF LIFE

Writing on aviation at the front, a correspondent of the New York Saturday evening Post says:—The average life of a machine at the front is only'a few weeks —I might even say a few days. Those not dropped or shattered by enemy fire wear out with the terrible jarring of the powerful motor. As soon as they begin to show signs ofe wear and approaching breakdown they go back to the shops to be overhauled or entirely rebuilt. For that reason there are usually two or three machines under repairs to every one flying. We do well to remember that fact especially—we Americans — when we think of equipping not only our new armies, but those of our allies. We must think not in terms of hundreds of machines, but thousands and tens of thousands.

GERMAN ARMY WASTAGE.

M, Henry Bidou, the most erudite French military critic, writing in the weejdy journal published by the Government for the men in the trenches, shows how rapidly Germany is using up her man-power, “The more her resources are exhausted,” he says, “the more costly do her battles become. Verdun cost her 56 divisions in a year, and the Somme 96 in six months. In two months this spring she lost 112 divisions, and since then the battle of Flanders has added formidably to the wastage. How can she face this expenditure?” M. Bidou, however, believes that Germany will hold out to the last, and that “she will die erect and collapse suddenly after a last defeat.”.

STANDARD CLOTHS

In order that officers may buy their uniforms at a more moderate figure, and also in order to conserve wool supplies, a scheme has been prepared by a Mar Office Department, in consultation with representatives of the trades affected, for the production of standard cloths for officers’ wear. There will in all be some 15 or so different kinds of material, for breeches, tunics, and greatcoats, and the prices will be controlled from the raw wool stage to the completed garments. The cloth will be supplied by the woollen merchants to the' tailor at a fixed rate, and the latter will not be allowed to charge his officer customers more than a certain maximum sum for each garment. All the details have now been settled, even to the yellow and white stripe on the selvage, which will distinguish the naw standard cloths. No restrictions, however, will be placed on the prices he may ask for uniforms made from cloths already in stock, these materials being unaffected by the new proposal.

GERMAN SPY CODES

Remarkable disclosures of the ingenious methods whereby German spies in the United States convey information to the Fatherland, and how these methods may be circumvented, arc made by Mr Ralph E. Renaud, in the New York Tribune, in what purports to “be a news despatch” from a correspondent at the capital to a journal in Sweden. The news, it relates, is purposely dated some weeks ahead of when it actually occurred, but the point lies in its appearance of pristine innocence; —“Washington, D.C., May 15, —President’s embargo ruling should have immediate notice. Grave situation affecting international law. Statement foreshadows ruin of many neutrals. Yellow journals unifying national excitement immensely.” To any recipient, previously prepared by mail, it conveys the startling announcement that “Pershing sails from New York June 1.” This is spelled out by the first letters of each word. WAR-TIME MODES IN GERMANY. War conditions have not yet had much effect on English fashions in dress, but in Germany the practice of going about bare-footed to save shoe leather and stockings is becoming quite common! At a fashionable fete in a Bavarian city the other day a newly-married couple well known in society appeared dressed the height of fashion—Herr Schmidt in the ceremonial black frock coat beloved by all Germans, and his wife in a rich silk —both of them without any foot covering whatever! Since the students of Wurzburg University set the example, the undergraduates of Breslau

have also discarded shoes and stockings, and a German newspaper just to hand praises in fulsome periods the patriotism of two young ladies who went shopping in Dresden barefooted.

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 popularity, his publishers dug up some of his earlier stories and republished them. They were well received, although the author regarded them rather as amateur efforts. But a critic in -New York waxed enthusiastic over them, and Congratulated him on his improvement as a writer since the production of his most popular book.

VISITORS TO THE MONUMENT,

After having been closed from the early days of the war, the Monument was re-opened to the public on July 11th. Since then there has been an unusually large number of visitors daily, and the total now stands at upwards of 20,000. The fee for admission is 3d, and in normal times the income derived by the City Corporation ranges from between £BOO and £9OO. In the last pre-war year the profit secured by the corporation from this source was £446.

HUN JEWELLERY SMUGGLING.

Jewellery is evidently not considered very safe in Germany, judging from the amount that is pouring into Holland in mysterious parcels. According to a consular authority in Amsterdam, the Dutch Government has been obliged to appoint special officers to trace and keep a record of these articles of value. Some are for sale, but the greater quantity is despached in fictitious names to banks and places of deposit. The Kaiseriu is reported to have disposed of much of her jewellery in this fashion.

THE TRACTOR PLOUGHS

The Food Production Department stated that about 8,500 motor-trac-tors have been ordered. Of this number 6,000 are M.O.M. (Ford) tractors, and about 2,000 are of Titan, Mogul, Burford Cleveland, Sampson, and Emmerson types. Sir Arthur Lee states that he is obtaining all the suitable British makes available, .Only some 1,275 of the 8,500 tractors have been delivered up to date, though consignments are constantly arriving. MONKS CALLED TO THE COLOURS. Six of the monks at Mount St. Germxrd’s Monastery, Whitwick, Leicestershire, are being called to the colours, three having been passed for foreign service arid three for home service, while one Avas medically rejected. Hitherto they have been exempt from’ military service, but it is understood that the conditions in this regard have been some-; Avhat modified by the War Office recently. It is 73 years since the monastery was opened, Avhen the first mass Avas said there by the late Cardinal Wiseman. “LEAVE CLUBS” IN PARIS. An increasing number of British officers and men arc coming to Paris on leave, Avrites the Times correspondent. For the'inost part both officers and men, after one or two days of the new- delights of Paris, lapse into boredom oxving to ignorance of what there is to do and to see. This state of affairs was considered recently by a meeting of the British .colony, as a result of Avhich a neAV “Lcav'e Club” for men Avill shortly be opened at the Hotel Moderne. For allied officers the house of M. Henry dc Rothschild, practically next door to the British Embassy in the Fauborg St. Honore, has been generously placed at the disposal of the Inter-Allied Officers’ Club, and it is intended to make this club the best in Paris.