America.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 302, 19 December 1914, Page 6

America.

CELEBRATION OF HIGH MASS IN

THE TRENCHES.

NJEW ZEALAND PRIESTS AT SAN

FRANCISCO.

United Press Association.

New York, December 18. Three New Zealand Marist priests, Dean Regnault, and Fathers Holley and Kennedy have arrived at San Francisco from the front. They state that a French army captain “ho is a priest calls the men and gives them absolution when about to charge the enemy. It was nothing to see High Mass in the trenoWs during a lull. All the fighting celebrants and soldiers, doff their warlike accoutrements and don priestly garb. Immediately 'Mass is elided priests discard their robes and buckle on their fighting uniforms. THE U.S.A. NAVY.

(Received 12.35 p.m.) Washington, December 18. Representatiye Gardiner, leader of the. agitation , for a larger American Navy, giving evidence before the House' Committee, said many American ships were actually in cold storage and Were'useless"without considerable repairs/ • The'Navy was short of 18,000' men, and a shortage of 40,000 is anticipated. Instead of forty-seven battleships, America had only twenty- ' - : seven, while instead of 187 destroyers they had only 68. Rear-Admiral Fletcher was entirely wrong in saying the United States’ fleet was equal to Germany’s. ■ The fact was; the United States had third place in the world’s - naviesl