SIDELIGHTS ON THE GREAT WAR.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 26, 1 April 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

SIDELIGHTS ON THE GREAT WAR.

At the present moment 180 members of the House of Commons are with the Colours. * * * A patent of interest to the Navy is a ship with an upper deck which can be released from the hull and will float when the vessel sinks. * * * A Bill will be introduced into the French Parliament next Session to prevent the sale of absinthe on French territory, and another to reduce the number of wine-shops. * * * Out of 2,300 barristers at the Paris Bar, 1,500 are fighting in the French lines; forty-one have been killed, thirtytwo wounded, and twenty-one made prisoners. * * * The liner "Alsatian" has been made the flagship of Roar-Admiral Dudley do Chair. This must surely be the first time in history that a merchant ship has flown an admiral's flag. * * * Collapsible towers, .adopted by the Allies for searchlights and wireless telegraphy, are so light and compact that two men can carry a tower that extends to a height of 160 ft. * * * The Russian Government has decided to abolish all the restrictions which were placed on the egg trade at the beginning of the war, and the export business will soon lie in full swing again. * # * Over 11,000 London and North-West-ern Railwaymen, or nearly 13 per cent, of the total number employed by the company, have joined the Colours. Altogether there are 60,000 railwaymen in our new armies. * * # Herr Ballin, the managing director of the Hamburg-Amerika Line, who is a personal friend of the Kaiser, has expressed the view that Germany must admit that the position of Heligoland does not give the German Fleet a desirable base. * * * A number of French, cities, owing to the scarcity of coin, have, with the sanction of the Government, issued bank-notes for a franc (lOd.) and half a franc. Now the town of Epernay, in the Champagne district, has issued a note for 25 centimes, or 2kl. * * "* Major Richardson .states tjhat the Germans, who for many years past have recognized the value that dogs were likely to be in battle as aids to their ambulance, and particularly as auxiliaries to their sentries and patrols, have at present about 6,000 trained dogs helping the troops on both fronts. * * * Three "destroyers of destroyers," like the famous "Arethusa" and "Undaunted," are now officially recorded as completed, the "Caroline," "Cordelia," and "Penelope." Two .others, ithe -"Calliope" and "Comus," formerly described as "building," are now "completing." Six new torpedo-boat destroyers have been put into service. * * * As a rule, 250,000 service tunics are made annually in England, but now as many as 5,250,000 are being made up. .Instead of 43,000 greatcoats for the men, 1,500,000 are being made. The number of boots being made has gone up from 215,000 to 6,500,000. Amongst other articles of clothing being made are 11,000,000 shirts and 5,000,000 pairs of trousers. * # # Harrow has knowledge, according :o its own magazine, of 1,643 Old Harrovians who are serving or have served with the Colours in the present war. Fifty-four have been killed, twentyeight are prisoners, and 103 wounded. Fifty-four have been mentioned in despatches, three have received the D.5.0., and fourteen have been decorated by the French Government for valour. * # * Before the war broke out, the number of Jews in H.M. Forces consisted of about 100 officers and 300 to 400 men. The enthusiasm in the Jewish heart for the cause of England to-day has led to the result that no fewer than 10,000 Jews are now included in the records of H.M. Navy and Army, whilst in the Colonics likewise they have contributed a very large quota of lighting men. ** ' * The new "Almanach de Gotha" makes known that up to now seven German princes have been killed in the war, i.e., Princes Frederick and Ernest of SaxeMeiningen, Max of Hesse, Rudolf and Ernest of Lippe, Wolsath of Wnldeck Pyrmont, and Henr\ XLYI. of Reuss. It is also known that two members of the Imperial Russian Family have died or the battlefield, but the "Almanach" mentions only one, Prince Oleg. * * * For years past a sum of £3,000 a year has been se't aside out of the German military estimates for the upkeep and development of a pigeon service, and nearly 200,000 feathered messengers we.re available at the beginning of the war for military service. Beyond these Army pigeons, all trained birds belong ing to .civilians, even the pets of schoolboys and schoolgirls, are carefully registered and numbered, and may be commandeered by the War Department at any time. * * # The authorities five months ago decided to enrol a special corps to assist in working London's air-guns and searchlights. The Special Constables working the searchlights volunteered almost en masse for the new duty, and since then the progress of the Anti-Aircraft Corps lias been little short of amazing. There are some 800 officers and men employed in this section of the Royal Naval Air Service, and drills are carried out night and day at all the searchlight and gun stations.