GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1818, 25 April 1918, Page 4

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

- JOY EVEN IN SORROW. An Oxford Don, Arthur George Heath, who was killed in the war, writes;—“Men should be bom without mothers in these days,” his chief ■ anxiety -being lest his mother should fret in his absence, short or long. On u certain Sunday, he sat down to explain to her why his death, should lie not return, should not be a mere burden of sorrow to her. He concludes as follows: “Will you at least try,if lam killed, not to let the things I have loved cause you pain, but rather to get increased enjoyment from the Sussex Downs, or from Janie singing folk songs, because I have found such joy in them, and in that way the joy I have found can continue to Jive'; And, again, do not have all this solemn, funeral music, dead marches, and so on, played over me, as if to proclaim that all has now come to an end, and nothing better remains to those who loved one than a dignified sorrow. I would rather have the Dutch Easter carol, where the music gives you the idea of life and joy springing up continually.” A DOG IN A QUEUE. A munition worker living in Lower Edmonton has trained his dog to work the queues. When its mistress requires meat she writes the order on a jxiece of paper and ties this to the dog’s collar. The dog seems to understand the meaning of these preliminaries, and without more ado it runs off to a butcher’s shop in (he main road, about three-quarters of a mile away. Whenever a queue is waiting the dog takes its proper place, but is sure to get in front by creeping between legs and growling at anyone who attempts to touch it. The butcher has appreciated the dog’s sagacity. He removes the piece of paper from the collar, and plain's the ordered meat on one side until the owner is aide to call tor it. Owing to the meat shortage, the owner has not thought it advisable to teach the dog to bring home the meat. EX-DANCER AIRMAN. Temp.-Captain Vernon Castle, a famous dancer, of the British Flying Corps, Avas descending Avith an American cadet, Avhom he had been instructing, and Avhen 40ft. from the ground it Avas evident that the machine would collide Avith another, which avus. about to land. Captain Castle attempted the ImmcJmann turn, but the aeroplane failed to respond to the emergency action, and crashed to earth. The aviator’s death avus instantaneous. His companion was unhurt. Mr Castle, who was born at Norwich about 30 years ago. went to the United States ten years since, and obtained such popularity there as a dancer of tangoes and the like with his wife, an American, that they latterly earned £I,OOO a Aveek. Early in the war he came home and joined the Flying Corps.

TURKS BURN FAMOUS LIBRARY. Authentic news Inis been received from Bagdad that I lie famous Oriental library eolleeled there by the Carmelite Fathers has been burned by the Turks. The Carmelite Fathers, it miyhi be explained, went to Bagdad in the seventeenth century. The library' consisted of more than 20,000 volumes on subjects connected with Mesopotamia, consisting in the main of French and English, but also some Italian and German works, and including many rare books. The most important part of the collection was I he 2,753 Arabic, manuscripts, bought in the course of last century at a cost of thousands of pounds. These were the works of Arab scholars written between the seventh and eleventh centuries. OCEAN PRESSURE. An expert salvor explains that it is impossible to reclaim t lie Lusitania. Slie lies under a pressure of about l-i-Olli to Hie square inch. Every lit. of pressure represents nearly two feet of water —one atmosphere for every 33ft. Therefore the Lusitania lies deeper than mortal man can go. We are constantly being told of now inventions to enable men to sink lower into the water, but there is no liner divef in the world than the Admiralty man, and 210 ft. is- his limit. Were Si. Paul’s Hooded to the top of the

cross, descending divers' could not explore the lowermost (JOft. DANCING PARTNERS FOR SOLDIERS. The Washington Times states that 3,000 girls will he enlisted by the Y.M.C.A. to live in a special hotel at the gates of Camp Loavls — America’s biggest army camp —and act as dancing partners for soldiers in pavilions to be erected. The girls Avill be .under the supervision of the Y.M.C.A. and ministerial-chaperons. The object is to relieve the monotony of camp life. It is said that the girls Avill be paid 15 dollars per Aveek, but it is presumed thut the dancing arrangement is only an interlude in other phases of Avar Avork. HINDENBURG ANECDOTES, The . Cologne Volkszietung publishes a number of anecdotes about Hindcnburg! It is related in the course of the article that on one occasion when the Kaiser asked Hindcnburg Avhat he did when he was excited, Hindenbrug replied, “I Avhistie.” The Kaiser remarked, “1 have never heard you whistle,” Avhereupon Hindcnburg replied quietly, “Well, 1 have never been excited yet.” The field-marshal had a good deal to say about the dragging on of the Russian peace negotiations. His remark about Trotsky avus perhaps characteristic: “Ho, too,” said Heudenburg, “will pretty soon dangle from a lamp-post.”