Abergavenny Chronicle

NOTES ON NEWS. Tin Compulsorv Service Bill has behind it, 0 Mr. Ioloyd George informed the House of Commons, "a i Go?.i l'ULSION FO i, ALL. perfectly united Gov- ernment." It is pretty certain that that could  Hot have been said a few weeks ago, and we .may therefore take it that those mem- bers of the Government who held out for a continuance of the voluntary system have been convinced that all the men available are urgently needed, and that they can onlv be raised by compulsion. The final argument, the death-blow which the House of Commons gave to Mr. Long's lill for giving the voluntary system yet another trial, was unanswerable. Com- pulsorv service was the only thing left, and now all men, married and single, bc- tween the ages of eighteen and forty-one, sire" to be liable to military service. The reception given to the measure by the country leaves no doubt that it is ap- proved* by the majority of the public, who, indeed, only required the assurance that the Government, in possession of all the fads of the situation which are hidden from the wise and foolish alike among outsiders, considered the measure neces- sary. That assurance once given, there was never much room for doubt that the jiation would accept the situation. The only question with the people has been, Is it necessary in order to win the war? The answer is given by "a perfectly united Government," and there is no need of fur- ther argument. No doubt a great cause of the delay in tCOillmg to a decision on the question of WAR AND INDUSTRY. compulsory service for all has been the urgent necessity for keeping the industries of the country going as well as finding men for the Army. This is the most diffi- cult task of the Government. It could have passed a measure of compulsion a year or more ago, but the effect on trade and industry might have been disas- trous. Tn the meantime there has been opportunity for a gradual adjustment to meet the new conditions, and traders and manufacturers should now he much better placed for "carrying on than they would liave been if compulsion had been sud- denly sprung upon them, and they had had to make other arrangements at short notice. Even now there may be difficul- ties. Men cannot be spared from the shipyards, where, indeed, even more are needed; the railways must be adequately staffed; there must be sufficient labour at the docks and in the transport trades. The shipbuilding .problem is particularly urgent, and Mr. Lloyd George has assured us that not a single shipyard man is to be taken, and that the Army authorities will give every help to send back shipyard workers from the Army to the yards. How 'urgent is this problem of the ships was made clear the other day by Lord Curzon, who said that only forty-two per cent. of our mercantile marine is now available for our ordinary trade, the other fifty-eight per cent, being constantly employed by the Navy and the Army, and in keeping up the supplies of our Allies. We shall want all the ships we have and all we can build, and even then we shall probably have to put up with much greater incon- venience in restriction of imports than we have suffered up to the present. A few years ago the proposal for day- light saving by putting on the clock one hour during the summer MORE LIGHT! months was considered I matter for laughter. All I sorts of objections were sTa ised and a select committee of the House of Commons settled the fate of the Bill because of the great diversity of opinion on the subject, and because of grave doubts as to whether the objects in view could be attained without causing serious inconvenience to important inte- rests. Now, however, we hear nothing about inconvenience to important inte- rests," and there seems to be very little -diversity of opinion. The proposal is re- ceived with almost universal approval, and nearly everybody is found to be only too glad of the opportunity to get an extra hour of daylight, and hoping that it may be an hour of sunlight. There are still some people who wonder how it is going to be done, and anticipating that it is going to be a very complicated and con- fusing business. There may be some little difficulty in certain cases, but for most people it will simply be a matter of put- ting the clock on an hour, and then regu- lating lives by the clock as heretofore. Those energetic souls who are in the habit of rising at six o'clock will still rise at six, and after the first few moraings they will forget to tell themselves that it is really cnly five. There has been something of a slump in Zeppelins. Germany has lost three in a week, one because it had SLUMP IN ZfiPJMiLINS. ventured too far from I home and had not enoug h I petrol to take it ba.?i and two which were brought down by the .gunfire"*of the Navy. One of these was bagged at Salonika, and the fither in the North Sea off the coast of Sclileswig. Two British cruisers and a submarine share the glory of destroying the latter, the sub- marine having finished it off and saved seven of the crew. This must be reckoned as one of the most remarkable incidents of the war. The bagging of three of these giant airships in one week is the more gratifying because of the comparative immunity which they had hitherto cn- joyed. The wreck of the L20 off Norway shows that their range is limited because of the limited weight of supplies they are able to carry, so that a very slight mis- calculation or a change in the weather may bring about disaster. The bringing down of two of the monsters by gunfire is more significant as showing that, when they come within range of good guns, manned by good gunners, they are not likely to get back to Germany. Notable testimony to the excellent work -done by girls in munition factories has WOMEN SHELL- MAKERS. been given by Sir \\11- I liam Beardmore, presi- dent of the Steel and Iron Institute. In an ad- dress to the members the other day, Sir William mentioned as a re- markable fact that the girls employed in a certain projectile factory, owing to the scarcity of skilled workers, produced in all cases more than double the shells pro- duce d by thoroughly trained mechanics working the same machines under the conditions. The production was double in the turning of the shell body and in the boring of the shells, while in the curving, waving, and finishing of shell bases the output of the girls was quite 120 per cent. more than that of ex- perienced mechanics. The men with whose work that of the girls was compared were members of trade unions, and Sir William quoted the case as an example of the re- strictive methods of the unions which were practised early in the war. He added: "These conditions applied to war time, when the peril of the nation demanded un- selfish patriotic exertion by everyone, and the men who thus limited the output can only be regarded as unworthy of the privi- leges of citizenship.

 il'i ili, strec?t dtr -?r? g Fnr ?Hdn? a. match in the street during .a Zeppelin raid on the North-Ea^t Coast a. man ww sent to gaol for a month. As president of the British Imperial Air Fleet, Lord Desborough has received from Leicester Chamber of Commerce £ 2,100 -for an airplane for Canada.

I 11 IRISH REBEL'S ROMANCE I MARRIED IN PRISON BEFORE EXECUTION. LIFE SENTENCE ON COUNTESS I A tragic story has come to light in con- nection with the execution of Joseph Plun- kett, who was a son of Count Plunkett, a member of a leading Irish Catholic family. On the day before Joseph Plunkett's execution Miss Grace Gifford, a young Dublin lady, called at a jeweller's shop in Grafton-street and asked for a wedding ring. Mr. Stoker, the, jeweller, seeing that she was labouring under strong emotion, spoke to her, and she told him that she was to be married to Plunkett in the morning, before he was shot. It is understood that the military authori- ties gave leave for the marriage to take place. Miss Gifford's sister is now the widow of Thomas MacDonagh, M.A., a tutor of University College, who was sen- tenced to death and shot a few days ago. The following further results of trials by Field-General Court-martial are announced: Sentenced to death, but commuted to penal servitude for life by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief: Constance Georgina Markievicz, Henry O'Hanrahan. Sentenced to death, but commuted to ten years' penal servitude: George Plunkett, John Plunkett. Sentenced to death, but commuted to five years' penal servitude: Philip B. Cosgrave. Sentenced to death, but commuted to three years' penal servitude: R. Kelly, W. Wilson, J. Clarke, J. Marks, J. Brennan, P. Wilson, W. Meehan, F. Brooks, R. Coleman, T. Peonard, J. Norton, J. Byrne, T. O'Kelly. Sentenced to penal servitude for twenty years, ten years remitted: James T. Hughes. Sentenced to penal servitude for ten years, duly confirmed: Peter Doyle. Sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with hard labour, duly confirmed: J. Wilson. Sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with hard labour, one year remitted: E. Roach. Late on Friday night the appended official statement was issued from the Dublin Read. quarters The surrender of arms in connection with the Proclamation of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief is proceeding satis- factorily Trial" by court-martial of the rebels pro- ceeded yesterday, and thirty-six men were tried. Confirmation has only taken place in three cases, viz., those of Thomas Hunter, John McBride, and William Cosgrave. All three of these men were sentenced to death, but the General Officer Commanding- in-Chief commuted the death sentences to r penal servitude for life in the cases of Hunter and Cosgrave. The death sentence on John McBride was carried out this morning. The following men were tried on May 2: Edward Duggan, Pierce Beasley, Joseph Mcfiuinness. These men were each sentenced to three vears' penal servitude. The sentences were confirmed by the General Officer Command- ing-on-Chief. COUNTESS afARKIEVlCZ. Constance Georgina Markievicz, whose death sentence has been commuted to penal servitude for life, is the Countess Markievicz, one of the most striking personalities of the rebellion. The daughter of Sir Henry Wil- liam Gore-Booth, fifth baronet, of Lissadell, county Sligo, and sister of the present baro- net, she is about forty years of age. She was a splendid horsewoman, rode to hounds constantly, and drove a four-in-hand more than once in Suffragist processions in Lon- don. She was presented at Court, and spent several seasons in London, after which she bee ame an art student in Paris, where she [ achieved a. certain amount of success. Six- teen years ago she married Count Cssimir Markievicz, a Polish artist and playwright. For years she has taken an active part in various agitations, and is well known for her revolutionary sympathies, which have on several occasions brought her into contact | with the police. During the revolt she commanded the party which seized the Royal College of Sur- geons, the last place in St. Stephen's Green to surrender. When she gav-3 herself up at the head of her following she waa dressed en- tirely in green—green tunic, green hat with green feather, green puttees, and green boots. "MAJ(,)R McBRIDE. John McBride was the celebrated "Major" McBride, so named because of his participa- tion in the Boer War, when he organised the Irish Transvaal Brigade and took part in the capture of British guns at Colenso. After the war he returned to Europe, and for a time lived in Paris, where he met his future wife, Miss Maud Gonne, who was well known in the French capital as a lecturer on Irish grievances. Later she applied for a divorce on the ground that he was "a drunkard and rake." but only obtained a separation order. McBride returned to Ireland in 1909, and two years later was given an official post, at £ 1T)0 a year, by the Dublin Corporation. IRELAND'S REPLY TO GERMANY. Mr. John Redmond, M.P., has heard from his brother, Captain William Redmond, M.P., who is with the 16th Irish Division at the Front, to the enect that the Germans in the trenches opposite the 16th Division put up the following notices while the trouble was going on in Ireland. The first notice was as follows:- Irishmen.—In Ireland revolution. Eng- lish guns firing on your wives and chil- dren. English Military Btll refused. Sir Roger Casement is persecuted. Throw your arms away. We give you a hearty wel- come. The second notice ran:— We are Saxons. If you don't fire we won't. The third notice was:- I Irishmen.-Heavy uproar in Ireland. English guns are firing on your wives and children. The Irishmen replied by playing Irish airs and" Rule, Britannia" on their mouth- organs and melodeons. I FOUR MORE EXECUTIONS. On Monday night the following announce- ment was issued by General Headquarters, Dublin:— The following are further results of trials by Field-General Court-martial: Sentenced to death, and sentences carried out this morning: Cornelius Colbert, Edmund Kent, Michael Mallon, J. J. Heuston. These four men took a very prominent part in the rebellion. Sentenced to death, commuted to eight years' penal servitude: James O'Sullivan. Sentenced to death, commuted to five years' penal servitude: Vincent Poole, William P. Corrigan. Sentenced to death, commuted to three years' penal servitude: John Dourney, James Burke, James Morrissey, Maurice Brennan, Gerald Doyle, Charles Bevan, John O'Brien, Patrick Fogarty, John Faulkner, Michael Brady, James Dempsey, George Levins, John F. Cullen, J. Dorring- ton, W. Odea, P. Kelly. Sentenced to ten years' penal servitude, seven years remitted: Michael Scully. Sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with hard labour, one year remitted: J. Crenigan, William Derrington. Acquitted and released: John R. Reynolds, Joseph Callaghan. Edmund Kent was one of the signatories to the "Republic" proclamation. I PLEA FOR CLEMENCY. In the House of Commons on Monday Mr. Rcdmond informed the Prime Minister that the continuance of military executions in Ireland was causing rapidly-increasing bitterness and exasperation, and asked him if he would cause an immediate stop to be put to them. Air Asquith replied that Mr. Redmond's ■arguments a. to the importance of clemency to the rank and file had not fallen on un- willing ears. Sir John Maxwells general instructions were to sanction the extreme penalty as sparingly as possible, and only in the case of responsible persons who were guilty in the iirst degree. Both Sir John and the Government were anxious that these cases should be confined within the nar- rowest limits and cease at the earliest possible moment. In answer to other inquiries, the Premier said the Government was anxiously consider- ing the course to be adopted with regard to the rank and file of the rebels, and that steps had been initiated to ascertain whether any officials were implicated, with a view to action being taken. He could not give any undertaking that there should be no further executions before Parliament had had an opportunity of discussing the matter. SINN FEIN PRESIDENT ARRESTED. I The arrest of Mr. John MacNeill, presi- dent of the Sinn Fein Volunteers, is an- nounced. Mr. MacNeill on the Saturday night before the trouble commenced sent out a notice, which was published in the Sun- day Press, postponing indefinitely the volun- teer parade arranged to take place on Easter Sunday. Mr. MacNeill, who held a high position at the Accountant-General's office in the Law Courts, resigned it to take an Irish professorship in the National Univer- sity.

SUBMARINE WARFARE. 1 GERMANY'S REPLY TO AMERICAN NOTE I The German reply to the American Note of April 20 on the subject of the submarine outrages has been handed to the United States Ambassador. The crucial passage in the United States Note was as follows: "If the (German) Imperial Government should not now, without delay, proclaim and make effective renunciation of its present methods of submarine warfare against pas- senger and cargo ships, the United States Government can have no other choice than to break off completely diplomatic relations with the German Government. The chief points of the German reply may be summarised as under:— Germany still professes to be unaware whether the Sussex was torpedoed or not, but admits the possibility, and says she will "draw the necessary conclusions" if such is proved to have been the case. The German Government "resolutely re- buts" the Amencan statement that the Sussex case is "only an illustration of the deliberate methods of indiscriminate de- struction of vessels of all kinds, nationali- ties, and destinations by the commanders of German submarines," and declares that the American Government "has omitted to justify its assertion by concrete facts." It is claimed that "the German naval forces have been instructed to wage sub- marine warfare according to the general principles of international law as regards stopping, searching, and destroying mer- chantmen, with the sole exception of the commercial warfare waged against enemy cargo vessels encountered in the British war zone, concerning which no assurance has ever been given to the United States Government, even in the declaration of February 8, 1916." The German Government can admit of no doubt being entertained that orders to this effect were "loyally issued and loyally exe- cuted," but admits that "mistakes" such as have as a matter of fact occurred are not "entirely avoidable" in any kind of warfare. A large portion of the Note is occupied by complaints about "British inhumanity" and the blockade and by assurances of Ger- many's desire to conduct wrr on the lines recognised by international lawi of which, it is alleged, she has been one of the most ardent supporters. The German Government now announces that the following order has been issued to the German naval forces:— "In accordance with the general prin- ciples of visit, search, and destruction of merchant vessels recognised by international law, such vessels, both within and without the area declared a naval war zone, shall not be sunk without warning and without the saving of human lives unless the ships attempt to escape or offer resistance. This "concession," in fact, goes no further than the promises previously given the United States by Germany—and broken— and it is made conditional upon the United States compelling Great Britain to abandon her blockade of the Central Powers.

I VINDICTIVE "AVENGER." "Enjoy your life while you have the time, and before many days are over some one will be mourning your loss. Your end will be swift and sure. Then I am ready to die myself. You know I have every reason for carrying out this feud between us. You re- fused to have anything further to do with me, and no one else shall have you.—I si°o-n myself as the Avenger." When the Avenger," who is Leonard Melville, of the Cyclists' Corps, was sen- tenced at Middlesex Sessions on Saturday to three years' penal servitude, to be followed by three years' police supervision, for writ- ing the letter quoted above to Blanche Emmett, it was stated that he had deserted thirty-six times in eighteen months, and was to be court-martialled. Dr. Dyer, of Brixton Prison, said that Melville, who had told him that no matter what sentence he got he would murdar the girl, was not insane, but had an uncontrol- lable, vindictive temper.

I A GERMAN FABRICATION. I The Press Bureau on Monday issued the following statement:— The following wireless message has been addressed to the German Embassy at Wash. ington: "Athens reports British and French, vio- lating Geneva Flag, exclusively effected transport of Serbs on hospital ships in order to avoid torpedoing by submarines. The Secretary of the Admiralty states: "This is an absolute fabrication."

I PRISON FOR SOLICITOR. I At the Old Bailey on Monday, before Mr. Justice Darling, James Davies Jehu, sixty- five, a solicitor, pleaded guilty to convert- ing trust money to his own use, and was sentenced to three years' penal servitude. It was stated that the accused began mis- appropriating trust funds in 1908. He took £ 4,000 belonging to a trust estate, and when pressed to repay it replaced it by appro- priating moneys belonging to other clients. The total sum involved was £ 4,341.

I PROSECUTED FOR LIGHTS. Mr. Herbert Samuel, Home Secretary, seated in the House of Commons that there ,A t te,, were no fewer than 2.300 proceedings last month in London against persons who had neglected to shade their windows properly at night.

IN LIGHTER VEIN. BY THOMAS JAY. ILLUSTRATED 2IY J. H. LVNS. Have you heard about this sinister plot being hatched by the tailors throughout the country—this proposal that owing to the war the credit system shall be abolished? Everybody knows that when he gets a new suit it is iust the time he wants his money. How can a man take his new suit and treat it to the best scats at the music hall if he has to pay for it on delivery? It is when he gets a new suit that he can do it, for when it begins to grow whiskers the suit has to be content with a couple of passes for the threepenny seats at the cinema. I think it is high time that a protest was made, and I suggest that all good men and true should make themselves felt on the point. One good way is to catch the tailor on his weakest part. You know how they always tell you not to carry your hands in your pocket. Well, it would be a good idea to parade up and down outside your tailor's with a few pennyworth of oranges in your trousers pockets. That will annoy him to see how beastly his old trousers look. ,If I am to believe the current number of a well-known monthly review, literature as a calling is not what it used to be. Whether it ever was remains to be seen. There are people to-day who, given a sloppy tie, an unshaved Homburg hat, an over-ripe foun- tain pen guaranteed not to leak unless car- ried upright in the pocket, can easily win fame as writers. Writers, like the tax col- lector and other < ob jection- able creatures, arc always with us, parasitical posts perpetrating para- i doxical paroxysms of perplexing pro- blems upon pale, pallid people. (P's at any price.) As ftoon as most fond parents realise that a boy has brains, they com- nience to cure him of it by mak- ing a journalist of him. The writer THE FINISH. must have a den. The theory appears to be that he should start with a den and finish up with a padded room. Having decided upon the plot, he starts working ui)jn it. It is difficult to start work, I know, but if the victim will hold on to something for a few minutes until the strange sensation of working has passed, everything will be all right. I was rather surprised to read that a solicitor, defending a man in one of the police-courts, argued that such an expert thief as the defendant would not stoop to steal a sixpenny jug. If this kind of thing is encouraged we shall read something along this line of argument by counsel: "Counsel, addressing the jury, pointed out the ab- surdity of the charge against the wretch he was defending. Fancy accusing the man of breaking open his child's money-box and stealing threepence! Defendant, he would point out, would not stoop to such a das- tardly deed. A man with the record of de- fendant, who had committed already some ten or twelve murders, to say nothing of having sent more than twenty policemen to the hospital! Did they think a man with such a record would do this sort of thing? Were they aware that the defendant was the man who burnt down several houses in America, had been charged with wounding policemen by the score, and was believed to have stolen the Ascot Cup? Did they think he would do such a miserable thing as that with which he was charged?" And, of course, any jury would send the man away without a stain on hid lurid character. In the olden days lawn tennis was played on a green which was so large that one could put the ball over the net with as much certainty as one could push the planet of Mars through Venus. But to-day there is a standard size for the greens, which makes the game mc-re homely, and it is OLD-TIME TENNIS. not now necessa ry to write a post- card to your oppo- nent to tell him that you arc aim- ing the ball in his direction. The game is played with a racket, which is a series of holes sur- round e d by a wooden frame of the same shape as anything else of a similar de- sign. As these holes have a knack of getting worn out, it is a good plan to obtain a few spase holes from the tennis- monger. The ball is a very useful thing, and consists of a cricket bell upholstered. Tennis in reality is a game of marbles played with a racket. Three acres and a ball. A cross between billiards and football. Lawn tennis mark you, is not every man's game. I once knew a man who absolutely boasted that he had never played a game in his life. He, poor fellow, ended up by be- ceming an editor. A request has been made that economy should be exercised in the case of writing- papers. It has been laid down by the well- known authority on literature, well-known to everybody—whose name I h-ave4. clean for- gotten, so will not trouble you with—that our motto should be "Write and fear no man." For my part, I too, have invented a motto which is Don't write, and fear no woman." The question of notepaper for writing is important, simply because it is better than writing on a paving-stone. The only time when people write on stones is when they give you an entirely unsolicited testimonial in the form of an inscription on a tall stone near the village church. Cream- laid notepaper is best, and in the best houses they insist on a good watermai k. Which reminds me that I had a note from a very fastidious friend with a beautiful beer mark on the notepaper. Then there is the family crest, such as the crosa-bones and skull, obtainable at the nearest crest merchants. Notepaper and pens are provided at most houses, but hav- ing written half a dozen letters at your friend's house, it is extremely annoying to find that he has not left any stamps. The only thing to be done is to ask your friend if -he can oblige with a stamp. At the same time you fumble in your pockets, when your friend will at once say, "Oh, don't bother about the penny," and you, being a perfect gentleman, will not press the matter. In the case of the address, if you are writ- ing to a wealthy man you add "Esq." after his name, but if it is only your butcher you merely say "Mr. Tact is neees- inerelyi say M r. S i r l;<?)-?no 'has writtcn you earv with the tailor who has written you several times. You can generally put him off for a time by adding Esq. or even "Major," while you might put him off for months and months by adding "J.P." to his name.

ASLEEP ON THE WAVES. I Writing of the habits of the fur seal, a naturalist tells how luxuriously these creatures take their naps in the billows of the sea. The thick layer of blubber and the coats of soft fur in which tb-se seals are en- veloped enable them to sleep with comfort on the hard ledges of the shore, and it makes them seem all the greater favourites of Nature that she takes them to her bosam in the yielding waves of the sea. As they rest on the water, they seem to sleep as comfortably, bedded on the waves or rolled by the swell, as they do on the land. They lie on their backs, fold the fore-flippers down across the chest, and turn the hind onei up I and over, so that the tips rest on their necks and chins, thus exposing only the nose and the ends of the hind flippers above the water, nothing else being seen. In this posi- tion, unless the sea is very rough, the seal goes to SICCI). I

I THE BRITISH FRONT. I I -0 ENEMY AEROPLANES DRIVEN DOWN. I I 6n Friday night the Press Bureau issued the following from the British General Headquarters in France: "The enemy sprang mines last night near Neuville St. Vaast, and one to-day east of Albert, without effecting any alteration in the situation. "During the night there was considerable artillery activity on the banks of the Scmme opposite Hulluch and west of Ypres. "To-day there is nothing to report, and artillery has be.on less active than usual. Y esterday, as a result of combats in th9 air, we drove down two enemy machines be- hind the German lines. One machine was wrecked, and the pilot of our aeroplane fired on the occupants after landing, and then returned saWy to our lines. The other enemy machine was damaged. During the day one of our aeroplanes was lost, being brought down in the enemy's lines." A SUCCESSFUL RAID. I On Saturday night the following despatch was issued by the Press Bureau:— "Last night we made a successful raid under cover of a bombardment on enemy's trenches near Authville. Our casualties were slight. Five prisoners were brought back, and it is certain ten Germans were killed and many wounded. "The enemy made a raid on and entered our trenches south-east of Armentieree after bombarding them. He was at once driven on*. "He also attempted to make an attack on our trenches east of Cabaret Rouge, but was repulsed. To-day there has been some artil- lery activity north of Roclineourt, about Souchez and Carency,- and the Hohenzollern sector, also about Wieltje. "Yesterday a considerable amount of suc- cessful air work was carried out. The few hostile machines seen were driven oT." On Sunday night the Press Bureau isnzed the following:— "Last night and to-day there has been artillery activity by both sides about Mari- court. Thiepval, Arras, Loos, St. liloi, and Y FUSILIERS' SUCCESS. I Monday night's despatch was as follows:— "There was some activity last night at different points of the line. "On the east of Thiepval Wood the enemy, after a heavy bombardment, entered our trenches and caused some casualties before being driven out. Enemy left some dead in our trenches and one prisoner. "J ust north of Thiepval Wood we raided the enemy's trenches successfully, driving the occupants into their dug-outs, which we effectively bombed. Near Fromelles also we carried out a suc- cessful enterprise. Our troops found the hostile trenches well occupied, entered them and inflicted considerable casualties. In either case our casualties were very slight. These raids were carried out by troops of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and Royal Innis- killing Fusiliers. "Last night and to-dav there has been artillery activity in the Ypres salient— notably about St. Eloi and near the Ypres- Ivoulers railway. Xear Boesinghe we carried out a successful hombardment." MINING ACTIVITY. I On Tuesday night the Press Bureau issued the following: "Last night there was mining activity on the Front between Neuville St. Vaast and Souchez, also north-east of Armentieree and east of Ypres, without effecting any change in the situation. "There are no other incidents to report, and there was very little an quite unimportant artillery activity to-day."

BATTLE OF VERDUN. HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES IN FURIOUS FIGHTING. After a period of comparative calm, the Germans have launched another furious attack upon the defences of Verdun. Fierce fighting is in progress on both banks of the Meuse. On the left bank, in the region of Hill 304, the German attacks were smashed by the French, the enemy suffering ex- tremely heavy lossoes. On the right bank, in the region south of Haudromont Wood, a series of nvght engagements took place, and the Germans were driven from the greater part of the first line elements into which they had made their way. Their offensive in this region cost them heavy (sacrifices. Mr. G. H. Perris. the special correspon- dent of the "Daily Chronicle" 'in Paris, says that in the fighting west of the Meuse oil Sunday the German* suffered thousands of casualties and gained nothing but a stretch of communication trench on the west side of the ravine, so dominated by the higher French positions on either hand that it was easy to see it would be difficult and costly to hold. In fact, it was recaptured by a counter-attack on Sunday night. Desperate fighting continued until this (Monday) morning without any other movement o' i the line. On the east of the Meuse, four miles north of Verdun, a Prussian division had been given the task of breaking through at the wc-t end of the Douaumont plateau, or at le.t of recovering some of the ground lost to ?'e French in this neighbourhood ten '?'s ago. The advance, prepared by a prolonged deluge of heavy shells, commenced on Sunday atTenioon.on a front of a mile and a half. For several hours every effort of the enemy was broken. At length the Prussian troops, whoso reckless courage must be recognised, succeeded in establishing themselves in a stretch of 500 yards of the foremost French Tine. Here the French artillery was concen- trated upon them, and the few survivors were swept out by a counter-charge last night, most of the lost ground being re- taken. It dees not need the assurance of the French official bulletin (says Mr. Perris) to tell us that the Crown Prince has again made "important sacrifices" of life, to say nothing of the incalculable expenditure of munitions to no purpose; for attacks so designed and so received are inevitably much more eoetly to the assailants than to the defenders. Three weeks were occupied in the prepara- tion of this new offensive: many fresh troops and prodigal supplies of big shells had been brought up. Again there is no result—ex- e,el,t thit the German army is brought another long step towards final exhaustion. When General de Cartel nau reached Verdun on February 25, during the crisis of the first Teutoil onrush, the position on the heights above the little Lorraine city seemed critical, and (as we are now ,y.r- mi ted to s:w) there had been question of r'1 ;ring to the left bank of the river. Her,orals de Castelnau and Petain decided to ¡.j;)J(1 firm and the most valorous soldiers i'i the world have triumphantly vindicated that decision. To-dav General Petain is able to take in hand the larger task of directing ail the armies of the centre from Soissons to Verdun inclusive, leaving the Meuse de- fenoe.s to (;eiier.Al -N-ivelle--becau, in simple, fact there is no longer any question either of a breach or of any considerable with- drawal of the French line. The position has insensibly but inex- orably changed in the last two months. Thousands of lives are now being sacrificed bv the German command for a demonstra- tion, or for local advantage, but without any strategical aim.

NEW DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING. I The Secretary of the War Office announces that Brigaclier-Ucneral A. C. Gedde.s has been appointed Director of Recruiting, in place of General Sir W. H. Mackinnon. K.C.B., K.C.V.O. General Mackinnon was only recently appointed to the post.

MOTHER AND HOME. 46- That quality known as charm, which is desiivd by all women, arises from many things. Chief among these are a kindly, optimistic disposition, a great desire to pica>se, a sunny temper, a well-hidden power oi- flattery, and being a good listener. Beauty is not at all essential, but grace of bearing and daintiness in surroundings, with an air uf the world gcing well with one, are. They give a sense of case and restfulness. Finally, the charming woman must have what old- time writers called a pretty wit. HOME, SWEET HOME. Are we always thankful enough for our own lionies? How much we take for granted in this world, while it is ours, and bitterly miss when it has irrecoverably gone' Home- break, like heart-break, may be a sadder tragedy than the visitation of death's angel. It is often a hard fight to keep the home intact—but what in life is better worth our while? Day after day goes by, of work and worry—it may be a wearing struggle just to keep a family clothed and fed, with a roof above their heads; but would you, to-night, exchange the little ones, sleeping in their innocent defencelessness, for the outpoured wealth of the diamond mines of Africa? "There's no place like home"—and that means our own home, into which we have built our lives, our loves. One may build a house of bricks and mortar, of wood or stone a home is not made with hands, and its foundation is the heart. MENDIXG HINT. When mending a sweater, or other knitted article, do not darn in the usual way in- stead, take yarn and run stitches across the rent. Then begin at the top left-hand side and chain stitch down the row of crossed threads, taking up a thread at every st' ch. These chain stiches have the same effect as the knitted rib, and if the yarn matches, the darn will not be noticed. MASSAGE. Many and complex are the troubles for which "massage, if not the only, is the best means of affording relief. Dyspepsia is the bugbear of modern life. It affects the com- plexion, the eyes, the carriage, the temper, and many other things that go to make or mar beauty. Dyspepsia is a difficulty of the digestive organs, and is produced by a dis- turbance in the normal secretions of the stomach and intestines. Massage is fre- quently an absolute cure, for many reasons. First, it promotes mechanically the contrac- tions of the stomach and intestines. It acts rapidly and surely on the nervous conditions that most always accompany dyspepsia. It increases the circulation of the diseased parts, and invites a more perfect nutrition of the different tissues. Massage acts on the whole glandular system. LIGHT EYEBROWS. If your eyebrows and lashes are so light in colour that they take away all character from the face, it is considered quite permis- sible to darken them slightly with "water cosmetic" a shade darker than the hair. On no account blacken either brows or lashes; it gives a made-up. artificial look to the whole face. By the bye, in putting any- thing on the lashes it is most important not to let any of the preparation get into the eves, as great discomfort, if not harm, may be caused. A WASH-DAT HIXT. The experienced housewife well knows the im- portance of seeing that the articles are quite fre-3 from soap when doing the blueing on washing day. But not everyone realises the absolute necessity, in order to secure success in the process and to whiten the clothes, of using a, thoroughly reliable blue, such as Colman'e, to avoid injury to delicate fabrics. This, of course, should be carefully mixed, and all articles thoroughly wrung after blueing. It is quite simple to make the blue water—the blue bag has only to be stirred about in clear water until the desired depth of colour is attained. Don't put all the clothes in a heap, but shake each senarately and dip in loosely. To CLEAN FEATHERS. White feathers which have become soiled really only need washing. They should de first soaked in a basin of cold water and. soapsuds for a couple of hours, and taken out and plunged in boiling water and left for a quarter of an honr. They must then be laid flat and gently sponged with a piece of soft cloth dipped in hot soapsuds, and afterwards rinsed in several warm waters. They should be dried in a moderately hot oven, and when nearly dry should be taken out and well shaken. Before curling them they must be held over a istwininc, kettle and pressed between pieces of white kitchen paper. i WHEN DOING HOUSEWORK. In doing housework of any kind your clothing should be light and loose, and your corsets loose-fitting and lightly boned; for summer or winter alike, loose, one-piece cotton frocks are the best to wear when doing household duties. Some women make the great mistake of wearing heavy tweed skirts that were once used for outdoor wear, but which have got bedraggled and out of 8 hape. They go about the house, too, in old, worn shoes, very down at heel, often doing their feet and their health generally a great deal of harm in this way. If you wear a short, light cotton frock and com- fortable shoes with flat heels, you wifl find that you get through your work with the minimum amount of fatigue. Don't stand too much about your wosk if you can help it, for too much standing ilS bad for the pose of the body as' well as for the feet. > Make up your mind never to stand too long at a stretch. It is quite easy to sit down when drying dishes, for instance, or per- forming other simple tasks of the kind. CORX CUKE. Put four tablespoonfuls of vinegar into a smail saucepan, bring to the boil; then add one teaspoonful of bi-oerbonate of soda. When cold, pour into a bottle, and cork well. Soak a piece of wool in this, and tie round the corn each night, leaving it on till morning. WARDROBE HINTS. To clean white fur, rub well with ground rice, leave for a couple of hours, then shake the rice out. To clean velvet collars, rub with alcohol, lising a clean brush. It will make the velvet look like new. To prevent kid gloves splitting, place them betweea. damp towel for an hour or two before wear- ing for the first time. To renovate brown boots, mix together equal quantities of ammonia, milk, and water, apply with & soft cloth, and wh?n dry, polish with a pad of velvet. To renovate a faded muslin frock for a child, get a packet of Maypole soap oft some pretty colour, dissolve the soap in hot water, the-n dip the frock into it. Allow to dry. then starch and iron in the usual way. j When no boot trees are available, stuff boot& • or shoes with soft paper. Do this as 800n && they are removed from the feet, especially after a walk in the wet, and the shoes will -n a h i? s b oes will keep their shape fill worn out. To turn white shoes into brown, mix ten drops of saffron with a teaspoonful of olive oil, and. after cleaning the shoes, with a piece of clean flannel. Give two coats, and the shoes will look like new brown ones. MEDIG MACS. I Three cornered tears are frequent ill. mackintoshes made of rubber material. To mend these cut two pieces of the rubber you usqr for tyre-mending purposes and stick them over the tear, using the rubber solu- tion used for mending punctures, and finally rubbing a little French chalk over the mend. This will scarcely -how on the right side of th.? mackintosh. Any articles made of this rubber material should be doc- tored in this way—rubber gloves, sponge bags, etc.

It has been notified by the Keeper of the Privy Purse that the King has directed that no further letters signifying his Majesty's appreciation to parents having four sons or more in the Navy or Army are to be issued. Canada's existing over-.wa force exceeds by 60,000 the strength of the British Army at the outbreak of war.