Abergavenny Chronicle

SCENES IN LONDON. I NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THE PALACE. I Extraordinary scenes of enthusiasm were witnessed in London on I uesday night. In anticipation of the receipt of Ger- many's reply, huge crowds gathered m Whitehall and outside Buckingham Palace. A Priv" v Council at the Palace was pre- ceded by a concentration of Ministers at Downing-street, and each was loudly cheered as he entered the Premier's official residence. Not since the Boer War have such crowdAsr, been seen in London, and Whitehall, the Mall, and Trafalgar-square were all packed with excited throngs. The enthusiasm culminated outside Buclc- ingham Palace. A lady came out of tho palace and announced that war had been declared. This was received with tremendous cheer- ing, which grew into a deafening roar when King George Queen Mary, and the Prince of Wales appeared on the balcony shortly after eleven o'clock. The great space in front of the Palace was packed with a dense mass of excited people, many of whom had clambered on to the Victoria Memorial. A6 'if by general accord, the cheers gave wav to the singing of the National Anthem, which was taken up lustily by the whole throng.  F? fuUv five miirat™ the Royal party remained' OB the M<™y. They ret,red arnidst a ?fee storm f cileermg> and ???owd.?eque? began to melt ?way, thousands remained.

THE NAVY. OUR "SURE SHIELD": TI-Ilr *KING Is MESSAGE. in l.— The following message has been aacrefafeea uy his Majesty the King b Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, who tins assumed supreme command j of the Home Fleet: At this grave moment in our national his- tory I send to you, and through you to the officers and men of the fleets of which you have assumed command, the assurance of my confidence that under your direction they will revive and renew the old glories of the Royal Navy, and prove once again the sure shield of Britain and of her Empire in the hour of trial. GEORGE. R.I. The above message has been communicated tc the senior naval officers on all stations outside of home waters. NEW HEADS OF ARMY AND NAVY. Vice-Admiral Sir John Jellicoe has been appointed to the supreme command of the Home Fleet. Field-Marshal Sir John French has been re- appointed to his former position of Inspector- General of the Forces, which he resigned some time ago. Sir John Jellicoe has been Second Sea Lord since December, 1912, and it was known several months ago that he had been selected to suc- ceed Admiral Callaghan. He has had a most distinguished career, having served in the Egyptian war and in China. He was wrecked ill 1893 in the Victoria, but was saved after sinking, and severely wounded at Peitsang. Among his many decorations is one conferred by the Kaiser. He is fifty-five, and has been described as the Roberts and the Kitchener of the Navv. In the Navy he is known as "J. J." Rear-Admiral Charles E. Madden has been appointed Chief of Staff to Admiral Jellicoe. He has been Rear-Admiral Commanding the Third Cruiser Squadron since 1912; prior to that he commanded the Home Fleet, and he has also been Fourth Sea Lord. —— 0 ——

GERMAN NAVAL DISASTER. DREADNOUGHT AND CRUISER CAPTURED. The naval war has begun. In the Mediter- ranean a German Dreadnought and cruiser and iiiother criii, r sunk. The German ships Goeben, Breslaa, and Panther, after bombarding the Algerian towns Bona and Philippeville, were caught by British and French squadrons. The French fleet, which put out from Toulon, overtook the German on iuesday, captured the Goeben and the Breslau, and sank the Panther. This last is the vessel which figured in the German coup at Agadir some years ago.. 1 he Goeben was one of the mOfk modern and most powerful units in the German navy. She was a Dreadnought of 22,50D tons with a speed record of 281 knots. It is stated that a German torpedo-boat ex- ploded and sank in the Baltic two miles off Gedser, thirty men being drowned. The British Government has received inti- mation of the sinking of a British mine layer by the German fleet. DESTROYER'S RUNNING FIGHT. The British destroyer Pathfinder is reported to have passed May Island, about five miles off the Fife coast, firing all guns. It was stated earlier that the Pathfinder, a destroyer, had been chased by the German fleet reported to have sunk a British mine-layer, but had escaped. FOREIGN SHIPS FOR OUR NAVY. The Admiralty have taken over the two battleships, one completed and the other Bhortly due for completion, which had been ordered in this country by the Turkish Government, and the two destroyer-leaders ordered by the Government of Chile. The two battleships will receive the names Agincourt and Erin, and the destroyer- leaders will be called Faulkner and Broke, after two famous naval officers. ——

GREAT BATTLE IN BELGIUM. GERMAN ARMY REPULSED. The "Daily Chronicle reports a great battle in Belgium, in which 85,000 troops were engaged, and 45,000 Germans were repulsed by 40,000 Belgians in the district between Liege and V ise. The Belgians have blown up bridges to delay the German advance. The iorts of Liege are supporting the Belgian troops. The towns of Vise and Argenieu have been set on fire by the Germans. I GOVERNMENT TAKES RAILWAYS. An Order in Council has been made de- claring that the Government has taken con- trol over the railroads in Great. Britain. This control will be exercised through an executive committee composed of general managers of railways, which has been formed for some time and has prepared plans. Although the railway facilities for other than naval and military purposes may for a time be somewhat restricted, the effect of tiie use of the powers will be to co-ordinate the demands on the railways of the civil communities with those necessary to meet the special requirements of the naval and military authorities. More normal condi- tions will in due course bo restored, and it is hoped that the public will recognise the necessity for the special conditions and will in the general interest accommodate them- selves to the inconvenience involved. Mr. 1-1. A. Walker, general manager of the L. and S.W. Railway, who is acting chairman of the executive committee of managers, has issued a statement pointing out that Govern- ment control it; for the purpose of ensuring that the railways, locomotives, rolling stock, tli.it the srba aillwl i1),,? used as one complete unit in the best interests of the State for the move- ment of troops, stores, and food supplies. The official chairman of the committee is the President of the Board of Trade, and the rail- way secretary is Mr. Gilbert S. Szlumper. It mav be necessary to discontinue at short notice a nortion of the advertised service, or to close certain of the lines against ordinary traffic. Under these circumstances no responsi- bility can be accepted for any delay or loss that mav arise. PROCLAMATIONS. In addition to the proclamation for call- ing out the Army Reserve (which also gives authority for embodying the Territorial Force ) and to that for continuing soldiers in Army service who, apart from the emer- gency, would be eligible for transfer to the Army Reserve, a proclamation has also been made with reference to emergency measures which may require to be taken for securing the public safety and the defence of the realm. The object of the proclamation is to con- firm the authority of oiffcers or other per- sons acting on behalf of the Crown called upon by exceptional circumstances to take such measures and to make known to the public generally that such measures i,ay be taken. A further proclamation on Tuesday calls out the Militia of Jersey. In the House of Commons Mr. Asquith delivered a message from the King. This was read by the Speaker and announced the calling out of the Reserves. STATE INSURANCE FOR SHIPS. In the House of Commons on Tuesday announcement was made of measures taken by the Government to ensure free passage of food and raw material from all quarters of the earth during the war. "Although this scheme is promulgated in the midst of an emergency, it is not in any sense a panic ftcheme prepared in an emergency," said Mr. Lloyd George in outlining the steps taken for the insurance of shipping. "We want," he added, "to encourage ships to keep to the sea and preserve an abundant supply of food and material, and allow our tragic to go on during the time of war. We are perfectly convinced that with the protec- tion of the British Navy, supplemented by a scheme of thi3 kind, we can secure that vital condition." It was proposed that the work of Te-in- surance, etc., should be done by a State In- surance Office to be opened in London. It had already been opened. The State Office would undertake to insure cargoes in British ships, but not on those already afloat. Sir Douglas Owen, a well-known authority on foreign shipping, added the Chancellor, has placed his services at the disposal of the Government. Associated with him on the Advisory Board would be men of weight and character in the insurance world. The scheme was not confined to voyages of ships bringing food supplies and raw materials to the United j Kingdom, for it was vital that British ship- ping in every part of the world should be pro- tecaed. p

BRITAIN AND FRANCE. SIR EDWARD GREY'S STATEMENT. The mobilisation of the Navy was completed at four a.m. on Monday. The mobilisation of the Army and embodiment of the Territorials were at once proceeded with. On Sunday Sir Edward Grey gave the French Ambassador the following assurance: "If the German fleet comes into the Channel, or through the North Sea, to undertake hostile operations against the French coast or shipping, we will give France all the assistance in our power." This announcement was made by Sir Edward Grey in the course of his very grave speech to the House of Commons on Monday. The news reaching London early was of the gravest description. Following close upon the German invasion of Luxemburg, came news of the vio- lation of Belgian neutrality, after Germany had offered to Belgium an entente if she would consent to give facilities for the passage of G erman troops through the country, a proposal which was refused. To accept it, said the Belgian reply, would be to sacrifice the honour of the nation. Belgium further stated her resolve to repel aggression by every possible means. The statement of Sir Edward Grey with re- gard to the attitude to be taken up by Great Britain was awaited with the keenest anxiety. v The atmosphere in the crowded House of Com- mons was tense with excitement. The Foreign Secretary said the policy of peace so far as the Great Powers of Europe wa-s concerned had failed. Te House was now free to decide what the British altitude would be. He assured the House that in the present crisis, up to Sunday, the Government had given no promise to any country of anything more than diplomatic support. France was involved in the dispute between Austria-Hungary and Scrvia because of her obligations and honour under a definite alli- ance with Russia. The obligation c-i honour could not apply in the same way to us. How far our friendship with France entailed obligations, let every man look into his Pieart and judge for himself. He would speak personally for himself. The French fleet was in the Mediterranean, and the northern and western coasts of France were absolutely undefended. The French fleet had been concentrated there because of her friendship with us. His own feeling was this "If a foreign fleet, en- gaged in a war which France has not sought and in which she is not the aggressor, comes down the English Channel and bombards and batters the undefended coasts of France, we cannot stand aside." Were we to say nothing as to what France should do with her fleet in the Mediterranean and leave her northern and western coasts absolutely unprotected at the mercy of the German fleet? They were in the presence of a European conflagration, the consequences of which no one could foresee. If Italy departed from her attitude of neutrality because she considered the war an aggressive one, what would be the position in the Mediterranean? No one could say that in the course of the next few weeks the neutrality of Great Britain might not ex- pose her to the most appalling risks. They were sounded as to whether a guarantee after the war as to the integrity of Belgium would content them. GERMANY'S OFFER. I lie understood that the German Government would be prepared if we would pledge our- selves to neutrality to agree that its Fleet would not attack the northern coast of France. He only heard that shortly before he came to the House, but it was for too narrow an en- gagement. There was a more serious consideration, be- coming more seriou6 every hour, and that was the question of the neutrality of Belgium. It was most important to know whether the French and German Governments were pre- pared to respect the neutrality of Belgium, and he addressed a Note to Paris and Berlin. The French Government said they would do so, but the German Foreign Minister said he could not give a reply, as it would disclose part of their plan of campaign. From the news he bad received he did not know how accurate it was that Germany had offered friendly relations to Belgium on con- dition that the passage of troops was facili- tated. If it were the case that there had been any- thing in the nature of an ultimatum to Bel- gium asking her to compromise her neutrality, her independence was gone, and if her inde- pendence went the independence of Holland would follow. Now he must ask the House from the point of view of British interests to consider what might be at stake. And what would be our position if France was beaten in a struggle for life and death and lost her position as a Great Power and became subordinate to a Power greater than herself, and if Belgium also fell under the same dominating influence, and then Holland and Denmark? I "IF WE RAN AWAY-" I It was stated that we might stand aside, hus- band our resources, and whatever happened intervene in the end and put things right. If, in a crisis like this, we ran away from our obligations of honour and interest with regard to the Belgian treaty, he doubted whether, whatever material force we might have at the end, it would be of very much value in the face of the respect we should have lost. If we were engaged in war we should suffer but little more than if we stood aside. We were going to suffer terribly in this war whether this country were at peace or war. Foreign trade was going to stop. He put the question of Belgium hypothetically, but if the facts turned out as they had reached them at present it was quite clear there was an obliga- tion on this country to do its utmost to pre- vent the consequences to which those facts would lead. He thought it was due to the House to say that we had taken no engagement yet with regard to sending an expeditionary force out of the country. The mobilisation of the Fleet had taken place. But we had not yet taken any engagement, because the Government felt that with our enormous responsibilities in India and other parts of the world, and with all the unknown factors, we must be very careful until we knew how we stood. We must prepared-altd we were prepared —for the consequences of using all the strength we had in the present crisis. At any moment—they knew not how soon- we might have to defend ourselves and take our part. If we shrank from using all the forces in our power, we would sacrifice our respect and sur good name in Europe, and at the same time not escape the serious economic eonse- quences. UNITED IRELAND. Mr. Redmond, who was received with great sheering, said there was a possibility of his- tory repeating itself. In 1778, at the end of the disastrous American War, when it might be said that the military power in this country was almost at its lowest ebb, the shores of ml were tfwatened with invasion. Then 100.000 Irish volunteers sprang into existence for the purpose of defending those shores. To-day there were in Ireland two larg e bouies of volunteers, one in the North and another in the South. He said to the Govern- ment that they might withdraw every one of their troops from Ireland. Ireland would be defended by her armed sons from foreign in- vasion, and for that purpose the armed Catho- lics in the South would be onlv too glad to join arms with the armed Protestant Ulster- men. Was it too much to hope that out of this situation a result might spring which would be good not merely for the Empire but for the futuie welfare and integrity of the Irish, nation?

I AMPLE SUPPLIES OF FOOD. I NO JUSTIFICATION FOR PANIC PRICES. A reassuring announcement on the actual position or the national food supplies was made late on Tuesday night through the Home Office by the Cabinet Committee appointed to deal with the question. The statement says: The President of the Board of Agriculture has already stated that the supply of wheat at present in the country, together with the home crops now being harvested, ie sufficient for I four months' crdinary consumption. In this statement no account is taken of wheat at this moment on the sea or to be shipped. Large consignments of wheat are now on the way to this country, and much of it is, in fact, close to our shores. There are, therefore, no conceivable circum- stances in which a wheat famine could arise. High prices can only be due either to actual Ecarcity or to fears of a scarcity. There is no actual scarcity, and any fears which may have been felt on the subject are groundless. The situation with regard to meat is not less satisfactory. The normal killings of our home-grown stock supply sixty per cent. of our annual consumption. We are not necessarily dependent upon foreign imports for the bal- ance of our supplies, and in case of emergency the balance could be provided by slaughtering a larger proportion of our own stock. This contingency cannot, however, arise in present circumstances. There is at this moment an exceptionally large supply of foreign meat in cold storage, and heavy consignments are on the way to our shores. There is, therefore, no justification in the present position for any rise in price in bread and meat. Arrangements have been made by the Board of Trade to obtain at very frequent intervals information from a large number of centres, both urban and rural, as to changes in the retail prices of food. The committee are ready to receive information from any person as to substantial rises in the retail price of food supplies experienced by him. Such information should be addressed to the Commercial Department of the Board of Trade, Gwydyr House, White- hall, London, S.W. THE MONEY CRISIS. I Drastic action was taken by the Government I on Monday to deal with the grave financial [situation. In the House of Commons Mr. Lloyd George introduced a Moratorium Bill—entitled the Postponement of Payments Act "-and the measure was passed through all its stages, in the afternoon sitting. The House of Lord." also dealt with it expeditiously, and the Bill received the Royal Assent in the evening. The extension of the Bank Holiday for three days was also announced in order to enable the Banks to adiust themselves to the changed conditions. The extension, however, applies only to banks. Meanwhile the Post Office announces discon- tinuance of withdrawals by telegraph from Savings Bank. The Moratorium Bill authorises postpone- ment of any bill of exchange or negotiable in- ctrument or any other payment in pursuance of any contract to such extent for such time and subject to such conditions as may bo specified in the King's Proclamation. NAVY SERVICE EXTENDED. I In response to the call, the men of the Royal Naval Reserve have travelled from all parts of the country to the naval depots. A special supplement to the "London Gazette," published on Monday contained pro- clamations by the King calling out the men of the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Fleet Reserve and the officers and men of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The officers of the Royal Naval Reserve are also called up. A proclamation is also issued dealing with the question of extending the services of t;,ne- expired men of the Royal Navy. Under this proclamation— All classes of men now serving in Our Navy whose term of service may be expired or may expire while this proclamation shall continue in force, shall be required to serve for a period of five years from the expiration of their respective terms of service if their services be so long required. It was announced on Monday that Scotland Yard have issued notices calling up the police reserves. The object of this is to fill the places of the 1,000 officers and men who have already been detailed for special duties, end to fill the places of the men who have been called up owing to the mobilisation of the Naval Reserve. HELP FROM THE DOMINIONS. I Our Overseas Dominions and Colonies are rallying round England at this time of crisis. They have sent messages to the Imperial Gov- ernment, containing offers of money and men to uphold the honour and supremacy of the Empire to which they belong. In Canada regiment after regiment has asked to be allowed to volunteer as units, and between 40,000 and 50,000 Canadians have offered their services. "There is no lack of Australian volunteers," says Mr. Cook, the Federal Premier. "If the Motherland is at war, so are we." The Government of Australia has decided, in the event cf war, to place the Australian fleet under the control of the British Admiralty. It also offers, in the event of war, an expedi- tionary force of 20,000 men, of any suggested composition, for any destination desired by the Imperial Government the cost of the dis- patch and maintenance of this force to be borne by the Commonwealth. The Minister of Defence has ordered a partial military mobi- lisation. Proclamations have been issued placing the New Zealand naval forces under control of the British Government, and also calling up the Royal Naval Reserves. The defence authorities have taken control of the principal ports as a precautionary measure. NAVY IN THE NORTH SEA. I Our Home Fleets have now been completely mobilised. The First Fleet, always with full complements, was ready the Second Fleet was Boon in line by taking on board the small pro- portion of the Immediate Reserve required, and the Third Fleet has now been mobilised by dra fting into the ships the men of the several glasses of the Fleet Reserve, Royal Naval Re- serve. and Volunteer Reserve. Every effective vessel is at sea or ready for sea, and there are nine squadrons of Dread- noughts or pre-Dreadnoughts, besides the cruiser squadrons and flotillas and auxiliaries attached. In the North Sea the British superiority over Germany is very marked. We can place in line forty-two battleships and battle-cruisers, as compared with the German's twenty-five— or twenty-eight if the new ships are included. Besides battleships and battle-cruisers, we can place in the North Sea 100 other cruisers, 250 destroyers, and seventy-five submarines. BALTIC NAVAL FIGHT. I A battle was fought off the Aland Island? in the Baltic on Sunday between the German and Russian fleets. The Russians were driven back and took refuge in the Gulf of Finland. The Aland Islands, an archipelago stretching from the Swedish coast to Finland, are now in the occupation of German troops. This is an important success for Germany. The possession of the Aland Islands opens her way to Finland, and she has now a base from which to operate against St. Petersburg. BRITISH SHIPS SEIZED. With regard to the reported seizure by Germany of two British vessels, the German Embassy states the facts are as follows: The Wilson liner Castro was in the Kiel Canal, and was ordered by the German authorities to proceed to Hamburg for military reasons, as it was not desirable that any commercial vessel should be in the canal at present. As regards the second case, the Govern- ment had purchased coal shipped for Ger- many to a private firm, and the order was given for the ship to proceed to Hamburg with her cargo. It was solely a matter of changing her destination. In both cases there was no intention what. ever of interfering with the property of the vessels. It was simply a police measure. FRENCH AIRMAN'S HEROISM I It is reported that the German Zeppelin airship which crossed the Frerch frontier on Saturday was encountered when over Toul by the French aviator Garros, who in hia aeroplane dashed headlong against the air- ship. ?lle envelope, it is reported, was pene- trated and the airship was daBhed to earth all the occupants being killed. The aero- plane also fell and the intrepid Frenchman met his death. All aviation stations from Paris to the frontier are provided with strong search- lights. Directly the enemy appears seven aviators will start in pursuit. Their instructions are :'1 fly over any dirigible that appears and wreck it with special projectiles. Should this fail they must charge the enemy,, and in hs ensuing crash sacrifice ??uselves with him. LORD HALDANE AXD LORD KITCHENER. I It is announced that Lord Morley, Presi- dent of the Council, has resigned from the Cabinet. Lord Haldane is acting in effect as Assistant Secretary of State at the War Office, and is in daily attendance there. This fact (says the "Daily News") will be generally wel- comed, since it is obvious that the Prime Minister requires the ablest assistance in his douole duties, and the great reputation which Lord Haldane wo-i at the War Office is fresh in everyone's memorv. Lord Kitchener's invaluable services will, there is reason to believe, be available iu this country. RUSH TO THE COLOURS. I All over the country recruits are rallying to the colours. The Central Recruiting Office in Great Scotland Yard was besieged by youths and men on Tuesday anxious to give active service to their country in the present crisis. They filled all the available waiting rooms in the office, and the staff was taxed to the utmost in dealing with the applications. Nothing of the sort has been seen since the time of the Boer War, and there was every indication that the present recruiting will be far in advance of what happened then. Most of the applicants were little more than youths, but their average physical fitness and character were reported to be very good. Apart from those who were definitely prepared to join the colours right awa y, there were many applicants anxious to know whether they were qualified to enlist a.nd the conditions under which they would be expected to serve. Although it was explained in a large number of cases that their attachment to the particular regiments with which they desired to serve might aot be possible, there seemed little dis- position to withdraw on that account.

THE ENDURANCE, I FIRST STAGE OF ANTARCTIC EXPE- DITION. On Saturday morning the Endurance, Sir Ernest Shaekleton's ship, left the West India Dock, and started down the Thames on her adventurous voyage to the Antarctic. A considerable crowd had gathered to wit- ness the departure. There was but little leave-taking on board, as most of the prin- cipal members of the Imperial Trans-Ant- arctic Expedition are not going out to Buenos Ayres in the Endurance, but will proceed to that port a bout a month hence by mail steamer. Sir Ernest Shackleton, ac- companied by Lady Shackleton, was on board, and went as far as Southend. The rations have been prepared under advice from War Office experts. The whole ration will consist of lard, bovril powder, glidine, cane sugar, and oatmeal. This will be kept in cold storage, and will be taken morning and night. In the daytime the finest mixture of nuts with oil and powdered milk will form the food on the march. Very little tea will be taken during sledg- ing operations. They have gelatine and lime juice capsules, produced by a new method by the War Office experts. In the event of an emergency there is an appliance whereby boiling liquid can be produced any- where in twenty-five seconds. The liquid is placed in a cartridge and then into a tube, and then the cartridge is set on fire.

TRAGIC DISCOVERY IN A FLAT. I Over a fortnight after her death, the body of a married woman, named Alex- andra Swift, aged about 32, was discovered on Friday in a flat at Northumberland Mansions, Lower Clapton-road. She had lived there alone for about eighteen months, her husband, a schoolmaster, being on the Continent on holiday. At the inquest at Hackney the caretaker of the fiat said that he had missed her for three weeks, but he did not think that strange, as she had left home previously for a month. When he entered the flat by way of the window, he saw the body lying on the floor, partly dressed. Dr. Rowland Smith 6aid he thought the woman must have been dead since July 13, because of the advanced stage of decomposi- tion of the body, and because he had ascer- tained that she had taken in a newspaper on July 12. Several letters which had been pushed through the letter-box were un- opened, and one of them bore a post-mark dated July 14. lie noticed that there was valvular disease of the heart, and he attri- buted death to this cause. The coroner said that probably she was stooping down to unlace her boots, and the heart suddenly failed. The woman had evi- dently been lying dead for seventeen or eighteen days, and nobody .seemed to know anything about it. It showed that when people lived alone and were in the habit of going away for weeks, they ought to give notice to some responsible person. The jury returned a verdict of "Death from natural causes."

EXCESSIVE SICKNESS CLAIM. In his presidential address at the High Court of the Ancient Order of Foresters, which opened at Bournemouth on Monday, Mr. W. J. Hyner, the High Chief Ranger, said many of their branches had during the past eighteen months experienced such ex- cessive claims for sickness as to demand an imnwdiate inquiry into its causes. That there had been a considerable looseness and want of care in the issue of medical certifi- cates was admitted, and that this had to a large extent opened the door to the malin- gerer could not be denied. The heavy rate of sickness experienced by insured women required immediate considera- tion. The sickness experience for women was stated to be at least 60 per cent. in excess of the expected rate, while this was even exceeded in some special classes of women's societies.

MR. PEASE AND BOY SAILORS. Mr. Pease, the President of the Board of Education, in a letter to the chairman of the National Committee on Sea Training expres- sing regret at his inability to attend a meeting, states that lie has ascertained that manv local education authorities are not favour- ably impressed with the conditions of service which at present prevail in some portion of the Mercantile Marine. Education authori- ties, said Mr. Pea. felt strongly their re- sponsibility in advising boys in the choice of a profession, many of them feeling con- siderable apprehension both as to a boy's prospects in the service and the conditione under which he might live, not only at sea, but more especially on shore between his voyages. He suggested that the committee should consult on this point some of the authorities which had a large sea-going population in their area.

SOLDIERS SECOND BURIAL. A young private who belonged to the Worcester Regiment, and who lived at Dud- ley, was granted a second burial in remark. able circumstances. He joined the Army a few rears ago under an assumed name, died in June in the county lunatic asylum, and his identity being unknown he was buried by the authorities in the local cemetery. Subsequently the family satisfied the authorities that the body belonged to them, and an order for exhumation "was granted by the Home Secretary. The coffin was conveyed thirty miles for the second inter- ment.

Bristol Corporation have sanctioned the ex- penditure of £ 100,000 on a cold store at the docks. Miss Ellaline Terriss (\Ir,q. Seymour Hicks; has been successfully operated upon at a West- End nursing home. Marguerite Stephenson, John Wilson and Arthur Leonard, all English, have each been sentenced at Geneva to six months' lln- prisonment and ten years' expulsion from the country for jewel theft. At the inquiry at Westminster into the nSS fh y fire °/- the ???nd l.ner Columbian, in the Atlantic, Sir Reginald Acland for the Board of Trade, said that in the twelve months ended J'me 30 last there were fiftv-  at ?? of wbic:h five ——— ii?. explained.

[ALL RIGHTS The Labour Movement By FRED MADDISON. There is one thing which this terrible war has already proved—the utter and abject failure of European statesmanship and the system of aristocratic diplomacy which it employs. It is hut the sober truth to sa y that if they had been replaced by trade union leaders taken haphazard from the different countries the present state of affairs could not possibly have been worse. Three Em- perors lit the flame, and hundreds of thou- sands will perish in it. with a. much larger number who will be mutilated and torn, many of whom will share a far worse fate than those who were killed outright. And for what will these multitudes suffer? Not for anything worth the loss of a single man. Human liberty will not be enlarged or social improvements effeeted. Just, -the oppo- site will be the result. Whichever of the contending forces win, humanity and all the good causes will be the poorer. Millions of intelligent workers feel that, and yet they are helpless victims of an antiquated system they cannot control. MR. BFRT'S PROTEST. III this connection some plain language is used in a manifesto which bears the signa- ture of Mr. Thomas Burt, M.P. It was issued by the International Arbitration League, of which he has been president for over thirty years. His colleagues were much cheered by his presence at the meeting at which it was considered and passed. He has now to husband his strength very carefully, but his long and honourable witness for in- ternational peace sh ows no abatement, and on a Saturday afternoon, when he ought jo have been resting, Mr. Burt was once again serving the good cause. It is quite certain that, though Sir Edward Grey is evidently unable to agree with all that this manifesto contains, the name of Mr. Burt upon it would win for it his respect. SOCIALISTS AND WAS. One of the last public utterances of Jaures before his foul murder was a very skilful speech at the Socialist Congress in France, by which he got shelved Mr. Keir Hardie's proposal for a general strike against war. It was also supported—they were indeed ioint author8-bY M. Vaillant. Many of us took to this weapon as a potent one—perhaps the only one—to put a stop to these suicidal wars. But the time is not yet ripe, and pre- mature attempts would be fatal. Anything short of a general response in all the coun- tries affected would not only be useless, but dangerous. Mr. Keir Hardie. however, per- sists in a course of action which he knows the British trade unions almost ignored when the question was before them last year. In the end a resolution was carried at the Congress which, in the words of a. well-known Socialist, "was the biggest mountain, and the result the smallest mouse that was ever born." FRENCHMEN FIRST. Events have justified Jaures. The moment France was invaded M. Herve, who has suf- fered as a violent anti-militarist, wrote to the War Minister stating that, despite his J forty-four years and his failing eyesight, he wished to be sent with the first regiment going to the frontier. But that is not all. The General Federation of Workers, a revo- lutionary body. mainly Syndicalists. has issued a proclamation regretting the mobili- sation. but declaring that it is the duty of all Frenchmen to give their services to the motherland. This shows conclusively how unwise it is to force these extreme me.a?ures too hard. Different circumstances must be taken into account, unless the object is mere platform bluff, which on such a subject as this cannot be too strongly condemned. Nevertheless, passive resistance to war is not without a future, and. in spite of present appearances, not so remote a one as most people imagine. SOUTH WALES MINERS AS PASSIVE REGIS- TERS. As a matter of fact, there has already been a foretaste of what may happen in the unanimous refusal of the Executive Council of the South Wales Miners' Federation to accede to the request of the Admiralty that the two days' holiday arranged by the Con- ciliation Board should be a bandoned. This body is composed of aggressive Socialists and Liberals, but they were united in this decision. Nor was it mere obstinacy, still less indifference, which prompted it The Admiralty proposal was regarded as a step in carrying out a policy of British interven- in carrviii g tion to which they are opposed. "We are strongly of opinion," their resolution said, "that there is no necessity for Great Britain in any degree to become involved in the war between Austria and Servia." So that this was an instance of using trade unionism as an anti-war instrument. THE GOVERNMENT AND WAR PRICES. Amidst all the fine talk of sacrifice for this Empire which has been gushing forth from the Tory Press in such copious streams, one is anxious to find some evidence that the burden is to be at all fairly shared. Of course, it will not be, and cannot be. Any- how, those who support war should begin their sacrifices themselves. It is to the credit of Sir Arthur Markham that he has given instructions that the price of coal from his own pits was not to be raised. That is a good example that ought to be followed by all the fiery patriots in the Tory Party, most of whom are wealthy. But if we are plunged into a conflict it will need the Government to take this question of prices in hand. How THE MONEY WAS SPENT. It was announced some time ago that the Leeds municipal strike had cost at least City auditor this year is a. prominent Socialist, and he is naturally vary anxious to examine the items of this large bill which the ratepayers have to pay. For a time he was baulked of his prey, but it was obvious that such tactics could only fail, as they ought to do. The Chairman of the Special Committee to which the City Council gave full powers to deal with the strike is a leading Tory, and he proved a strong man in the crisis. It was. however, foolish of him to hold out against the demand of the City Auditor for the production of all the accounts. He has now got them, and he may be depended upon to subject them to a rigid scrutiny. REPRESENTATION FOLLOWS RECOGNITION. Recognition of trade unions has no mean- ing if it does not carry with it collective re- presentation. Years ago the late Sir Wil- liam Harcourt told the Tories that it was useless to be in favour of trade unionism and yet defend Lord Penrhyn's refusal to treat with the duly-appointed officials of tr.ea t -Nvith the dul3, the Quarry men's Union. The Moderates on the London County Council have just fol- lowed the same inconsistent course. The incident arose in connection with a fireman who had been called upon to resign for dis- obedience of orders. Mr. Gosling wanted the man to have his case dealt with by a representative of his union, but he failed" to get his way. Municipal Toryism could not take the whole dose of trade unionism. We can understand the argument that firemen should not join unions, but to say that they may do this and yet deprive them of one of its chief advantages is both absurd and un- fair. STOP THE BUILDERS' LOCK-OUT. What a bout the provincial builders' lock- out? Surely this is a time when there ought to be no more heard of this desperate remedy. Under any circumstances it was a, dangerous expedient, but it is outrageous to turn into the streets tens of thousands of mgry artisans who have no quarrel with their employers, but who have agreements, through the Conciliation Boards, not to sause a stoppage until a dispute has been otherwise dealt with. In the public inte- rests, this lock-out should be abandoned. Information reaches me that an early settle- ment in London is likely, but one is no^ sceptical of these predictions being realised. It becomes clearer every day that a mistake was made when the advice of experienced and responsible leaders was cast. aside lor the empty bravado of men who have few ofi the qualities needed for successful leader- ship. Unfortunately, too, the Chief Labour Commissioner seems to have no influence at all in this particular dispute.

The Liverpool City Council have decided by a two to one majority not to allow Sunday music in the parks.