LOOKING BACK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1938, Page 19

LOOKING BACK.

FIRST YEAR OF WAR.

BRITISH FORCE IN FRANCE.

SHORTAGE OF ARTILLERY.

By MAX WHATMAN. During the first twelve months of the Great War the British forces in France suffered from a shortage of artillery munitions and notably of high explosives, but by September, 1015, this deficiency had been made good and the British joined equally with the French in the daily bombardment of the German trenches, which extended from the end of August to the next great combined forward movement, beginning on September 25. The British main attack in this advance was against the <Jorman trenches between Lens and La Bastsec. Subsidiary assaults were delivered elsewhere. as at Hoogo, where (>OO yards of trenches were captured, while a naval bombardment of the Belgian coast was part of the general scheme. Sir Douglas (later F.arl) Ilaig delivered the main attack, which was assisted by gas, used for the first time by the British. The London Territorial Division rushed the village of Loos, its cemetery and chalk pits on the south side, while the Highland Division seize! the northern exits and pushed two miles beyond. Meantime the centre brigade penetrated Halluck and captured a number of guns. The Ninth Division, on the left, won the first line of German trenches east of the Vermelles railway, but, after heavy losses, were driven back to their own trenches. During the fight 2(5 German field guns and 40 machine guns were captured, besides 57 officers and 3000 other ranks. i SCHNEIDER CUP RACE. A quarter of a million people cheered themselves hoarse at the world's most expensive pleasure resort, the Lido, as racing seaplanes hurtled through the air on September 26, 1927. It w-as the famous international race for the Schneider Cup, won on this occasion by cheerful, red-haired Flight-Lieutenant S. N. Webster, who secured the trophy for England. Webster covered the course at an average speed of 281.656 miles an hour, more than 35 miles an hour faster than the previous winner. It was a great scene. Mussolini himself attended and there were eight Italian warships in the harbour, as well as the British aircraft carrier 11.M.5. Eagle. The Italian pilots all abandoned their attempts and it was left to British pilots to come in first and second. Owing to the heavy cost of competing in this race, the event haa not been held for seven years. Winners of the trophy have been: — Tear Won by Miles per hour 1013 France 25 I 5 1914 Britain 88.8 1020 Italy 107.0 1921 Italy 111-® 1922 Britain j-J ittoQ U.S.A. 177.88 1025 r.S.A. 235.57 1926 Italy 246.496 1927 Britain 281.656 1929 Britain 328.ft3 1931 Britain 340.0 Wreck of the Tyrone. To he shipwrecked twice in one month was the unusual experience of fiv« members of the crew of the steamei Tyrone, which went ashore near Otagc Heads on September 27, 1913. A month before these men had been on the Devon which was wrecked off Pencarrow. Botr vessels, which were operated by th« Federal-Houlder-Shire Company, be came total losses. The engines were kept going at ful speed astern, with no effect, so, as i 1 was assumed that the vessel ha< grounded on the spit, full speed ahea< was ordered. Two minutes later lan< was eeen. The Tyrone then struck i rock, which pierced one of the holdi The vessel was broadside on, in a mos exposed position. Pounded by south erly gales, she broke in two and disap peared. The crew was rescued without diffi culty. The steamer was so close to th cliff that it was possible to rig a ladde from ship to shore, and the 70 on boari escaped by thfc unconventional means. Begicide in Lisbon. One of the most popular European monarchs of his way was Carlos 1., Kin; of Portugal, who was born on Septem ber 28, 1863. King Carlos was a ma] of great personal charm. He was ai accomplished artist, exhibiting at number of important salons. He wa also a sportsman, being an excellen tennis player, a fine shot and an enthu siastic yachtsman. On February 1, 1908, the King, th Queen and their two sons were drivin

I in an open carriage through the street of Lisbon. A band of men rushed upi and opened Are with carbines, which had been concealed beneath their cloaks. The King and the Crown Prince fell I back mortally wounded, and both died within a few seconds. The Queen had a marvellous escape, as she stood up to shield the Crown Prince but was not hit. The second son, Prince Manuel, was slightly wounded. Prince Manuel was proclaimed King, but later deposed when Portugal became a republic. Like so many kings without countries, he made England his home, dying in 1032. Great Moral Teacher. How many men would be so uncomplaining as to accept a salary of £40 a year for a post worth more than ten times that amount? When Benjamin Jowett was Professor of Greek at Oxford University, he was paid £40 a year, and cm account of petty persecution because of his religious views, any augmentation of this pitiful sura was withheld. Jowett, however, had good friends. They discovered that a breach of contract had been committed, and the endowment was immediately raised to £500 a year. Jowett, who died on October 1, 1893, at the age of 76, was a theologian, a tutor and a university reformer, but his beat claim to remembrance by posterity is his greatness as a moral teacher. Many of the most prominent Englishmen of the day were his pupils, and owed much of what they were to his precept and example, his penetrative sympathy, his insistent criticism, and hm unwearying friendship. Seldom have ideal aims" been so steadily pursued with so clear a recognition of practical limitations. Jowett's place in literature rests really upon the essays in his Plato, »nd judged on them alone his worth extends far beyond his own generation. Jowett was one of Oxford's most distinguished sons, and many monument* exist to hia activities as Master pi BallioL Bis funeral waa one of the mosi impressive over Men in Oxford. Th< pall-bearers were seven heads of col leges and the provost of Eton, all oi whom were Jowett's aid pupils.