LOOKING BACK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 47, 5 December 1939, Page 4

LOOKING BACK.

FIFTY YEARS SYNE. (From (lie “Guardian.” Typhoons in China —Sydney; * Reports which have reached here from Hong Kong state that the typhoon season this year has been terribly severe. Many vessels have been wrecked on the Chinese coasts, and the loss of life in connection with these disasters has been heavy. Disastrous floods have occurred in many parts of tho country, and at Wenchow whole villages have been washed away and several thousands of inhabitants drowned. It is rumoured that in the Wenchow country the .people have been reduced to such straits that they have resorted to cannibalism in. order _to save themselves from death through starvation. Stanley’s Books —London •. The copyright of Stanley’s new books, relating to his experience in the present expedition in Eastern Africa, has been sold for the sum of £40,000. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO (From tho “Guardian,” Dec. 5, 1914). German Plans London: “The Times” military expert in his article to-day discusses the. possibility of a German attempt to invade England, and calls upon Great Britain to be prepared for such, an emergency and not -rely too much on the shield of the Navy. “Now that the war is reaching tho climax of its violence, ” he says, “wo must anticipate that all the forces of Germany will be thrown into the conflict and that the German Navy will no longer remain, inert. We must expect to. be attacked at hoipe, and must not rest under any comfortable illusions, but look the situation calmly in tho face. From a soldier’s point of view the naval defence -of the- British Isles presents difficulties which not even the preponderance of ships can with absolute assurance overcome. The length of our coasts, the absence of our best troops over*the sea, the want of a national army which is still only forming, the menace of the,-submarine, which keeps oUr Grand Fleet often far from an ultimately decisive point, the Zeppelins, the.,mines and other war conditions more or less novel, throw upon Admiral Jellicoe a burden of 'responsibility which- must not be underrated.”