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B!B BLAZE AT SWAN-SEA. -I
B!B BLAZE AT SWAN- SEA. m0,000 DAMAGE AT DOCKS. CASTLE CO/S STORES GUTTED. Brigade's Fine Work. The South Dock Basin, Swansea., was! the scene of a big tire on Friday mght, amd as it occurred comparatively early thousands of people flocked to the scene of the conflagration. The fire broke out in the Castle Steam Trawling Company's stores, adjoming their ice factory, and as the contents included a great quantity) of oil, tar rope and other inflammable material, it rapidly spread, whilst! columns of flames shot high into the air,. casting a red glow around that attracted -,he attention of the townspeople. Quickly the carpenters and titling shops were at-II tacked, but by this time the fire brigade, which had oniy just returned from a. Hna-li outbreak near the Swansea Work- house, were oh the spot, and the steam' fire engine was soon snorting away, pumping water from the side of the lock I at the rate of many thousands of gallons i per hour. The eSorts of the brigade were directed towards saving the adjoin- ing ice factory and omces and the ex- tensive nsh market on the west side of the basm, and fortunately the wind was I' in a favourable direction, as it blew directly out ever tho basin, otherwise no human power could have saved the other and very much more important build- ÍDgs. I Steam Tfawters peru. I For a time a number of steam trawlers which were alongside the wharves, jusc beyond the burning buildings, were in danger, but these were promptly remov- ed to a place of safety by men under the control of Mr. TheIIusson, the out- door manager of the Trawling Company. In sptte of the immense volumes of water poured upon the burning stores great sheets of flame continued to rise lor upwards of an hour and a half, whilst I the smoke was so dense that it com- pletely hid from view the fish market on the west side of the basin. The brigade were under the command of Supt. Roberts and Inspector Bounds ?tbe chief of the brigade), assisted fJ'¡ Supt. Parker of the Docks Pohce, and they attacked the conflagration with a determination that, aided by the westerly wind, resulted in &uccess. At one time. No less than a dozen hose were seen playing upon the nre. It was evident from the arrival of the brigade that nothing could be done to save the stores and the workshop, and as the names gathered in violence the ?re broke through the roof of the lower workshop, and reached the net-I making workshop above, with the result that the noor gave way. and added to the oil, grease, and tar below a huge quantity of tar- netting of an equally innammable character. For a long time the Qames threatened the ofEces at the rear of the ice-houjse, and while at nrst it was impossible to cope with the boiling oil, grease, and tarry rope, such was the power of the water played upon the other premises th&t it was soon seem they could be kept out of danger. At length the brigade were able to deal with the centre names, and shortly after ten o'clock the brigade got the big outbreak under control, and had the satisfaction of knowing their efforts had been eminently eK.c*4*ful as they had saved the jeA factory, the ofBces at !!e_rearl'and..te fish market. The worksh()P",v'Qn SOJIUlJ. valuable machinery, and the damage, which is covered -bv insurance. is variously estimated at from ..¥ as,ooo to -tio,oce. I It may be added that the military on d-uty at the spot rendered vatuable aid in keeping I the crowd back, though the first rush was <o great that all the quay aides around were thronged with spectators of the nre. An interesting sidelight of the outbreak and showing the value of the cinematograph may be stated. When the nre was dis- covered messages were sent round for Mr. Benn-ett, the Ssh salesman, and at the Castle Cinema the fact that he was wanted, if in the building, was flashed upon the screen.
! " IT MAY BE FORII YEARS."-
IT MAY BE FOR II YEARS." THE LENGTH OF THE WAR. "BUT IT WON'T BE FOR EVER." A Ht-He time spent in actual intact with realities on the western front is the beet posaible'eorrective for two equally irrational moods to which home opinion is liable fwritee a. "Standard" correspondent from Taeadquo,rters). The "over by Easter" delua- eion is the nrst to succumb to a clear and nea.r view of the position One oeaaes almost antoma.tica.Hy to speculate on the possible duration of the-war. 80 many factors are in- volved—quite apart from the political, soci al, and economic forces &t work all over Europe —that the wiae man ettda by t<J[in& refuge in eheer fatalism. What will be will be. The only thing cer- tain is that unlese William II. is to be emit- ten like Sennacherib it will be a long and a very costly business to free Franco and Belgium from his hosts. On the other hand, the robust oonSdence <Llre<Mly felt by every wcH-informed and cool- headed man in England as to the ultimate iaeue is fortined by observation in the war tone.
.SOLD!ERS' MEAT I
SOLD!ERS' MEAT HEAVY FINE ON MESSRS. LYONS. MAGISTRATE SAYS THERE WAS "GROSS NEGLIGENCE." Judgment in the recent prosecution of Messrs. L<yons a<nd Co., the well-known c&ter. ere on a. charge of eupplyin? unsound meat to soldiers at the White City was delivered by Mr. Fordha-m ttt West London Police Court on Friday. The magistrate found that defendants intending the food for human con- gomption did deposit it in the Imperial kit- chene of the White City, that the meat was then unsound and unnt for food, a,nd that it was depoaited for purposes of preparation for sale. He found that an onence was com- 'fm'itted through negligence and w&nt of can; in catering for men ho were prepared to zive up their lives And their existence for their country. Many a man (proceeded the magistraté) had abandoned good employment, good homes, and their nea.r relativee to do their first and hdgheat duty. One frould have thouf:ht that Meaars. Lyous would have taJten such care in carrying out the contract that it would have been in'p<ssible for bad food even to get into the kitchen. He found that but for the witnesses Morris and Sadler bad meat would certainly hAve been aerved to the soldiers. It w<ta nonsense for Measra. Lyons to blame the miMtary, a.nd that in no way relieved them of their redpcnsibility. The neZi<- ence of eerva.nta of the company waa neglig- ence of the nm. and in his opinion the NEGLIGENCE IN THIS CASE WAS GROSS, Finding, as he did, that there wa< this gross .bogligenoo, and believing that a. good deal of the evidence for the defence waa n*rue, remembering also the large quantity of bad meat. and recollecting that the occasion waa one of catering for troops being prepared in great emergency to" the dafence of the country, he imposed th0 extreme penaJty. a, nno of .E50 and £70 costs. Notice of appeal wao ?iTRT)
SWANSEA'S BELGIAN I GUESTS.…
SWANSEA'S BELGIAN GUESTS. r COMMISSIONERS VISIT. PRAISE FOR LOCAL WORK DONE.. 'Admirable Organisa- tion.' ) —— There wa.,s a large attendance at the in- quiry at the Guildnall, Swansea, on Thurs- day, into the conditions of the housing, etc., I of the Belgian refugees at Swansea, those present including the Mayor (Alderman Daniel Jone?) who pre- sided, Alderman T. T. Corner and LNI-rs. Corker, Al derman David Davies and -Mrs. Davies, Coun. and Mrs. David Mat- thews, Coun. Hill. Coun. D. J. Da vies, Mr. David Grey, Rev. T. Roderick (Gwauncae- gurwen), Mr. H. Lang Coath (Town Clerk), Mr. W. A&amole (borough accountant), Mr. F. Tun!:>ridge (estate agent), Mr. Edgar John (manager of the Labour Exchange), the Chief Constable (Captain A. Thomas), Messrs. H. Leggett (secretary of the Com- mission);, Rees (Neath), Ristock (Car- marthen), Thos. Williams (Ciydach), J. Gr'mths (Pontardawe), and Lewis (Mil- ford). Sir Ernest Hatch said he had come to Swansea that day, as chairman of the Gov- ernment Commiesion for providing occupa- tion for the Belgian refugees, with his friend j and colleague, Rir Vezey Strong, and the object of his mission here, ae elsewhere, was to stimulate the interest in the import- ant question of providing employment for the refugees. But he found that Swan. aea organisation was so admirable that there was really very little. in the way of advice ) and suggestion to offer as regards the ques- tion of employment. He would Hkp how- ever, to touch brieny upon a lew points which he had particularly noticed at Swan- eea The Commission had been from the mo- ment of their appointment impressed with the enormous importance of securing the direct co-operation and assistance of the i'eat municipal bodies in the country, rl it was therefore most gratifying to find ) that here in Swansea this important factor in good organisation had been fully recog- nieed. Working under and in conjunction with the committee were small visiting committeea of ladies for the homes estab- lished for the refugees in the borough, and he understood that the War garments r una, under the chaj-go of Mrs. H. D. Williams, control and manage aH the clothing. Corporation'a Pract!ca! Sympathy. The Corporation bad aiso given practtcaJ sympathy and help in other ways. Educa- tion was given free to all the children in the schools; rates aj*e omitted; free travel- ling is allowed on the trams; the Medical Omcer of Health and the Sanitary Inspector visit the homes and inspect them once a week. Free medical attendance was given by the District Medical Omcer, and the Welsh Insurance Commissioners have givan the services of their tuberculosis omce free of charge. They had also arranged, In consultation with the Roman Catholic priests, for the services of a. Belgian nun, who -vould give religious instruction to tJie children after school hours; and they had secured the ser- vices of a refugee—a. banker in Belgium- as & teachef of conv.i-ZsAitagal French at one- of the local Secondary Schools. He took the place of a Fr&nchman who has been called up for service, and the Government had recogTUsed his appointment And made a grant towards his salary. VatuaMe SerwicM Rendered." Sir Ernest expressed his thanks to nJI who had done such admirable work here, aud he mentioned the Mayor, Mr. Tunbridge, Mr. T. J. Rees (Director of Education), and the Borough Trea- surer (Mr. W. H. Aahmote), who has had charge of the nuances. Ald. Dd. Duvice, and other members of the Corporation, who had all worked with a will in different biarches of the organisation. He would like also to thank the assistant secretary, Mr. D. Ivor Saunders, for all his valuable services for the refugees. MesaM. R. E. Jones, Ltd., of the Mackworth Hotel, had never failed to extend the most generous hospitality to the refugees on their arrival in Swansea, and had given them food and shel- ter on countless occasions. Lord Jersey had given a house and grounds: Mr. C. H. Glascodine had placed three houses at the disposal of the committee; and Mr. David Vaughan had given no less than 350 beds for the reception of the refugees. He was glad to hear thoae three houses would shortly be ready. AU classes indeed had given gifts of various kinds—money, clothes and food —and had vied- with one another in their generosity to these victims of the war. Amongst the donors to the Swansea Local Belgian Fund had been Sir John LIev/eiv.). Bart., JB100; Messrs. T. P. Richards, Tur- pia and Co., £50; Me&sra. Fulton and Co., £50; employes of Mannesmann Tube Co., £53; Clay ton Tinplate Co., J325: Swansea Pilots, L16. railway companies, JS27 Ho!- wi!l and Co., L31 schools and teachers, jB108: churches, chapels :md brotherhoods, JB90; concerts arranged by Local Belgian Committee. BUS; do. Amateur Operatic Society, B85; do. Upends Cinema. JB44; do. Elysium Cinema..E30; do Friendly So- cieties, JB30; do. New Siloh Male Voice Partv..620: do. "The Shadows." £13 ;1.. Sunday concerts. £19; total o late, :S1.455. Ower Three Hundred RMUgees. They h:Kl altogether 529 refugees in Swan- aea. of whom 201 are under the direct care of the committee. There are 109 men, 92 women, and 128 children. He wag delighted to see that no less than 84 of the men have found regular paid employment. Of these no fewer than 57 are employed on Belgium: trawlers, which are owned by a Belgian trawler owner here who haB, he was glad to see been co-opted as a member ¡. of the committee. Thirty-three of the men are in spelter works, and it waa most satisfactory to see that, of I these, 12 are men who had followed dinerent -vocations in Belgium. Sir Ernest suggested that if it was impossible to mid some of the people employment in ordinary trades, that they should start a small workshop for cer- t&iu of the refugees, in which they migtht be employed in making furniture, chairs, tables, etc., for their own use on their return to Belgium. A workshop on these lines has been started in several other places in the country. He felt sure, looking to the splen- did work which tihcy had dene BO far, that they would see to it that every employable male in Swansea obtained work of some kind ot another, ajid ho wanted to go a.way from Swansea and be able to report to the Govern- ment not only that the vast majority of the refugees were employed, but that there was not a single one outside the small number of U? professional classes who was not em- t ployed or occupied in useful work. The great majority of the women were better occupied with their domestic duties, or are too old to work; but there are, he saw, on the list 24 who might be described as employable. They had found work for four, and he understood that they had under con- sideration a scheme for irainin.g some of them in house work in the Centra! Bureau. t a-lp_m in h4ou,% -,vor k i,. In Swansea they had arranged employ- ment on a most satisfactory basis, but there were, he understood, a number of refugees who are scattered in small part!es in the couaty areas. These are no doubt under the care of the various tocal committees, but the Commission felt that it was of great importance that so far as possible there should be some central authority in the count'" who wi!t be more or le&s responsible for co-ordinat- ing theaork of the smaller committees, and for advising them where advice is necessary in regard to questions of em- ployment and occupation, it was, of course, understood that the Commission ,had no desire whatever to interfere with ithe work which he had no doubt is being admirably carried on by the smaller com- imittees, nor do they contemplate that 'any central committee established for ) the county should interfere with existing arrangements and organisation. When the hospitality of the country was oifered to Betgium by the Prime Min- ister it was, he believed, at nrst thought that our obligations were limited to providing the refugees with a wcome, with a home, and with food and shelter. But there was another stdo and a very important side to hospitality, and one which they had thoroughly real- ises in Swansea, and that was that hospitality must net end with material comforts, but must also extend to pro- viding their guests with employment. He wished all who heard him to let the words of the King of the Belgians sink into their nearts when he said: "Do not pauperise my people or lot them rust in idleness." Sir Vezey Strong's Admiration. With Sir Ernest .H.ach wa-< Sir Vezey Strong, an ex Lord M&yor of London, who was also a Commissioner by the Government. Sir Ernest, in his speech, congratulated Swansea heaftiiy on the way they had dealt with the unemployment question. Sir Vezey Strong re-echoed warm admira.- tion for the composition of the Swansea Committee, a. conception of emcient ad- ministration which was highly comme.ndablc. The part played by the Ladies' Committee and to be played was of the highest import- ance. There were nearly 200,000 Belgian refugees in this country. Ald. David D&vies expressed full appre- ciation by the committee of the helpful and sympathetic words of both Sir Ernest Hatch and Sir Vezey Strong. Swansea had developed on their own lines, and it was a matter of much satisfaction to know their methods had received such weighty approval. The great bulk of fix work—day work and sympathetic work—had been done by the ladies who had divided themselves into sec- tions and had ali worked well. In connec tion with the War Garments Fund, to which reference had been made, the ex-Mayoress' name had been omitted but that waa a.n oversight, and she had done excellent work in every way. Proceeding, Mr. Daviea said their refugees in Swajisea. were largely fishermen and women and daughters of nsherfotk, and they must remember the dimculty as regards ordinary occupations. There were black sheep as well as white sbteep, and what were they to do with a man who would not work? One man had de- clared he had never worked and would not work; they had put him on a trawler, but he only made one trip. Stttce then he had left the town. At home he was kept by his wife, who was employed at an hotel. I Mr Brigstocke (Carmarthen) said they had 50 refugees they had a few masons working, a.nd should they pay ajtytMng to their matin- tenajice? Mr. Rees (Neath) said they had 53 refugees and had collected nearly JB500. Lord JDyne- vor had given a house to accommodate ten; they had a number of other houses, for which they only paid rent for two. Coun D. Matthews said Swansea had done its bt-st, and he was pleased tc think they had deserved such praise. He congratulated the Government upon the tact and wisdom shown in the appointment of the Commis- sion. Mr. Roderick (Gwauncaegurwen) said. they had 13 refugees, and the dimculty with them was the absence of a newspaper which the people could understand. Ald. D. Davies spoke of the internal ar- rangements of the Belgian houses, which dif- fered from accustomed ideas, though in con- formity with their own mode of lif, and in this he sought guidance. They would insist I on cooking in their bedrooms and overcrowd- ing when there was plenty of other accommo- ing even when there was plenty of accommo- dation available. The committee refrained from interference more than actually neces- sary. a8-tbey did nt wish to be harsh in any wayj Mr. T. Williams (Clydach) said they had 31 refugees, and they had found employ- ment for two. Should they ask them to pay a small sum? Miss Dorothy Jones (Aberavon) said the chief question there waa should the refugees be permitted to cater for themselvea instead ol by caretakers as at present. Mr. Lewis (Milford) -sadd they had 1,600 refugees. Trouble with the Fishermen. I Mr. Goider (trawler-owner, Swansea) said the Saherfolk \vere earning more money now in Swansea than they ever received at Ostend, and be was sorry to say they had & .lot of trouble with them. He had a new boat, which cost J36,500, laying at Swansea, and,the men had refused to go to sea. They said'they would go and work on the roads at 26s. per week. He paid the stoker -B10 10s. a month, and ho received & from the Re fugee Committee. He (Mr. Colder) was pay- ing every month JB410 for his four boats in wages and other expanses. Some of the men were being spoilt. In reply to questions. Sir E. Hatch said the Government were not paying separation allowance to the wives. As regards Mr. Golder's trawlers, he took :t B.-igm.ns had I come over especially to work tie boats. Mr. Golder About one-third. Sir E. Hatch said he did net think tney could interfere at all wii.h that. Mr. Tunbridgf. said only two men were I engaged <m the roads, a.nd tln'y would not go to sea. tnc<MT!gtb!es to he Returnee. I Sir E. Hatch said a.s regards black sheep they should use forbearance, but in the case of incorrigibles they should be returned to London. As regards maintenance, Bel- gians in receipt of wages were expected to contribute to their maintenance. He would communicate with the omcials concerned re a Flemish newspaper, for he thought it de- sirable the people should have something to read. W!heji there was overcrowding he thought they should be harsh, for necessity and health demanded it. If they preferred to do their own catering he advised it, though in large centres it might be better to have it done for them. He thought it should be left to the discretion of each centre. By all means let them be put ca making clothes for themselves. They might establish a small workshop, when arrangements could be made to have the raw material sent down. So there was no question of displacing Brit ish labour in the slightest. Mr. Edgar John did not want to see any amateur Exchanges, and asked that employ- ment should only be found in conjunction the Labour Exchange. He discouraged the slightest suggestion of exploiting the labour in any shape or form. The Mayor, in proposing thanks to the Commissioners, said it was to the ex-Mayor (Aid. Corker) and Ald. D. Davies that the credit of putting the committee on it.; orig inal basis and gcopo 01 work was due. Ald. D. Davies said the Commissioners would go away with the knowledge that their visit had been Most instructtwe and encouragfng. I T.u hdit- 2i'e'šl'( '"tly cleared by the kind] words said about their work that. day. ) pon the proposition of Sir E. Hatch seconded by Sir Vezey Strong, a hearty vote of thanks wa.s given to the Mayor.
I EGYPT CLEAR I
I EGYPT CLEAR I TURKS HURRYING BACK HOME. I I t (Press Association War Soecial.) I PARIS, Saturday. The Rome correspondent of the "Echo de Pa.ris" telegraphs that the Turkish troops in the Sin&i Peninsula, have been hastily re- tailed to Constantinople, and Egypt is now jompletely relieved from any damger. This (says the correspondent) is the nrst effect, and it will not be the only one, of the Allies' action against Constantiuople.
!lWO RAiBERS EC-IAMD STAY…
!lWO RAiBERS EC- I AMD STAY UNBER. ————— —————— GERMAN NAVAL I DISASTERS. ADMIRALTY CONFIRMA- TION. Crew of One Captured The foLiowing appea.rod in our noon edi- tion on Frida-v :— THE "SOUTH WALES DAILY NEWS" LEARNS ON GOOD AUTH- ORITY (" THOUGH UP TO THE TIME OF GOING TO PRESS NOT FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES") THAT THE GERMAN SUBMARINE U8 WAS CHASED BY TWO BRITISH DE- STROYERS IN THE ENGLISH CHAN- NEL YESTERDAY, AND SUNK. THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE SUBMARINE WERE TAKEN PRISONERS. THE SCENE OF THE SMART PER- FORMANCE WAS OFF FOLKE- STONE. THE CONFIRMATION. DESTROYER CREDITED WITH I THE FEAT. The Secreta<ry of the Adma"alty on Fri- da.y a-fte'raooc Maued the foUowing annou.QC6- nitnt:— THE S.S. THORDIS HAS NOW I BEEN EXAMINED IN DRY DOCK, AND THE INJURY TO HER KIEL AND PROPELLER BEARS OUT THE STORY OF CAPTAIN BELL AND HIS CREW THAT ON FEBRUARY 28th THE VESSEL RAMMED AND IN ALL PROBABILITY SANK A GERMAN SUBMARINE WHICH HAD FIRED A TORPEDO AT HER. YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THE GERMAN SUBMARINE U8 WAS SUNK IN THE CHANNEL OFF DOVER BY A DESTROYER. THE OFFICERS AND MEN WER<E TAKEN PRISONERS. LUCKY THORD!S. I ADMIRALTY SATISFIED SUB- MARINE WAS SUNK. SKIPPER GETS 11,1611 PRIZE- MONEY. The editor of the "Syren and Shipping" has received the following tetegrajn from Capta-in Bell, of the steamship Thordis, tha! vesaei which is reported to have sunk a. Ger- maji submarine off Beachy Head THORDIS DRY DOCKED; ONE BLADE PROPELLER GONE; KEEL PLATE BADLY DAMAGED. AD- MIRALTY SATISFIED SUBMARINE SUNK. Captain Bell was on Wednesday -oon-I gratulated on his feat by Admiral Egerton. According to Captain Bell the submarine launched two torpedoes at the Thordis. The sea was rough and the little steajner pitched badly. The captain avoided the torpedoes &nd his vessel pJunged on top of the Ger- ) man craft. There was a. crash and the peri- scope was carried &wa,y. Shf was dry- docked at Plymouth for ex&min&titm by the Admiralty. The exÍJUI¡ ewroborates the captain's report, ajod he becomes entitled to prizes tot&lling JB1,160, offered to the master of the nrst merchanLt vessel to aink an enemy BTib- nmnne. Mr. W. J. Tatem, CardiS, has offered jB500 to the second reamer which performs a similar feaA.
MICROBES TO BEII MOB!USED.
MICROBES TO BE II MOB!USED. VERY LATEST GERMAN 1 SCHEME. Germany holds in reserve new scien- tific processes which will ensure her nnal victory," said a. German paper. Mr. Andre Muiler (says the Daily Tele- graph ") met a prosperous Boche gentle- man, wto was naturalised an Italian in August, an American in September, and a Swiss the other day. He told Mr. Muiler that Germany now really was going to resort to extreme measures.! We have already mobilised large forces of many species of microbes. Thousands of chemists are at the present moment scouring the country to collect all the proper material for spreading epidmeics. The world has objected to our kultur, but it will hava to swallow our cultures of bacteria. Krupps are day and night turning out shells charged with explosive bacilli. Melinite and lyddite have done, their day. Cholera, diphtheria, and en-! teritis are the new weapons. We have also discovered another entirely new scientinc process. England is starving sacliseo ntific Wo have determined to reduce England by thirst. One of our scientific great men has invented dirigible clouds. These clouds will be heavily charged with chioride of sodium and directed over England, "The result will be terrinc. Nothing will be able to I Quench the Enghsh thtftt, and England will be brought to her knees. One more new invention is our; latest plan of teaching cannibalism to our brave youths. They will thus learn to sustai ntbemselves without bread, jam, or even sausages. Finally, our very extreme measure, should all these scien- titic processes not succeed, will be to proclaim the German Republic, with the Kaiser President for life. He will ap- point as Imperial Chancellor a Socialist, who will propose general disarmament. All the other countries will, of course, disarm. We shall resume business with waiters, governesses, and other spies as before, and towards 1950 we will try our luck again at a general war, and this time we really will bring it off." Some of Mr. Muller's humour in the Gauiois really is not so very much overdone."
I CLYDACH'S ALTERNA- I TIVES.
I CLYDACH'S ALTERNA- I TIVES. URBAN DISTRICT OR PART OF SWANSEA? At Clydach Parish Council (Mr. Daniel Jones presiding). Messrs. Ben Daviea, Joseph Dalles Theophilus Morgan. Evan Lloyd (Cly. da.ch Wa.rd\ William Jenkina and David J. Davie.s (GelMonen We-ni) were elected to re- present the Council on the Committee formed to discuss the important proposal made to incorporate the district of GIaie, Ynystawe, and Caema.wr in the Pontardawe adminiatra- tive area, And to consider the advisability of engaging an outside expert to advise upon the relative merits of making Clydach an Urban District, or irc<<rpora-ting it in the Swansea. Borough.. Mr. R. Thoma43 (C)yda.cn), and — Wil.l.i.am Bowen (Treba.nos) were again nominated to represent the Council o*. the Bo&rd of Man- agers of the Pont&rdawc Group of Schools. a.nd Mr. R. A. Jones (Clydach) was nomin* ated to represent bhe Council on the Board of Governors of the Pontard&we Higher Ele- mentary School. In response to recommendations made by the Footpaths' Committee, the Council de- cided that the repairs necessary to the Graig' Ynysderw footpath should be carried out torthwitb.
A BLAZtNC DESERT !-0.I
A BLAZtNC DESERT 0 1 I GERMAN SOUTH ? GERMAN SOUTH  WEST AFRICA. J 11 I BOTHA'S SALAMANDERSI I A Roasting- Climate. J General Botha's a.rmy, whic.h probably numbers a.bout 50,000 men, has begun ite de- layed cajnpaign against German South-West Africa (writes the Johannesburg correspon- dent of the "Daily Mail.") In aU proba-biiity it will be a long business. No part of the Empire has undertaken a more dimcult t&sk tha,n the Union of South Africa. Indeed, in one way the rebellion was a blessing in disguise. It stopped opera tions for which, a few months &go, the Union was not adequately prepared. In th? inter- vaj, the magnitude of the task has been better appreciated and arrangements made accordingly. Gen&ral Botha has now acro- planes and heavy a.rti!lery and other equip- nient from England, without which the ad- vance would have been very risky. The ha.bita.ble part of German South-West Africa lies in the centre of a gun-scorched, waterless, shadeless desert of shifting sand. Only those with practical experience of this sand belt can realise the dimculties it pro- duces. Even at the coaat towns of Luderitz Bay and Swakopmund, now in the, hands of the Union forces, every drop of water has to be obtained from condenser pl&nte. The desert belt varies in breadth from forty to eighty or a hundred miles. Across it the! army of invasion must carry water, fodder for animals, food supplies—in fact, every con- ceivable thing it needs. Next Doer to ——. I i'&e midday heat goes up to about 122 de- grees. The usual midday sandstorm is so denjse that the next tent in camp ia but a biur, and the one beyond that is invisible. Tha troops have to take refuge in sweltering tents, in which much clothing beyond a spine pad, a sun hornet, and a pair of boots is unbearable. Scores of men have been so blistered by the sun that they have had to be <Mnt to hospital. Tens of thousands of veils and "goggles" have been served cut for the struggle against the sand and the glare. The horses get as thin as fence rails and die like llies. With every breeze tJie dunes shift, and the railway inland has to be dug out about once a day as well as rebuilt. OM Campaigneri6 I Hut taere is no other way of getting I at the Germans, who have taken refuge in the centre of .their Colony. This middle stretch of country is fairly hard. It container water-holes and springs. In general appearance it resembles the Karoo. But on ail sides it is bounded by tne sand belt. On the land side of the Union the desert is worse than ever. Such a campaign would be no easy matter for 50,000 trained soldiers, bear- ing in mind the fact that the lines of communication in Africa soon run into hundreds of miles. General Botha's army is composed of the Active Citizen Army, a considerable volunteer force, including many old campaigners and the Boer commandoes, I The burghers, of course, make good campaigners anywhere. Estimates as to the number of German nghting men in the interior of German South-West-Africa vary between 4.CCO and 20,000. Upon pretty good authority it is asserted that the Regulars and Re- servists do not number more than 8,000. They are, however, trained men used to desert campaigning. jLne merman equipment is good. I Machine guns are numerous, the artil- lery is ample, and there appears to be No shortage of amMunit!en or supples. Land mines have already been exploded against the Union forces, and it is saidi that the manufacture of hand-grenades has been going on, at Windhoek for months. With the railway in the interior of the country in working order and an elaborate telephone and telegraph system linking up every police-post in the terri- tory and with two aeroplanes at least i.or:! lable, the Germans will be in a posi- tion to oner a stout resistance. Their intelligence department is wonderfully good. If the Union men play a game of football the wireless operator at Wind- hoek sends out a sarcastic message com- menting upon it. Telephone wires con- cealed under the sand have also been discovered.
FRENCH MINISTER OF MARINE.
FRENCH MINISTER OF MARINE. NEW YORK, Wednesday. "Germany's doom has been sounded; the AM:es have answered her inhuman warfare with a death-stroke. Not another ship shaJil reach Germany if we can help it, &n<i I think we can. This is the opening sentence of an in- I teniew given to-day to the Paris corres- pondent of the Undted Press by M. Victor Augagneur, the French Minister of Marine. The Minister said the ability of the Eng- lish a.nd French Navies to meet the task before t<hem was unquestioned. But Grand Admiral Von Tirpitz says that Germany will starve out England," the correspondent suggested. "Just bluff, said M. Auigagneur scornfully. "Germany :s utterly unable to make good b<T thread. People say that Germany has secretly built many large submarines. I know better. I know, within two or three, exactly how many she has, a.nd neither England nor France is in the least way frightened, and the outcome of the war will not be changed one iots. The GERMAN THREAT TO STARVE ENG-I LAND by torpedoing merchantmen is of the same brand as the threat to destroy London and Paris with Zepp&Mns." "What is your Mediterranean neet doing?" be was "ked. "Waitimg for enemy to picit up enough courage to show Jtse'l'f," was the laughing reply. "Since the beginning of the war our ships have been promenading the Mediterranean, sometimes challenging the enemy at his very door. But each time he sees us coming he turns tail and Sees. "We do not expect to open the Dardanelles without an eScrt, but we wiU get through m good time. Just how long that wiJH be I cannot say. because that depends upon ma.ny things. The hardpst work will be from the middle of the Dardanelles to the Sea of Marmora. Once the fleet is through that if will be merely a question of time, and comparatively tMttle will remain to be accomplished." M. Augagneur summed up by aaymg: "The Allies are fully satisned with the trend of events in e,ery theatre of the ,gkar. Telegraph.")
UNCLE SAM'S WAR BONUS..
UNCLE SAM'S WAR BONUS. EUROPEAN TRADE: STRIKING FIGURES. ("Timea" Telegram, per Press Association.) NEW YORK, Friday. Official returns of foreign commerce for January emphasise the enormous increase of exports to Europe. Italy took one-half cf the wheat exported, and thirty times the amount bought in January last year. England and France were the two largest buyers generally, wheat being their biggest single item. Practically all the horses, auto- mobiles, ammunition, nrearms, leather goods, and cotton and woollen materials wont tG France and England. England and France together took upwards of 60 per cent. of thE, copper exports from Now York. Eng!anc took almost the whole of the .6535,000 worth of zinc, which is seldom exported. Cotton exports were- JE763,000, an increase of JB211,000, Germany t.q,king .6421,000.
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THE"HmOFPA!N.I
THE"HmOFPA!N. I SCENES IN SERBIAN II HOSPITAL. I I I "DUMB BEFORE SUCH SORROW." I Bombarded Belgrade I In a letter to a friend in London a lady w'ho is serving with the Red Cross in Serbia gives a painful description of the state of that country. After a very hurried depart- ure from Kragonjevitz, the hospital was re- established at Nish, where the writer had been for a fortnight at the date of the letter —January 29. She saya: The wofk has been really colossal. This hospital ts close to the railway, and men sent in from the battlenelds are brought in to be dressed before continuing their journeys to other towns. I call the dressing-room the Hall of Pain. In it are Nine Tables of Agony, and there are benches all round the walls on which sit the other men waiting to have their wounds dressed. The Hall throbs with cries, groans, and shrieks of pain, rising sometimes to a crescendo that the strongest nerves cannot endure. The congestion of the whole place is so terrible that major opera- tions aje of daily occurrence in thejiressing- room itself with all the other patients round. The fighting here must have been very se- vere. We alone have 500 cases a day to see to, in addition to our resident patients, 1,330, all serious oases, and the other hospitals are In like case. Almost all the cafes are requisi- tion<ed for wounded. We live in crov/ded misery some little distance off from our wards, but try to make tihe best of it. The' thing that is hardest is the awful dirt. Our walk to IH.J>>pital is through a sea, of mud. j The "Seamy S!de." v\'e h&Y'e &oen oniv the norror ajid the suffering not only of the soldier but also of the civU population-none of the glory of wa,r; but t am sure no glory could compen- sate. To see the refugee children, to see the ceaseless stream of mangled men, to he&r them when cruel kittdness adds to their pam, and to find in their eyes the look of suffering which will never be forgotten is worse than any nightmare genius could dream! You ask a man nearly cured when he is going home. f have no home," he answers; my house was in Shabatz; the Shwabis have de- stroyed it; they have killed or taken my wife and children." Alter the name of the place, for variety's sake, and that is the answer you will get j seven times out of ten. Yon can only be I dumb before such sorrow. However, we hear that all the pajn has not been in vain, and that again Serbia has beaten back the Austrian nood.. Splendid Little Country! I I hope the Great Powers will see her righted.; Up to now she has done all on her own as far as the fighting is coucemned but, alas j her fighting force is not inexhaustible. I have been to Belgrade on three days' leave, and it has been most interesting. The city normally has about 120,000 inhabitants there are now abo'ut 8,000 returned, so you can fancy the air of desolation in the streets. A very great majority of the hottsea and shops are shuttered up; and down the great! street which runs from one end of the town to the other there is to be seen every- where the wreckage caused by the bom- bardment—which still continues. The whole of the eastern part is absolutely ruined and deserted, and in addition to all this the tr&ces of the fourteen days' occupation by the Auetrians are everywhere visible. At night there are no tights, the few shops that are opened are allowed to light only two candles each, and though electricity is '!d o:t everywhere lamps and candles are th only illumination, and that of necessity is very sparse, as a kerosene-oil famine is per ding. No trams are running, and car- riages are very few and far between. Water is dimcult to f!et, mi!k and butter we have not seen, and brfad is at a very high price —9d. for a 2d. roll. I worried until we obtained permission to see the Palace (it does not compare in size, beauty, or taste with the Chateau Petit in Bombay)! The enemy had got the range very wel1. Through the roof of the Irbrary bomb descended to the cellars, exploded, and wrecked the library and Throne Room. Prince Alexander's quarters were all nred as well, and practica.lly the whole build- ing stripped of its contents. The Autrians took away with them the small collection of birds and left one solitary monkey in the big cage in the middle of the garden. Really the pathos of that desolate beast's eyef! was Indescribable. The things it must have seen a.(id heard in its hideous, lonely captivity' In the chapel of the Palace the disordr was chaotic. Bedroom cupboards, a cafe, quantities of clothes, a tea-set, a staffed swan, numbers of picturee, liqueur g la,gses, a little of old menus, numerous bottles of all sorte of medicine for the cure of rheumatism (the poor old King is a martyr to it), bath palts, and an assortment of things that one might -expect in a bankrupt sale were scat- tered all over the consecrated chamber.
I A u SWIS- SEAMAN!I
A u SWIS- SEAMAN! GERMAN'S DISGUISE DETECTED AT SWANSEA. At the Swansea. Police Court on Friday Robert Brajm (45), seaman, was charged with being an alien enei-ay, a.¡d bein in a prohibited area, to wit, Swansea, failing to register himsalf as such to the alien rogia- tra.tion omcer on March 4. It appeared from the evidence of Detec- five Johnscn that Brann told him he was a Swiss. The omcer took him to the police station and examined his papers, ajyd found a sailor's discharge book and a seamen's union card which bore the defendant's name and gave his nationality and place of birth as Swiss. There were other certlncates, in- cluding a Norwegian seaman's certifMate which gave his place of birth as Schi;evetz. There was also a registration form issued from the Newport Police on 29th September last, which stated that Branji wa.s a native of Sweden. The onicer after examining the. papers said to Brann, You're a German and aJ! these booka are false." Brann re- plied, "I am a Swiss, 1' tell you." Johnson then sadd, "A)ll you say is lies. You are a German, and you were born in Dantzig." Defendant said, How do you know .who told you I was born at DantMg?" When charged defendant replied, "The reason I did not do it \v&8 that if I told them I was a Ge:rman I would not ha.ve a ship." The Chairmaf) Tlete is no donot you have been very decsi\'in)g. We inflict the t full penalty of six months' hard la.
18.500 PRISONERS. -
18.500 PRISONERS. RUSSIANS HUGE HAUL I AT THE CAPTURE OF STANISLAU. All-round Advance. (Press ABeooiatioc War Service). PETROGRAD, Friday nighL IT IS ANNOUNCED THAT DURING THE OPERATIONS ROUND STANIS. LAU BETWEEN FEBRUARY 21 AND AIARCH 5, THE RUSSIANS MADE i55 OFFICERS AND 13,&22 RANK AND FILE PRISONERS AND CAPTURED FIVE GUNS, 62 MACHi'NE GUNS, £19 HORSES, AND A LARGE NUMBER OF TRAINS. ENTRY !NTO STANtSLAU. (rress Association \i\i a.r l&1Ógr)< PETROGRAD, Fnday The foEowing oniciai communique trom Great Headquarters is issued:— On the Niemen—Vistula front aa & wholo, obstinate fighting conMnues in certain eeo- tors. Our troops have ad va-need aucceM fully. In the region of M&carze we captured &ix maoitine-guns, four offiicers, aj!d aeveraJ hundred men. We also captured a uumbec of Germans when we earned the fortificat- tiona at the railway gtation of Konopka.. In the Carpathians, south of ZaJditchine, we captured the enemy's fortified position. The Austrian attacks yesterday were <t littie ie.:s vigorous. In Eastern Galicia Russian troops eotered Stani.-lau on Match 4 and successfuJIy crossed the River Lukwa< ALONG THE WHOLE FRONT. VAST EAST EUROPEAN BATTLE UNE. RUSSIAN SURVEY OF RECENT OPERATIONS. ("Times" War Telegrams per Preee Aeeo- ci&tton.) (CopyrlghL) PETRUUKAD, Friday. I Extraordina-ry activity contmue& on the while front. Our offensive between the Vistula and the Niemen is progressing. On our extreme left the enemy's forces i have been Banked and he is withdrawing from the Bukownna. The ability of the Austrians to maintain )the repeated attacks against our centre in I the Carpathians is noted with sorpriee and admiration. The enemy here aissumed the oneMive oa January 20th and despite the awful oon<it. i tions and his frightful losses he has, if t anything, intensified his onslaughts. Heie in the Carpathians the Austritna had gathered every man who could bear arms, including troops supposed to be en- rolled for another attempt on &rbia. w4 over a million bayonets. I A third Army under General Borevitcb opened the campaign on the Upper Sam, and when its energies nagged the 6ght waa taken up by a fourth under the Archduke, which included a German cofps, and laimultaneously a strong force advances on the Bukowina. The third Army swept oa i by way of* the Eupkow to the Uukta Pamet along the shortest route to Przemysl, bat it had not reckoned with I Genera) Brussitcft't trenttdM, who ham a record for the number of pti- NoiMrs taken in this or any other war. They struck, &ad struck hard ail around the Dukia Pass and as the Austro-GeraMo waves receded we touowed it mto .North- western Hungary. Then the Archdike Frederick again ordered the fcorth army to advance. By February 14th it reached Stani<lau, threatening the rear of omr troops. At the Wyszkow PM9 the third ttnny, having meanwhile rested and recuperated, once more moved into the fray which w« stil proceeding with unabated fury. Between the Niemen and the fieal& the battie line is moving irresistibly to- wards German soil. At Kerzec the whole Brigade of the 20th Corpa has been almost wiped out, iMmg six hundred prisoners, tad at Pryasnysz it appears that the let Reaen. Corps has Lost three-fourth* ef its tntantry. The loaaea of General Von Htnc:knbQrg"" armMs during the past month may t)e e*ti? mated without exaggeration at over a q<mr- ter of a oullion. The foar days' attacks on the Bzart end- ing on February 2nd cost them I M!ntmum of a hundred theuMnd. The advance from Eait Prussia beginning on February 5th .ectaiiled heavy sacriiiots in ktUed, wounded, and prisoners.
IHARD LABOUR FOR COUNTESS.'
HARD LABOUR FOR COUNTESS. SINGING A SERB SONG IN AUSTRIA. (Presa Association War Special.) VENICE, Thunday. A special correspondent's despatches to Budapest journals show that a tremendous oonilict is raging all albng the front of the Carpathians. Ihe reserved language em- ployed, and the cautious terms in which belief in the Monarchy's vict-ry is ex. pressed, clearly imply that th<t 6nAl imus is still very doubtful. This impression ia further connrmed by blank spaces left by the Censor in VienjM, newspapers repro- duction of these Budapest despatchea. Vienna, newspapers are publishing" pro- tests against the continued export of articles of food to Germany, particularly egga, which are being sent in enormous quantitio. Countess Dobula de Vidovic, who is twenty-e'ght years old, and is a member of one of the noblest families of Dalmatia, has .been sentenced to three (?) years hard labour by a military tribunal at Marbur; for singing a national Serbian air in her apartment with the window open. The court dM'Iared that such conduct was cal- j culated to excite the &vmpathy of the pabiie for Serbia.