WAR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 March 1916, Page 8

WAR NOTES.

AFTER THE WAR—WHAT! ' There seem» to be a general impression that after the war the world will suffer a perisd of great depression, if not of positive privation, during which we shall have to pay all the accumulated bills of the. war. It is therefore quite a relief to find a writer like Dr. Fitchett, in the March number of Life, taking the optimistic view and arguing that when the black night of actual war is over, a new day of prosperity will come in. It is impossible to reproduce, here the arguments and the figures quoted, but th e final sentence sums up the optimism or this really valuable contribution to the war literature: "It is unthinkable that, with such-a preponderance of men, wealth and commercial power on the side of law and democracy, the small minority of lawlessness and autecracv can triumph. It is equally self-evident that the success of the Allies means a great expansion in the world'* trade."

'ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY. The past fifteen months of war has resulted in a remarkable advance in antiaircraft artillery. Whereas, at the beginning of the conflict the aviators considered themselves secure when flving at altitudes of 8000 ft, since the shrapnel buret some thousands of feet below them, there is attendant danger to-day even when flying at 10,000 ft. The ranges of the anti-aircraft guns havp been steadily increased from below 5000 feet to over 10,000 feet. It is becoming increasingly difficult for aeroplane observers to'conduct effective reconnaissances owing to the great height at which they are' compelled to fly over the enemy positions. DEATH OF FIRST IRISH V.C. Driver James O'Brien, the first Irishman to win the Victoria Cross in the war. died in the King George V Hospital at Dublin, a telegram to that effect reaching his wife, who lives at Reading. He served in the Royal Field Artillery in the retreat from Mons, and made a gallant dash under shell fire in order to save a gun which he brought to safety. For the same act he was presented witli the medal of the Legion of Honor. In the engagement he received severe wounds, which kept him in hospital for over a year, but he was home on leave quite recently. He was born in Cashel, Tipperary,