CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 31, 12 January 1916, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

sian was anything but expected, and it was also most unpleasant, but the submariners replied with fire from their guns, which, by the way, were mounted fore and aft, and of heavier calibre than the Baralong's. Her crew then scuttled away to the conning tower. But it was no use; no mercy could be shown such cowardly devils of the deep, and they were blown into the air or went down to Davy Jones's docker in a hurry. The sinking of the submarine was then only a matter of less than Smins. Such was the end of one of Germany's biggest and latest underwater craft f the tale of the end of which has formed the red herring to haul across the scent of the dreadful crimes which must for all time indelibly disgrace the Hun Navy.

The campaign in Mesopotamia is attracting considerable attention at pre-

sent. Reports of an important victory on both banks of the Tigris arc very encouraging, especially in view of the enemy report that Kut-el-Amara, is surrounded, and that its capture by assault or starvation is expected. Sheikhshad, near. which the fighting took place, is only fifty \ miles from General Townshend's isolated force in Kut-el-Amara, and the probabilities are that ere this—(the relieving forces under General Aylmer and General Kemball left on the 6th inst.)—the garrison has been succored. With the junction of the forces, the advance on Bagdad will no doubt be pushed on, though there is bound to be serious opposition by the Turks during the 100-mile march to this historical centre.. The eventual objective is a linking up with the Russian forces operating in Persia, the latest accounts of which showed they were in the Haniadan district, 250 miles distant.

While America and other parts of the world have been speculating as to the Kaiser's threat to attack Egypt on a large scale, a startling admission has been made at Los Angeles f Southern California, by A. M. Papajian Bey, former Minister of Interior in Egypt, a visitor to the Pacific Coast resort. He stated that Japan had entered the European theatre of war with'a powerful fleet surreptitiously sent to the Suez Canal. "Great Britain realises that she cannot lose the Canal, which is a vital element in her life as a unified Empire," declared Papajian Bey. "For that reason the Canal has been remarkably fortified and a Japanese fleet is on hand ready for business. Every effort has been made to keep the news of the '"presence of Japanese battleships at the Canal from spreading, and I have heard nothing of the fact in the United,States. They are there, neveitheless," Papajian Bey scoffed at the idea of a German invasion of Egypt, and said Germany seemed to be at her wits' end to know how to escape the iron ring of the Allies. "Only in January and February, the least hot months, is it possible for a great army to cross the desert sands between Turkey and Egypt," he asserted. "Then, too, the Red Sea forms a neutral barrier as efficacious as an army. Many ships and transports would be needed, and Germany could not procure them." The announcement that Japanese are in Europe has created a deep impression.

The news of the Russian campaign in Galicia is made more interesting by the statements from the Kolnische Zeitung to the effect that the slackening of the struggle does not mean that the Russian offensive has ended, hut only that our determined Allies are taking "a breather." The breather means that great reinforcements are being brought up with the object of driving home the hammer blow on the resumption of activity. It is interesting as well as very satisfactory to note that they are being assisted substantially by "the littlebrown man" in the Far East, from where great quantities of .ammunition are being sent to Galicia, together with rifles of Jap. manufacture for the troops. Assistance such as this means that the Russians are able to dominate the enemy, who, we read, suffered enormous losses east of Czernowitz and became so disorganised as to be unable to hinder the Russians consolidating the captured positions.

The death-rattle of the battleship King Edward VII. makes sorrowful reading. There is something uncanny in' the account of a great living thing such as a 16,000-tonner succumbing despite all efforts to save her life. The difficulties attendant on such an occasion must have been very trying. First of all, the effect of the explosion meant the loss of power to generate electric light, which, in itself would be awe-inspiring in the extreme; then followed the problem of saving the vessel, and that no effort to secure same was left undone is to be found in the statement that in less than ten minutes after the commander ordered all hands to save themselves, and he himself had left the ship, the waves closed over her hV ever. It was due to the wonderful wireless that no lives were lost, as several ships of the Navy rushed to the assistance of the distressed battleship and -stood by her to the end. .

WAR DICTIONARY

Cadre.—A nucleus of trained officers, and corporals, which in war may be expanded into a regiment of infantry or a force ot artillery.

Calibre.—Bore or diameter of a gun or shell. Thus a "75" is a gun of 75 millimetres bore (firing shells of that diameter), or about 3ui. An 18in howitzer is a howitzer firing shells 18in. in diameter. Chasseur. —A rifleman or light infantryman. Cbevaux de Frise.—An obstruction in the .shape of a beam which lias spikes in it projecting towards the enemy; it is used to close breaches or passages in the trenches ; the term is also applied to rows of iron spikes, sometimes so arranged as to revolve, on the tops of parapets or walls. Communique.—A communication, generally used for an official report or statement.

Quite a different story of the Baralong incident is told by a gunner on board of her. It appears that in answer to the call for help from the Nicosian, the auxiliary cruiser sped to her assistance, and, on arrival, by a clever ruse and the exercise of good seamanship, cleared for action before the crew of the submarine had discovered the identity of the stranger. No doubt they looked upon her as another victim of their barbarity when the Nicosian was settled with. To be greeted bv a broadside as the Baxalong swung round the stern of the Xico-

Company.—One-fourth of a battalion of infantry, or 210 to 250 men. Consolidate a position to.—To rearrange the defences of a captured position, place fresh barbed-wire entanglements about it. and alter it so that it can be held against a counterattack.

Corps.—An army corps is a body of troops, infantry, artillery, and cavalry usually numbering from 35,000 to 50,000 men, with 110 to 150 guns. Cupola.—A turret with armour containing a gun or machine gum

Curtain of fire.—ls when a large number of guns so direct their shells as to cut off the enemy's approach or retreat by a line of shells descending steadily in his front or rear. A curtain of shells is generally nscd in the attack on first-line trenches to prevent the arrival of supports

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