Abergavenny Chronicle

CHEMISTRY OF DEATH ON BOTH SIDES. In his brief account of the British attack upon the German trenches south-west of Huluch, and the Hohenzollern redoubt, Sir John French stated that the attack was made under cover of a cloud of smoke and gas. In a despatch to the "Daily Tele- graph," Mr. Pnilip Gibbs descries the attack, which he witnessed. "Presently, when our artillery lifted, there were new clouds arising from the ground and spreading upwards in a great dense curtain of a fleecy texture. They came from our smoke-shells, which were to mark our infantry attack. Through them and beyond them rolled another wave of cloud, a thinner, whiter vapour, which clung to the ground, and then curled forward to the enemy's lines. That's our gas! said a voice on one of the slag-heaps, amidst a little group of observers. And the wind is dead right for it,' said another voice. The Germans will get a taste of it this time!' "Then there was silence, and some of those observers held their breath as though that gas had caught their own throats and choked them a little. They tried to pierce through that great bar of cloud, to see the. drama behind its curtain—men caught in those fumes, the terror-stricken flight be- fore its advance, the sudden cry of the enemy trapped in their dug-outs. Imagina- tion leapt out, through invisibility, to the realisation of the things that were happen- ing beyond. "Later, from our place of observation, there was one brief glimpse of the human element in this scene of impersonal powers and secret forces. Across a stretch of flat ground beyond some of those zig-zag lines of trenches, little black things were scurry- ing forward. They were not bunched together in close groups, but scattered. Some of them seemed to hesitate, and then to fall, and lie where they fell, others hurrying on until they disappeared in the drifting clouds. "It was all that one could see of our in- fantry attack. led by the bombers. The enemy were firing tempests of shells. Some of them were curiously coloured of a pinkish hue, or with orange-shaped puffs of vivid green. They were poison shells, giving out noxious gases. All the chemistry of death was poured out on both sides. Below it, and in it. our men fought with a fierce valour, and in these fields swept by shell- fire from heavy guns reached the enemy's trenches and earthworks. For 1,000 yards they carried the German first-line trenches to the south and west of Hulluch, and swept up the main trench of the Hohenzol- lern Redoubt. "But the enemy was strong, as usual, in machine-guns, and held on to some of their trenches with a desperate courage, while these which we had captured came under the fire of their batteries. "There were many acts of magnificent courage and a superb endurance of the officers and men in this difficult position. Only by the most resolute valour have they held to the ground which was gained at the cost of many lives."

I SOLDIER'S DEATH FROM DRUG. I At Shorncliife on Saturday an inquest was held on the body of Private Geo. A. Ander- son, of the Canadian Infantry, who, it was stated, had died from an overdose of heroin, a mon/iine drug given him by his friend and comrade, Private Floydd Williams. Both men had come home from the front wounded, but had recovered. Captain Mersera/i, of the Canadian Army Medical Corps, said the bottle containing the powder was marked "Dangerous." The soldiers seemed able to get it in France, and took it because of its soothing sensation, and the fact that it seemed to banish fear. The method of inhaling it, which would be described in the evidence, was new. It acted more quickly that way. It was stated that the soldiers called the powder, which was white, "snowstuff." Williams, who had been placed under arrest, said that in the first instance both Anderson and he took some of the powder. Later deceased twice asked for more, and ultimately witness put some on the back of Anderson's hand. He told him not to take it all, but deceased sniffed it all up his nose. Witness was unaware that it was a fatal poison. The verdict was "Death by misadven- ture." —'

I 21 ENEMY TRAWLERS CAPTURED. I The following German trawlers (each of which carried ten hands) have been captured and brought into Grimsby recently: On October 2: Burgermeister, Smidt, St- Georg, Burhave, Jutland, Dora, Adjutant, Sophie. On October 9: Blumenthal, Resie, Varel, Heppens, President Rose, Walsdorf, Paul Wurzburg, Ekma, Doktor Krugler, Toni, Sonntag, Herbert West, Perseus. Thirteen vessels had cargoes of fish, which have been sold in the Grimsby pontoon. The total number of trawlers brought into Grimsby since October 1 is twenty-one. The vessels were engaged in fishing operations. There is no suggestion of mine-laying. The crews were landed, and have since been re- moved to an inland internment camp.

I FATAL BOMB PRACTICE.. A. verdict of "Accidental death" was re- turned at Frensham Hill Military Hospital at the inquest on Private George Wadell, aged nineteen, of the Royal Irish Rines, who received fatal injuries whilst practising bomb-throwing at Borden Camp. One of the bombs scattered, and a piece of metal penetrated Wadell's leg. Gangrene set in, and the leg had to be amputated. The operation was successful, but the man sank and died on the following day. Private John Davidson, who was struck by a piece of the same bomb, appeared in the witness-box with his head bandaged.

I IN THE MUNITIONS COURT. A local court of the Metropolitan Muni- tions Tribunal refused to grant a certificate of discharge to William Henry Denton, who said that his employers, a rubber company, had discharged him at a moment's notice. It was stated by the general manager that Denton struck work and went to a rival firm, who paid him 30s. a week more than he had been receiving. An appeal was made to the Tribunal, and the man had to re- turn, but later, complaining that two other men in the mill were getting more money than he was, Denton refused to resume work until he received a similar amount. He was suspended but not discharged. The general manager added that the man pos- sessed certain valuable secrets in connection with the rubber company, whose rivals were gteatly desirous of obtaining his services. His wages were X2 a week, and there was every possibility of his making extra money shortly.

I WOMAN MOTORIST KILLED. Mrs. May Boulter, of Hoxton, London, who was very well known as an ardent motorist, and very popular in the motoring world, has been killed at Southgate. The Southgate motor ambulance, which had been conveying wounded soldiers to Edmonton Military Hospital, was slowly entering the gateway of the council offices when Mrs. Boulter approached on her cycle at a good rate and collided with the front of the am- bulance. She was thrown under the wheels and died in a few moments from shock and internal injuries. The jury returned a verdict of Acci- dental death," and exonerated the driver of the ambulance from blame. i ■ i ■" —

Lord Warwick is to be Mayor of Warwick next year. He was formerly; mayor from 1894 to 1897. Dr. A. F. Murison has been appointed Deputy-Professor of Civil Law: at Oxford University for one year.

Clearing Ground.—All old haulm and weeds should be collected and burnt, spread- ing the remains on the land. iknv ti-ad or diseased growths from the herbaceous border or shrubbery should be added to the fire, and all fallen fruit tree leaves. Chrysanthemum (Pyrethrum) llliginosum. —This is a tall-growing moon daisy of con- siderable value to cut for indoor decoration in large vases at this season, and for the Rower or shrubbery borders. Growing four feet to six feet in height, it is a pleasing companion plant for the later-flowering Michaelmas daisies, with its comparatively large white flowers. The plants thrive in ordinary garden soil containing a fair amount of manure. Increase is by division of the roots, which may be carried out suc- cessfully in February or March. Protecting Fruit.—Permanent posts for carrying the nets in fruit quarters are often unsightly. Here is a post that can be re- moved when not wanted. A is a three-inch square deal post five feet high. B, socket for receiving A, to be well tarred; size slightly larger than the post. C, piece of deal three inches square with a board screwed on the top to put in B when the post is not wanted; B is to remain in the ground. The end posts only are to have a hook in the side. Pruning Evergreen Shrubs.—These can still be pruned when it is not necessary to give them drastic treatment, but they should not be cut back 60 hard at this time of year to render them bare and brown. The work can be done expeditiously and well with secateurs. Kinds like laurels, yews, holiies, and similar shrubs can be treated like this. Flowering Currant.—The varieties of ribes sanguineum are favourite flowering shrubs thriving in most soils and positions Insert the cuttings on a sheltered border outside in a prepared bed of sandy soil. Make the cuttings eight or nine inches long, and dibble in firmly four to six inches apart. Carrots.-Where growth is arrested the roots may be lifted at any time, and stored in sand in a cool cellar or outbuilding. The illustration shows how the foliage should be A, point of cutting to prevent growth in winter. removed, cutting with it just a thin slice of thfc roots, by which means growth is ren- dered impossible during winter. « The Week's Work. Border carnations that have not yet been dealt with should be planted out in prepared beds, thoroughly digging the ground and incorporating with the soil some well decomposed manure. Plant firmly 9in. to 1ft. apart. Plenty of young growths from the aubitetoa can be obtained now, which if inserted round the edges of 5in. pots in moderately sandy soil. and stood in a cold frame, will root readily, making good plants for placing out in spring. Cuttings of pansy, viola, antirr- hinum, iberis, calceolaria, marguerite, gaza- nia, pentstemon, carnation, pink, rose, and evergreen shrubs may be inserted in sandy soil in a cold frame. Borders and beds in which roses are intended to be planted next month should be deeply dug, working in a liberal dressing of rotted manure, wood ashes, Jresh loam and a sprinkling of bone- meal. Affix bands of grease-proof paper, 6in. wide, 4ft. from the ground round the trunks of apple trees and smear the surface with cart grease or similar dressing. This will catch the female moths which craw up the. stems and deposit eggs. Examine wall trees for crowded branches, dead wood and elongated spurs. Remove or shorten as necessary. The treatment is beneficial, permitting free -access of light. and air. Ground intended for planting fruit trees and bushes requires preparation beforehand so as to settle down in position ready for planting. Deep digging or trenching is the best, working in only small quantities of manure, except in the case of raspberries, loganberries, gooseberries, and currants. Mushroom beds may be made up in dark, warm sheds when a sufficient quantity of sweetened horse manure, which has been properly prepared by heating and turning several times, has been secured. The depth of manure should not be less than 1ft. and compressed very firmly. Insert spawn at temperature of 85deg. Give the final earth- ing to more rows of celery plants that are fully grown. Tie the leaf-stalks together loosely with raffia so as to prevent soil fall- ing into the centres. » Cabbages.—Rather than allow a plot of land to remain vacant during the winter, a few cabbage plants may be purchased and put in. If the bean crop is becoming un- profitable, the site may well be cleared for cabbages, and as the latter like a firm root run practically no prepara tion of the ground will be necessary. Fifteen irches between the plants and 18in. between the rows should be sufficient space to allow. Autumn-flowering Crocus.—Flowering in cosy nooks and corners of the rock garden and hardy fernery, or on sheltered grassy banks and borders, the dainty autumn- flowering crocuses are delightful. Plant the bulbs during July or August. They thrive in ordinary garden soil, which must be well drained. Select positions facing from south to west to prevent damage to the flowers by the morning sun following an early autumn frost and cold, cutting winds. A few of the most distinct and pleasing now in bloom are C. asturicus, mauve or purple lilac; C. cancellatus, purple and white, vars. cilicicus, deep lilac, and lilacinus, light lilac striped; C. hadriaticus, white; C. medius, rich violet; C. pulchellus, lavender- blue; Salzmannii, lilac; C. Speciosus, blue: and C. zonatus, tosy-lilac.

The Swiss political department has re- ceived a communication from Berlin stating that Emile Doerflinger, a Swiss subject who was sentenced to death for espionage at Mul- hausen, has been pardoned by the Emperor after the intervention of the Swiss Federal Council. At a Bethnal Green inquest the jury handed their fees, amounting to .£1 6s., to the fund for the provision of extra com- forts for wounded soldiers in the local military kospital.

HOW THE COVETED CROSS WAS WON. I The King has awarded the most coveted of honours, the Victoria Cross, to several heroes among the forces acting in Gallipoli. The honours were won during the taking of the Lone Pine trenches, and Captain Bean, the official Press representative with the Australian Forces in the Dardanelles, sends an account of the heroic attack by the troops. Captain Bean writes as follows: The Lone Pine had stood out of the back- ground behind the white line of the Turkish dump-a tattered relic of the greenery that once flourished there. About the beginning of August it disappeared. A few days later, when it was decided that some heavy blows must be dealt at the Turkish Army opposite Anzac, it was determined to send the 1st Australian Infantry Brigade. The attack was timed for 5.30 in the after- noon, and from half-past two onwards the battalions were marching into place. There had been a lot of casual speculation in camp for a month past as to whether it would J)e possible to take those Lone Pine trenches. For three months no one had poked his nose between those two lines of trenches by day, and very few by night-it meant a too certain death. Now, when they were to go out within five minutes in the brilliant light of a summer's afternoon not one of these wonderful infantrymen showed the least trace of excitement. I THE FIRST BRIGADE ATTACK. I "Going to get a snapshot of us as we go across?" an infantryman asked me. "It's the turn of the First Brigade to show them what we can do," he added. That was the one thing they were thinking about more than any other. It was the turn of the First Brigade. The Third Brigade- Queenslanders and Tasm-,inians,h-,td immor- talised itself on the day of the landing, and the Second Brigade-the Victorians-had made their wonderful charge at Helles. An officer, crouched under the parapet, looked down at his wrist watch. "Get ready to go over," he said. Then he un- buckled the whistle which was strapped to his wrist and put it between his teeth. Suddenly there sounded a whistle taken up from a score of different points. The officer in our recess had sounded his, and was clambering out over the dusty sandbags. The whole population of that recess was scrambling up on to the step and over the top, knocking down showers of earth. I THE ATTACKERS PUZZLED. I Every Australian wore white bands on his sleeves and a square white patch on his back, and the whole heathland seemed full of white patches hurrying towards the sand mounds opposite. Only a few single figures were now racing across the scrub—men who had fallen or who had something special to carry-a bag of ammunition or of bombs—or who had been stopped by the congestion from getting out as soon as the others. They had been left behind by the first rush, but they had not the least intention of vftiiting for the second. One's heart was in one's mouth until one saw him join the crowd on the other side; but it was wonderful how he got there. Those who came up from behind poked along among their comrades until they found a place, and then they stood there, too obviously puzzled. As a matter of fact, they had found them- selves looking down, not into a trench, but upon a very solid roof, made of logs, with withered boughs and earth spread over them. The men knew there would be some parts of the trench covered, but there ap- peared to be scarcely any of it uncovered. I THE TURKS HELPLESS. ) Others noticed that in the solid roof there were manholes left at intervals, apparently to allow the listening patrols to creep at night. They were just large enough to allow a man to wriggle through, and that was enough for the First Brigade. They wriggled down into them, feet fore- most, as a burglar might wriggle into a skylight. It was a deed for which, if it were a solitary instance, any man might get a Vic- toria Cross. What could the Turks do with a brigade like that? Once they got into the trench the thing was a foregone conclu- sion. I suppose I shall not be credited when I say that these men were almost worn out with fatigue before the attack started; not with the preparation for this attack-that was the one thing that buoyed them up- but with the sixteen weeks incessant work in the trenches. So it was that Lonesome Pine was won. For two crowded hours, while the glare of a summer afternoon slowly changed into the rosy flush of a glorious evening, I watched line after line, or crowd after crowd, go across the fire-swept heath, until the last of the supports had been absorbed into the trenches opposite. I never saw the least sign of hesitation in making that crossing, nor a single un- wounded man, except a messenger, turn back. It was a quarter of an hour before the last of the men who had lined the parapet of the enemy's trench disappeared into it. Lots of them over on the right lay there still lining that parapet for an hour after the first charge, and we wondered what was kepeing them there until we realised that they were not moving, and would never move again.

DUTCHMAN VERSUS GERMAN. I At Bow-street Police-court on Saturday, the story of a Dutchman's travels was told, when Stephen Petrius Dericks was sentenced to three months' hard labour for tampering with a passport. It was stated for the prosecution that Dericks, on arrival at Hull from Rotterdam on October 6, showed a Swiss passport issued at Berne on May 28. A piece of black cloth had been pasted on the back of the document, thus concealing the vises show- ing the various countries through which the holder had recently travelled. According to his own account, Dericks -was a waiter at Liége on the outbreak of the war. Since then he appeared to have gone through Germany, Austria, Roumania, Turkey, Greece, and Morocco. He then went to Switzerland, where he got the pass- port in question. After that he went to South America, and returned as a sailor. He had told a detective that he was em- ployed at an hotel at Lidge when the Ger- mans entered the town. A German officer came to the hotel and asked him for a room. He replied that the place was full, and the officer pulled out a revolver and said: "I'll give you five minutes to find me a room." He took the officer upstairs, and when they got to a landing he switched off the light and then kicked the officer downstairs.

COLLIERS WHO LOST TIME. At Pontefract on Saturday, five Glass- houghton colliers pleaded guilty te absence from work, and were ordered to pay Y,2 damages each. Mr. Gichard, prosecuting, said that at Glasshoughton colliery 375 men out of 1,062 averaged four shifts only out of a possible six weekly. The output had de- creased by 548 tons daily and by 99,748 tons, or 23 per cent., in the last six months. On the Thursday previous, when it was known these proceedings had been instituted, the output was less by a hundred tons than any Thursday of the last twenty-six weeks. The company was paying relief to 1,022 de- pendants of nearly a thousand men who had joined the forces to the amount of X116 weekly, and one would have thought that their relatives and friends left behind would work every ounce to fulfil their obligations.

"I The Kaiser has conferred the Irofe Cross of the first class on Dr. Helfferich, the Ger- man Secretary of State for Finance. Mrs. Jamieson, an Edinburgh widow, has a brother, three sons, and seventeen nephews serving in His Majesty's forces. The Prime Minister of New Zealand has announced that steps were being taken to transport all German traders from Samoa, Tonga, and other Pacific islands-

OUR CHILDREN'S CORNER. I XT I UNCLE RALPH. I My DEAB. CHILDREN,— These delightful Autumn months pass all too quickly, and before we know just where we are King Winter,, bringing with him the cold winds, snow, and ice, will be with us once again. With the approach of Winter, the thoughts of hundreds and thousands will" be with our soldiers and sailors in the great fight they are putting up for our pro- tection, and yet again I want my little nieces in particular to do something very practical for them. That is, I am pro- posing another Great Knitting Competi- tion, in which I should like every child who possibly can to take part, never mind how small the contribution may be, and if your parents and friends will help you in this good work so much the better. Remember- ing our united efforts of last year, some mothers have already promised their assist- ance, even before I had time to ask, and I must take this opportunity of expressing to them my appreciation of their kindness. I certainly quite believe that most of us can spare just a little time each day, and we must not allow ourselves to be idle or waste precious time, while there are those who really stand in need of anything that our hands can make. After all the navy and the khaki is but a uniform that covers human hearts throbbing with the purest affection or aching under the pressure of pain or privation. My little nieces I know will be quick to realise this, and will let me have all the support they can give. "The truly brave, when they behold the brave oppressed with odds, are touched with a desire to shield and save." During the cold weather warm khaki and navy socks are particularly needed by our men, and other very necessary articles are sleeping-helmets, body-belts, mumers, and mittens made with half-thumbs. We have just two months before us, as I have arranged for this special competition (which will be quite apart from our regular' contests) to close on December 17, the garments being despatched to our heroes to reach them Christmas Day. I want each member of the "C.C.U." who enters into this good work to firmly attach a postcard, bearing her name and address, to the garments sent in, so that the recipients will have the opportunity of acknowledging the gifts direct, or if you prefer, a sheet of paper and an envelope addressed to your- self. No stamp, of course, will be needed. I should like to have the names of those who are willing to help. And now I have some news for you-there are TWELVE SPECIAL PRIZES for the best pieces of knitting sent in, and TWELVE SPECIAL AWARDS for the best bundle received, so that every competitor will have two splendid chances of winning a Christmas gift. > How are you getting on with the painting of "Master Teddy?" Remember the closing date for this competition is October 28, and next week I hope to be able to announce something quite different. Good-bye to all until then. With much love. Tour affectionate, UNCLE RALPH. I l THH CHILDREN'S CORNER UNION. FOUNDED BY UNCLE RALPH. (Open to Boys and Girl. under 15 years.) Flcate enrol me as a Member of the MC.C.U." My age is yean. A ddrt" ".h. Date Wlieo lignedpostto UNCLE RALPH,S. LA B8Lt.8 Sauvao*, Loxdok, B.C. lIIembere itslrinc an Illuminated membotably card, initablt for framing. should enclose ptaar (tanu I- with this form. -1 ANSWERS TO LETTERS. I DENYIJ LINE: Thank you for your nice little letter. I am very glad to be aole to welcome you as a member. Yes, you must try for the Competitions. There are quite a number of new members this week, as you will see. ARTHUR TIUPBRLEY Delighted to welcome you and your sister Marjorie to the "Corner." Lucy CHENHALL: Yet another new member. A Thousand welcomes. CYRIL GOLDING: Thanks for your letter, Cyril. You evidently had a good time. I am glad to hear you are going in for the scholar- ship, and hope you will come out top. EVELYN HUGHES: I'shall be very glad to welcome you to our "Corner." Will you fill up the coupon with your name and ad- dress? EDITH BLOTT: I am more than pleaded to hear from you once again. Yes, I should like to have a letter every week if you can really manage it. REG HAZLE- WOOD No, I have not forgotten you, and I am very pleased to hear that you were so successful in the Junior Scholarship for which you have been working. GRACE FRENCH: Thank you 60 much for your nice letter. I am so glad to know that you will undertake some knitting for the soldiers, and that mother will help too. MAURICE COMPTON: I am very pleased to have your letter, and to know that you are getting over the accident. I hope you will soon be quite strong again. GEORGE BAKER: Glad to hear that you, too, are getting better. I have your entry for the competition. FRED Cox: Never mind, Fred, crayons will do quite as well, and your picture is very neat. IDA PERTTT t I am pleased to enroll you as a member. I see you are already busy knitting for the soldiers, and I am sure they will be glad of your help. CHILDREN'S CORNER UNION. Founded by UNCLE RALPH. Open to all Boys and Girla under 15 years ti of age. RU-LES OF MEMBERSHIP. 1. To do a good turn to someone every day. 2. To be bright and sunny from morning till night. 3. To be kind and considerate to others. 4. To be truthful, honest and diligent. 5. To be unselfish in thought and action. 6. To be kind to all animals. I NEW MEMBERS. I 2,883, Ronald Rush; 2,884, Florrie Brown; 2,885, Thomas Leggie; 2,886, Vanda Wat- kin; 2,886A, Greta Brown; 2,887, Dorothy Ely; 2,888, Kathleen Smith; 2,889, Nancy Pettit; 2,890, Robin James; 2,891, Barbara Paxton; 2,892, Robin James; 2,893, Ida Perry; 2,894, Leslie Stephens; 2,895, Kath- leen Gibson; 2,897, M. F. Compton; 2,897A, Molly Peet; 2,898, Fanny Henderson; 2,899, Abraham Caddell; 2,900, John Mensah; 2,901, Evelyn Hughes; 2,902, D. Wise; 2,903, Waller Smyth; 2,904, Irene Pettier; 2,905, Jessie Gill; 2,906, Winnie Ethering- ton; 2,907, G. Cooper; 2,908, Lucy Chen- hall; 2,909, Arthur Timperley; 2,910, Mar- jorie Timperley; 2,911, Denys Line.

Questioning Mr. Charles Roberts, for the National Insurance Commissioners, in the House of Commons, Mr. Booth suggested that it would be impossible for many societies and branches to survive a st rict valuation, but Mr. Roberts said the Com- missioners did not take this view. On October 30 the Merthyr Labour Party will meet to choose a candidate for the Merthyr Parliamentary vacancy. Mr. W. F. Homer, of the West Ham Angling Society, has caught in the Wye at Hereford a 23-allb. pike, measuring 45in.

SALIENT TWO MILES DEEP IN ENEMY'S POSITION. SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT. On Tuesday night the Press Bureau issued; the following telegram from Field-Marshal Sir John French. It is dated General Head. quarters, Oct. 19, at 7.20 p.m. "Since my communique of Oct. 14 the- artillery of both sides has been very active on our front south of the La Bassee Canal. The enemy has made a number of bombing attacks in the neighbourhood of Fosse No. 8, which have all been repulsed. "The continued reports in the German com- muniques of the repulse of British attacks north-east of Vermelles have no foundation ill. fact. The position where the fighting men- tioned above has taken place would be more correctly described as south-west of Auchy-Lez- La Bassee, from which it is about 1,500 yards distant. It lies about 3,000 yards north-east of Vermelles. "The new front now leaves our old line at, a point about 1,200 yards south-west of the southern, edge of Auchy-Lez-La Bassee, and. runs thence through the main trench of the Hohenzollern Redoubt in an easterly direc- tion, 400 yards south of the southern buildings of Fosse No. 8, to the south-western corner of the quarries. "We also hold the south-eastern corner of the quarries, our trenches running thence south-east parallel to and 400 yards from the south-western edge of Citd St. Elie to a point 500 yards west of the north edge of Hulluch- "The line then runs along the Lens-La Bassee road to the chalk pit 1,500 yards north of the highest point of Hill 70, and then turns south-west to a point 1,000 yards east of Loos Church, where it bends south-east to the north-west slope of Hill 70, and runs alon g the western slopes of that hill, bending south- west to a point 1,200 yards south of Loos Church, whence it runs due west back to our old line. "The chord of the salient we have created in the enemy's line measured along our old front is 7,000 yards in length, the depth of the front is 7,000 salient at the chalk pit is 3,200 yards. "Since September 28 the enemy has rein- forced his troops holding the front we attacked by forty-eight battalions, which include a division of the Guard. "After heavy bombardment the enemy at- tacked our front this afternoon between the quarries and Hulluch, and was everywhere re- pulsed.

ATTEMPTED IMURDER BY INDIAN. An Indian merchant, named Damoda das Lamba, aged 30, was found guilty at the Cen- tral Criminal Court, London, on Tuesday, of the attempted murder of Lilian Eastlake Becker, a sergeant's wife. The prisoner and the woman had cohabited, and the prisoner, on his return from India, found that she had married a soldier. The jury strongly recommended the prisoner to mercy, as they thoifght he acted under great. provocation. The prisoner, clasping his hands, said in a faltering voice, "My lord, I ask for mercy." His Lordship, referring to Mrs. Becker, said that she married a sergeant not because she loved him but because she would be entitled to- the separation allowance, Lamba was sentenced to seven years' penal. servitude.

PRISON FOR RECTOR'S WIFE. A horrible story of cruelty by a rector's wife, to a fifteen-year-old servant girl was related at Somerset Assizes at Wells on Tuesday, when Mrs. Amelia Thomas, wife of the Rev. J. M. Douglas Thomas, rector of Kittisford, who ( pleaded guilty to a common assault, was sen- tenced to two months' imprisonment in the second division for ill-treating and neglecting Muriel Giles. The girl herself, who was brought by Mrg. Thomas to Kittisford from a home at New- bury, gave details of several acts of cruelty On one occasion, she said, she was struck with: a saucepan. On September 7 she was behind with her work, and her mistress beat her with a stick and kept her on bread and water. On September 10 her mistress beat her again, and; she ran away. e

COLONEL VICKERS DEAD. Colonel T. E. Vickers, C.B., who for more than fifty years had the technical control of the firm now known as Vickers, Limited, and pioneer of the British armament industry, died on Tuesday in his eighty-third year. He entered the business, which had been con- ducted by his grandfather and father before- him, at Millsands and Wadsley, near Sheffield, and was placed in practical control of the works in 1854, before he was twenty-two years of age. Soon afterwards he introduced into. this country from Germany the manufacture of steel castings. Colonel Vickers, who had been chairman of the company since 1873, retired in 1910, and: was granted a pension of £6,000 a year for life by the company. He joined the volunteer movement at the outset, and was decorated for- his services in this direction. ————— —————

SPY EXECUTED IN LONDON. I The Secretary of the War Office on Tues- day made the following announcement:— UN Two prisoners who were charged with. espionage and tried by general court-martial r in London on September 28, 29, and 30, were- r both found guilty. In the one case sentence of death was- passed, and in the other sentence of penal servitude for five years. The findings and sentences have been duly; confirmed, and the prisoner who was sen- i tenced to death was executed this morning. I S

POISONED HUSBAND'S RUM. J At the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday^ Florence Jane Morton was indicted for the attempted murder of her husband, a first- class petty officer in the Royal Navy. The allegation was that when her husband W20 leaving home to rejoin his ship she'gave hint a bottle of rum, into which she had put- some spirits of salts. The prisoner was found guilty of adminis- tering spirits of salts "with intent to injure, aggrieve, or annoy." She was bound over itt the sum of X20 to come up for judgment when called upon. <

ADMIRED COUNT ZEPPELIN. t An Englishwoman who had married 4 IF %rman sailor serving in the German Navy IP was fined on Tuesday by a London magi? It. trate E25 or two months' imprisonment for H having failed to register herself as an alien* Attention had been drawn to the woman by reason of the fact that after an air raid she I said, in public hearing, that Count Zepp lin was a gentleman, and had spoken adr L versely about the Allies.

i KILLED BY ROYAL MOTOR. ) ■ I Miss Annie Lidyard, of Ashford, Middlesex I |I sister-in-law of Mr. Stephen Phillips, the poet., was knocked down and killed by Princem I Louise's motor-car at Ashford, on Tuesday. JI The Princess alighted and did all she could for Miss Lidyard, but she was beyond all ai-di j No blame is attached to the chauffeur. j

As Mrs. Alice Forbes, wife of Captain Arthur Forbes, of the Booth Line, who is at ,{ sea, was about to be cross-examined at Liverpool in an action in which she waa i plaintiff, she was seized with a fit of coughv jng, and on being removed died in th* Royal Infirmary. Sir Charles Wakefield, who will take off N |fJ;, as Lord Mayor of London on November 9. ■ s was received" by the Lord Chancellor at the Houee of Lords. The Lord Mayor-elect, t who was accompanied by the sheriffs and t aldermen of the City, afterwards attended t ( a special service at Westminster. I J t

OUR LONDOÎf LETTER, I I [From Our SpeciaZ Corresponded.] ] One of the things which would astonish the Germans in connection with, the Zeppelin raids, is the demeanour of Londoners when the visitors are hovering overhead. A Ger- man paper the other day informed its readers that certain departments of the Government had been transferred from Lon- don for a; place of safety further inland. and people believe over there that at the first warning of the approach of Zeppelins all of us scuttle as fast as we can to our cellars and burrows. It is true that the police have warned people to stay indoors, and certainly that is the most sensible thing to do; but curiosity seems to be a stronger motive than fear, and people rush into the street to lock. These who have not yet seen a Zeppelin are jealous of those who have. It would be an exaggeration to say they hope for another visit, but cer- tainly they hope they themselves will have better luek next time. A friend tells me that on the occasion of the latest visit of the Zeppelins to the "London area," when crowds were standing in the street gazing upwards and watching the shells bursting and the searchlights playing, a man suddenly said, "I must fetch the boy; I promised him he should see it next time." He ran indoors, came back with a little chap in his arms, and pointed the Zeppelin out to him. A lady tcld me she had come out of the theatre early and was walking home. "I had a splendid view," she said. As on the occasion of the previous visit, there were rumours of a Zeppelin having been brought down, but they were dispelled by the official statement. People who demand somebody's head because the marauders got safely away have not the lst idea of the difficulty of hitting an air- ship at night with a she'-l. The Zeppelin, flying at a great height, offers only a small target, and there is the difficulty of accu- rately estimating the range as well as the speed at which the object is travelling. Anti- aircraft gunnery is a matter cf involved and difficult calculations made in a hurry, and —practice. We hear a good deal of the success of the German gunners against our aeroplanes, but it must be remembered that their work is done in daylight, and that the airmen cf the Allies provide them with plenty of practice. Zeppelins, on the con- trary, only pay occasional visits to our shores, and they take precious good care to come in the dark. People who, on the strength of having at some time or other hit a rabbit with a shot gun, ueclare that there should be no difficulty in bringing down a Zeppelin, make one rather tired. But Sir Percy Scott has done great things in gunnery in his time, and we are all very hopeful that he will bag a Zeppelin or two. Paris, we are told, has found a way of defeating the menace, aCid what Paris has done can probably be done in London. Naturally, the danger of historic build- ings and national treasures being damaged by aircraft raids causes a good deal of public anxiety. It is obviously an impos- sible task to afford complete protection to buildings, though there are some people who seem to think Westminster Abbey might be completely covered and enclosed by a kind of bomb-prcof shelter. It is pretty certain that those responsible for the preservation of the Abbey and other famous buildings have considered all pos- sible means of protection, and that they have taken all practicable precautions. Many treasures of an artistic kind have been removed to safe places, but there are many, both in churches rnd museums, which cannot be moved. It has been suggested that the monuments in Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, and elsewhere should be pro- tected by sand-bags in the same way as has been done for llahere's tomb in the church of St. Bartholomew the Great. Of course, every arrangement has been made for deal- ing promptly with an outbreak of fixe. What with the darkness and the Zeppe- lins, theatrical managers are not having a particularly rosy time just now. There has naturally been a falling off in the size of the audiences: but the managers hope this is only temporary. There was a meeting the other day at which the advisability of having all performances in the afternoon was discussed, but the managers decided that there is no need to make such a change. Evening performances will therefore con- tinue to be the rule, but managers are at liberty to please themselves on the matter. One theatre, at any rate, has adopted the matinee policy. This is the Royalty, where "The Man Who Stayed at Home" is enjoy- ing a long run. It will be a khaki Lord Mayor's Show this year. The desire of the organisers is to help in the raising of recruits for the Services, and therefore the dominating note will be one of naval and military display. The War Office is co-operating in the effort, so as to make the pageant as effective as possible for the purpose. There will be detachments of men from the trenches representing all the London battalions, and they are certain of a cordial reception from the warm-hearted London crowd, which, though slightly contem. ptuoisi of Lord Mayor's Shows as a general rule, will cer- tainly accord to this particular one a full measure of approval. The fact that such a large proportion of those taking part will be in khaki may make the procession a somewhat drab affair to the eye, but every- thing that can be done to break the monotonous effect will be done. And after all, there is no finer colour than khaki these days. An innovation in connection with the Show this year will be the holding of a special service at St. Paul's Cathedral on the journey from the Guildhall to the Law Courts. Why cannot London have an exhibition of war trophies? Paris has had such exhibi- tions, and so has Berlin. In Paris now the people are crowding to see the guns and -other trophies captured by the French in the great advance. Naturally such a sight arouses enormous enthusiasm. The British have captured guns, too. Why cannot they be put on exhibition? Londoners, so far as I know—I mean stay-at-home Londoners —have seen only one German gun. Thia was on view in the courtyard of the War "Office a month or two after war broke out. It attracted many visitors, but think what enthusiasm there would be if a score or more of captured guns could be shown on the Horse Guards Parade! It weuld cer- tainly stimulate recruiting. A. E. M.