THE START OF THE WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 310, 4 October 1915, Page 3

THE START OF THE WAR.

o Th e first of a capital series of lectures and sketches, by Sir Robert Ba-den-Powell appears in "The Graphic," under the title of "A Trip to the Front." He tells how he and his party reported themselves at Headquarters, in a little French town, and the Com-mander-in-Chief being away, the Prince of Wales, as a staff officer explained matters at the front. "He (the Prince) told a good story of a British collier steamer which was going tt Hambitrg when war was imminent. Thg iJ«. loans were counting on her >;o-.n' i% in ivMi coal for one of their mi'i c. J vnr. ;he captain was averse :o sal'.'r:;, hut ;i>e owner, who was to git z li'.ga price r ov the coal, urged him to l-o. So he saP- ■•.:, and at the rivelr mouth a German pilot came en board. On taking charge of the ship he said, 'Now this is German property; war began yesterday.' 'Did it!' exclaimed the captain, 'then take that!' and he downed the pilot with a fearful bang on the head with his telescope. Then he turned the ship round and steamed oc as hard as he could—with his German prisoner on board—for England, and got safely back.'