GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1837, 8 June 1918, Page 1

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

THE ROYAL UNBRELLA

During his recent slay in London an American officer found himself in a severe storm. One afternoon a young man in civilian (dotlies was passing. He said to the American; “Won’t you share my umbrella with me?” and they walked along the street together for some distance. It suddenly occurred to the American officer that he had told the stranger a good deal about himself, including his name. The American noticed that everyone whom they passed seemed to know his young companion and bowed to him. So he turned to this civilian and said: “I have told you a good deal about myself —may 1 ask who you are?” The young man answered: “I am the Prince of Wales.” KAISER ROBS GERARD. Air Gerard has received news (ha'i the German Government has begun proceedings to get possession of the collection of paintings, silver, goods which he stored in Berlin before he left the Embassy. With typical disregard of diplomatic usage, the German Government has demanded that the keeper of the warehouse shall deliver to it property which Mr Gerard spent years in collecting. Mr Gerard contracts with the procedure of the Germans the faithfulness with which Great Britain throughout the war has respected immunity from seizure of Ambassadors’ property. He instances the case of Princess Lichr.owsky, who, when she hurried from London with her husband, left behind her jewellery and other valuables. These the British Government subsequently sent to (he. American Embassy in Berlin by courier, with a request to Mr Gerard to deliver them to the princess.

CHARGE AGAINST LICII-

NOWSKY,

The latest “accusation" drummed up against Prince Lichnowsky is (he charge that he is responsible for (he imprisonment of .1120,01)0 tiermans in England. His accuser, a Hun recently released from internment, says that during the first and second (lays of August, 1.014, Prince Lichnow.-ky “refused to issue passes for the return of Germans in Germany.” Only on the afternoon of August 3rd did one of his secretaries, Herr Johannes, arrange for the passage of GOO Germans in a Dutch steamer.

AMERICAN ARMY’S AIMS,

Of ”,500,000 rides ordered by the United States, 1,050,001) have been delivered, said Colonel Samuel McRoberls at a luncheon given by the National Security League, Washington. Product ion exceeds 11,500 a day, the output of small arms ammunition readies 10,000,000 a day. Three hundred thousand machineguns were ordered, and 75,000 have been delivered. Production of the latest model reaches 18,000 a. month. The output of field and heavy artillery, he said, is more than three times the amount that was believed possible at the outset.

AMERICAN-ESE,

Conceivably Americans drafted fur temporary service 'may have some difficulty in grasping at once the British words of command, but I fear, says a writer, our drill sergeants are scarcely likely to meet them by adopting the American. “Stand—stiff!” seems such an odd equivalent for the English “Ehun!” “Stand —slack!" is certainly no improvement on “Stand at ease!” And IHe sergeant who translated "Stand easy!” into the American “Stand —sloppy!” would endanger tin; gravity which is proper to the British parade-ground.

MEN WITH “SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE."

During the last eighteen month:) I have visited Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Glasgow,! Edinburgh, etc. (says a wounded officer in the Morning Posit, and everywhere is it visible fhat many young men arc escaping their proper duty. One sees them in the coffee-rooms and billiard saloons during working hours, and emerging from football meetings and musichalls after any performance. I have discussed with many of such men the reason of their extraordinary value in civil life. Invariably the answer is “special knowledge.”

SNARER FOR GOTHAS. The captive balloons, which now form pari of the air defences of Paris, support a network of wires which are invisible at night, but are powerful enough to capsize any machine which touches them. A BOXING BISHOP. After extolling “the noble art” at a boxing competition given at Birmingham for the diversion of wounded soldiers, Bishop Russell Walcetield announced that he had gist challenged Sir John Holder, the brewer, to stand up to him in a bout. “For the lirst lime,” he added. “Sir John has given mo best.” There was much laughter, but, as a fact, the Bishop was former ly “very useful with the gloves,” and Sir John had shown infinite discretion. THE GENTLE BOLSHEVIST. Two thousand refugees from Russia have arrived at a Northern British port. Most of them were Scotsmen who had been engaged in various commercial enterprises in Petrograd and Moscow, Their journey from Archangel had lasted exactly one month. One of the few women passengers corroborated the truth of the stories of. theft of clothing in the street. In full daylight she was walking in Petrograd, when she was stopped by one of the Bolshevist. Guards. “1 have a fur coal 1 would like to sell to you,” he j-aifl to her. She declined, “1 have an excellent coal of my own,” she said; “you can see for yourself that it has cost cpdte a lot of money.” “That,” he replied, “is the coat T am going to sell you.” And it was. A GOTHA’S FLIGHT. A recent Gotha raid on Paris was not an expedition. It was an individual enterprise, and the watch kepi by the listeners was frustrated in a remarkable manner. Being probably on the alert above his own lines, the German took advantage of the presence of a French bombing squadron to accompany it. On this particular evening (he French airmen were very active, and droplied (it),000 Hi. of explosives on enquently there was a large number of emy military objectives. C.ui.-e----quenlly there was a huge number of aeroplanes about. The- German, therefore, passed over his awn lines in I In 1 wake of (he French aeroplanes which were returning towards tin' souih, approached ihem as nearly as possible, so Ilial the sound of his motor should be confounded with that' of our machines, and then at (he propitious moment made a bend towards the southeast. and soon was over Paris. As soon as il quitted the French squadron il was recognised, and (he warning given by the iistening-poO, but the time taken up by the telephonic communication to give Paris (he alarm was exactly the same as was required by the Gotha to reach the city.