Abergavenny Chronicle

TORPEDO AIRPLANES. Among the many promising Royal Air Pore-e ventures which the armistice pre- v«nted from being nut into use was the tor- pedo airplane. This would have proved an astonishingly efficient weapon, the experts agreeing that the invention was of even greater potential "talue t-han tfic submarine. The torpedo airplane is a development of the seaplane torpedo carriers, which were trst successfully use d in actfen by the Koval Naval Air ServICQ a.t Dardanelles ih lyiS,' and subsequently erfiployed against us by the Germans an 1917. when they were thus j tabled tQ. sink three of our. merchant ShIPS: off the south-east coast. The torpedo which is carried is of small ,Oize as torpedoes go, weighing half a ton. Used from tfce modern torpedo airplane it It has ^eeu proved to be more efficiently "em- ployM tha OV any of her means. The e&eniy''fias.. good' reason to be tT/ankfyl' that th? Rbyat Air Force, 'which w?s 6tiva?va so-eminently ar,,ttin,??t him, was robbed by time Of using their latest weapon-I on "active service." Tnese torpedo aircraft "Were ready for use a few weeks before the Actual signing of the armistice.

JAM COUPONS STILL. It is officially announced that statements 1thich have been published to the effect that jKiuttry and all kinds of game, rabbits, jam, and margarine will Le in future sold with- out coupon^ is incorrect. A proposal to 8,.11 jam coupon-free is Under consideration by the Food Ministry, but this matter alsc has not been decided, 4Lnd jarq will only be &old with coupons, in any case for another month. Those re- taller* who have sold jam without coupons are liable to prosecution. 1 Margarine is plentiful at present, and j there is a possibility that the present ration ere is a -the present ration may be increased. Shortages in some directions are still in- dicated. 0 Milk is the chief problem at the moment, and any official intimation from the Food Ministry urges adults to be con- tent for the present with substitutes, to leave the fresh milk for children and inv- Valida. I

SUICIDE AfTER INFLUENZA. j I SUICIDE AFTER INFLUENZA. The foster-father of Harley Moss George, j twenty-seven, suggested at a Westminster in- I quest that the young man had not thrown himself in front of an electric train, but had fallen on the line through a fit of giddines3 following influenza. j Mr. Ingleby Oddie, the coroner, said he ■ Could not accept that theory in view of. the evidence. From his experience he knew how tomm-on the- suicidal impulse is in post- influenza depression, especially in young men who feel miserable and wretched and do not like to malsl" a fuss about illness. Suicide while of unsound mind was the verdict.

Middlesex tramwav-car fares are to be I tailed and halfpenny fares abolished. Invalid and bath chairs accompanying disabled scMiers wiH be earned free on the j railways. j -Housf".t,. are becoming popular in Aber- fleen, Washington State, owing to the scarcity oi L ,rs and the high rents cf those available. Major-General C. C. Manifold, C.B., Al.G., M.B., Indian Medical Service, is appointed an hon. physician to the King, vice Surgeon-General W. B. Bannerman.

I IN TBE POULTRY YARD. I I BY COCKCROW. -1 I HA TCfWIG AND IŒARING SEASO!f.. I HATCHING AND REARING SEASON. I Poultry-keepers, it is to be hoped, are duly grateful to the Navy for beating the German U-boats. They ovi^ht to be, for, it is due to the clearing of these pirates from the seas that the poultry-food position has improved so much in ,the last few weeks. There seems to be no further ground for anxiety with regard to food supplies, and breeders may look forward with easy minds to the hatching and rearing season. The -authorities, uow that the sea is once more safe, have acted with commendable prompt- ness in releasing foods which had been held in reserve for emergencies, and as a result the manufacturers are now getting materials oi much better quality than they have had for at least a year. Now that it seems certain that plenty of Lyood food wi:l be available, it is to be hoped MORE FOWLS WANTED. I that there will be a record hatching and rearing season. There must be con- siderably -fewer fowls in the country than there were twelve months ago. Many men wno naa to join, the Army cleared -out their stock be- fore they went, and many others, what with food restrictions and other difficulties, came to the conclusion that keeping a few fowls was a game not worth the candle. The numbers of fowls on poultry farms were also considerably reduced, and altogether, if a e-eu.sus of the fowl population could be taken, it would be found to be far below the normal. Now, poultry-keepers have an important part to play in the increase of the country's food production which is one of the urgent questions of the day. We want more fowls and more eggs. I forget exactly how many millions of eggs we import annu- allv from other countries, but it is a pretty big number. If we are to aim at making the country self-sufficing in the matter of corn, we shall do well to remember that few!? and eggs arc also important, since man cannot live by bread alone. Potatoes, until recently, have not been regarded by poultry-keepers with any par- • I I POTATOES FOR FOWLS. ticuhir enthusiasm as food for fowls. They are, hl5? ever, quite useful when used in the proper way. That they are starchy, everbody knows, but that is a quality which has some value from the point of view of egg-production. Starch in food produces heat, and given in modera- tion it is grateful and comforting for fowls in cold weather. The potatoes should be washed and then well boiled until they are. soft. After the water has been strained off and while the potatoes are hot, bran or middlings should be scattered over them, and the vhcle thoroughly mashed. If the mixture should seem to be too wet a little more meal will put matters right. As a general working rule it will be found that equal parts of meal and. potatoes is some- where near the mark. Some ground oats or a proportion of about one-tenth of meat or fish meal should be added to the mixture. Potatoes will come in very usefully for fattening purposes, and may bulk largely in I FOB ¡ FATTENING. the dietary 6ca?p. Besides incrcasi? the weight ?f 6i tlh. ? birds, a potato diet im- proves the co l our of the ilesn, and tnere is none ot tne yenow lat which is frequently seen as the result of maize-feeding. Potatoes are as good foi fattening turkeys, geese, an d ducks as for chickens. Those poultry-keepers who have aUotments, I hope, have had the wisdom to use the smallest of their crop for fowl-feed- ing, and those who have not been able to grow their own can probably obtain a supply of the chats which would have gone to feed the pigs—in the days when there were plenty of pigs in the land. It must not be forgotten that thoiigh potatoes are rich in starch they are deficient in proteid. Indeed, the contaiR only 2 per cent. of digestible proteid. This deficiency must be supplied to the fowls in some other form. tt is suggested that the large increase, in the acreage of 'arable land may give an I THE BBBEDIXO OF GEESE. impetus to the breeding of geese, which has deelincd during recent years. Plenty of goslings running in the stubble and picking up I grain would wean that a lot of good food which would otherwise be wasted would be put to good use. The breeding season for geese extends from February until the end' of June or the, beginning of Jujy. During the months of March and April egg-produc- tion is at its best. During the two follow- ing months it graduaMy decreases, though ?Lin, and good management may do much to maintain the yield. It is a good plan to get the birds into their permanent quar- ters early in the winter, as they are more likely to begin laying early when this has been done. After the first laying period they are often inclined to sit. The result of allowing them to do so would be to. mako the laying period very short indeed. It is good policy, therefore, to prevent them from sitting. In a few days they will, as a rule, begin to lay again. Let them sit at the end of second laying period. The early eggs should be put under broody hens. A goose can cover comfortably twelve or thirteen. From twenty-eight to thirty days is the period of incubation. I There is an embarrassing likeness between gander and goose, and goslings will long: GOOSE OR GANDER? baffle conjecture as to their j sex. To a close ebsetver? however (says a writer in I the "Gardener"), certain j distinctions gradually become perceptible. J The gander's hiss is more shrill and sibilant than that of the goose, while his neck is slightly thicker. There is one system of de- tecting the sexes which is certainly original, j and is usually fairly effective. It is believed 1 to haycvonglDad in Cambridgeshire, where foosebreedinor is extensively practised. The younar geese wre. shut up in a pen, and a smalf dog turned in amongst them. The ganders put their heads down at him and hiss, while the geese will keep their heads up and 'try to avoid the dog; but in spite of all precautions. I have known of two gan- ders being shown at a summer show as a pair. I have also known a. case where a breeding .set of three was formed which ul- timately proved to be three ganders, and cases are fairly frequent of breeding seta being found to be all geese.

Teacher: "How many of you can tell me I something about grass Well, Johuny, what do you know about it." Johnny: "Please, nia'am, it is eomothine you always have to keep oBTa." Pollywog: "What's the trouble between Van Clove and his wife? I thought she was the light of his life?" Jollydbg: "So she was. but she went out too often." Seedy Boarder: "Haw! You—haw may net. believe it, don't, you know, Lizzie, but I I was born with a—haw—silvah spoon in my mouth." Lizzie: "Well, fancy: An' me an' .mother thought you spoke like that on pur- pose." «

AIRMAN'S ESCAPE IN DISGUISE. I A Royal Air Force pilot who was forced by engine trouble to land and then destroy his machine while on active service in Persia, showed great resource and daring | in regaining the British lines. He made southwards over the hills, and, reaching a small village, decided to trust his fate to an old Persian of benevolent ap- pearance. The villager, attracted by the promise of 1,000 tomans (about £ 200) agreed to help, took the pilot into his house, and [ fed hipi- He also gave him Persian clothes and shoes and shaved his head in Persian fashion. The Englishman afterwards had reason to fear that his guide was planning to betray him, and seized an opportunity to leave him. He started to walk back to the Bri- tish lines, avoiding main roads, and for four days all the food he had was six ber- ries and one grape. At last he turned into a main road, and to his great joy met a British cyclist, who I stopped on hearing an English hail from an exhausted-looking Persian tramp. Even- tlj,ally an Air Force lorry appeared and con- I veyed him to headquarters.

DESECRATED 6ALLIPOLI GRAVES. 1 The Secretary of the War Office regrets to announce that a telegraphic report has been received that the cemeteries on the GaIlipoli Peninsula have in many eases been "grievously molested .and desecrated by the Turks. A detailed report has been asked for, and on receipt of this an explanation will be demanded from the Turkish Qovernment, who had previously given frequent assur- ances that the graves and cemeteries' on the peninsula should be carefully safe- guarded. Meanwhile immediate steps are being taken to rectify matters by the Graves Registration Unit,. composed of British, Australian, and New. Zealand officers, which landed on the peninsula on Novem- ber 10.

ADMIRAL JELLICOE'S TOUR. The Secretary of the Admiralty has made the following announcement: It having been intimated by the Domi- nion Ministers at the close of the recent Imperial War Conference that the Domi- nions would welcome visits from a highly qualified representative of the Admiralty for the purpose of advising the Dominion authorities on naval matters, the Board of Admiralty, with., the approval of tije War Cabinet, have deputed Admiral Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa to proceed on a airisit to the Dominions and India for this purpose early in the New Year.

I LADY DUDLEY'S ACTION SETTLED. 1 A settlement was announce r in the Chan- cery Division of the action concerning the Countess of Dudley's separation allowance of £ 9,000 a year. The point was whether in- come-tax was to be deducted. from the allow- ance. Mr. Frank Russell, K.C., for the Countess, said the parties had arrived at a settlement upon terms with which it was not necessary to trouble the court. Mr. Jus- tice Astbury expressed satisfaction that the parties had been able to settle this unfortu- nate dispute.

UNIVERSITY ELECTION RESULT. j The result of the election of a member of Parliament for Queen's University, Bel- fast, is announced as follows: I Sir W. Whitia (G N) 1487 Sean Dolan (S F) 118 Unionist majority over Sinn Feiner 1369 This is the first occasion on which I Queen's University has returned a represen- tative of its own to Parliament.

I SCOTCH. PEERS ELECTED. I The Scottish peers met in Holyrood Palace, the Duke of Moijtrose presiding, and elected ihe following sixteen peers tp repre- sent them in the ihouge of Lor<Js: — The Earls of Mar, Rothes, Morton, Caith- ness, Mar and Kellie,Lindsay, Northesk, and Dundonald; Viscount Fali, Northesk, Forbes, Saltoun, Sinclair, Sempill, Balfour of Burleigh, Fairfax, and Belhaven and Stenton.

I INTERNED STEAMERS RETURN. I Fifteen,- British steamers which had been interned in Hamburg since the outbreak. of the war have arrived in the Tyne. They were brought across the North Sea by German crews and taken charge of by Tync pilots. Fourteen vessels came from Hamburg and one from Altona. All German vessels requisitioned by the Allies for transportin g troops overseas.. f chiefly to the Dominions and to the United States, will, it is state4; be permitted to return with foodstuffs for. Germany.

DEARER BOOTS. I A revised list of war-time boots and shoes" lias been issued by the Director of Raw Materials providing for an advance in manu- facturers' prices, and consequently in the retail selling prices. The advahce has been made, the Secre- tary of the London Boot and Shoe Manu- facturers' Association states, because of -re- cent increases in wages to the operatives in all centres.

MARGARINE FROM COAL -1 Professor George Knox, principal of the South Wales School of Mines, revealed in a. speech that during the war margarine has, been extracted as a by-product from coal. "It's worst feature," &aid Professor Knox, "was that, while it might help the eating of bread, these products of coal had no fatten- ing quality."

THE AGE OF THE WORLD. I It was computed that the earth was some twenty million years old, and this calcula- tion was held to be correct unless some new way of producing heat in the surface of the earth were foilnd. Such a way has been found in radium, which gives out heat without diminishing its own weight. One pound of radium is suffi- cient to warm a liouee for 2,000 yeats. Radium is scattered all- over the surface of the earth, and it gives off helium. By comparing the amount of helium and radium ip a rock the age of the world aan be gauged, and this is computed to be over 1,500,000,000 years.

At Whaley Bridge, Cheshire,- a movement. is on foot to amalgamate with othei parishes. There are no fewer than-five sur- veyors, five medical officers, three sanitary inspectors, six rate collectors, two relieving officers, two school officers, three food con- trollers, and three fuel overseers.

I OTHER MEN'S MINDS. I j The great work of the world is not done for pay, but for something infinitely higher and nobler:—Mr. W. M Hughes. I NOT UK-ELY. t, t am not one of those who believe that 1 I Bolshevism or even violent revolution is likely to prevail in this country.-MI, W. A. Haviland. < THE GERMAN CO AIRFIELDS. I Not only must we punish the German criminals, but we must assume control over the German coalfields.-Sir James Crichton- I Browne. I THE ELIZABETHAN WAY. I Raleigh told the natives of the great good Queen Elizabeth who wished to free them from the yoke of Spain, and then he asked the nearest way to El Dorado.—Sir Sidney Lee. I THE SMOKE NUISANCE.. I The smoke nuisance causes preventable damage to buildings, furniture, human vitality, and plant life amounting annnally to not loss than < £ '50,000,000. The price at which electricity is now supplied to 'the average householder is a public ocandal.- Professor Bone. i f I STATE RAILWAYS. I Railways in private hands must be used for' immediate direct profit, but it might .I even pay the State to run railways at a losa to deyelcyp industries and agriculture.—Mr- Winlston Churchill. ROCKS AHEAD. I We talk a great dealanil it is not mere talk, use it represents i wha-t I believe to be an abiding sentiment of the British people f a League of Nations; but we ■ must not imagine that it is going to be plain sailing.—Mr. Asquith. I PILLARS OF PEACE. I Let us have, if we .may, a League of Nations to assure the future peace of the world. United by ties of race, language, literature, and tradition, enjoying practi- cally the same political institutions and methods of government, animated by cojfl- mon ideals of democratic progress, by the same purpose of equal opportunity to all the Wople., the nation.9 of the Britannic com- monwealth and the States vyhicb compose the great Republic of America can command the peace of the world.-Sir Robert Borden. I LONELY LONDON. I London is the greatest city on earth, but II I it is a dreadful place to be alone in.—Mr. .W. M. Hughes. I SUPPORTERS OF THE LEAGUE. I I "ere are T a good-many supporters of the _I League of Nations who are by no means lovers of peace at heart.—Dean Inge. I THE BEST DIPLOMACY. I I The time has come when both England and America should freely express their opinions to each other in reference to any possible point of difference. We shquld meet as men oi experience and strength who know there is no diplomacy quite so effective as that of transparent. candour, and that between two nations, who have the common aim of tfce welfare of civilisation, there can.- be no conflict save of opinion over ways and methods. Let our motto be; "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberality; in all things, charity."—Hon. James M. Beck. I FOR TBÈ COMMON FOB THE COMMON GOOD.' 1 If profit is to be made by reason of State action .and help let us secure that profit1 foi the community, and not allow it to be. inter- I cepted by favoured interesta and classes.- Mr. Asquith. NEVER AGAIN. I I hope we shall never see a German doll I in this country &g»tn.—Major-General Lord Chevlesmore. -• T DORA AND HER RELATIONS. I The Labour Party's, schemes for national- ising everything would keep not only "Dora" fn existence, but her sisters and her cousins and her aunts.—Lord Selborne. « I I- INCREASED PRODUCTION. ti I Science has placed at our disposal the means of unlimited production. If we dis- abuse our rnindti of any fear of dver-prcduc- tion we can not only increase wages but re- duoe the hoars of labour. It would be a fallacy to talk of the redaction of the hours o^ labour if it, meant that the cost of the product was advanced in proportion to the reduction of the cost of labour. The war debt "can only be paid by enormously in- creased production followed by higher wages.—Lord Leverhulme. I POWER OF THE PRESS. I 1 1, believe the Press has become more in- fluential even than the piilpit, and certainly is influential as the platform.-Dr. G. E. I McLean. I WAGES AND THE COST OF LIVING. I Ait advance in nominal wages does. not palliate, much less remove, the impoverish- ing. effects of, a persistent increase in the cost of living. It evades the problem but does not solve it.—Mr. Arthur Sherwell. r FOOD MINISTRY'S MISTAKES. I No one knows better than I do that in the I stress of this last year's work, the Food Ministry has made many mistakes, and has often been obliged to work on lines whioh in other conditions would rightly be con- demned as wasteful.—Mr. Clynes. I RAILWAY MANAGEMENT. I Evy student of contemporary > labour thought knows that no future system of operation of railways in this countr y can avoid disaster unless it allows for the repre- sentation of the workers in the management, not; merely to discuss labour conditions, but actually Intake a part in the management. —Mr. Emil Davies. THE FISHING INDUSTRY. I There are almost illimitable possibilities in the fishing industry. It has established a claim upon the nation second to none.—Mr. Prothero.

"COMRADES OF THE MIST." ] ADMIRAL MATTY'S FAREWELL To I I THE AMERICANS. ) Admiral Sir David Beatty, before the de- parture of the American Sixth Battle Squad- ron, delivered a farewell address on board the United States battleship New York. All hands were mustered on the fo'castle of the ship for the occasion. '"I want firafc ">f ail," said Sir David Beatty, "to thank you, Admiral Rodman, the captains, officers, and ships' companies of this mag- nificent squadron for the wonderful co- operation and loyalty you have given us in every duty you had to undertake. I want to congratulate you for having been present upon a day unsurpassed in the navaj annals of the world. "I know quite welf that you, as well as all your British comrades, were bitterly disap- pointed at not being able to give effect to that efficiency you have so well maintaiiied. It was a most disappointing day. It was a pitiful day to see those-great ships coming in like sheep being herded by dogs to their fold without an effort on anybody's part, but it was a day everybody could be proiid of. "I have received messages from several people offering sympathy to the Grand Fleet, and my answer was, We do not want sym- pathy we want recognition of the fact that the prestige of the Grand Fleet stood so high that it Was sufficient to cause the enemy to surrender without striking a blow. "I always had certain misgivings, and when the Sixth Battle Squadron became part of the Grand Fleet those misgivings were doubly strengthened, and I knew then they would throw up their hands. Apparently the Sixth Battle Squadron was the straw that broke the camel's back. "However, the disappointment that the Grand Fleet were unable to-strike their How for the freedom of the world- is counteracted by the fact that it was their prestige alone that brought aibout this achievement." Sir David Beatty went on to say that during the twetve months t.hjó Americans had been here they and the British had learned to know each other very weU. When they returned to their own shores he hoped that in the sun- shine which Admiral Rodman told him always shone there they would not forget their "Comrades of the Mist."

FIRST ELECTION RESULT. I The first contested election result was an- nounced on Tuesday for the two seats for I Oxford University as follows;—: Lord Hugh Cecil (C.U.) 2,771 Mr. R. E. Prothero (C.U.) 2,546 "Prof. Gilbert Murray (L.) 812 Mr. H. S. Furniss (Labour) 351 C.U. majority over Liberal 1,959 C.U. majority over Labour 2,420 {No change.) The electors numbered 7,907, about half of whom appear to have voted. The declaration ao soon caused surprise in many quarters, the impression being that no result would be announced until December 28, the interval of a fortnight from the polling day having been allowed for the return to this country of the ballot papers of soldiers on foreign service. The Reform Act, however, contains a special provision governing Univer- sity elections. Clause 36, Sub-section (b) says: "It shall not be necessary (in the case of a University constituency) to prepare an absent voters' list." All absent University voters are given the right to vote by proxy-. A Univer- sgii poll remains open for five days.

THE SAND OF MYSTERY. J A tray of Egyptian sand was used by a woman named Cordelia iHicks, who was charged at Lambeth with pretending to ten fortunes. It had to be Egyptian sand, said prosecuting counsel, because Egypt wa,s an ancient country -aftd a country of mystery, and its hetp was needed to enaMe the "fortune-teller to see into the'future. The woman Hicks urged that she did not make any charge, and always told her visitors not to believe what she told them. Some of them gave her little, presents, such' as a blouse. Counsel qn her behalf said Hicks was a milliner and art needle-worker, and fortune- 1 telling was more or less a hobby with her. A fine of £5 and t2 costs was imposed.

I NO MORE WAR BADGES. I No more war service badges are to be issued,. the Ministry of Munitions announces. Men, who held badges on May 7, 1917, are to be allowed to retain them, and women will keep theirs- provided they were engaged on muni- tions for two months before the signing of the armistice.

A REMARKABLE MONASTERY. I At Solovetsk, in the Russian Govern- ment of Archangel, is the most remarkable monastery in the world. It is enclosed on every side by a wall of, granite boulders which measures nearly a mile in circum- ference. It is very strongly fortified, being sup- pf?rted by round and square towers about 'p rty feet in height, with walls twenty feet in, thickness. The monastery consists in reality of six churches, which are com- .p!etely filled with statues and precious stones. Upon the walls and towers sur- rounding these churches are mounted huge guns, which in the time of the Crimea War were directed against the British. White Sea Squadron. The monks who inhabited the monastery at that time marched in proces- sion on the granite walls while the shells were flying over their heads, to prove how little they feared the attack of the British fleet, Ten thousand pilgrims comp annually to Solovetsk from all parts of Russia to view the churches and relies. They are conveyed in steamers manned and commanded solely by monks.

MUSIC FOR COWS. I Not only may it be said that music hath charms to soothe the savage breast,, but it also has power to prod nee fresh, good milk from a cow whose sftpply may have been de- ficient in quality and quantity. Mr. Grant, of Winconsin, says that he has proved by experiments that cows to whom music is played increase their milk supply by one-third. Furthermore, his- experi- ments have convinced a nupiber of agricul- tural experts in the' United States. But it must be good music. At milkingJtime, according to Mr. Grant, the best music to play is a low soft tune, which will soothe the troubled nerves of the cows; but it has also been discovered that young bows prefer a light composition. All cows like to hear a waltz. They revel in the waltz, but their milk turn* sour if they are treated to a vulgar. music-hall air. The Wedding March from "I/ohengrin" has been found to have a good effect on most aitimals. Two instruments, carefully selected, are as many as an ordinary cow will listen to at once, and both instruments must be pitched in a key not too high or harsh. Har- moniums are ideal, and suit the slow-moving brains of cows admirably.

♦ Having failed to produce sufficient cou- pons for meat sold, Sidney Deans, a Letch- worth butcher, was fined' X15 at Hitch-in. He said that owing to labour diffisulties he had to .employ boys t otear coupons from ration books..

THE ALLIES IN RUSSIA. ol LORD MILNER EXPLAINS WHY WE INTERVENED. Lord Milne^? replying to a correspondent who asked what right. we ever had to send British troops to Russia to meddle with 'the internal affairs of that country, and how long we meant to keep them there now that the war was over, says:— "The reason why Allied, not merely British, forces—indeed the British -are only a small proportion of the total Allied troopa —were sent to Russia, is that the Bolshe- viks, whatever their ultimate object, wfre in tact assisting our enemies in every pos- sible way. "It was owing to their action that hun- dreds of thousands of German troops were let loose to hurl themselves against our men on the Western Front. It was owing to their betrayal -that Itumanhi, with all its rich resources in grain and oil, fell into the hands of the Gertruuis. It was they who handed over the Black Sea Fleet to the Ger- mans, aud who treacherously attacked the Czecho-Slovaks. w heit the latter only desired to get out of Russia in order to tight for the freedom of their own country in Europe." This intervention was successful, adds Lord Milner. The Czecho-Slovaks were saved from destruction, the resources of Siberia and South-Eastern Russia were denied to the enemy, the northern ports were pre- vented from becoming bases for German submarines, and millions of people, friendly to the Allies, have been spared the uuspcak- able^ horrors of Bolshevik rule. In the course of this intervention thou- sands of Russians have fought on the side of- the Allies. To leave them to the tender mercies of their enemies would be an abominable betrayal. "You may be quite sure," says Lord Milner, "that the last thing the Govern- ment desire is to leave any British soldiers in Russia a day longer than is necessary,, but this is a case in which the more haste may be the less speed. If the Allies were alt to scramble out of Russia at once the result would almost certainly be that the bar- barism which at present reigns in a part only of that country would spread over the whole of it."

I BLACKED CASEMENT'S EYE. c* A number of repatriated prisoners who Wo. now reached this country had been for four yeaTs in German hands. One of the men said he was unlucky enough to come under the charge of Cor- poral Schubert la man concerning whom the Government are making inquiries). "Schu- bert was in charge of a camp," he ,addeds "pnd treated us abominaMy. Men were at one time shot for the least offence, and for those who were ill no consideration was. shown. I lay two and a half months in the camp helpless through malarial fever. He refused to allow me to be moved to a hos- pital, and said I could die where I lay. "Casement came to the camp and tried get some of us to serve with his Irish Brigade, and our treatment was worsened each time we refused to serve. Once he got a black eye from one of our men, who was Eromised the best of everything t onc? if be would only consent to be enrolled."

COAL UNDER BEANSTALKS. Three tons of coal, carefully covered with beanstalks, were said to have been found in the garden of Lionel Caunter. Evershoit Lodge, Nete Barnet, who, for making a false return in a coal requisition order, was fined f JZ25 at Barnet Police-court. It was stated that he filled up a form in which he declared that he had no coal i-n, stock. The local fuel overseer, however. fon-nd three tons of coal, covered with house- h'ld 'articks, in a stable, in addition to the, ooal discovered in the garden. On behalf of Caunter, it was stated that he was in the hands of a housekeeper, and while he was at Lowestoft she told him that there was prac- tically no coal in the house.

COAL SHORTAGE CONTINUES. The present coal shorage will last over Christmas, declares the Coal Controller, and the public tatist not expect the rationing of ooal to cease this winter. As a help to tide over the interval until better times arrive people who have stocks in their cellars are invited to order no more coaly and those "without stocks to be content with week by week supplies for the next six wee ks. Contributing causes to the shortage am stated to be influenza, the. short days, bad weather, and fog. Many homes will btt- relieved by the statement of the Controller that by a redistribution of coa l and a re- arrangement of the priority of the different interests he has heeu. enabled to plac#- domestic supplies lieybnd question.

Primroses are growing in many places jn. the Irish Midlands and West, even in un- sheltered places. In Conuemara. labnr.num is in bloom. Many women munition workers are actiu as Christmas postwomen. A thirtyJiours working week is urged by No. 83 (Nottingham) Branch of the United. Machine Workers' Association.

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