THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 82, 1 September 1914, Page 3

THE WAR.

THIC* KAIPAISA'S CREW. By Telegraph —Press Association. Christchurch, August 30. The head office of the New Zealand Shipping Company lias received a cable message from London this morning stating that the captain, officers and crew of the Kaipara are leaving Las Palmas for London in the steamer Inanda.

AUCKLAND'S PATRIOTIC FUND. Auckland, August 30. Subscriptions to the Auckland Citizen's Patriotic fund now amount to over £43,000. The Herald Patriotic Fund, which is being paid over to the main fund, stands at nearly, £BOOO. A NIAG-AKA CHAT WJTiI MR. J. H. QIILLIAM.

Mr. J. li. Quiliiam, who returned to New Plymouth (by the mail train hist night, -having arrived in Auckland Iby the Niagara on Sunday, sUiil.fi* tlr.it tuc trip proved quite uneventful, although it was rumored that the vessel wag chased by a German cruiser. Mr. Quiliiam said that they saw nolthmg whatever of any cruiser. All deck lights were put out throughout the voyage, whilst the port holes were screened, and no one was allowed to open a port without first extinguishing Die light. A canvas awning was also placed round the decks. The vessel was delayed at Vancouver lor two days, it being rumored that it would be taken for a transport. At Honolulu, after being delayed tor a day and a night, the vessel was anchored out in the haroor, and kept there for five and a half days, the passengers being kept in a state ot uncertainty us to how long tHie delay would last. T>he captain w.ent as'hore each day, no one else being allowed ashore, and the captain proved, of course, very reticent, preserving the utnucst secrecy, ultimately leaving under sealed ordera.

Mr. Quilliam was very much struck with the. way in Which W Canadians received tlie announcement What Aew Zealand lhad offered to send an expeditionary farce. The papers had bold headings in extra large type, "New Zealand Leads Uie Way." The Canadians, j be, says, are intensely loyal, and- there was no feeling of jealousy at New Zealand haiving got in first. The neWßi t>a.pers are reaping a 'harvest out of the j war, and are publishing extras almost \ hourly, which are selling at live cents, i and are being snapped mp with avidity. ' Most <of the extra.*, (too. contain infor- ', nration 'beginning, "'lt is rumored." . The Niagara uses oil for fuel. On the way out one of the lwilers was not ' utilised, the reason "being that it was necessary to conserve the vessel s oil as it would be impossible to replenish the supply until the rvessol got back to Vancouver. Mr. Quillian, however, pointed out to the captain tfliat thsre would -bo no difficulty in (having a supply of oil taken from New Plymouth to (the vessel at Auckland. Splendid weather was experienced throughout the trip.

NO MKUE ACCIDENT. It has been contended that tlie mobilisation of Britain's fleet fur the purpose of a Koyal review just prior to the outbreak of hostilities was no mere accident, but a shrewd move by far-seeing statesmen. The same ((intention may be applied to the Territorials. "The military training grounds on Salisbury Plain," a London newspaper stated some weeks ago, "will be utilised to the fullest extent during tlie next few weeks, for quite the largest force of Territorials—approximately 50,00(1—which has assembled in one training centre in England since the abandonment of the volunteer movement, will congregate there in the first week of August There will Ix; the equivalent of three Divisions of Territorial troops under canvas in an area, of fifty square miles. Considerable difficulty lias been experienced by the authorities in finding camp sites for such a large bod/ of troops at one time and arranging areas in which the divisions can manoeuvre without overlapping one another, a difficulty at tim-es experienced by the llegular' troops'. There is also the promise that more Territorials are coming to camp than were estimated for in the spring, when the camp fixtures are made." Members of the officers' training corps were to go into camp, special train arrangements were made for the rapid transport of the troops, and many things done which must !>ave facilitated matters when war was declared.

ITALY'S MOMLISATIOX. Last month Italy partially mobilised her land forces, and a scmi-oflh-ial note in tin- •'Lokalanzeiger." of Berlin, attributed the move exclusively to the. anxieties aroused by the possibility of a rnilwa.y strike. "Of course." continued tile inspired writer, "the 120,01i0 men who have been called on would, iind employment in the service of the foreign policy <>■' Italy in case the necessity hliutilil arise. Hut at present, there can be no ipiestion of tiiat. and it may therefore be assumed that the foreign policy of Italy, which lias always been conducted with so much wisdom and ..uition, and is free from all adventurous tendencies, has not occasioned the military measures mentioned." At the I time when the inspired article was written Austria Hungary and Servia were engaged in the diplomatic .-tru<;gl« wiiieli preceded the war, but the "wisdom and caution" of Italy's foreign policy have thus far prevailed to keep her out of the The neec .s-.ity has arisen without doubt, ami it, is now clear also that Italy's foreign policy means freedom from "all adventurous tendencies'" on the part of her allies.

TiM.D TO "CLEAR."

Captain .\ll<-ii. the Suiith Sea Mum! trader whose mvouiit of alVairs in Samoa is cabled l'niiu Sydney, is :i man whom tin: {'.ennan* of Apia \\a\h had a for many years and it i-, ijiit siu : that he'was (old to

".dear" whin the new.- of the declaration of war reached the seat of thy (ioverrii'icni. of Cpoln. ill' is a New Zr.ilunder li.v l.irtli. and lie has I,'d a iliglilv adventurous lift- siii'.-i' he loo!; to tiie callin',' of I'arilic trader and sai'or. At til" timi>. of the MalietoaMataafa. war in Samoa in IsSHI. he liad a trading station on tin- lavjic island of Kavaii. ami owned a -mall s. hooner Uadinjr in the jiroiip. lie was driven front his store liv the Mataal'a faction, i who were backed uu liy the Germans.

-ml lie was hv the lhitish naval authorities as "a jiiiiili- and interpreter to the, forces, ami shared in many of the lights between tin? combined llritish and American (olumiis, aided by the Ma!ieloa warriors, and tlic enemy wb.) held the bimh country at the back of Apia. When the New Zealand Government ateuim-r Tutanekai was sent froiil Sa-mo-.i with urgent despatches bv the. IJrlti..!» Government to Captain' Stuart,

of H.M.S. Tauranga, and the British Consul, Mr Maxse, Captain Allen piloted her across to Savaii island for the pinpose of bringing Maiietoa reinforcements to Apia, a little expedition that was not without some warlike excitement. Allen was a man who did not sewn tn know what fear was, and was as quick with his Winchester and revolver as any Texan borderer. Since the war he has been running a small steamer amongst the Tongan groups, and his name is connected with tales of recklessness and daring all over the Central Pacific.

GERMAN CALCULATIONS. Some months ago there was an article in the Berlin Post which throws an interesting light on the motives and calculations that led Germany into war. It was written some months before the death of the Archduke. "Are we really," I the Post asked, "to wait quietly until Austria is completely) Bhaken to pieces, until Italy must bow to the overwhelming influence of the Sea Powers, and we, in isolation, are confronted by the arrogance of France, Britain and Russia? Is the German nation of seventy-two million ready to renounce the roll of leader in Europe, which is its due? In the lives of nations there arc tomplications and dangers which can oDly be disposed of by the sword. . . . Our nation to-day belongs to this category. ... At the moment the conditions are favorable. Prance is not ready to fight, 'England is involved in colonial and internal difficulties. Russia shrinks from war, because she fears a revolution. Shall we wait until our opponents are ready, or shall we use the favorable moment, to force a decision? When a conflict of interests shows itself, we should not give way, but let it come to war, and commence it with a determined offensive, whether it be for a new Morocco, or the position of General Von Liman, or the Asia Minor question. The pretext is a matter of indifference, for the point is not that, but our whole nature which is at stake."

NOTES. Afc a meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee yesterday Ihe eum of £SO, the amount asked for, was voted to tthe Taranaki infantrymen's fund. Mr. J. M. Jack, a sergeant in the New Zealand Legion l of Frontiersmen, who has seen service in the Boer war and the Zulu rebellion, leaves to-day for '.Wellington en route to Aurt.rsi.lia. where lie hopes to join an expeditionary force for the front!. He was oik of'the eight hundred frontiersmen wiho volunteered their services.

The membership of the New I'lymouth Defence. .Ride Club Ims now reached 190. It is expected that the 200 mark will be passed this evening.