BRITISH PRISONERS AT RUHLEBEN

Evening Star, Issue 16196, 18 August 1916, Page 1

BRITISH PRISONERS AT RUHLEBEN

I » According to the * Manchester Guardian,' Mr A. Valgimigli, the honorary secretary of Hie Manchester Jiaute Society, has received a letter from Mr Walter Butterworth, at the Ruhleben Camp, in Germany, giving some account of educational work done in the ! camp, more- particularly in the study of •foreign languages. Mr Butterworth says.— '•\ou will rejoice to hear that there is in the camp a remarkably keen activity in Italian language, and literature. No fewer than 15 classes in the language are in full swing; in addition we. have every Tuesday an Italian lecture on the national literature by Signor Cutayer. We are at present dealing with Machiavelli. Every Sunday a circle I meets for addresses and conversations, alI ways in Italian, and on Fridays there is a dramatic section, which has enacted many plays by Goldoni and Metastasio, besides others by AJfieri and some modfrns. Tuesdays and Saturdays we have a Dante group. My friends of the International Brotherhood will bn glad to hear that modern languages are busily cultivated. There are 53 classes in French and 23 in German. Many lectures are given in French; a few in Spanish. There are circles of French, Italian, Spanish and German. lam in all but the last. A French journal has recently been issued. VVe had a modest Cervantes centenary along with the Shakespearean—a small affair. It is a bit of a pinch here sometimes. But what good is a man ir he cannot stand a Jit tic against ill-fort>.me ? A monotonous, restricted, and half-stifted present sendi the mind back to former days."

Sixer, Ist March, 1915.. the Imperial Supplies Department has Frozen Meat paid £11,203,364 to New in France. Zealand jn-oduoers for moat. During last month all previous records -rare eclipsed in purchases totalling £1,015,789. The frozen meat trade has developed sensationally since the war. The carcasses of sheep and lambs exported in 1913 were 5,164,579. Tho Government have announced that from March 1, 1915, to July 31, 1916, the carcasses of sheep and lamb exported were 9,134,258, and there are 1,750.000 601b carcasses in store in the, Dominion. The total value of all exported meat in 1913 was £4,449,935. The total value for the 17 months during -which the Imperial Government have purchase-.' all exported meat amounts to £11,203,36-1, not reckoning the value of the meat in store. There has thus been a very gr-vit increase in the average quantity exported per month since March of 1915, Hut there has been a still greater increase in the value of the meat exported. Frozen meat and wool aire far ahead of ail other exported commodities in profitableness to the fanners of this country. But not onlv in war time hare the lines of the cattle and sheep raisers fallen in pleasant places; there are signs pointing to a continuance of prosperity on the conclusion of the war. Probably the demand for meat will be better sustained than the demand for wool. The Central Powers must have made great inroads upon their herds and flocks. The consumption of meat by men in -the fighting ranks is about three times as much as the normal consumption of a working man. At least such has been the experience of France. A French soldier in the trenches consumes 500 grammes (more than lib) per day j a soldier in the rear of the lighting consumes 300 giammes; and the average consumption of a peasant in time of peace is .not- 200 grammes. As Germany and Austria are almost entirely dependent on their own meat supplies owing to the effectiveness of the British blockade, one can readily imagine the heavy depletion of live stock that is taking place. This will probably render our enemies dependent upon foreign supplies for several years after the return of peace. It is, however, to the meat market of France we would draw attention chiefly at the present time. For the first time in its history that country has opened its porls to frozen meat. Until the war frozen meat was rigorously shut- out by the prohibitive Customs duty of 36 francs per 100 kilogrammes. Tho duty was effective in preventing tho smallest quantity from 'securing an entrance. For many years the French Government were besieged by pro- ! testing consumers arm working men's cooperative distributing societies; but no concession was obtained, because the Chamber of Deputies were afraid to antagonise the agricultural inteiest. The urgent, imperative needs of war compelled a change of policy. But it did not occur until the beginning of this present year. The country was fared with a disquieting decrease in its herds. In 1913 the oxen and cows exceeded 14,800,000. During the months of war they rapidly declined, until in July. 1915. the number was not more than 12,256,000—a. decrease of 17 per cent. Tho saving cf its stock, the provisioning of its army, and the supply of meat to the civilian population at a price within the compass of the poor man's purse all dictated the removal of tho embargo on frozen meat. The import of frozen meat, however, was so entirely new ! an industry to the French people that they i had no ships fitted with refrigerating chambers. In consequence the French Government had to arrange with the British Government for a supply of ships to transport it. The necessity for the intervention of tho State for this purpose readily led to -the whole business of importing frozen meat falling into the hands of the State Getting the chips from London, the Government found it most convenient to purchase the meat in London. The meat bought by the Government k sold at less than cost price to the co-opera-tive societies for distribution. Most of the frozen meat is sold in Paris, and all that is there- sold passes through the cooperative shops. " The experiment," says Professor Gide, "which only dates from "the end of January, appears destined, to 'bo a great success. The population of "Paris has given a warm welcome to the "'frigo.' as they already call it familiarly, "and tho sales are all that could bo de"sired." Thus the war has opened a. new market for the frozen moat of this country. It is unlikely that the market will be closed when the war is over. The French have learned to appreciate the meat, and they are already realising that in the future this new product " may con"siderably reduce the cost of living to the I " French consumer." Before concluding this short discussion on the meat supplies of France, our readers will be interested to learn that the French have been successful in keeping clown the price of meat generally, both fresh and frozen. Apart from what has boon done in connection with frozen meat, tho chief agency for chocking rising prices has been the municipal butchers' shop. Many towns have opened these shops-, and sell I meat at 15 per cent, to 20 per cent, below ! commercial prices. •' In the town of " Ximes, where a- municipal meat- shop was "opened on November 24 last, the experi"ment succeeded so well that it was neces"sary to open six branches in different "p.nts of the town." The privately-owned shops have been compelled by the competition of the municipal shops to sell meat at the'same lev.- prices.