Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

ON WEST FRONT. I ENEMY DESCRIBED AS SHEEP-LIKE. A special correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" tells an interesting story of the battle in Flanders, and says: Once more the curtain has been raised for what experts believe to be the beginning of another gigantic struggle in Flanders, and what is hoped will be the beginning of the end—fight, for the way to Ostcnd. After describing how French dragoons and Belgian infantry are fighting almost shoulder to shoulder in the Xieuport and Lombaertzyde St. George, he continues: The officers nowadays are sensible enough not to run ahead of their men, as used to be the (6i', but remain beside them. ?ot one shot has been fired in our company. The fire from the enemy weak1l6, dark shadows ahead become more distinct, a head, a pair of arms, a hod.v chows up, and then a pair of legs, running, running for dear life. The sight of a bayonet fight has been spared me, and I do not know that I am sorry. Only when some of our men fire one ealvo and then continue the pursuit. The enemy has taken a stand in the next trench, and is tiring at us again. But it is wild and erratic, and either flies away over our heads or some of the bullets splash into the mud ahead of us. They would not give our men a hand- to-hand fight. The. fight was out; the fright in them. On and on went this unsternmable black line of men, now and then stumbling over a helmet. The field seemed strewn with rifles. Some men were overtaken; they were absolutely weaponless. Their faces were pale, sal low with fear, their eyes large in their heads, their hands up in tho air. Some of them fell, feinted death, and were— but why any gruesome details? Our bat- talion took 65 prisoners further up the, line near Lombaertsyde. I have been I told 600 prisoners have been taken. It is 2.30 a.m. Four trenches are ours, besides a number winter barracks. Every sign here shows that they had made preparations to stay the winter. The barracks are of the portable corrugated iron type, an ab- solute protection against rain, and very warm inside- We found bedding, r] 'i uniforms, etc., there in grea^quanti- ties. The victory has not been stolen or given; it has been bought, but about the price I will not write now. Everything in this life costs, and the price must be paid. Let us look at the prisoners. Some of them are marines, but most of them Bavarian infantry. One could hardly believe one's eyes to look at those men. Their uniforms looked as if they had just come from church parade, and their helmets were as fresh as a new penny. They w.erc most of them men of between 20 and 2.). One of the lieutenants spoke fluent French, and here is his story al- most vebatim: To-night's engagement was our fire- chri stoning. We came out here on the 6th December. Most of tho men are volunteers, and we engaged since the war began." I And what about the confidence in the invincibility of the German army?" I asked him. Is that fable still being told in Germany?" Ali, monsieur, I must be loyal to my country. I believe you in England have a saying, Right or wrong-my country.' All the same. if I must tell the truth, this is luck ("est la veine). The climate and the conditions of this low country are forceful allies of yours." This man, about 26 to 28 years of age, was a reserve officer and a university man. He made a favourable impression as an enemy, I must admit, and seemed to speak I the truth. As to the others, they seemed like a herd of sheep at the approach of a wolf. Never have I seen such an anxious, frightened lot of men. They needed no guards. Their legs were cut off by sheer fright. They hardly dared look to left or ri?ht from habit.intilled upon them by th¡r' sergeant driHmnstcrs. One Belgian went up to one of them and asked for his r helmet, offering an old cap in exchange. Ja. ja," shouted the German, only too happy to be able to please, and while un- fastening his belt, adde<L"?"This, too." Others even of?ered to give np their coats. i During the night the Germans were held prisoners in their own trenches, and this morning found them all huddled to- Kethpr, and ..tiB angering the compari- son of the sheep. I wondered T?hat might be passing in the minds of these cap-' fives. Fortunately the men taken pri soner have not had a part in the German cam- paign of destruction, involving murder and robbery. They were all new ones, and well may their lieutenant have re,- raarked, "C'est la veine," because, in- deed. thev are lucky if only to have been soared the disgrace of assiting at any fur- ther German misdeeds. All during .MIP dny the battle has con- tinued. but the scene changed towards the Dunes. The Belgians have gained during the last twelve hours nearly one I mile of territory, and the forces are well advancing towards Westende. The Bel- gian Engineers have built the various bridges over the Yser which havo been used druing this fight. ) With the prisoners captured were two machine guns. These, as may be imagined, wrought much damage, but, fortunately^ under cover of night, our men could rush up to them at compara- tively close distance before attacking. The general impression I havo received during the last thirty-six hours is that the German system on this wing is dis- organised. Both the defence and tho counter-attack Jacked unity. Their trenches are splendid, very comfortably and strongly built. Every one of them has wooden supports every 20ft. or 30ft. They have covered or underground tunnel connections with the trenches behind, whilp. their mitrailleuse? are in f-mali trenches over tho infantry. In fact, these field fortifications look like, one continual lino of small forts. The remainder of the night those *vho are not on guardtfpeat very comfortably in these German^trenches. The next morning, grey aad without any sunlight., what a sight! Belgians and Germans had fallen side by side, over each other, in a wild, general mix- up. Few men were 6hot or killed in the trenches, almost every one of them be- tween the lines. Almost every dead sol- dir, both Belgian and German, fell with Jus rifle beside him. With many of them I the doctor had to use force in breaking open their stiff fingers around thg bsvrrel.

The shortage of oil supplies in Ger- many is reflected in the advertising col- umns of the neutral I'fess. in which Tin- limited quantities of candles are being :wught. at rates considerable above aver- age nwurkot grice?.

WITH THE CAMERONS. Swansea Novelist's Stories Read in the Trenches. Being a Christian man, I would like you to thank my Christian brothers of the Religious Tract Society for the tracts they sent me to give away in the trenches.. I carried out their wishes us well as I could in my spare time. and I want you to eay I am glad to be home again with my co-worker, Mr. David Lewis." That is what Pte. Walter Richards, of the Cameron Highlanders asked a Herald reporter to write down before lie told him anything of his wounds, or of his experiences at the front. Pte. Walter Richards is known as an Albert Hall soloist. In September he tried to join the Welsh Regiment, but was unable, so attached himself to the Cameron Highlanders. After going through a few minor engagements, while on the way to re-inforce his fellows, he was wounded in the knee by a German shell We had been on a long march and in a fow minor engagements. It was getting on night time now; we had been at it then for several hours. We were making for the firing line when they found us with their shells. That's when I got knocked out. Many were wounded. 1 don't know about the killed. A com- panion of mine from the Devons had his eye blown out. and his ear blown off, and many were knocked down." I didn't tell you the names of the places; it used to be a saying with us, 'Another Welsh Another Welshman from Gowerton, and four Swansea boys are in the Camerons: Privates Teddy Goodwin. Edwin Miles, Ben Clement, and Laddie. Laddie and Goodwin are at the front now. It was bitterly cold, especially in kilts, but my flesh is as hard as iron." A pleasant reminder of homo came one day when Pte. Richards found some men in the trenches reading a boy's journal, and overlooking them he saw a football story by Mr. T. C. Wignall (the well- known novelist, and formerly of the Leader staff). I know that chap," he said he's a Swansea boy. I know him well it's nice to have a little bit from home," his comrades agreed; and the story straight away mounted in popu- larity, and was in great demand. Many of Mr. Wignall's other stories—especially the war tales-wero read in the trenches by Swaneea men. Well, I am glad to be home again," concluded Private Richards. I am not yet fit for active service, but I return next Monday to Invergorden, in the North of Scotland. If I am bound to go out again, I am going with a good heart, Pd like to be there at the finishing up." Asked when that was likely t u be, Pte. Richards said the general opinion among the troops was that the war would be owr by about April.

CURSED THE PRINCE. ( The Prince of Wales is a very keen and skilful motorist, as everyone knows, and more often than not he drives himself the long torpedo-bodied car which he uses at the front. But the roads are jolty and greasy, and accidents will hap- pen. A day or two ago, saya the Cri de Paris," the Prince's car, owing to an unfortunate side-slip, came into collision with a French motor lorryi and had naturally the worst of the encounter. That did not prevent the driver of the lorry, a Parisian with a fine flow of lau-I gua.. from telling the young man at I the t heeI. whose identity, of course, ho did not guess, exactly what he thought of him. The Prince, whose stay in Paris has I given him a complete mastery of collo- quial French, doubled up with amuse- ment beneath the lorry driver's flow of epithet. When the joke had gone on long enough the Prince's orderly told the eloquent lorry driver who the young man was, and his Royal Highness presented a sovereign to him in return—not for damage done, for there was none to tho lorry—but for five minutes' hearty laughter. Thus the amusing incidtpt I was closed to the satisfaction of all parties.

BELGIAN ARTISTE AT PONTARDAWE. There was a very large attedda-nee, at the Public Hall, Pontardawo. on Christ- mas night, on the occasion of a patriotic concert in aid of the local Belgian re- fugees' fund. The Committee had ar- ranged an excellent programme of local artistes, and it is gratifying to find that they all gave their services free. An in- teresting feature of the concert wsL,, a song by Madame Lohhestael (nc Dupont), one of the refugees who came to Pontar- dawe. She was warmly encored icr her effort. Thp other arti:"tp!I were: Soprano, Madame F. E. Powell. Alltwen; tenor, Mr. Dan Jones, R.C.M., London.; hfesn, Mr. Dd. Davies, Alltwen, and Mr. G VIIMU Lewis Pontardawe; instrumentalists. Mr. A. E. Palmer, Alltwen, and Miss M. A. Pitt, Trebanos; elocutionist. MitS M. J. Francis (LlaethferchL Mr. Anenrin Rpt's. F.R.C.O.. acted ail accompanist. The Pontardawe Male Voice Party and the Dyffryn Choral Society also rendered selections during the evening. The Rev. Joel Davies, M.A., presided.

MORRISTON TROOPER A PRISONER. News has reached Morriston of the safety of Trooper Ernest Evans, of the 18th Hussars, who has been reported missing since October. i It now transpires that he is a prisoner of war, the news being conveyed in :t letter to his wife (who resides at 2. Strawberrv-place, Morriston) by Corporal T. W. Ellis. also of the 1 Si h Htissars. It appears that the corporal saw an ad- vertisement in a London Sundav paper for information as to the whereabouts of Evans, and in the letter to the trooper's wife. says he was taken prisoner with a number of other 18th Hussars on October 20th. and that he wrote to ease Mrs. Evaes's mind. It is strangn that Pte. Svans's wife has not yet heard from her husband.

I ? GIRL'S DEATH. PEMBROKE INQUEST STORY. The adjourned inquest on Jane Fannon, a single woman, who died at the Victoria Nurses' Home, Pembroke Dock. on 'December 20th. from burns sustained on the evening of December 18th, at the residence of her parents, King-street. Pembroke Dock, was held at the Temper- ance Hall, Pembroke Dock, be fore Mr. H. J. E. Price, the Pembroke coroner, on Tuesday. Dr. F..). Cutler said he was sent for about 9 o'clock on the evening of Decem- ber 18th. Lie found deceased lying on a table in the front room. She was badly burnt, and he ordered her removal to the Nursed Home. He did not see Mrs. Manley. After getting deceased to the Nurses's Home her burns were attended to. She was conscious, but continued to get worse, and died on Sunday morning, the 20th ultimo. He made a post-mortem examination, and found all the organs normal. She died- from shock, the con- sequence of extensive burns. Catherine Fannon said 8he was the wife of Patrick Fannon, of 18. King- street. The deceased was their daughter. Annie Manley was lodging with them. Witness went to the Swan Inn on the night of December ISth, to purchase some bottles of stotit. She saw Annie Manley there, and they went home to- gether. Her daughters Hannah and Jane joined them on the way home. Mrs. Manley came in twice. Witness's daughter Jane told her to go to her own room. In the kitchen there was a table with a lamp on it. The table was be- tween her daughter Jane and Mrs. Man- ley. They continued to quarrel, and after a time Mrs. Manley Picked tho lamp off the table and said something. Witness told her to put the lamp down. She did not. but twisted it round, and the globe fell off, and some of the oil came out on her daughter Hannah, caus- ing her clothing to become alight. Mrs. Manley then threw the lamp at Jane There was no question of an accident through anyone striking her. The lamp struck Jane in the breast, and she was instantly in fiarre-. Cross-examined: Mrs. Manley's husband had only b?en once at the houae since she had lodged there. There might have been four or five feet between Manley and Jane when the lamp was thrown. She was quite positive Mrs. Manley threw the lamp. In trying to get her daughter's blouse off, witness got burnt. Hannah Fannon. sister of deceased, and Susan Kennedy, a neighbour, also paid that they saw Mrs. Manley deliberately throw the lamp at deceased. Frances Kennedy said that Mrs. Manley picked up the lamp and threw it. Wit- ness saw it thrown, but did not see it strike Jane as her attention was directed to Hannah, who was already on fire. Annie Manley, who elected to give evi- dence, after having been cautioned by the Coroner, said her proper name was McCullum. The man she was living with was not her husband. She had lived at 18. King-street, about six weeks. On the evening of the 18th December she and the two girls Fannon promised to meet at St. John's Church Schoolroom. She went there, but did not see either of them. She proceeded home. Mrs. Fan- 0011 then asked her to go to the Swan with her and the rest. They had three small bottles of stout each and then went home again. Mrs. Fannon shortly after- wards asked her to go back to the Swan and get two small bottles for her. She told her she didn't like to, and Mrs. Fannon got displeased. Witness afterwards went back to the Swan and Mrs. Fannon came in again, and she asked her to have another bottle of I stout. Mrs. Kennedy also fame in, and they sat there and had more drink. They left the public-house together. After- wards, in the kitchen at Mrs. Fannon's, Jane Fannon said witness had better go into her own room. I went, but Mrs. Fannon called me back and asked how many bottles of stout, she had had that day. I said it was a matter of indiffer- ence to me." Subsequently a move was mnde as if to strike witness across the table. Witness then, also, attempted to strike back aerogs the table, and swept the lamp off. She then went into her room, and finding Jane there with her clothes burning, did her best to try to put the fire out. She went afterwards for the police. Cross-examined: Her statement was that the lamp was accidentally knoeked over. She accounted for the Fannons' saying, that she threw it. because they were spiteful against her, she haYing. accidentally been the means of causing Jane Fannon's death. Mrs. Kennedy could not have known what took place, and Frances Kennedy could not have seen it. I P.C. Warlow, who arrested Annie Man- ley, and charged her at the Police Station, on the evening of December 18th, said she made and signed the fol- lowing statement:— I am not guilty. About three- quarters of an hour before the occur- rence, I was with Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Fannon in the Swan Inn. drink- ing. We left there, and coming down t Mrs- Kennedy said, "Here's Hannah and Jane coming. so there may be another row to-night." Mrs. Fannon said. I suppose you A ear so many rows that you have got quite used to them by now;" When we got into the kitchen Jane said. Your place in your room." I went, but Mrs. Fannon called me back. Jane says, How many bottles of stout did mother have?" I said. I don't know, Jane." She replied, Y<vi you do." I then said. "It's a matter of indifference to me how many bottles your mother has." Jane then went to strike me with her fist, and tha lamp was on the table. It was a hig white reading lamp, with a large globe. and, with that. the lamp overturned, and I don't know the consequence. That's all I know about it. ATter I saw the girl in flames I tried to put it out, and that's how I came by the burns on my hand. Cross-examined by Mrs. Manley: He found the broken lamp on the floor be- tween the table and the dresser. After retiring for about a quarter of an hour, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of manslaughter against Annie Manley, otherwise McCullum.

A VERY ANCIENT CAP. For the new Cap of Maintenance which the King is presenting to York, the | estates committee of the Corporation have adopted a design prepared by the Y ork School cf.Arte and Crafts which is said to be. as far as can be ascertained, a j reproduction of the cap of the 14th cen- tury period when the first one was pre- sented to the city. Instructions hav. beon given for the drawing to be for- warded to the King for approval. The Cap of Maintenance is a head covering bestowed by King Richard II. upon the official appointed to carry the City Sword, who wears it on all Stnto occasions, not uncoveriug- even in the presence of Royalty. It is 'doubtful whether the present cap is the original one presented by King Richard II. It is known to have undergone repairs (the last in 1579\ and is now certainly very old and dilapidated in appearance.

In view of the abundance of fish, owing to the prohibition of exports, and in order to prevent too food from spoiling, the Amsterdam council has erected in the Central Pish Market, a gigantic oven, where the fish is fried under municipal s.usj)icec. And sold at minimum prices.

TRAINS OF GERMAN DEAD. BAVARIAN TROOPS FIRE ON THEIR PRUSSIAN COLLEAGUES. N^ orthern France, December 20.—A Bel- gian gentleman, a resident of Brussels, after a most adventurous journey, was recently able to get through from that city, which he left on November 28 last. He gives a long account of the then conditions of life in the Belgian capital to She "Telegramme du Pas-de-Calais,' of which the following extracts appear in the "Daily Telegraph"; — Life in Brussels daily becomes more I and more gloomy. It is true that the cafes are open till ten o'clock, and there are even a few picture palaces still going. But, on the other hand, the Germans are daily becoming more exacting. For the slightest offence against any of their hundred and one bye-laws, which only the most retentive memory can recollect, a fine of 200f. is imposed or a term of six months' imprisonment. The want of provisions does not at present make itself much felt, although there is only grey-black bread to be had at 40 centimes the kilo. Coal is beginning to arrive in the town. and provisions; such as cheese, eggs, butter, milk, and even preserved herrings and a few live beasts, are making their way into Brussels from Holland, via Maastricht. Railway communication with Germany is reg-alar-and constant. The authorities have even made a reduction of 50 per c-ent. in the charges for fares in the cases of those Belgians who wish to visit their wounded or imprisoned relatives in Ger- many. It is also generally believed that the enemy are making use of these lines for sending provisions in large quantities through to various parts of Germany, Kailway passenger traffic was only inter- rupted for five days, and this. of course, was owing to the transportation of reserves to the front. and the removing of wounded and exhausted troops from Bel- gium. | The fresh troops arriving from Germany are on the whole very well equipped. The men look very young, and amongst these new troops It* is easy to distinguish a few older men in oddly made-up uniforms, who are evidently those who have been wounded and are returning to the front. All British and French civilians are prisoners. It is a fact that the former are not treated half as well as the lattn. All the hcaspit-als are full of wounded. 85 per cent, of whom are Germans, the remaining 15 per cent. being made up of British, French, and Belgians. The; i hatred exhibited by the Germans and even the medical authorities towards the British is really remarkable. As for the cases that prove fatal in the hospitals, the percentage is not large. At Ixelles, a suburb of Brussels, where all those who suceumb to their wounds are buried, in the space of ten dayb eighty-eight Allies were interred, while 664 deaths occurred amongst the German wounded. After the battle of the } ser twenty-seven goods trains full of German dead passed through Brussels and were taken on to the neighbourhood of Namur, where they were cremated in huge fur- naces. One of the sights of Brussels now is to watch the movements of the three captive balloons, the ftimlous 'I)ra(,hen Ballonen.' These are formed in the slia-t* of a cigar. The Bruxellois have named them les boudins." On Nov. 15,during a storm, the cables of two of theso balloons were smashed, and the aeronauts were taken off in a northerly direction. The next day these two were replaced, and the Germans again were in possession of their points of observation. With regard to Zeppelins7a hanger for dirigibles already existed on the manoeuvre ground at Hetterbeck. The Germans, who, us usual, had thought everything out beforehand, immediately on their arrival in Brussels on Aug. 23, began upon the work of enlarging the hangar with materials they had brought with them, and in two days had lengthened it by 43 yards. The enemy have also put up works behind the hangar for the production of hydrogen. Close to the cemetery of Ixelle.6 and at the Chateau d'Eau they' have put up specially con- structed n-iachine-glins for use against aeroplanes. It is quite true that there was a fight be- tween Prussian and Bavarian troops in Brussels. A quarrel arose on the subject of the Queen of the Belgians, who is held in great respect by the troops of the lat- j ter country. The Prussians made some insulting remarks about her Majesty i which so incensed the Bavarians that they opened fire upon their companions in arms, and a fight ensued which was with great difficulty subdued. The Bavar- ians were severely punished, several of them being taken out and shot for insub- ordination. There are actually 12.000 German troops in Brussels. They all belong to the Land- wehr and Landsturm. There are, on the other hand. a vast number of German civilians who have lived for years in Bel- gium. and in Brussels in particular. These latter do the police work. In the! early days of the German occupation, that is to say. from about August 24 or 25, up to the end of September, the invaders led lives of considerable luxury upon the money stolen during their march on the capital and their exactions upon Brussels. Now they have been obliged to lead quieter lives; money is no longer plenti- ful, and. consequently, there are far fewer orgies. As for the German armv in Belgium, it is short of horses, transport, and winter clothing. There is also a great scarcity of zinc, lead, and copper. All supplies of these commodities are im- mediately "requisitioned." In the vil. lages which are still left standing the leaden gutters are torn from the houses, and every piece of zinc or copper found is carefully collected and despatched to Germany. At present the German population of Brussels have still every hope of ulti- mate victory over the Allies, and their official notices, which are placarded pro- fusely all over the town, are couched in the most high-sounding and arrogant terms. However, a marked difference in the tone of their announcements has become noticeable. Their com- muniques as to the progress of hostili- ties have become laconic, and are con- fined to such statements as, Slight ad- vance in such and such a direction," a An attack of the Allies repulsed," or There is nothing to report."

FLIGHT OFFICER'S FUNERAL. The funeral of Flight Sub-Lieutenant Bernard Fficid, of the Royal Naval Air Q-viee. who was killed at Hendon whilst flying, took place on Tuesday at Hendon. the coffin, covered with the Union Jack, was borne on a gun carriage drawn I hy 18 men of the Royal Naval Air Service, and the firing party was supplied hy the Royal Marines. In addition to members of the family, a number of deceased's fellow officers were present. The first portion of the service was held at Heuden Catholic Church.

The German prize steamer. Sreak. of I Hamburg, which was the biggest I steamer that ever came into the North Dock, to load patent fuel, has been moved by the Admiralty to Cardiff. The full-rigged sailing ship Melpomaine, which was intercepted and brought into Swansea with a cargo of nitrates, loft n-m Christmas Eve for Plymouth, but owiftg to the tow rope breaking off Lundy, 6he Lwas a,uL, hrouaht bad to Swansea. ]

I V-7 ^NSHEAUfi? win i:nmediateiv arrest the course of the disease aDd suard against all ill effects. It M possesses r.' .aht alrg and tooic p?op. erti. and gives ?nt.Ant reiief to Coughs, Colds. Hoarseness. Bronchit ? urt ft, lilI culty of Breathing, etc. It i? -very beneficial, and has proved for many years a &<MM and bussing to ??OMS?M? 0/ «<?e<'e?S. t RtMEMBER Neglected C4?.gh, md  LC Cooidds s freq?ent? turn to Bronchitis, Asthma,  etc.. and arc often t?e foreraaaef of that t dreadful disease—Consumption. Prices and of a?, Chem?s aed q't,  13 or2*from th??-,?(ijewo "and'onto" G. DEAKiN & HUGHES. B t THE INFLAMMATION REMEDIES Cal H BLAENAVOM. IItOH. t WONOERFUI6 DEAKIN'S ™E°;™ INFLAMMATION REMEDIE AND PILLS and 2/3, of all na-ww Chemists and SLore; THE GREAT PAIN & DISEASE KILLER 1/3 AXD 2/6 DIRECT FROM:— G. DEAKIN & HUGHES, rbe Inflammation Remedies Co., BLAENAVG  ??????R-?"   r^RcirSs^ i m?NRETURNS g ? ?-ys REGISTERED CtC-  B  B  .-t.?  .? ?????-???..?.,????-r-  B  facs&iitc of One-Ounce Pxftet. Archer's Golden Returns The Perfection of Pipe Tobacco. COOL. SWEET AND VRACRAKI. P?"<t6.)H;t. ??S??????T S I —  ft?t." bp?, k "M <Lt?" !Ctarke? j Blood jMixt?re If you s"eú from any such M l>Ch a icifte kiw.. disessf asmentionr<l bdow. I postdofin^rfiienfi which don't waste urn and IT.one? K Qutddy attack, o.eraome. on lotions or ointments A and expel bore the blood which aM""t get hel" the an ¡mperihes frrwi ihJKjua strface of tk skin What ■ Cd. ;ori!Ó"C'. and by yon waiu is a xnedicme That »eridcrui( it cleMafidpwe. wiU thoroughly free the it fafls km efect < biood of he impure matter H> complete aud fcftstmf aJre. is te true cause of of testimonials, all yúur sulfín¡: Clarke's ■ Over 5c yeJirs tacGMS Btt?d Muturt is ^ust • Ptaawut to <AtM. t?URES | § ECZEMA.^ LANDUUR BLOSOPflBM,I! fi SMOft?LA, :WELLM"- 1 PUS. S MOLE?. BStLS, RSS?MTBH. I i ABSCESM, PIMPLES. a<WT. I g ULCERS. SORES, &c? tc.?? g  Of aU Ct;t!n«!t & Stor", ?'? per bDUIIL ??. !? REfUSF SUE ST I TUTES?

A CURIOUS INCIDENT. BRITISH AND GERMAN SOLDIERS EXCHANGE GIFTS. One of the oddities of the war in the western Imttlofield, at all events, is the close proximity of the opposing forces in the trenches, thus giving opportunities for conversation. But the record uiiL-qt surely be made by an incident described, in letter from Private H. Serution, Essex Regiment. to relatives at Wood- green, X. He writes:— As I have told you before, our trc-nr-hr-v are only 30 or 40 yards away from the Germans. This led to an exciting incident; the other day. Our fellows have been in. the habit of shouting across to the enemy*, and we used to got answers fromi them. We were told to get into conversation with t.hem, and thifi is what happene,-I: From our Trenches: iiood morning, Fritz." (No answer.) H (ood morning. Fritr. (Still no answer.) "Good morn- ing. Frit?. From the German TrencheR- U Goodi morning." From our Trmch: How are youP" All right." Come over here. Fritz." H No, if I come, I get shot." N-o. vou won't. Come on." -No fear." Gome and get some fags, Fritz.- c. o, you come half-way, and I meefl you. All right." One of our fellow? thereupon filled hi<< pocket with fags and got over trench. The German got over his t ,b t and, right, encugh. they met naIr-way .nd sbook hands. Fritx taking the fags and. giving chocc1ate in exchange. It v?tS good to cpe 1 he Germans tanding' on top of 1 heir trenches, and the English, also with caps waving in the air. all cheering. About IS of our men went half- way. and met about the same number of Germans. This In-fed about half an hour, when. each side returned to their trenches to shoot at each other again. Whai T have written is the truth, but think we got chums, as two of our fellows were killed the same nig'ht, and I don't know how many of them..

INVISIBLE INK USED. Charged with attempting to communi- eate with an enemy alien by writing a letter in invisible ink. Herman Blase, an Austrian interned in the local detention camp, was tried by court martial Tues- da at l?ougi?s, Isle of Man. This was the second case of the kind from the earnp, the previous prisoner being scu. t&nccd to t?o months' hard labour. Blaes pleaded guilty. In the letter to his sister he had eaid that he was well, 'It that it was diifceuit to get anything past the censor, and advised that his brother Fritz should treat the paper, in order to bring out something he had written, with lemon juice. Captain Donath, appearing as friend of the prisoner, pointed out that Blass referred to the invisible writing in the portion of the letter written with the pencil, and said he only did it as a icke. He regretted his action Mnd appealed foj mercy. 1»urt ?'und Bbn=s ?ui!ty. se?tenc< to be submitted to the governor for coi? hrmation<

__d_ In order to allow the men ons^ntrr-fr« at Southsea Castlf tn share in tht -oi) Saturday thi officers, fr--m1 the commander downwards I shouldered the spntncp' riHo" and ri. 1 Iieved them duraag dinner t"e?.

FOUND GUILTY. I AUTHORESS OF BOGUS ATROCITY I STORY DISCHARGED. In the High Court at Edinburgh Mon- day beofro Lord Strathclyde, the hearing was resumed of the charge against Kate Hume, of Dumfries, of having concocted letters alleging that German soldiers I mortally mutilated her bister Grace, whilst: acting as nurse in Belgium. There was again a large attendance of the I public. Accused who maintained her usual stolid demeanour, sat in the dock be- tween two policemen. The evidence was concluded last night, and the Lord Advo- cate addressed the jury for the prosecu- tion. He said three questions arose for consideration. They were— (1) Did the accused do the things it was alleged she did? (2) Was she responsible for her action at the time, and (3) Was it her intention to alarm and annoy the public, and in particular her father and stepmother? With regard to the first counsel sub- mitted there could not be the least doubt that accused wrote and uttered the letters and forged signatures to both. As to whether she was so hysterical aO not to be responsible for her action, he urged that nothing short of insanity was sufficient as an answer to a criminal charge. Accused, however, had shown mental alertness, in- telligence, quickness, capacity, will power and determination. Her appearance when in the witness-box demonstrated her normality and not abnormality of mind. It would be dangerous if it went forth that the mere fact of a person suffering from hysteria was an answer to a charge of this grave nature. The intention to alarm the public. and particularly her father and step-mother, was abundantly proved, and people who read the abomin- able and revolting story were shocked and horrified by it. The jury, he continued, roust return a verdict of guilty. Mr. Wilson, K.C., in his speech for the defence, spoke of the manner in which accused had been affected by the loss of her brother on the Titanic. This reference by counsel deeply affected prisoner, who buried her face in her hand- kerchief. wept convulsively, and had to be given water. Mr. Wilson submitted on on the grounds of reason and common sense the prosecu- tion had broken down, and nothing in the way of criminal intention had been proved. It was preposterous to regard this girl as a criminal. There were clear indications that The girl was abnormal. The idea that her intention was to alarm her father and stepmother was negatived by the fact that it was as plain as a-pike staff that the letters were in the handwriting of the prisoner, and the truth or falsity of them could easily have been ascertained. There was no crime, he contended, because there could not be any felonious intention. To sav prisoner had alarmed the public was a fantastic distor- tion of facts. Counsel conclddeu his ad- dress after speaking for an hour and a half. The Judge, summing up, said the letters were gruesome documents so cleverly composed that anybody reading them would not doubt their authenticity. It had been proved accused had fabri- cated tho letters and deliberately authorised their publication. That being so, felonious intent would be pre- sumed from the act. To him it seemed obvious that one motive of prisoner was to create sensation, alarm, and to horrify people. It was admitted that the girl was not insane. If she was hysterical it would not be a defence, but it would affect venously the degree of guilt and might lead to no punishment being im- posed The jury retired to consider their ver- dict, and after an absence of a quarter of an hour found that prisoner was guilty of writing the letters. They added a rider earnestly recommending her to leniency. The Judge said he was very willing to encode to the recommendation of the jury, having regard to the fact that the accused had been in prison for three months, and in view of her previous good character and her age he would now immediately release her on proba- tion. Upon hearing the decision of the Court, there were loud cheers raised by the pub- lic. The accused burst into tears, and was at once escorted from the building. In the streets outside the Court a con- siderable crowd had assembled, who watched the departure of Hume in com- pany with her father and frien4t

The Giomal e dItalia reports that Italy will suffer a loss of £ 20.000.000 through the absence of visitors, owing to ,the war.

WAR CONCERT PARTY. i FIRST PROGRAMME GIVEN AT I BOULOGNE CASINO. One of the strange changes brought about by the war has been the conver- version of the Casino at Boulogne into a huge hospital for wounded British soldiers. The green talkies have been laid a.side and their places taken by beds that fill the whole huge building. There, on Sunday even ing, Miss Ellaiine Terrias and Mr..Seymour jlicks, with the other mem- bers of the party they have organised for the amusement throughout a week of the British soldiers at the front, gave their first entertainment:. Aliss Gladys Cooper went among the soldiers distributing New Year cards bearing the autographs of each member of the company and the words, by A. Wimperis, of a specially composed song. I Your Country Thank You." which Miss Terrias sang with intense feeling. The refrain was taken up with zest by the wounded soldiers. One man lying prostrate, with the cradle in front whih indicates grave injury to the leg, had his left arm strapped to his side, but he applauded by smacking a cradle in front of him with the flat of his left hand. Others could be seen keeping time to the music with j hpir feet by the rise and fall 'of the red blankets. Miss Terriss and Miss Ivy St. Helior opened with a diiot on the piano, and I Miss Terriss afterwards sang A Little Piece of String" from the Circus Girl." Mr. Bert Davies was in splendid voice, and gave" My Dreams and Songs of Arahy." Thunders of ap- plause greeted the flute, and picolo due's of Eli and Olga Hudson, and Mr. Will van Allen and Mr. Willie Frame in turn gave of their best. Mr. Frame at the finish led in "Auld Lang Syne." the com- pany and the convalescents linking arms in time-honoured fashion all around the great arena of beds. All the artist.s appeared in the dresses in which they had travelled. The enter- tainment, of course, had its topical re- ferences. A Little Bit of String con- tained the verse. Just a little khaki string, Just a tiny little thing. Tied as tightly as a string could be. Oh. it still is holding strong. And it's growing twice as long. It's a string erf British lads, you see. Last night Mr. Hicks and his company gave a concert at the General Hospital at Wimereux and the Christol Hospital at Boulogne, and in the evening they enter- tained 1,060 men in the c.arup., To-day they left for Rouen.

PASSING OF THE TARTAN. I The statement that in future Highland regiments are to wear a khaki kilt in stead of the familiar tartau, and that i picturesiqueness must make way for utility. is of itself disconcerting. But the order that the garment shall be composed of two yards less material than at pre- sent used has set the heather on fire." The announcement (which has come from Paisley) has created a stir in High- land regiments; the soldiers are hilarious over the samples of the attenuated kilt which have met with their astonished gaze. It may be economy, but it is all too retniniscent of the hobble skirt to be borne with equanimity. Sentiment alone has "made for resent- ment at this tampering with the national dress, and hence the representations to the War Office, Scottish M.I's, and the public generally. The Highland associa- tions are also moving in the matter, and it is only to he expected that the Scottish Society, whose president, Mr. Louden Macqueen Douglas, is the author of a brochure on the kilt, will also have some- thing to say.

The Press Association regrets to an- nounce the death of Colonel. H. B. Harrison-Broadley, Unionist M.P. for the Howdenshire Division of the East Riding of Yorkshire, which occurred at Welton, near Hull, on Tuesday from heart affec- tion. Deceased, who was 1)1 years of age, was nn:f elected for Howdenshire in 1906. The ifgnres at the last general election were: Harrison-Broadley (U,), 5,016; JS" orris (L.)4 3,885.

believe that the difficulties prVl i-;?d I y it are greater than those at present, being experienced by both sides in some parts of our front. This applies especially to any advance over low-lying areas which, besides being cut up by ditches, are water-logged and in some places pitted "V'th shell craters full of water. Under such conditions also the construction of entrenchments is no easy matter. The day is so tenacious that it will not leave the shovel, which has continually to be scraped, while in the wettest places the soil is so liquid that parapets slide down into shapeless musses as soon as they are thrown up and the aides of an excava- tion continually cave in It is reported that in one place the mud is so bad that in a recent action between the French and G-ermans neither side could fire their riiies aDd clubbed them or fonght with shovels and pickaxes.