1916-03-31 — Page 7

ON FACING DEATH.

AN ARTICLE STRAIGHT FROM THE TRENCHES,

If I woro asked to tell the most extra- urdinary fact about life out here I should way it is the absence or fewnem of now

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, MARCH 3182, 1916.

THE VOLUNTEER RECRUIT GERMANT'S SPRING EFFORT.

IN CAMP.

WANTED: A MUSICAL EAR

When, in response to the stirring appeal f the commanding offer of one of the pro- emotion of any kind and the rarity of fear, vincial Volunteer corps, I finally decided to And it is true that when the western enrol myself in a well-known corps, I had frent is not active, when, in fact, it is as Foarful, and is such that the ordinary an with the average amount of courage and the average amount of nervousnes; may live without serious injury to body or nervous Bystem.

REPORTED CONCENTRATION AGAINST RUSSIA.

ALLIES? SEA POWER.”

NAVIES STRONGER THAN“ AT".

OUTBREAK OF WAR.

JAVA-CHINA JAPAN LIJN

"REGULAR" FORTNIGHTLY SERVICE BETWEEN

JAVA CHINA AND JAPAN.

* TJIMANOEK...

this winter has seen it, life hore is not very / unfortunately only time to put in a fow with forces on the spot. The season is chiefly directed against merchant ship- | PJIPANAS ...

trenches

་

first time wo came out of trenche; we con- fitted to die another that is wa n't half so

awful as we had expected, and one said, quite honestly too. I think sien who are frightened by it exist only in

Korelettes."

300 70 1 AGAINST BEING KILLED.

I

So that the "story of the western front ou average daye is that going to war is just a huge business many days trenches, with dirt, fatigue, los of sleep. "and anxious moments, and then so many jutant fall off his herec and hoard Inter that been an attempt to break up the joe on the

Gorman The Allies. Coalition. Numbr.Tonage.Numbr.Tun'age.

Battleships 8Q 1,218,000 33 373,000 Pee-Dreadnought Dreadnoughts

The excursions and aiarums of the Gor. mang out the Riga-Dvinsk section of Rus

Captain Persius has been giving in tho sia's Europeau front have been forening Berliner Tageblatt the balance sheet of in frequency and extent for the past fort night, wrote the Petrograd correspondent naval and maritime gaiva and lowes during

but he clearly admits two essential facts: of the Morning Post on February 4th the war. His review is far from complete. They fail to disturb the equanimity of the Russians who deal with them as required (1) The German aval campaign has been short instructionary drills before being already quite favourable for much more ping, and one: own losses from it amount easily persuaded to at end the annual camp extenve ovements than any yet attempted to nearly, o per cent of the tonnage of the by the Germans, and the general impres. British merchantsrivo; (2) in his own, zion produced is that the enery is either words must be clearly understood not in a position to make any of exercise, which was described to me n "glor'ous fau," but which I later found

pre- to-day at sea than they were at the begin- engaged

lag of the war. ane panceustomed to strict military disparatery work. Whether or not one can indict, on these to be a period of very strenuous work to in this region or is the age-rell efforts that our (British) adversaries are stronger In this connection I cannot refrain from I have received from an authorised facts, the colonel of the novel who used to tell us men of ignorans penes that the inan cipline, and which proved very irksome who said shell Bre left him unmoved was after years of a free and easy district life. telling a story which evidently has a Ger- French source figures which make it pas For instance, at the opening battalion man origin and is only a rather exaggeratsible to show briefly a comparison of the ed KLMP.E of the many which the Germans marine resources not of England and Ger- for the colonel thought so doubt of hry parade I was walking along, quietly so have diligently put about in this country any only, but of the Alieg na a whole on aflar and a coward to boot is doubtful; sall fire in the open when men fell inng my pipe, when a sergeant bolted across and elsewhere to account for the peteringthe one hand, and of the Central Coalition or the other (says the special correspondent hesps, wherons we have the protection of the ground towards ue and in sentorius of their march of cunguest eastwards.

good that except in heavy whisper said that smoking on parade was It is reported seriously that behind their of the Daily Chronicle writing frouk Bombardments casualties are not numerous something akin to murder Hurriedly reformidable defensive works on the line of Paris). When it is remembered that the I remember when we left England the placing my pipe in my pocket and express the Drina the Germans are preparing when acay chose their own moment for pre- physically bravest among us said. "I expecting my profuse thanks for having been the spring break-up arrives to perform a cipitating this calamity upon the world. to be blue with funk the first time we pro Shed in trenches," and I read that they along in fine style to join the ranks, the whole fare of Nature in their favour and arduous preparations for naval as for Shelled and probably jumps the first week sarely along in fine style to join, ending joi-aighty engineering work that shall altered that Germany, at least, and made long when my coupnay-sergeant-instructor mon-they propose to divert the course of the land war, it is a remarkable fact that the tioned that my section had already been Dving as an alternative to the impassible aval power of the Allies has steadily in told off, and this was more forcibly impress task of crossing it in face of Russian op creased, both positively and comparatively. res the year it was approximately three times as done by my section commander when position. Th, tani velleus story admirably and that at the beginning of the present attempted join my section. It is fauny accounts for everything what httle things seem to matter when in height of the historic ages of the wigaty large as that of the bostile coalition camp. Then again yesterday afternoon world conquerors of Asia But it igures Thus:

the fact that it was not the Dvina, and is after being beautiful dressed in a new

o the Dvina that holds up Hindenburg. uniform by the sergeant-major I was going For a couple of months or more the Dving to the tent allotted to me when I passed what I was later told, were the colons and has been passable for Germany's heaviest the latest activity of German scouts has the adjutant Looking back I saw the ad arttlery at any point in asy quantity. Yet this was due to the shock occasioned by my river apparently to prevent the Rustians failure to salute the commanding officer, I coming across. One By one the German certainly do not remember having done this, fably evaporate, leaving a residue which but I didn't know it was always neccesary, is plainly recognizable as sheer failure.

The Gorman it is said, have been draft- and, besides when you have a mounted company in the corps how are you to recoging forces, once more against the Rus ian niso a colonel from anyone ebe?

A comparison equally precise of the sub- I also front, where, evidently, their great spring. heard that the pildness of the language of effort is intended to be made. The neutral marines of the two groups cannot be made. the adjutant or picking himself up from ity ur participation of Rumanin is still aa for the enemy maintains all possible secrecy the ground was a miracle of grace for him, open querdon, and to some extent this ca as regards both his losses and bin new con- the spent the remainder of that after-sideration fixes the Germans in s determinstruction. But I am informed that in the noon in the gentle art of saluting under the tion to exert every effort on the scettes opinion of the Allied staffs the proportion eagle eye of the senior sergeant-instructor. between the Dniester and the Pruth. It is not very different from that of the larger

unite. It is very questionable, also, whe advancing to this front. Certainly twelve inch guns are already at work there, and heavier artillery is being prepared for. The Russing continue their pressure with anabated ardour, but their rep of advance has been retarded by the extreme efforts made by the enemy to dam the Russian tide which threatened to sweep all before it westwards. Now that the Russians have made good a foothold on the plateau worth art of Czernowitz the fighting there has to some extent gone underground. We hear of very few details, but the explosion by the Russians of a camouflet in German sap is suggestive of the deadly nature of conflict now being waged in this region. In spite of a good deal of this kind of fighting which hag already taken place on the French front, the public has rather a vague cu peption of what it means. When the opposing onchos are so near together as to defy the respective artillery with the risks of in- juring their own as

much as the enemy's line, and are so well manned that not a anger can be raised above the parapet, when,

days out, with concerts and ittle diners perhaps, and certainly baths, a change of underelaties, tolerably good food, reading and writing, much football, and long nig of blessed sleep."

And if I were to reduce these facts to Egures I would say that. given ordinary. fortune in the ordinary spell in the tren- ches, the odds are 100 to 1 that you do not receive a sorah and about 300 toi that you are not killed. I base the figures on the casualties my battalion has suffered in trencha, in different parts of the line.

Obviously these figures are very reassur- og to the most nervous of men and to those who by reason of their responsibilities home have least desire to die. But this common-sense confidence why not operative the first day in trenches or the first time

oder shell fire,

Super D's 83 1,412,000 Battle Cruisers... 21 Cruisers, protectd.71 Lesser Vessels 153 T.B. Destroyers...542

21: 512,000 145,00

4·2,000 B 744,000 691, 00.35 378,000 180*

SUBMARINE COMPARISON

5 42,000 126,0.0 93,000

The camp routing also gave me a great said that the German Guards corps are ther the construction of enemy mosquito

deal of trouble. I was told that a bugle would sound every morning at 5 am. caled reveille," and that meant "out of bed or punishment into the cold, pretty quick for one of the 742 crimes mentioned in the Army Act, most of which seem to be punish able with death, I heard the bugle the first Yet our indifference was, I say it em- phatically, as great then as it has ever day, but several going off at short intervals b. And the reasons were, firstly, and playing a different tune every time 1ht we were so intensely interested in considerably confus d me, and finally I was everything that we had little time to think moned to attend a bugle call parade for of danger; secondly, that the trenches give, failure to recognise one of the tunes played sad rightly, e sense of security that is towards the afternoon which was really soon found justibed; and thirdly, that the fall in" and which I thought was meant "officers iness"-1 was elected an Army routine had already robhed the img for giantive aroong us of a good deal of that honorary member of this on my arrival in nervous tension and that imagination that camp, and was casual y strolling across for were ours is civil life, and that we wore too when I was placed under arress and consequently slow to realise danger, Inter, released with a warning It was Impressions of fret facing death must often account of this went of anusest ear necessity be personal, but in all probabiit that I was finally compelled to cut short, my 1 first ram stay in camp before anything happened to they applied to most of us. fatninong risk of being killed when I stoorl

e which might have resulted in my being

ار داده اند و می شده است یا ایرانی

at night as a sentry with my head above

the parapet.

It was dark. I stared out towards the Garman lines two hundred yards away, faintly discerning our barbed wire five yards away.

SHELLS, TRENCH MORTALS, AND MINES, It was quiet, and I reasoned that I was really very safe, because they could not see me, and even if they could my own rifle shooting told me that a head is not always hit at short range. Trus. my rifle friar told them where I was, but the flash of a rifle is momentary, followed by black- be, and no matter how good your eve- sight is you cannot very definitely fix in the dark the spot where e flash came from a second before. You may fix it to a yard. but a head is small and the head may be shifted a yard or two away.

Further, not only had sentries already Blood unhit in that spot for hours that night but sentries were sinading so ng in- tervals both in our lines and those of the enemy from the North Bes to Switzerland, cheerfully and unconcernedly.

But what of the machine gun, you may way, that sweep or traverse the parapets covering every inch of them from time to timo? True, the grant danger lies there. But, a machine gun makes a big noise, a clackety-clack that can be heard a loug way and unless you have the misfortune to be standing at the spot where the gun is first aimed you have ample time to “duck" heat while the bullets f

your

overbond. So sentry. Bo seemod; and is, tolerably safe, AR MALA

Shells are different, trench mortars are different, mines are different; but a some what similer common-serge reasoning is ap plicable to them all, S

was walking along a road behind the

taken out to be shot on the range, which

in fact, the alightest sound produces à was several times threatened me by ctio or shower of grenades from the other side, the the other of the company instructors. This only thing left is to burrow like a rabbit is how it occurred. About midnight I heard toward, the enemy's lines. In suitable a bugle which sounded to me all the way ground the Russians make their shelters ike lights out, this being camp fire foward of the trenches, that is, towards night. As I had already turned in and the enemy's side. A little extasion of this put my light out I took no notice of this, process sarists them in dealing with the till I heard innumerable voices and rushing enemy's saps. The explosion of mine around of feet white various orders were underground leaves no signs above ground being given to invisiblo persons. Bugles if the awful catastrophe which has occur

The horrors of such fighting continued to blow and it was impossible to red below. sleep. Putting my head out of my tent defy the imagination and cannot be describ saw an awful sight, for the whole battalioned by those who have survived. was rushing to their places, while a grain,

craft has done much more than keep pace Germany had about 30 with the losses. submarines at the beginning of the war she probably has not very many more at the present time The number of Allied submarines, on the other hand, greatly increased.

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EXPHOTED WILL LKAVE

FROM

ON GE ABOUT

OK OR ABOU

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BATAVIA

FOR

in port

in port

314 April

FJILIWONG.....

TJIKINI...

TJILATJA P

MAKASSAR

KOBE

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in Fort

4th April

30th Mar.

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6th Apr.1

31st Mar

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11th April

BATAVIA

KOBE

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&HANGHAI

1 OBE

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the German feet nach heard of, but THE

In no

·This

They are not so much of, because behind fortresses and mine-fields, case would they have been used as the Cap- energy submarines have been used, tain Persius records, without any compune. tion, that 743 Allied merchant ships have been destroyed during the war. brigandage bay no affected the suprenney of the Allies at sea; and the flag of the Gorman merchant marine has long disap- pared. Of 1200 German steamers, 200 were aptured at the outset, at large or in the ports of the Allies and rabro than 600 took refuge or were blockaded in neutral ports.

Hamburg and Bremen,

docks of Ha bury to rotting in the

GERMAN STRATEGY.

"UNTIL ENGLAND WEARIES."

According to the Washington correspon- dent of the New York Evening Sun, who interviewed a high Geruan official in the United States regarding Germany's strategie intentions. the Gerras General Staff contemplates no more offensive move- monts during the war. The only direction

fire steadily crept toward the camping JAPAN'S LOYALTY TO HER in which the offensive can be looked for

ground. My ear had again played me false, I did not get found out, however, till my tent was lowered on top of me, when the language used by the tent-strikera consider ably added to the heat of the fire.

Japan:

ALLIES.

No thoughtful or sapaiblo person can doubt the sinocrity of Japan in the pe it on she has taken as to the present world struggle. The record speaks for itself, and I would consider it undignified and super-fazu,

in musical sounds before the next camp trouble. came round, s,

is in Egypt, and this will be Turkey's affair. The only event that can alter the defensive plans of the Geroun Staff must STATEMENT BY BARON ISHII,

be something epoch-making or unprecedent- Following upon the interview with Counted, such as a great revolution in India.

The terms of peace," said the New I felt that I would not be alive to conOkuma, Premier of Japan, which we re- inue this diary if I joined the corps the produced in our columns a few days ago Türk Sun's authority that coud now he we now give the following statement by drafted and accepted by Germany might following day for field-firing with ball - munition, and which was to last three days, Baran Ishii, Foreign Minister, which ap-recognise that England has won on the sea pears in the Japan Times, in reference to

They would have to recognise the German so went to the adjutant's office oarly next morning and reported that another Kachin the relations between Great Britain and victory on land. Until England shows a disposition towards penco the German rising was expected in my district and was

tactics wil be to hold what has been con- graciously allowed to proceed home, the

as this determination makes pecessary adjutant, who did not recognise me as the

quered, with such minor offensive attacka cause of his fall from his horse, sympathis ing with me for being recalled to my post

The real activity will be in submaring war- England wit be given two months in which to feel the economic stress so in the middle of such an interesting and influous now to make protostation or re-asser- structive camp.

tions of Japan's loyalty. The real Japan acutely that she will begin to think seri- On my way to the railway station. I reaches the bare nxituation of disloyalty ously on What is the use" and "Is it bought a banjo and vowed to train my car and particularly of disloyalty to a friend in worth worl

The Berlin Government is confident that *** P***In normal times, with a world at pesce, England is now in the throw of economic arguments and discussions over the terms distress. She is credited with a panicky, and conditions of existing international shortage of ships, as shown by the fact that aly Grads for England, as shown by we ducked" our heads a bit, stali march desirable. But now, with the world at war Gelds on the right and scattered houses on jug, of course, and after overy report we with our friend and ally engaging a re in New York, where they cannot be bought the left. I was alone, making my was looked at each other and laughed. And lentless enamy, is not the time for such for love or money, The Weir Tork Sun's with a meage to a working party

So we all thought that the space occupied by discussion or for dissention. We rea is the high authority at Washington did not deny nim glorious morning: The war seoted euch one of us was infinitesimal, and that obligation that lies upon us in the form of that Germany is experiencing stress, Ger. Long way off hand tangan ke

the chance of being hit by a shal fired at a treaty of alliance, but I may say that many is facing certain bankruptry after Suddenly there was a whistling, a wail nothing in particular was rannte Japan is bound to England not by the ties the war, but bankruptcy after the war does not matter in German official opinion here, hing that every instant was nearer, then a bangy and thirty yards away in the Auld

and they do not go up every day: bonds of mutual friendship and mutual

the road until England waarka Bank- Even and this is thor worst case-if you gratitude,

raptoy i docepted as more or less inevit know the treach you are in 18 mined it is The Frenchman has an expressionable, so far as things have gone England highly unlikely that it will go up while which fits the case-Noblesse oblige and will be bankrapt too. you are in it. And, as for trench moriars, so i will be with Japan while this war lasts well, you may see them coming wahbling and afterward, la

During the war Germany, cannot go through the air, and you may run for a Local and national political explosives bankrupt, and afterwards the eiew is that second or two without the danger tone. sometimes Invade Interazional territory. Germany wil no lag behind any country Remembering all of the things bewe They appear formidable and are really in recuperating Berlin officia's have sized found belief that, Providence will look awetters abroad. The weak foreign policy England cannot crush Germany before the do and having in addition either a pro-harmless but are taken seriously by the go the probabilities. They report that after us or

a stoical fixed idea of the it or the failure in diplomscy of this or that Icland Lapire starveg. to deatha ka vasak exorable character of Fate that what wina Cabinet, are cries that have caught the be will be-it. 평 easy to socouch for lack of real fear, and for the cheerfulnere that popular er at all times and will continue almost every man has, and that remains his fe do so. But international agreements and most valuable asset. ·· Meet per te international friendships le depper than

Another fact induces, cheerfalaces thez 31.th/p, and are not really

treaches one morning, a road bounded. hten yards to our lef. At every whistle treaties are perroisible; indeed, they are she is aheady the value of ships

little fountain of black earth, a round where mines caurot explodetetory of a treaty of allianos but by the closer The thing is to hold the line and to keep

hole, ang bild of earth or metal whizzing bust my hand, I screwed my head round topped, and when the whizzing stopped jalked in *.*. A mai poken his head out fa house, grinned, and went in again hat was my fire shell

DOING SOMETHING FOR ENGLAND. 1440

Another came a few moments later the no whizzing bits and this time a rather bomfort foi and

to turt

colls up

d plan. The correct thing

to throw oneself "on"

froad Wag di

rend

any way

to fall

i fours sm

we are doing, something for England, and fluted by such talk they, we may ay with Rupert, Broke

Now,

aw, God be thanked Who

or in-

In spite of the efforts of our gremmen

ps with. His hour Phebenso coce the foods of diroord, believe a

the war is going to bring the world closer

but be in feston, alter the glabor of together, in muinal pnderstanding and the first few work has gone, lies in the ran thay time of fuller understanding has reduction of the one takal pelsodal equa been reached there will be no call from tim, with the resultant fact that the odds the gentleness the countries to the are tremendously in onele karina gentlemes of Japan 10 reggers chair-gle gow

or protent their good faith.

LATEST STEAMER MOVEMENT,

The str. Empress of Busisa, arrived at Kobe on Tueday, the 28th March, lefe Kobe same day. ...

With prew to luiting the demand, uniform cloth the der GPL

the Fast any of pistal errants sollerhilf from wearing their whoisl uniforms except where absolutely necessary."

JAVA-CHINA-JAPAN LIJN,

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