Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Wednesday 23 September 1914, page 7


THE STRUGGLE IN

FRANCE.

BATTLE OF THE AISNE STILL IN

PROGRESS.

MORE GERMAN VANDALISM.

RHEIMS CATHEDRAL REDUCED TO RUINS. AUSTRIAN REVERSES IN BOSNIA.

THE POSITION SUMMARISED.

There is again this morning a strange dearth of war news. An official message from Paris indicates that the great struggle on the Aisne proceeds, and the probabilities are that the latest details concerning it are purposely withheld, pending the completion of some big movement now in progress. The gravity of the position from the German standpoint is indicated by a report from Ostend, which states that all the German troops hitherto quartered in Belgium have been sent either to France or to resist the Russian advance in East Prussia. A force of 40,000 Austrians is now said to be holding Brussels.

Some interesting sidelights on the horrors of the fighting now in progress in France are supplied by Mr. Philip Gibbs, the special correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle." In a message from Chalons he describes the lighting that took place on Thursday and Friday last at Soissons. A great storm was in progress. The wind howled and the rain flooded the trenches in a manner that tried the nerves and souls of the British troops to the last, point of human endurance. Men from the advanced lines looked as though they had been through a torture chamber and suffered nameless horrors. But, for all that, the British held their own, and. taking advantage of every scrap of covera trick they learned in the Boer war made some advance. A point that struck JNir. Gibbs particularly was the success of the British system of lighting in open formation. Adopting it in their attacks, they on several occasions took trenches which, according to all the rules of war, were impregnable. In the midst of the storm General von "Kluck on Friday ordered a general advance against the British positions. It was, however, repelled with heavy

loss.

If a further instance were needed of the brutality and senseless vandalism which have characterised the German operations throughout the campaign, it could be supplied in the destruction of the beautiful old Cathedral of Rheims. This building, which was considered by art critics to be one of the Bu(s specimens of Gothic architecture extant has been completely demolished by German shell-fire, all that remains being shattered and «noko-begrimed fragments of wall!, a chaos of tumbled masonry, and the charred remnants of beautiful oak rafters and carved woodwork, priceless by reason of their antiquity. The Germans, in an attempt to explain away their vandalism, state that the French force holding Rheims compelled them to return their fire, but this does not excuse their destruction of the historic cathedral. If the accounts to hand are to be believed-and they appear to be perfectly credible it would seem that a German battery, perched on a hill some distance from the city, made the lofty spires of the edifice their- special mark. Five hundred shells were thrown into a circumscribed area around the cathedral between sunrise and sunset on Saturday, and the cathedral, as well as a city block, was soon a mass of flames. The French were utilising the cathedral as a hospital, and had the Red Cross flag flying, but this had not the slightest effect in stemming the German fire.

The Servians and Montenegrins operating in Bosnia would appear to be making good their hold on this province of what Austrian Empire. They are now within a few miles of Sarajevo, the scene of the murder of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife. It was stated some time ago that when they captured the place they intended to incite the Slav population of the province to a general insurrection. It is to be presumed that the Austrians are not in great force in Bosnia, for they have made little resistance to the Allied advance, and in a precipitate retirement from Visegrad left behind them large quantities of provisions and munitions of -war.

i scenes?

BATTLE OF THE AISNE

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES.

PARIS. September 21.

A military communique issued to-day i states: On our left wing on the right bank of the Oise we have advanced to the heights of Lessening. west of Noyon. [ The Germans have renewed their activities

east of the Oise and north of the Aisne, and there have been violent bayonet charges in the region of Craonne, where everywhere the enemy were repulsed with considerable losses. Around Rheims the

enemy have not attempted infantry attacks,

but confined themselves to a big

gun bombardment. In Champagne and on the western slope of the Argonne ridge we have taken Souain and Mesnil le Hurlns. Messages from the front state that the enemy operating in the Woevre district continue to hold Thioncourt, and have bombarded Hanson Chater. The Germans on the right wing are fortifying themselves around Dcinie, a position south of Chateau Saline."' ,

WIND, RAIN, AND THE

ENEMY.

BRITISH HAVE A TRYING

TIME.

LONDON, September 21.

Mr. Philip Gibbs, the special correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle," cabling from Chalons on Saturday, says that when the great storm was raging at Soissons on Thursday and Friday, and flooding the trenches, the British had the most trying time they have experienced and the beginning of the war. It tried their nerves and souls to the last point of human endurance.

I Nameless Horrors.

1 'T saw." continued Sir. Gibbs, Steve-ral sobers who had left the trenches on a special mission. They looked as if they had been through a torture chamber, and had suffered nameless horrors. They were covered with mud. their faces -were coated with greyish clay, and they were chilled to the bone and shaking in every limb. Nevertheless they are no grousing army, and although dirty as mudlark; and unshaven and tattered, they are still confident, and as ready for a joke as

ever.

Marches impede the Advance.

"The strength of the German position trade is very difficult for the British to cross the low-lying marshland, interact

ted with rivers and canals. At present it is utterly impossible to send infantry or cavalry, let alone heavy guns, across the Swampy. The German elcven-inchcrs. embedded in cement on the surround-ing hills, are giving a great deal of trouble to Car British gunners. An incessant artillery duel has been in progress for days, under cover of which not

sides have been entrenching like articles of ants, and rushing over the open ground with rifle fire and bayonet, charges in order to attain positions of advantages for further entrenchments.

British Superiority.

"The British showed superiority in the battle of the trenches, and gained good ground though at heavy cost. With their

experience gained in the Boer war, the British are far better than the enemy in taking; advantage of every scrap of cover. I Fighting in open formation, they on sî

several occasions took trenches which, according to all the mines of war, were impregnable. The British, assisted by the Zouaves;:, who repeatedly charged

under a most deadly fire, reached the enemy's positions and the Germans fled. . but not until their trenches were filled with corpses of the enemy slain by the ' Frenchmen, who tossed them out of the

pits as though they were hay-making.' as one of them said.

The Germans Run.

"General von Kluck on Friday night;

ordered a general advance of infantryfrom Chavigny and Naizye Chateau upon he foremost British trenches mund Sois-sons, while the German artillery again searched for the position, endeavoring to unnerve the British. With the wind howling and the rain lambing down in torrents the BtitrAt needed all the courage they possessed. shrapnel killed many of them), but the Germans are not the right stuff to turn British troops out of entrenched positions, and they retired quicker than they came. The British guns pounded them, and they rifle fire from the trenches laid them in heaps.

A Close Shave.

the accuracy and rapidity with' which the Germans work their guns 5s particularly remarkable. At Soissons they were assisted by. aviators, who dropped scraps of paper and bombs, the latter acting as Smoke sig-next?. In one case on Friday an 11 incher dropped a shell close to the British headquarters. Several of the staff had a narrow escape, and the headquarters was immediately shifted. Within half an hour fifty shells were dropped on the same spot'

i

GERMAN VANDALS.

RHEIMS CATHEDRAL. A TEUTON APOLOGY.

LONDON, September 51.

It "was reported on Monday that the Germans had persisted in bombarding the beautiful cathedral of Rheims. and that their shell fire was tumbling this noble work of architecture into a mass of ruins. The French Government protested to the Powers against this latest act of German vandalism, but the German official reply states: -"The French at Rheims compelled us to reply to their fire. We regret that the city was damaged. Orders have been issued to spare the cathedral as much as possible.

CATHEDRAL COMPLETELY

DESTROYED.

LONDON, September 21.

Advices from Paris state that the German bombardment of Rheims Cathedral was continued on Monday. Only a fewwalls of what was once a beautiful edifice are now standing. The Hotel de Ville (town hall), the museum, and other official buildings have been almost completely destroyed. It is stated that the Germans in-tentionally directed their artillery five against the principal buildings of the city, and several of the inhabitants have been killed. During the bombardment of the cathedral the Germans killed a number of their own wounded, who were being tended with the French wounded in the cathedral in the hope that the flying of the Red Cross ensign would save the structure from destruction.

The Rheims correspondent of the "Daily Mail" states that the fire on the cathedral started on Saturday afternoon. At least five hundred shells fell between early morning and sunset. Part of the city several hundred yards square was ignited, and street after street became fined with blaz-ing houses and shops. Meanwhile a German battery on a hill above Noagcnt l'Abbesc made the cathedral its deliberate mark.. Shell after shell smashed its way through the old masonry and an avalanche

of stonework thundered down into the streets. Subsequently the scaffolding at the east end of the cathedral was ignited, and the burning splinters falling on the roof soon set the whole of the old oak timbers ablaze. Soon the nave and the transepts were a roaring furnace. Tongues of flame leapt up the towers at the western end, and blazing pieces of woodwork, beautifully carved, crashed down on the floor. The Germans, when they occupied the city in their advance on Paris, accumulated great piles of straw in the interior of the cathedral, intending to use it as a hos-pital. The burning woodwork instantly ignited this, and the panelling, altars, and confessional were soon consumed. The German wounded would certainly have been incinerated but for the consideration shown by the French doctors. As the Germans were carried out a howl crimson-trollable passion burst from the crowd, and shouts of "A more!'' went up. Some of the soldiers among the crowd levelled their rifles, but the Abbe Andrieux sprang forward between the muzzles and. the wounded men and said, "Don't fire. You will make yourselves as guilty as they."

When dawn broke the famous old monu-ment was only an empty shell.

ITALY THRILLS WITH , . HORROR. ,

ROME, September 21.

late news of the bombardment of Rheims Cathedral caused a thrill of horror throughout Italy. The "Giornale d'Italia describes it as a useless part of barbarism and a lunatic outburst of wounded vanity and curbed pride.

A BEAUTIFÖTSTRUCTURE.

Whatever may be left of Rheims Cathedral after the German gunners have done with it. the memory will remain that, at any rate, up to a few days ago this 13th century structure was one of the

finest extant specimens of Gothic architecture, notwithstanding that it lacked the complete towers, of the original design. In was in this cathedral that the King of France were crowned in ancient times, and it replaced a still older church (burned in 1211), built on the site of the basilica where Clover was baptised by St. Remegius. The cathedral, with the exception of the west front, was completed by the end of the 13th century. That portion was erected in the 14th century _ after 13th century designs the nave having in the meantime been lengthened to afford room for the crowds that attended the coronations. Tn -1481 fire destroyed the roof and the spires.

in 1875 the National Assembly voted £80,000 for repairs of the facade and balustrades. This facade was the finest portion of the building and one of the

most perfect masterpieces of the Middle i Ages. The three portals were laden with beautiful statues and statuettes, and the facades of the transept were also decorated with sculptures-that on the north with figures of the principal Bishops of Rheims, a representation of the Last, Judgment, and a figure of Christ (Le Beau Dieu), while that on the south side had a beautiful rose window with the prophets and apostles. Of the four towers which flanked the transepts nothing remained above the height of the roof apes the fire of 1481. Above the choir rose an elegant bell tower in timber and lead. 59 ft. high, recordstructed in the 15th century.

The interior of the cathedral was 453 ft. long, 28 ft. wide in the nave, and 125 ft. high in the centre, and comprised a nave with aisles, a chair with double aisles, and an area with deambulatory_ and radiating chapels. It had a profusion of statues

similar to those of the outside, and stained glass of the 13th century. The rose window over he main perch and the gallery beneath was, of rare magnificence. The cathedral possessed fine tapestries and slave-raid paintings by Tintoretto, Nicholas. Poussin and others; also woodcarvings of rare skill. The treasury held among other prized relics the Sainte Ampoule, or holy flask, the successor of the ancient one broken at the Revolution, a fragment of which it contained.

In 1874 the construction i of a chain of detached forts was begun in the vicinity of Rheims, the city being selected as one of the chief defences of the northern approaches to Paris.

SAVAGERY IN BELGIUM.

ANTWERP, September 21.

The Germans have expelled from Wolverses all males above the age of 10 years. A detachment of German cyclists have burned the villages of Trcmloo and Rot

selar. Outrages like these are attributed I to roaming bands of Uhlans. j

SHOCKING CRUELTY.

LONDON, September 21.

A Frenchman, formerly at Oxford, in writing from the Continent to an English friend, states:-"When the Germans abandon any villages which they have occupied they destroy everything and kill all the cattle, or cut off their feet-"

OPERATIONS IN

BELGIUM.

i

GERMAN TROOPS WHO

| DRAWN.

, AUSTRIANS HOLDING '

BRUSSELS.

OSTEND. September 21.

It is reported that all the Bavarian troops have left Brussels. Some have been court-martialled by the Prussians and Bhiifc for having permitted the escape of six trainloads of French prisoners. It is stated that all the Germans have been sent to France or the East Prussian frontier, and that forty thousand Austrians, who, as Slavs, cannot be trusted to fight against the Russians, are now occupying Brussels. Their equipment includes seven heavy siege

guns.

GERMANS FAIL TO CAPTURE

A FORT.

LONDON, September 21.

The Antwerp correspondent of the "Dairy Chronicle" reports that the Germans made three desperate and unsuccessful attempts on Saturday and Sunday to capture Fort Wallhem. between Staines and Brussels. On the first night the operation was attempted with the heaviest guns, and the artillery covered an infantry attack upon the entrenched Belgians. For a short time the issue was in doubt, but when the defenders of the fort realised their danger they devastated the German lines, and the attacks were finally repulsed with a loss of

a thousand men

AUSTRIANS FORCED

BACK.

SERBS AND MONTENEGRINS

k ADVANCE.

NISH, September Sir

In their retirement from Visegrad, 21 Bosnian town on the River Drina, 43 miles east of Sarajevo, the Austrians abandoned large quantities of provisions, army materials, a field hospital, and 40 railway waggons.

The Montenegrin troops have captured the fortress of Focha, 20 miles south-east of Sarajevo, and have camps entrenched at Gorazda, Jabuk, and Rogatnitza. They are now only 15 kilometres (about 64 miles) from Sarajevo.

Prince George of Servia has been

wounded.

AUSTRIAN VENGEANCE.

GENERAL COMMITS SUICIDE,

ROME, September 21;

The correspondent of the "Giornale d'Italia" telegraphs from Vienna that the Austrians have court martialled and shot General Vodiniaoski. of Slav origin, whom they accused of spring, also a Slav stationmaster, on a similar charge.

From Lemberg it is reported that General French, who was recently removed from his command of a cavalry division which was nearly annihilated, has committed suicide.

(Continued on Next Page.) 1

THE WAR

(Continued from Page 7.)

AMERICA AND ARMED

MERCHANTMEN.

> _

s LONDON,

September 21.

. Reuter's correspondent at New York and rises that the United States Government have decided that the merchantmen of belligerent nations entering ports may any guns up to but not exceeding 6 in. for defence without acquiring the character of ships of war. No guns, however, must be mounted forward, and only a little am-munition must be carried. The vessels, moreover, must only be manned with the same number of men as before the war.

GERMAN CRUISER ON THE

WARPATH.

CAPTURES BRITISH SHIPPING

CALCUTTA, September 21.

His German cruiser Emden, attached to the- China station, but which disappeared from there six weeks ago, has been creat-ing consternation and doing considerable damage to British shipping in the Bay of Bengal ;

r She. appeared suddenly in the Bay on September 10, and, assisted by misty wcachoir and wireless messages which she in-tercepted, sank between that date and the Miss $WQ British colliers, two empty steamers and the steamer Diplomat with a cargo; worth £350.000, including 40,000 packages of tea. All the captured crews were transferred to the Kabinga, which ants sailing for America. The Kairanga arrived at Calcutta on the 16th. and a British warship ; immediately, set out in pursuit of the Emden, but she escaped southward.

n The Emden also sank the steamer Clan Matheson in " the Bay of Bengal. The

crewS have been landed at Rangoon. in j

Hannah's

AU sailings in the Bay of Bengal have been temporarily cancelled. The Emden I has caused the British owners and underwriters

a loss of three-quarters of a million. sterling. -The Germans treated the captured crews well, but later their conduet was rather contemptuous. With their erratic shooting it took them, two hours-to took. the Lovat, one of the ships captured.

WELSH GRIT

LONDON, September 21.

The a Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Lloyd' George is heading a movement to raise a complete Welsh army corps for the

front. "

GENERAL WAR CABLES.

LONDON, September 21,

Paris advices state that 30 dum-dum bullets have been extracted from wounded soldiers lying in the French base those

years, . j

. It is reported from Cape Town that the official revised list of casualties sustained in

connection with the disablement on Mon-day, of the British cruiser Pegasus by the Konigsberg off the east coast of Africa places the number at 25 killed, 3 wounded, and 136 missing. The Pegasus was completely (disabled.

The manager of the Ottoman Telegraph Agency at Constantinople reports that the ~ well-known friendly feelings that have

existed hitherto between Turkey and Great Britain and France have been arrested as a result of German pressure because

his agency published authentic news of the war, and not the garbled and inaccurate

German versions.

a RATS IN A HOLE.

GERMAN NAVY TO BE

DUG OUT.

LONDON, September 22.

The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. Winston Churchill) addressing a meeting of 15,000 at Liverpool, appealed for a million men to join Sir John French's gallant army." They had no need to be anxious about the result, he said God had blessed your arms with unexpected good fortune. I The British Empire could, unless its resolution

failed, finally settle the matter as ; it chose. The navy was unable to fight whilst the enemy was in port, but Britain I was enjoying without a battle all the ad

' vantages of the command of the sea. at, though he hoped the navy would have a chance of settling the question with the German fleet. Unless they came out and fought they would be dug out like" rats in

a hole.

GLOOM IN GERMANY.

| HER FORElGi\pTRADE LOST.

NEW YORK, September 22.

I Cablegrams from German sources indicate

that widespread disappointment prevails in the Fatherland at the present course of events. The people everywhere are becom-ing greatly discontented, particularly in the manufacturing districts, which are beginning only now to realise that Germany's foreign trade is lost and that the naval strategists cannot fulfil their pledge to keep

ocean routes free.

rapid austrian retreat.

russiai\Tgeneral

decorated.

PETROGRAD, September 22.

It is stated that the Austrian retreat in Galicia was so rapid that the Russians had to cover 25 miles a day to keep in touch with them, The Austrians turned back at one point on the River San, but the Russians threw three pontoon bridges over, and dashed across, and a fierce hand-to-hand struggle ensued on the opposite bank. The horses of the Austrian cavalry were shot down, but the men, with their legs shattered, continued to fire as they lay on the ground. At length a bayonet charge put the Austrians to flight.

General Dimitrieff has been decorated for his brilliant and successful resistance against the recent Austrian attempt to recapture Lemberg. we had four days' and nights' fighting against odds of four

to one.

WAR' FEVER IN ITALY. POPE EXPRESSES HIS

* . . . HORROR. ;

j /

ROME. September 22.

After celebrating the Italian national fete yesterday 50,000 men, with bands and banners, marched to the British Embassy, playing the British Anthem. They frantically cheered the hoisting of the Union Jack at the embassy. Troops guarded the German and Austrian embassies.

The Pope has expressed the utmost horror at the destruction of the Rheims Cathedeal. He remarked, that is scarcely credible that in the civilised twentieth century we should be plunged back into the days of Attila."

WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

CAPE TOWN, September 22.

At a crowded meeting at Bethlehem, a strong Uertzogite centre, yesterday, a resolution was carried by an overwhelming majority supporting the Government in their operations against German South-west Africa.

FIRST FRENCHMAN KILLED.

THE AVENGING OF "LITTLE

FORGET." He

was a little cavalryman, a chasseur of the Twelfth, with a tail-of black hair hanging from his helmet down his back (writes Mr. Hamilton Fyfe in the "Daily Mail"). They called him "Little Portget." He was in barracks at Pont-aMousson.

He was full of energy and hope. "What luck," he said often to his messmates of the first squadron, to be alive at such a time, and to be here, right here, in the frontier, with the chance of beginning at once." War had not yet been declared. He was all impatience. One morning came an order for a scouting patrol. He was in it. He rode off when a light heart, grateful to be chosen for responsible work.

Suctdunly there is a tap-tap of Mauser rifles. From behind a wall shots are being fired. Chasseur Pouget pitches heavily forward on his horses neck. In peace he has been assassinated. The assassins gallop away. shots are fired after them. Then ''Little Forget" is carried back to

Pont-a-Mousson.

Here next day he is juried. Such a funeral as "Little Forget" never dreamt of! His family could not be there. They live far away. But there were all the officers of his regiment as well as the

men.

Chasseur Pouget," said the colonel over the grave, death came to you when you least expected it, in a manner which I dare not at this moment denounce is I should like to denounce it. You have been the first to fall on the field of honor, and be sure your comrades will never forget you. They will avenge you. Adieu, Chasseur Pouget. Rest in peace."

And straight from the cemetery rode out patrols of Pouget's comrades, who that day surprised and captured a German patrol. the avenging of Pouget had begun.

JOHNNY FRENCH." . ] The Popular Commander.

The other day. says the Sydney '-Daily Telegraph," there was cabled across the world a brief extract from the letter home of a soldier serving under him in France, who was good enough to state it as his opinion that the Commander-in-Chief of bri-tain's splendid army had no side." the writer of the letter may possibly be dead by this time, but the writer of this article begs to be permitted to endorse his opinion. There are many other people besides these two writers who will endorse it also. No one who has ever served under Sir John French could do otherwise, this writer has served under him. and he would like to tell three stories, which are perfectly true, in illustration of the entire soundness of the possibly-dead soldiers opinion of his great leader. They are not strictly in chronological order, and the next one comes first, and it is necessary to explain one or two things.

About 14 years ago the present writer had the honor to be a corporal in a squadron of cavalry which was attached to the 2nd Uragoods better known as the Scots Greys and they were one of the three fine regiments which made up the 1st Cavalry Brigade of the South African Field Force. The

other two were the Inniskillings and the Carabiniers. So that is how he knows j

those true stories. _ .. _ Towards

the end of May, 1,000, the present Prime Minister of the South African Union General Botha held up General French's division for two days, and a bit over, in the vicinity of the Ivltp River. (You will find the affray described in the "Times" History of the War, and the German general's staff account of it, as the Battle of Klip's River's Berg.) It was a very unpleasant and alarming disagree-ment, and when it was over the division was engaged in getting round between

Johannesburg and Pretoria, and the writer I found himself, one sunny afternoon, riding alongside a corporal of the "Greys' A curious legend of the sort that pet tains to all war existed in the First Brigade, to the effect that, although "Johnny" thought no end of it, he would never trust it in a town. It was an absurd notion for the simple reason that, always, mounted troops must be the outposts. But we all had the absurd notion in 1900. So the corporal of the "Greys" remarked to the writer-in a casual way and pretty loudat the end of a discussion as to the chances of getting something to eat

"I wonder whether the old man is going to let us into Johannesburg?"

Just as he said it. General French, rid ing up the column (on a horse that was in better condition than ours), attended by a single side, arrived abreast of us. and heard the plaintive query. He turned half round in his saddle, with a kindly

grin, and said:

"No-the-old 'man is not going to let you into Johannesburg!" and the back view of him that the writer realised as he rode on (whilst the writer and the "Greys" corporal nearly fainted) was his broad shoulders shaking with smothered

laughter.

The second story, of how one morning, about four miles north of Kroonstadt. whilst the brigade rested for a couple of days, it was suddenly ordered to "stand to your horses outside the picket lines. With the usual curses the order was

promptly obeyed (as orders always were in the First and long lines of horses might have been seen stretched across the veldt, attended by unkempt men, who, in different ways, were asking one another:

"What the -'a up now?"

What was "up" was that the general was inspecting his horses. Near where the writer paraded at the head of elie sorry skeleton that was his, stood Major Allenby, of the Anni~kxlling3- now Licataant-General Allen and as the general rode by he called out to him:

"Hullo, 'Allenby; how are you quite fit?" ' ....

That story seems a pointless one-but wait until you read the moral that the

writer is going to draw after he has don.

with the third.

The brigade was camped, after the battle of Diamond Hill,, at, a palace sailed Kamiel Drift, which had been part of the battle, field, and was about 12 miles eastward of Pretoria. A certain percentage of the troops were given leave each day, for i A week or so, to ride into the town where

they employed themselves in looking at the late Mrs. Paul Kruger (that good, but very plain old lady), as she sat behind the

two stone lions, buying expensive and ininferior meals, writing postcards home, and

trying without much means, to get past the military police into the hotels. the writer rode in one day with four or five of his fellows. About half-way in we encountered the general riding out-at-tended by a single orderly-and, of course, rode to attention," and did the eyes right" trick. He pulled his horse up and halted us. He knew who we were-if for no other reason-by me green crosses on the sides of our helmets.

"Hullo, you Australians," he said, "how are you getting on-getting enough to eat now?'" . .

There was such a pleasant gun in his face that one bold spirit ventured a reply.

"We could do with a bit more, sir."

He shook his horse up. and rode on, laughing, calling over his shoulder, "Ohyou'll have plenty soon."

As a matter of fact, we didn't; but one is sure that he couldn't help it.

And the moral that one wishes to draw from these three trivial anecdotes quite apart from the way they were to endorse the opinion of the possibly-dead English soldier is that some part of the real great-ness of Field-Marshal Sir John French lies in the kindly humanity that is his. His remark to the corporal of the "Greys," his greeting to Major Allenby, his cheery enquiry as to our diet - these are the sort of things that make his men love him. With the tremendous respect that they have for his wisdom-the confidence that is hard to explain with the knowledge that he will overlook no breach of discipline, with the respect and esteem that they hold him in as a man, there is mingled a sort of personal affection that very few men have the fortune to call up in their subordinates. Perhaps the Danes did not exaggerate his place, in history very much when they compared him to Marlborough. But he is a more honest man than Marlborough.

TRAINING HARD

AGAIN.

ADVANCED FIELD WORK.

LIGHT HORSE ON TWO DAYS"

BIVOUAC.

(By Our Military Reporter.)

Monday's long route march may have tired the men but there were no signs? of weariness on Tuesday morning when the '"reveille" sounded. Even- man was at his port at the parade, and tent orderlies were kept as busy as ever when the hour for breakfast arrived. It was a cheerful muster that responded to the call for morning parade, and the company commanders then marched the men off for in-structional work. Each day sees further advance in the military curriculum. To-day the infantrymen began outpost work, which is a most important factor in warfare. The officers expressed themselves as well satisfied with the intelligent manner in which the intricacies of this work was grasped by the men. It was not until late at night that they returned to camp. After soldiers have been out in the field all day, expending every ounce of energy and brain in mastering advanced work, they need no rocking to sleep, and the orderly corporal-, whose duty it is to enforce the "lights out" order, had but little difficulty in obtaining it? strict observance. The Light Horse men also left the camp and set off in a northerly direction. The plan is to bivouac and carry out advanced field work for two days, returning to camp in all probability late this evening or early to-morrow morning.

The Second Force.

There has been no cessation of training in the lines of the second expeditionary force since Monday, when Lieutenant Woolley took them in hand for purposes of physical training. Of couple, they have merely carried out the initial stages of the work, but they are shaping well, and Lieutenant Woolley is hopeful that they will and not. there selves as creditable as the first force. Up to the present they have been under the oh ance of Sergeant MaoFox, who, with a band of instructors, has been preparing the men for division into "companies and instructing them in the list, regiments of infantry work. To-day the men will be divided into various parts or portions of unite, as the case may be. There will he three companies- of lifetry. rer>rr>ítírft;n<r A, B. and 0 Companies if the 11th Battalion of the Storm Ex-CrditVnarv Force, and also A Squadron of the 7th Light TTntwp Raiment of the ss"ord force. Major Baker, who has- been rerrrmmrT>ded to take charge of A CbmsoRtie. will' go into camp to-morrow. He 'will! be the affairs shipper. and the two other coniiT'Tidir's owners?, who have been fivom-ir»r.dM, Captain Brittain and Co-"four OartrHl. will also co to "\>V>!">'hetfr»"i'1e before prison. It is also prohi'Vp that Orptrain Cork. who will command the Light Horse Squadron that South Australia is supplying, will also be under canvas.

General Camp Items.

During the last few days Captain Jes-. D .*> A fly.. has been busy. at military hoadntiartPt's receiving the attestation papers of the 50 men .com-irising the Motor Mechanical Corns. To-day these men arrived in camp. They will be added

to the line of ccmrmttnieati'on unit. It is probable that all the officers of the First Expeditionary Force will be present, at the b'Tip'nPon of these rom"»onw°alth

Club to-morrow. Annlieatiop* for enrol-

ment for any further forces that may be called for are still being received and the authorities are keeping a list of the most desirable class of man anxious to en-list. This list is swelling considerably.

Officers Pleased with Route March. Officers in camp yesterday expressed themselves as thoroughly pleaded with Monday's march. One of them spoke with appreciation of the greeting they were accorded by the pupils or the Ad'.laide High School as they marched along Grote-street on their way to West-terrace. The headmaster (Mr W. Adey had arranged that the pupils should be bred up outside. The scholars, included about 200 cadets belonging to the school, and there were also about 19 members of the citiz- US' forces, all in uniform. Among: the first force there are 25 old scholars, and these were all given a hearty cheer as they approached. Officers

of Reserve to Report.

The Commandant has been requested by the Secretary for Defence to state that the Army Council desire it publicly announced that all officers of the reserve of: officers are recalled, and should return and report themselves forthwith to the War Office.

Frenchmen Called On.

The Consul for France has received notification from the Consul-General in Sydney that all Frenchmen resident in South Australia between the ages of 21 and 48 must forthwith furnish to the local consulate particulars as to name, class. date, and place of birth, and in case of "reformes" or "exemptes,"' reasons for | exemption. Medical examination will then be arranged for.

OFFICERS FOR THE SECOND

FORCE.

No appointments have yet been made in connection with South Australian quota of the second Expeditionary Force, but to-day the board of selection appointed at the direction of the new Minister of Defence (Senator Pearce) concluded its thealterations. The board consisted of the State Commandant (Colonel Irving). Colonel Rowell. C.B.. Colonel Dean, and Lieutenant-Colonel Dollman. These recommendations will in all probability be forwarded to the Minister of Defence to-day. It is not known just what the recommendations are, but the final selection will probably be made in accordance with the following list:

27TH INFANTRY BATTALION.

Major E. K. Baker (senior Company

Commander.

Captain H. P. IT. Brittain (Company Commander).

Captain Gartrell (Company Commander.

Mr bal terns. Captain Ciladmaii (Port Augusta), and Lieutenants Herring, Kerr. Burton. Imlay. Willshire. and Hains..

There are only six subalterns required and one emergency.

in LIGHT HORSE REGIMENT.

Of this regiment Lieu tena Lt-Colonel Miell. who was second in command of the wind Light Horse Regiment, of the First Expeditionary Force, will be in command. South Australia is supplying A squadron of the regiment, and in all probability the following will be appointed

Major Cook (Commanding Officer).

Captain Barnet, of Mount Gambier (second in command)

The selection of troop-leaders, four of which are required, will most likely come from Lieutenants De Pledge. Passive Bleechmore, Parsons (Yankalilla), and Lindsay.

A BELGIANS MISFORTUNE.

Mr. M.-ixim Josef, who was born at serve, in the province of Liege (Belgium), writers' arrived, at Port Adelaide from Frederickstadt, which port was left before hostilities" had began, on Monday morning, and during the afternoon paid a visit to the office of the Consul for Belgium "in Adelaide, for the purpose of reporting myself with a view to being sent back home" to serve my country. To my surprise the consul, informed me that if I wished to fight for my country I would have to pay my own fire. Surely this is hard on an exact every man, who is a stranger in a strange land, filled with pride and patriotism and ready to return to defend his native country. I for one hope that the

difficulty will soon be overcome, and that men who are eager to defend their countries will' be ass sled in the payment of their farms. From here I proceed to Melbourne, a sad and disappointed loyal Belgian

THE VICTORIAN MEN.

Melbourne, September 22.

While all hands were working hard in the brilliant sunshine at P.ro.i-'menrio is to-day the Minister of Defence 'SenatorPearce) pad- a visit of inspection to the camp. The troops were L>r the most part scattered over the paddocks, but the Miriis ter made a tour of the lines, and at the conclusion of his visit expressed his great' appreciation of all that he had seen. the rise Fred to the difficulties under which the

men had worked, and said the troops had!' done wonders and were evidently, officers and men, in deadly earnest. That wasshown by the keenness of their £1-3*111 has He also referred with appreciation to the

cleanliness and good management of the camp itself. All leave for the men has now been stopped, save for urgent reasons.

CARGO IN GERMAN STEAMERS.

The secretary of the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce has received the following letter from the secretary of the Melbourne chamber dated September 17

"I have to advise you that the committee

appointed by the Melbourne. consignees held a meeting to day, at wai h various

tables were submitted" pointing to the intention of the steamers? Stolberg and Room to discharge their cargo under certain you

ditions. These, lines or, were not con-s sidered definite enough to act upon at the

present time, and it was resolved to no proach the Minister, of External Affair s i and obtain his opinion as to the legality

of certain demands said to be made by the captains before they would hand over the

cargo, and also to request the Minister to cable to the British Consul at Batavia for further information. Janie committee subsequently waited upon the Minister, and with regard to the lethal position he stated that this would be placed before the Law Officers of the Crown and the secretary forthe Chamber of Commerce advised at a

later date. He inducted that a telegram should be sent to the British Consul at Batavia stating that conflicting telegrams 1 were being received by the merchants in Melbourne as to discharging the cargo on these boats, and requesting the Consul to ascertain definitely from the captains whether they intended to discharge the cargo or not. If they intended to d s charge the cargo, when would they come I mence, and under what conditions they would deliver it? This cable has now been

sent, and we are awaiting a reply. When this is received I will further advise you."

BOOKLETS FOR THE TROOPS. In

connection with the booklet issued by the Y.M.CA. Ladies' Auxiliary to the soldiers of the South Australian section of the expeditionary force the general secretary (Mr. R. A. Wheeler) has received the following letter from the Governor's private secretary (Hon. G. J. Mulholland):"Sirs-I am in receipt of your letter of the 16th inst. His Excellency the Governor desires me to thank you for sending him

copies of the booklet which you have fur-nished to each member of the expeditionary force. His Excellency considers the idea of issuing the volume was a very happy one, and tenders his congratulations to you and your association for the good services already rendered and being rendered to the South Australian contingent. His Excellency recognises the great benefits conferred on the men in camp by your association's well-equipped tent there, and commends the association on its practical, i go-ahead methods." The booklet has

attracted considerable attention in the other States, and the Presbyterian Church of Australia has requested and received i permission from the. Y.M.C.A. Ladies' Auxiliary- to publish the booklet and issue it to the Presbyterian soldiers going to the war from Australia. The Presbyterian

Church has printed 4,000 copies, which will be in the hands of their chapsaid to be used in their work.

SPORTING GEAR. FOR SOLDIERS., Many citizens?, including hotelkeepers--. have decided to forward sporting gear to the 10th A.I.F. for use by the soldiers; on

board ship. Mr. Shierlaw has already pre- I -cited a fine set of boxing gloves. Article? suitable for athletic purposes will be welcome among such a large body of men. and should be sent to Color-Sergeant- A. Hcmmin-'. li Company. 10th ALF.

SHIPPING AND WAR RISKS

INSURANCE.

The Adelaide Chamber of Commerce has received from the Premier the following copy of a telegram received from the Prime Minister: "Decide of cablegram received from the Secretary of State, dated London, September 10, 1914, 7.5 p.m. The attention of his Majority's Government has been called to the fact that difficulties have arisen between shippers and shipowners in consequence of wish of the latter to insert in bills of lading a clause to cover obliga-tions which they undertake in many in all at a port in the United Kingdom for information, instructions, or advice before proceeding on the final stage of the voyage. Following is the text of such a clause:'Begins) If and so long as the ship is insured against war risks with a war risks insurance association under or in connection with a war risks insurance scheme of his

Majesty's Government, the ship, in addition

to any liberties expressed or implied in this bill of lading. shall have the liberty to comply with any orders or directions as to departure, arrival, routes, ports of call, stoppages, or otherwise, howsoever given by his Majesty's Government, or any department thereof, or any person acting 'or purporting to act with the authority of his "'ancestor of his Majesty's Government, or

of any department thereof, or by any committee or person having, under the terms of the war risks insurance on the ship, the right to give such orders or directions, and nothing done, or not done by reason of any such orders or directions, shall be deemed a deviation (ends). Phinners do not readso that this retirement is for security of cargo equally with the ship, and that it

not to prejudice of their interests. I --should be much obliged if your Ministers

and by public notice or otherwise explain Lo shippers reasons for requirement in ones-on. so that they will understand that their interests are being safeguarded and

not sacrificed." "

NO MORE KIT BAGS WASTED.

The Mayoress of Adelaide (Mr-. A. A. -Preston) has received the for lowing teleram from the Defence Department, Mel

warne: "No more kit bags are required J. present for expeditionary forces. Pie sa adopt thanks of department for assistance

is rendered.''

IN THE coUNTRY.

MOUNT GAMBIER, September 21.The mayor's patriotic relief fund now amounts to £156 1,8. The members of the Ladies' Patriotic League have decided to make a house-to-house canvass for the Belgian Relief Fund. The residents son in ted with the building trade in Mount Gambier met recently, and decided to d.?? vote a portion of their earnings to the patriotic fund. The first contribution was collected on Saturday, and resulted in the satisfactory sum of £6 15/6 being realised. Since receiving this amount the hon. secretary (Mr. A. E. Knight has been handed an additional £1 85, and with the amount received at the first meeting,

£7 2/, the receipts to date total £15 5/6. PORT

GERMEIN, September 17. On a Wednesday afternoon a number of people I met at the tennis courts to say farewell to Mr. Leslie Clark, who has volunteered for the front. Mr. A. E. Trewartha (cap-tain of the club), on behalf of friends,

presented Mr. Clark with a wristlet watch a Addresses were given by Messrs. H. G ' Davey and E. S. Vine. Mr. Clark re- i -ponded.

TAILEM BEND. September 21 The , special train conveying the South Ans- tralian troops, who are to make up Tas- I

mania's quota arrived at Tailem Bend to-night, and although few residents knew that a special was expected, within a few minutes of its arrival the platform ! was lined with people the crowd being I densest in front of the carriage containing Mr. Roy Williams, a local rifleman. As the train moved off repeated cheers were given for the troops, the soldiers replying by giving cheers for Tailem fiend.

AFFAIRS InHwEW SOUTH

WALES.

Sydney, September 22.

The Premier (Mr. Holman), in the Legislative

Assembly to-day stated that during the past week no increased distress had been reported in the State as the result of

the war. The Government were enquiring into the portion at. Colvir, the matter of

the problem of housing- distressed workers, j and the position of the tailoring trade in

Sydney. As the result of representations | he considered that future orders for military uniforms would be better distributed. No" blame was attachable to the Federal authorities. The Government were also making enquiries through the Agent-General with a view to the resumption of the mineral trade.

THE CUT CABLE.

Wellington, September 22.

Mr. Millward. manager of the Pacific table, arrived at Auckland to-day by the Iris. He states that there had been no comunication with Fanning Island since the cable was cut. The board's employes and

families on the island numbered 30, and he had no idea what had become of them. I

! POETS M THE WAR.

BRITAIN'S FIRST CAUSE.

The following poems are extracted from the "Times":

(By Robert Bridge;, Poet Laureate.) Thou careless, awake!

Thou peacemaker, fight!

Stand, England, for honor,

And God guard the Right! Thy mirth lay aside.

Thv cavil and play: The foe is upon thee.

And grave is the day.

The monarch Ambition .

Hath harnessed his slaves; But the folk of the Ocean

Are free as the waves.

For Peace thou art armed

Thy Freedom to hold: Thy Courage as iron,

Thy Good-faith as gold.

Through Fire, Air, and Water

Thy. trial must be: "

But they- that love life best

Die gladly for thee.

The Love of their mothers

Is strong to command;

The fame of their fathers

Is might to their hand.

Much suffering shall cleanse thee;

But thou through the flood Shalt win to Salvation.

To Beauty through blood. Dp. careless, awake'

Ye peacemakers. Firrht!

England Stands for Honor,

God Defend the Right!

THE BUSH.

(By Stephen Phillips.)

There is a hush before the thunder-jar,

When white the steeples against purple

stand:

There is a hush when night with star on

star

Goes ashen on the summer like a brand.

Now a more awful, pause appal the soul,

When concentrating armies crouch to

spring:

stillness more fraught than any thunder

Fell.

Down European with a redder wing.

The Teuton host no conscience onward

drives:

Sullen they come; to slaughter shepherded:

Timed for the shambles with unwilling

lives. With

doubt each soldier is already dead.

The massed battalions as a myth shall feel: Vainly they fight, if first they cannot feel.

SPIRIT OF ENGLAND.

(By Laurence Binyon.)

Now in the splendor go before us,

Spirit of England, ardent-eved!

Enkindle this dear earth that bore us,

in the hour of peril purified.

The cares we bulged drop out of vision,

Our hearts with deeper thoughts dilate. We step from days of sour division

Into the grandeur of our fate.

For us the glorious dead have striven;

They battled that we might be free. We to that living cause are given. We arm for men that are to be.

Among the nations noblest chartered,

England recalls her heritage.

'With her is that which is not bartered.

Which force can neither quell nor cage.

For her immortal stars are burning.

With her, the home that's never done,

The seed that's in the Spring's returning.

The Every flower that seeks the sun.

We fight the fraud that feeds desire on

Lies in a lust to enslave or kill, The barren creed of blood and iron.

Vampire of Europe's wasted will.

Endure, O Earth! and thou, awaken,

I Purged by this dreadful winnowing fan, O wronged, an amicable, unshaken I Soul of divinely suffering man!

TO ENGLAND.

TO STRIKE QUICKLY.

(By Maurice Hewlett.)

Fight, since thou must; strike quick and

a fierce.

So when this tyrant for too long

Hath shook the blood out of. his ears

He may have learned the price of wrong.

Let him learn this, that the due grief

Of his own vice he cannot ban By outrage of a highway thief;

Let him remember the Corsican.

Whom England only durst not dread By sea or shore, but faced alone, Nor stayed for pity of tier dead

Until the despot's day was done.

Strike, England, quickly, make an end

Of him who seeks to trade with them. If he would bargain for thy friend, i What would he trade for Liberty?

GERMAN FLEET IN

THE PACIFIC

POSITION KNOWN TO

BRITISH.

COAL SHORTAGE CERTAIN

JAGGED BAYONETS AND

DUM DUM BULLETS.

Sydney, September 21.

News was brought to Sydney early this morning which throws a good deal of light upon the doings of the Australian fleet in the Pacific. The wireless installation at the island of Nauru, better known as Pleasant Island, and as a large producer of phosphates, has been destroyed The value of the plant has been estimated at about £2,000. At the island about 200 natives are employed. The natives' of Rabaul are reported to have been very troublesome. A German officer was discovered!

with his" left hand blown off. He had been mining a field when the charge exploded,. causing the injury. It is stated

that in the fighting at Herbertshohe, when the Australian ships took possession. the enemy -used jagged bayonets while

they are said to have also fired the treacherous dum-dum bullets. The wireless station in the Caroline Islands has been destroyed, and it is reported that the Germans have now no wireless installations in the Pacific.

On Sunday week the cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst arrived at Apia at break of day and left at noon. While they were at Apia shots were exchanged between the cruisers and the forces on shore. It appears that the whereabouts of the enemy's cruisers in the Parino, which include the

m" si 'gunboat. Nrtrpmburg. and Leipsic, and the gunboat Geier. are well known to the British fleet. Messages, from the German cruisers have been continually interrupted, and the vessels will shortly be in dire straits owing to a shortage of coal supplies.

Ir)ft->nmt:on received this morning shows that the crews of the Australian fleet are entering splendid health and are craving for a fight. This morning's information points; ron'hisivplv to the fact that Admiral Patey could not his bath sponge on the enemy's vessels

From all accounts the German possessions in the Pacific with the exception of New Britain, were taken without any reserve. During the capture of the various German possessions by the Australian fleet many prisoners were taken.

A STEAMER'S TROUBLES.

SOME p'sSu.-vor-'ss LOST

LUGGAGE.

Sydney. September 22.

Before leaving Suva, passengers by the A.U.S.N. Company's steamer Levuka, which reached Sydney to-day. had some experience of war. The vessel was the ed to sail on Wednesday, September 16, and on the day before an. Admiralty message was received instructing Captain Shar-land to put to sea immediately ' It was explained that a German warship was supposed to be in the vicinity and that it might attack the town. The German cruisers Scharnhorst and Nuremberg had been been near Apia only four days previously, find the message probably referred to one of those vessels.

"One of the German ships was seen on the Tuesday six miles from Suva," raid a Melbourne passenger. Captain Shar-land had no wish to leave Suva before he had completed his cargo, but he had no option. Messages of warning were also sent to the Fiona and the Matucha." The captain decided to run -for Sydney. It was 5 o'clock in the afternoon when the message came, and notices were sent round to all intending passengers that the ship would sail that day. The shipping office was besieged by a crowd of people who wanted to clear out. but

they could not be dealt with, and as a matter of fact when at last the steamer

left at about half-past 7 or 8 o'clock on Tuesday evening, more than half our passengers were left behind. The passengers were somewhat perturbed at having to leave Suva at such short notice and some of them naturally showed it, but really all behaved very well in such irving cirumstances,. Numbers of them left half their luggage behind. Of course we sailed with all lights out, and we had a most miserable time. After proceeding at full speed ahead for a day and a half the Levuka received another wireless message to put back again to Suva. The ship was put about and we started on our return voyage, but after going about 600 miles we received our third and fast wireless to proceed to Syd-ne". This we did and have arrived after a passage of seven days. We saw no sign of the Scharnhorst."

Were Prisoners at Apia.

Among the Levuka s passengers were Mr. and Mrs. Lippe, and Miss Hanger, all of Melbourne, who were prisoners at Apia for about 24 days before they were liberated on the place being taken by the British and Australasian forces.

"THE FIRST ARMY IN

THE WORLD."

PATRIOTIC SPEECHES. RAILWAYS AND WAR.

IF AUSTRALIA WAS

ATTACKED.

Melbourne, Scpumnsr 22.

Patriotic speeches marked he into- a! luncheon given by the Royal Airrtedltiird Society at the show ground to-day. ' 1 na Prime Minister (Mr. Fisher) said the wishes expressed that the Commonwealth Parliament should co-operate in the other country in every way to prod net integrity would be carried out as fit as the Federal Ministry was concerned. (Cheers.) Also the Ministry and the party that he had to do with would see that a larger proportion of the crew directs required in Australia made from material produced in Australia would be mine factured in future in Australia. (Cheers.) In regard to the position of the Commonwealth resetting the war, he held no other opinion than he had expressed prior to the hostilities break no out-that every man and women worthy of the name would make any sacrifice of bring the war to a success of d close. = He should not find them to believe that the war was over. He would say to them, "Steel your hearts for the words. Prepare to meet any food or combination of foes because the struggle is between civilisation and barbarism. Those who were pessimistic and grumbled over a calamity were not doing the country any good. The credit of the Commonwealth was good. He deplored the fact - that they were not in a position to defend Australia if attacked, so far as the mainland was concerned. Only two States were joined direct fly by railway's military railways were understood. The time had come for a uniform gauge on the mainland. The. Arnhem was associated with Austral

lia's defence. They need not hope to be immune for ever from attack. Parties should co-operate and he spoke for the whole of his party when he made that statement. . (Cheers) Lastly. he would ask them to have courage and patience an J determination They would tell the mother country and her enemy that was a? fair way with her in this. (sorrow's and difficulties. (Cheers.) Each Dominion at the British Empire was fee to carry on its own government. Great Britain kept the sea open for all rations. Her enemies could trade with her Dominions under the same conditions as her own people. What complaint could they have against her? Anybody could do to her Dominions and share in the rights of cit'*en<=bip. They could not complain they could not a assist her in any way. ''equity and justice" was emblazoned on her burner and Australia would stand under it until she was submerged. (Lord cheers.)

The State Governor in proposing "Tot passed forces of rump Empire" said Britishers

were justified in feeling proud of the navy and army. For three hundred years the English navy had been the envy and the emulation of the whole civilised", world. Britis"»fiïi were proud of their tradition, which laid down the axiom ('that while they were a brave and a fighting nation they were also i liberty-loving nation. (Cheers.) The fighting of the British Army on the Continent had provided samples of' the great qualities without which an army was a great internment of despotism-the qualities of valor and chivalry. British soldiers had shown the world that the British Army, in discipline, in valor, and in self-control'. was still' the first army of the world. (Cheers ) When they got into Germany-as into Germany they would get before the war was endedthey would be able to teach the German nation-not the German nation, in fact, but the governing clique that it was possible to wage war and yet not to forget the elementary rules of humanity. (Cheers.) The nation had at the moment to deplore, the lots of brave men on land and sea. Australians' hearts went out to the men who were in the lost submarine and to the brave man, not a combatant, who lost his life in German New Guinea in attempt-ing to save the life of another. Yet while they deplored these sacrifices they gladly made; them. It showed that they knew not merely how to live, but how to die. (Cheers.) By going to Great Britain the Australian troops, as ambassadors s from Australia, would bring the people of Australia in closer touch, closer harmony, and closer understanding with the people of Great Britain. (Cheers.)

THE AUSTRALIAN FORCE.

LARGE NUMBER OF OFFICERS ,

VOLUNTEER. Melbourne, September 22.

Officers for the expeditionary force, for European service volunteered in such large numbers that the authorities found a difficulty in making the necessary selections. In one instance 200 officers volunteered for 387 vacancies. To remove any suggestion of favoritism the Minister of Defence (Senator Pearce) has appointed committees of three in each State to review all nominations before they are finally approved. Officers commanding units are still to have the right of nominating those who are to serve under them, but the nominations will first be submitted to the State boards before they are communicated to the central administration. By this means Senator Pearce hopes to secure a guarantee to applicants that they are being fairly dealt with. The ultimate decision remains with the Chief of the General Staff and with the Minister. The reviewing committee in New South Wales will consist of Colonel G. B. Campbell, Colonel T. K. Kirkland, and Lieut

Colonel J. M. Arnott.

: THE GERMAN STEAMER SIGNAL.

Brisbane, September 22.

The Chief Justice to-day made an order Î granting an application on behalf of the

charterers of the German steamer, Signal, now detained in the Brisbane River, for her removal to Melbourne under certain

conditions

(Continued on Next Page)

THE

(Continued from Page 8.)

CONFIDENCE IN LONDON.

JELLICOE AND THE NAVY. HOW THE MILITARY WORK.

"" (From Our Correspondent.)

London, August 14, 1914.

There have been strange and thrilling scenes in London these days. Immense multitudes filled Trafalgar-square, n trembling sea of upturned faces under the leetask James, the night war was declared between England and Germany. It is must have been quite like old times for Nelson, keeping his ceaseless watch on top of his r.<->limin. The British French and Italian flags were everywhere. More than one hundred thousand voices sang "God Save the King" and the "Marseillaise." The very hot in the street had been possessed by a vague di and that the Government might, shirk their duty, and that no Englishman would be able hereafter to look a Frenchman in the face. Hence the re-faction when the fateful news came. There was not much nviffickhrg at the West-End, but a ramble barracker. I climbed up the Fountain in Piccadilly Circus under the gaze and amid the shouts of an immense cosmopolitan crowd. When the dawn came the winged cupid in the middle of the circus was fluttering with the Allied flagsFor days after that London was full of khaki. All day and all night long horse, foot, and artillery kept passing through, and Londoners gazed in awe at. 6eld searchlights and other significant equip-ment that was being pushed on towards the North-East coast. How seriously our people are preparing for eventualities may

be inferred from the fact that trenches are being dug along the exposed coasts and landmarks removed.

Grim Preparations. Even church steeples have been pulled down, clumps of trees and houses demolished, and all lights forbidden. In one case the occupants of a row of houses fronting the sea have been warned to clear

sent instanter. They happen to be just in front of a battery- When the amazed Householders realised their strategic posi-ion they left at once, without bothering too much about the furniture. Some laconic officer in charge of the battery bad breezily assured them that the guns might open fire at any moment, and that their houses were in the direct line of fire. Lord Kitchener's? call for an entirely new army of 100,000 men at least has been cheer-

fully responded to. The authorities could get half 3 million men in this country. in ft month if they want! to. Meanwhile immense enthusiasm has been aroused by the way the British Dominions overseas are rallying round the flag. Not only is

the British fleet already paralysing the?Pnisfrtao Empire by sea. but we shall be able to put in the field if need be a fighting force that not even the Kaiser's legions could deem contemptible. The greatest mystery has been maintained for obvious reasons about our expeditionary force of 140,000 men, equipped and ready to the last button. It is well known to soldiers, however, that it is on the Continent, lining up shoulder to shoulder with the unexpectedly plucky little Belgians and the Eeree'y determined French troops. The general impression of our military men here is that the fine defence put up by Liege has; so far checked the German plan of campaign that the Kaiser's? intention of crashing France first and then turning to Tenel Russia is now impossible of execution. Germany will have to fight on two flanks and both frontiers! against superior numbers and inexhaustible supplies. Un-less true can achieve a series of astonishing victories, of which her spiritless conscripts with their old fashioned field tactics hold out no promise, Germany is going to be cracked like a nut.

The German Navy.

T hear privately that last week London motor buses. labelled Tooting, Merton, and Earlsfield, were spinning through Brussels, full inside and outside our Tommies. r so, far there are. no signs that the Ger-

ran fleet is anxious just yet to fight that main action in the North Sea that will retire ocean supremacy and the fate of Em-fires. The position is rather like that of which Nelson wrote to "My dear Emma in a letter carefully preserved on the walls of the United Service Institute in White. staff. He was then patrolling the Channel, waiting and praying for the French fleet to put. out, and he wrote, with the true Nelson touch. "But I think the French would sooner be damned than let Gi catch them three miles from their own

ports." There has been a big spy scare

in London, and not without cause. The police are arresting the Emperor Wilhelm's secret emissaries, with arms and bombs, by the second. Indignant- Londoners watched the police take twenty-two at one haul, handcuffed, out of one of the smartest of the West-End hotels one afternoon. Tradesman with German names are chang-ing them, and one enterprising firm, with unprecedented commercial candor, adver-task. "All our German sausages are made in Islington."

Our Handy Man.

The responsible task of warding the coasts, of France and England this side of Gib. and smashing the Kaiser's North Sea fleet when it grows tired of being bottled up reposes on the shoulders of Sir John Jellicoe- He is one of our youngest ad-mirals. One of Lord Fisher's special bulldogs, and the very man the whole navy wanted to get the job. He went down in the Victoria when she was rammed, but saved himself by his strong swimming, which also enabled him on another occasion to effect one of the pluckiest rescues at sea ever recorded. He was badly wounded in the Pekin expedition, but his dared try remains unimpaired. When he was in the Sprake she was top of the gunnery averages. Jin is the man who tricked the defending fleet in the last manoeuvres and upset all the critics by landing troops on our east coast. He is a scientific seaman, with a genius for improvisation. The sort of man he is well appears from an incident on

manoeuvres a few years ago. |

A Startling Incident.

The battle squadron of one of two rival fleets was at a beautifully safe anchorage. Just a careful look-out was being kept all the same. Three yachts were sighted beat-ing in a late dusk. They were studiously examined, but their sail--, and the ladies on deck, were quite reassuring. The sails were dummies, effectually hiding the disguised francis of torpedo craft, and the ladies"' were brawny bluejackets decked out in blankets, with one young lieutenant in white, yachting ducks gaily twanging a France and warbling a love ditty. The yachts came close to the battleships, and presently one of them communicated the sad laconic tidings, "Say, ahoy there, we have just put a couple of torpedoes into you-we're torpedo boat HZ. The others are doing the same all along the line. Do you hear the row?" And there was a row! Our army that swore horribly in Flanders" might have picked up a few wrinkles in naval profanity that night. The admiral's language was perfectly "pygmaeus." That was a joke. Now it will be the real thing. But the navy trusts Jellicoe all the. same.

Hard Lines on the Milkman.

One phase of the war that everybody has not enjoyed, but which I believe our terri-torials simply revel in, has been the wholetale commandeering of horses in London and elsewhere. Wherever the men in khaki have seen a likely steed, whether it was between the she fate of a milks hay or draw-ing a private brougham), they have held it up in the King's name and led it oF to the wars. They say that some of our suburban milkmen who have still a bag or two of sorts left spend their time scouting and dodging round the back streets.

Smart Work.

I called in one day to wish good luck to two sporting friends who hold commissions in the territorial artillery- While we were talking, and watching the busy bivouac Seen around, a waggon laden with mineral waters drove up. While the unsuspecting farmer was seeing the goods unloaded 1 veterinary officer was looking over his two homes. They were unharnessed before the carter knew what was happening. He ex-postulated vigorously, and asked how he was to get the waggon back without horses. An officer pointed to the waggon. Two Be in in khaki, with pots and brushes, were jaunting it the service color. The carter was speechless. He left on foot, with his whip in one hand was a curt military I.O.U. in the other. The business of "requestioning" goes on actively. I heard today of a milkman who apologised for being late on the round because only three out of his firm's 16 horses were left. It is re-are rkable to see how, prickly the army F tri li ii IT. barber turn on ordinary hum

drum tradesman's ring into a veritable militaire b>- cropping and grooming.

Carpentier at the Front.

Georges Carpentier. the white heavyweight champion of the world, has joined the French aviation corps, and is at present training at VeraaHea. He is as merry as a schoolboy, although the war is costing him at least £10,000 a year, and his one regret. is that he cannot settle the business in a 12-ft. ring by meeting Otto Front, the German heavyweight champion. The French ladies declare that they were quite certain Georges would not shirk his duty at this hour of France's peril. But not only has Carpentier joined the army: his trainer has gone to the front as well. The latter was instrumental in satisfying the soldiering ambition of a fine young Englishman, an undergraduate of Magdalen College, Oxford, and the son of an old Norfolk family. This youngster bolted for France directly the war broke out, and before he knew that Kitchener was calling men to the British colony. When it was explained to Carpenter's trainer that the upstanding young Englishman had won prizes at Bisley, and knew something about scout-ing, he rushed him into the French Garibaldi Legion, who may be relied on to manhood he traditions of their name wherever they go and whatever the odds. The war fever rages nowhere more fiercely than among the old army pensioners at Chelsea. These old fellows, with their Totals, old-fashioned long scarlet -coats. and Crimean hats, are to be seen in those stirring times all over London, watching the" troops and the crowds and hobnobbing with use youngsters in khaki. Those Corporal Brewster.- are keen critics of armies and grand strategy, and they discuss events with an offer which is quite pathetic. There are many new-fangled arrangements since their day of which they vaguely disapprove, but they still have unshaken faith in the British army. If someone respectfully suggests that it is rather small, they report curtly that it is big enough for they Germans, ' They are, above all, interested in the first lines of their old roughness, swear by their particular batteries, and tell dramatically of battles long ago' One old chap, thin and bloodiest?, stopped me late, one night in Fir'iamcnr-.sqn.iro, remarking, Late tions, sir. late hours.'' This was to load up to a talk about the war. He discussed the latest; news gravely, but shook his head over the French dish into Alsace. "They be soon up and soon down,"' he asserted querulously. For the Territorials, some of whom were still about at Westminster, and rather festive, toe stiff old veteran had a condescend-ing approval that was more than half envious. "In a week or two they will find its very like work," he said sagely, and in a month-they will be men!" He was a fine old soldier, and grateful for a fill of tobacco, but deplored the fact

that I did not. smoke shag.

The War Music.

Since the war broke out the spirit has moved innumerable poets to burst into verse. We have had verses from William Watson, Henry Newbolt, Robert Bridges, our latest Poet La-area te. and many other more or less distinguished vexíáficTS. Truth to tell, it has been poor stuff. The spirit has been nothing, but the muse has been rather weak. Most of the literary gentlemen are far too literary and long-haired to tune their lyres to the note of war.- Perhaps Mr. Rudyard Kipling may have something to give us later on that will be worth re-membering. Meanwhile a sporting poet has produced by far the best staying -""a the kind that has yet, seen the light. ENE. has written in ""Town Topics,"' the best of our weekly sporting papers, a fine fit ting greeting to that paper's _ service readers. It is worth quoting in full Here it is:

"So long:! wlicrcvCT the fates take you.

To what, embittered field, to what quick death; I know, as I know God, you will be true

To your last breath

To our dear land. when hope and honor fixed; . Good fighter and good sjVorlsmaii, tore thee well.

By night, when through the veiling dark horse Slip

The sleek, black hulls bearing; their fearful

. freight.

And wheeling searchlight seeks for deadly ship,

And you await

The trump that hcraUU death or victory"

Tou'Jl welcome it whichever it may be.

When such tile ragged line in pride you get?'

into the trenches or a (stubborn foe, i And hurl yourself upon the hedging steel

I also know

You will not fail, but end sa jon began. And go to God unstained-a gentleman."

BEGINNING OF THE

WAR.

THE FULL STORY OF LIEGE.

PILES OF DEAD.

DRIVEN TO THE GUNS.

The grim and terrible story of how the Germans were broken at Liege is told in full for the first time by the Brussels correspondent of the "Times."

The Germans came to Liege a beaten army. The nffWrs thought they had the easiest task in the world, but with

the men it was otherwise.

These German soldiers were gloomy an i bewildered. They scarcely realised why they were there, they did not wish to be there, and they had heard already terrible tales of the Cossacks who were about to

enter their wintry and devour ii. I

This stiffen army. given, Relic to Late to a city of which the defenders were animated by but one son time t-passion-ate patriotism. Not a soldier in the Belgian forts or trenches between the forts who doubted why he was there; not a man who would have given up his post. Hate and anger and fear for their native? land and their wives and children exposed to this terrible danger filled every

breast.

German Lack of Big Guns.

The morning dawned hot. and Tara r dull, and disclosed the enemy to the defenders of the city. The terror of Europe during 10 years. the dreadful war

machine of the Kaiser, to wanted, so ; then toning, was at last about to strike. But any intramural anxiety passed within a moment or two at the opposing forces began to engage.

The Germans attacked along a very wide front stretching north to the small town of Vise and on the south a considerable distance below Liege. The attack opened with a general advance on the forts, covered by artillery fire But the artillery: was not near enough there appear to have been no big siege gunsand the formation of the attacking force

was, impossible.

Incredible as it may seem, there appears to be no doubt that these unhappy German soldiers were marched to death among shoulder to shoulder. -just as Napoleon won -some of his victories by the sudden application of mere mass, so the German generals. who are certainly not of the Napoleonic tyre, apparently hoped to "see the greed of the guns in the forte by a holocaust of victims.

The result of their disastrous policy was terrible. Upon these clo«-ei>-kntt ranks, these men who. according to some account"s were being driven forward by their officers terror dividing itself in-twice discipline and death-the mighty fusillade was opened.

Avenues, according to a very graphic account. 'Vere opened up in the German

front."

Masses of Dead.

Masses of cloud began to accumulate in the fields before the forts. "It was death in haystacks." a Belgian soldier said in describing the spectacle.

Meanwhile in the deep trenches between the forts, and uniting them, see Belgian troops lay tiring on the enemy

with their rifles and doing good execu- | tion. The forts thundered. Fresh detachment after fresh detachment of the enemy rushed towards the trenches, was brokeD.~sbattercd-recoiled in horror from the fearful fusillade.

Yet still they came, more and "one.; of them, sheep driven ruthlessly to the -slaughter according to time-table and without the assizes- allowance being made for any possible change of circumstances. Germany lost probably about three soldiers for every one which

Belgium lost.

Towards the afternoon the battle became fiercer all along the lines. At one of the form to the Germans succeeded in gaining a footing on the grants under the great guns, where they believed themselves free from slaughter.

German Terror.

T would seem to be actually the case' an officer who recounted the story declared, that they did not remember or did not know that machine guns were awaiting here, after they passed from the zone of fire of the great guns. In a moment the slopes were swept clean; they ran with blood: the piles of dead grew higher and higher."

During all this time the men in the trenches were impatient to be up and at the enemy. Much of the rifle firing seems actually to have taken place at about 50 yards? range; but this from the Belgian point of view was not near enough. It was bayonet work which they desired. And they had their desire! Bayonet charges were made frequently throughout the play.

Amazing as it may sound, it is certainly the case that these bayonet charges more than anything else struck terror into the German heart. At the sight of the steeland the men behind it-the troops of the Kaiser in very many instances turned and

ran.

In other cases they held up their hands and surrendered, and a large number of prisoners were taken. Nevertheless the Belgians with splendid magnanimity pay tribute to the courage of these; unhappy Germans. It is not courage, the "Times" correspondent comments, but a good cause and good leadership which is lacking. The days of the automatic machine army are

dead.

During the whole of: Thursday. August 6, the attack continued with unabated force. The scenes were fearful, carnage by-pass upon carnage, thousands of broken human bodies massed together in fields

ploughed up by a terrific cannonade.

A Famished Army.

But tile Belgians stood firm; though their numbers were vastly inferior to those of the enemy, their resolve was immeasurably bigger and stronger. They charged, they shot, they struggled even at hand-grips, and always it was an encounter to the death. 1 Germany must not pass: for the sake of home and country, Germany must not

I pass!

And to add to all this horror a desultory lust deadly strife was being waged during the period in mid-air.

As night began to fall on this fearful day -Thursday the German fire gradually slackened off, and finally stopped. The calm which followed U. described as awe inspir-inga veritable silence of death. Liege remained untaken: her forte unharmed, her brave defenders undaunted. The German army lay behind its dead, sullen and weary find famished.

for added to the burden of bad tactics, the unhappy soldiers of the Kaiser had to bear the penalty of a newly commissariat. For two days;, two days of fierce and terrible efforts--, many of them did not break bread. The prisoners frankly confessed that capture had meant a relief from great hunger and a return to strength.

The big guns had not come when they were required, and the bread had not vine.

Final! wonder that already the heart of the German soldiers has begun to quaiL

The correspondent goes on to quote the account of a Belgian lancer wounded in the Liege.

"The Belgians Saw Rni."

"It was tragic," he declared, "the. way in which the poor fellows, were driven up to the guns of the forts. They came in massed formation, but so reluctantly. It was obvious that they came only under compulsion. They stood but. five paces apart with about fifteen paces between the ranks-a solid mass which even a woman might, have bit.

I We simply couldn't miss; them. Our great guns cut long avenue- in their rank:;.

Before our infantry had begun to charge j

heaps of dead and d vi rig Uv in masses in the fields. I do not believe that anyI out: realises: what the spear-head was like.-.

i From accounts which I have heard Port Arthur was nothing to it.

I ''Our men charged repeatedly with fixed

bayonets. They did not care. They saw

a red. Nothing seemed to stop them. Every ¡ time, they charged the German troops

turned and tan. They swore that a; m train

back and killed IiAc cattle. It. was hor-rible.'"

Birrill Thursday night rain began to fall, softly at first, later in torrents. Towards the morning the ground was saturated. "It was a Belgian dfT'iarrf, in viewing the downpour, the hand of God at work for our country. Now the German siege guns cannot advance so quickly. Alvey are stayers. The

Empty Field?.

But that rain was a terrible thing for the beans of men lying wounded in the

fields under the great silent gun- of the

forts. Then sufferings may be left to the imagination. From accounts it is, clear that they must have been terrible beyond all words. The Belgians did what, they could to afford help, but the imfierce sort; of rbc Park made an almost aspossible.

And then with the morning came the great triumph of the "pluckiest State so Europe" the Germans asked for an fruitsTrees At first there was a disposition ft arrest you-, in order that the dead and wounded might have attended to, but late it was seen alive tins in reality was an expedient to gain time- so that reinforceirit'iHs might be turned up.

Traveller- in the country tell me the correspondent adds, that though the haricot this year is splendid, his empty fields present a very pitiful spectacle. The wheat has been t fit, and in many cases placed in "stooks" in the fields. But the workers- have gone and the work is stated

I In a three-hour' journey through the ' richest part of the country not a. single

male field worker was seen.

The v omeo, however are getting an heroic wish m, and the good series of nature will no! no left One is sorely remind d of the lines open the American saving war:

Who shall state that the harvest when I the autumn days have done' I am till- 'finally answered. Come.

Death shall reap a brave harvest when

the autumn days have -come!

And Belgium has heard the call of the

drum and answered it.