WHAT WILL VERDUN MEAN TO GERMANY?

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 104, 3 May 1916, Page 6

WHAT WILL VERDUN MEAN TO GERMANY?

That the defeat of the Germans in their efforts to break through the French lines at Verdun will have very far-reaching effects is pointed out by Dr. Fitehett in a very graphic review of the fighting of the month in the May issue of Life magazine. It is the moial rather than the material effect that will be most costly to Germany, thinks Dr. Fitehett. ‘That long, victorious wrestle with the German masses in front of Verdun,” he says, “will act as a strong wine in the very blood of the French; and French armies are never so formidable as when they have the wine of victory in their blood. But,” he adds, “it is the effect on the neutral States of the German failure before Verdun which is most significant.” Pointing to the action of Portugal and Brazil, and to the mutterings of Roumania, Dr. Fitehett writes: “When mice begin to nibble at the hide of a lion, it is a sufficient proof that —in the opinion of the mice, at all events —the great beast is in extremis.” In a semi-humorous article Dr. Fitehett also deals with the visit to London of Mr. Hughes, whom he del scribes as “the most interesting, the most loudly vocal', and the best-report-ed man in the three Kingdoms.” The regular departments of Life are packed with accurate, authoritative, and concentrated information on a. thousand and one topics, most of them, of course, bearing on the all-absorbing question of the Avar. failed to explode. MERCHANT SHIP’S ESCAPE PROM TORPEDO. When the Australian trader Indralema, which arrived at Sydney recently, Avas off Beachy Head on a trip from New York to Liverpool, she encountered a German submarine. The vessel was steaming along at 14 knots, and after getting into position, the submarine discharged a torpedo which missed its mark, passing under the vessels’ stern. The submarine disappeared immediately. Though the men on the merchantmen did not see any more of the submarine, an examination of the hull in dock at Liverpool revealed that a second torpedo had been fired, hitting the ship, but failing to explode. The Indralema’s escape is one of the most remarkable on record. It is more than a year since the Indralema last visited Australia, and during her absence has traversed 44,000 miles. Tavo trips Avere made to South America to pick up cargoes of horses, meat, and stores for the French army. Many of the horses were Avild, and during the transportation Avork one got loose, charging a body of French soldiers Avho were standing by. Tavo men Avere killed, and ten others taken to a hospital seriously injured. At Gibraltar Captain Jolly, Avho is in command of )the Indralema, (received instructions to proceed to Noav York to load for Australia. On arrival there huge stocks of cargo Avere waiting a ship, and it Avas not long before 7000 tons of merchandise Avere put on board. It comprised 100 motor cars, machinery, steel rails, steel pines, clocks, Avatches jeAvellery and sundries. The vesel’s course from New York was direct to CapetoAvn for bunkers and then to Sydney.