NEWS FROM ABROAD

Evening Star, Issue 20119, 8 March 1929, Page 6

NEWS FROM ABROAD

Horrors of Afghan Rebellion Terrible Fate of Captured Priests Trampled on by Galloping Cavalry Captain Barker’s Remarkable Career History of Famous Portland Vase

fr«as Association- By Telegraph--Copyright LONDON, Mardi 7. The liorrors of tlio Afghan rebellion 'arc described by Colonel Gliulam Nabi Khan, once an officer in Amamillah’s army, in ft letter from Kabul published in the ‘ Daily Express.’ He tells how lie was sitting with a companion in the forenoon, when suddenly he hoard a rattle of chains and the sound of a procession of soldiers shouting: “Make way for the unfaithful: make way for the disloyal.” The chained prisoners were priests on route for execution. “ When wc learned what their Into ■was our blood froze in our veins.” The letter continues; ‘‘These were Mullahs who had excited the Shinwaris against the King. They were taken outside the city,- buried in earth up to their necks, and then a troop of cavalry was ordered to gallop over them. In bygone days I witnessed many gruesome punishments, such as leaving a robber to die of starvation in a cage. Yet I could see that even the populace «of the capital would stand it no longer. Shops were 'closed in protest, while praying crowds! filled the mosques, and only the wailing of Afghan women, who do not cry. easily, broke the silence of the city’s mourning.” The’colonel depicts the final stage of Amanullnh’s reign as follows: “ Troopers of the bodyguard revolted, and bread riots broke out, while the roar of guns, the whirring of aeroplanes,' and the, click-clack of bullets came nearer and nearer. Then in the darkness the peopls filed np and set fire to European fiats and clothing before the Royal palace, shouting like madmen and denouncing foreign dress and all that it meant. Suddenly a motor car was seen threading its way through the crowd. There was a rush 1o attack it, but someone shouted that it contained only women, so it passed safely, containing Amaiiullah. Tims ended the first act. The curtain will rise on the second when the spring sun melts the snows.” Australian Press Association. QUEEN EMMA VISIT TO LONDON TO VIEW ART EXHIBITION. (British Official Wireless.) fifes* Association—By Telegraph —Copyright RUGBY, March 6. Queen Emma, the Dutch Queen Mother, will reach London to-morrow on a. private visit for the express purpose of seeing the Angle-Dutch art exhibition at Burlington House, which has attracted large and enthusiastic crowds every day for several weeks. Queen Emma, who is travelling incognito, will reach London soon after 9 o’clock to-monow, and will begin the return journey to Holland iu the evening. MEXICAN RISING FIGHTING AT VERA CRUZ REBEL TROOPS AND DESERTERS. ?resa Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. MEXICO G?TY, March 7. It is officially stated that sanguinary street fighting occurred aft Vera Cruz, yesterday between the rebel forces, under General Aguirre, and troops who deserted him. The Consular Corps has intervened to prevent further bloodshed.—Australian Press AssociationUnited Service. FORGED TREATY HEINE RELEASED CHARGES NOT JUSTIFIED. .Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright BRUSSELS, March 7. Heine has been released on the •ground that the charges against him did not constitute an otfcnce under the Belgian penal law or justification lor his detention in prison. This announcement follows the newspapers’ disclosure that minor officials of the Belgian espionage service assisted Heine by supplying him with the official notepaper and seal. It is stated that disciplinary proceedings are pending against these officers,—Australian Press Association. , [A previous message stated: On the arrival of ■ the Amsterdam express alter .midnight a man was arrested and charged. with being the author of the ‘ Dngblad’s ’ alleged secret treaty. It ■was stated that the man had a bad record. He was born in 1896 near Brussels, of a Dutch-Jewish father and a German, mother. The newspapers state that the name of the arrested man is Frank Heine. He confessed that the document was forged* He used a seal made from an impression of a Irench 25-centime piece. He intended to sell the forgery to the German espionage service, but instead sold it to the 1 DogMad ’ for a good price.]

MARRIED WOMEN LAW AFFECTING STATUS BILL BEFORE COMMONS. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March (i. In the House of Commons Miss Walkinson introduced a Bill to amend the law affecting the status of married women, providing that a British woman marrying a foreigner should not lose her nationality unless she wishes, and that a foreign woman marrying a Britisher may acquire British nationality if desired.’ The Bill will be retrospective in the former case, and not in the latter. Women’s organisations in Canada, Australian, New Zealand, and South Africa favoured the’ Bill, which was read a first time. —Australian Press Association-United Service. THE BEST FRIENDSHIPS MADE OH FIELD OF SPORT INTERNATIONAL CLUB TO BE ESTABLISHED. (British Official Wireless.) Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY. March G. There is to be established in London during the spring an International Sportsmen’s Club, with headquarters in Grosvenor House, Park lane, which owes its inception to the recent public remark of the Prince of Wales that the best friendship, whether individual or international, is that made on the field of sport. Information will be supplied as to the various forms _of sport prevailing in several countries. It is anticipated that the club will also exercise a powerful influence in promoting international friendships apart from its sporting side. Its membership will be restricted to those who are already members of leading clubs in their countries. An advisory committee is being appointed, on which are represented Great Britain, France, the United States, Spain, Italy, the Argentine, Belgium, Chile, and the British dominions. ESCORTED TO BORDER DE VALERA RELEASED Pres* Asscciation—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 6. Dc Valera was released a day before the expected time, thus preventing Ins friends’ demonstrations. Armed police escorted him to the Free State border, and placed him on a train for Dublin. —Australian Press Association-United Service. [ Eamonn De Valera, Sinn Fein_ member of the Dail, who was travelling to Belfast to address a meeting, was arrested on the border under an old order prohibiting his entry into Ulster, and was lodged in the Belfast gaol.] AFRICAN DEPENDENCIES CLOSER UNION Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 7. The ‘Daily Telegraph’s ’ political correspondent states that Cabinet has given general approval of the Sir Hilton Young Commission’s proposals for closer union of the dependencies in Eastern and Central Africa. It is proposed to appoint a high commissioner to work out the arrangements, modifying the constitution of Kenya.—Australian Press Association. TRADE WITH RUSSIA DELEGATION FROM BRITISH FIRMS Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 0. Representatives of over 150 British fipms and associations, with a capital totalling £1.000,000, attended a meeting of the Anglo-Russian Committees on March 5 and adopted a resolution statng that a delegation was going to Russia on March 25, and heartily supporting efforts to promote trade by direct contact with the Russian Government as well as declaring with satisfaction that certain of the largest British hanks and financial houses approved of the delegation, and urging the committee to take steps to ensure the fullest financial support for British enterprise in Russia. Mr Ernest Remnant said that the Russian Government’s attitude was entirely friendly and businesslike.—Australian Press Association-United Service.

MASQUERADED AS MAN ‘•CAPTAIN BARKER’S” CAREER MARRIED TO YOUNG WOMAN POSED AS A BARONET. Press Association-By Telegraph—Copyright, LONDON, March 7. Inquiries reveal that “Captain Barker ” is the daughter of a Jersey man, and that her maiden name was Leslie Valeric Barker, But the most startling revelation is the fact that while masquerading as a man sho was ‘‘married ” in November, 1923, at St. Peter’s Church at Brighton, to Alfreda Emma Haward, aged twentyseven, the daughter of a chemist. The Little Hampton parish curate performed the ceremony, at which the girl’s parents were present. The entry in the register describes the bridegroom as ‘"'Victor Barker, aged twenty-nine, bachelor, independent son of William Barker, deceased.” The Howards learned only to-day that the person who married their daughter was really a woman. The mother said: ‘‘ Barker courted my daughter as Sir Victor Barker lor two years. Ho said he was a baronet, and kept worrying Alfred a to marry him. He seemed a lino, manly fellow, and knew how to make love to the girl. Some members of the family opposed the match, but my daughter’s heart was set on Barker, so they did not oppose the marriage, which was unhappy. They lived at Brighton. Hove, Dover, and other places, but rn.y daughter became miserable, and said she felt compelled to leave her husband for ever and return home. She stayed with ns ever since, helping ns with our little business.”* — Australian Press Association. SERVED DURING WAR. NOTED FOR MASCULJNENESS. Pres.} Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 7. Wth reference to “Captain Barkers” Australian husband none of the papeis give tlio full name. The ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ states that Barker during the war time served as a V.A.D. in France, and was always noted tor her mascniiiiciiess. She married an Australian army officer named Smith, who subsequently returned to Australia. — Australian Press Association. SAVED HIS LIFE GIRL REMEMBERED IN WILL Press Association —By Telegraph Copyright LONDON, March 27. George Tinsley, aged eighty-one, a native of Sedgelcy, Wolverhampton, who spent many years sheep fanning in New Zealand, left £2.3U0 to a girl aged seventeen, named Megan Lewis, of Llanrwst, who, when only nine, saved his life by pulling up a runaway saddle horse from which he was hanging by the stirrups. TIMBER WORKERS THE AUSTRALIAN STRIKE SECRETARY PROSECUTED. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE. March 7. . Two thousand unionists, largely timber workers, marched from the Ikulos Hall to the court as a protest against the prosecution of Holloway, secretary to the Trades Hall Council, on a charge of inciting the Timber Workers’ Union to do something in the nature of a strike. It was alleged that the incitement was contained in a statement supplied to the newspapers. The case is proceeding. FINED £SO. NO INTENTION TO PAY IT. Pr«s Association —By Telegraph Copyright. MELBOURNE, March 7. Hoi lowa v was fined £SO, ' wth costs £23 2s. " A stay of proceedings was ~rantcd Holloway, who was not repre-. sented bv counsel. He intimated that he dd not intend to pay the hue. He claimed that lie had done more in the past twenty years than any other man to maintain peace in industry. CLASH WITH POLICE. Press Association— By Telegraph—Copyright MELBOURNE, March 7. Four hundred marching timber strikers clashed with the police in Hinders street to-day, when an attempt was made to upset a load of tnnbei. Two plainclothes policemen courageously intervened, and used their batons and handcuffs. One man was felled and sent to hospital. Tho others dispelsed.

THE PORTLAND VASE

INTERESTING HISTORY AGE UNKNOWN. Press Association —By Telegraph —Copyright. LONDON. March 7 Th on "I i the Portland vase has been loaned to ths museum since 1810 and is only lOin high, being made oi blue glass bearing white opaque figures, yet its value is incalculable. Its actual age nobody knows. It was found in Rome in the seventeenth century. Its history has been traced hack as far as the year 235. It was reputed to contain the ashes of the Emperor Severus. Sir William Hamilton, the husband of Lady Emma Hamilton, brought the vase to England at the end of the eighteenth centurv. The Cavendishes admired it and sold it for £1.890. It can safely he assumed that high taxation has driven the owner to sell. Only when a miscreant broke the vase into a hundred pieces in 1845 the museum experts learned that it was made of ancient Roman glass.: —United Service.

BRITISH' UNEMPLOYMENT THE LATEST FIGURES (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY. March 0. The Ministry of Labour’s figures for registered unemployed show that there was u decrease of 06,000 compared with a week previously. MECHANICAL “ BRAIN ” BRITAIN’S AIR DEFENCES THE CENTRAL CONTROLLING ROI NT. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 7. A secret mechanical “ brain ” containing electrical and other apparatus of extraordinary ingenuity will act as the central controlling point cf Britain’s air defences. Only those intimately concerned will know where the mystery room is situated. It will be deep below the ground, and will be protected by bombproof armour, says the 1 Daily Mail.’ It will also be gasproof and soundproof, and can ho completely isolated from the world above. Merely by the movement of a switch those inside, who will be grouped around a great illuminated map, will be able to send commands to a network of land stations, whence they will be sent by wireless to pilots Hying at great heights The map will be the visible and everchanging centre of a vast spider’s web of aerial intelligence. Every gnn position and searchlight in the huge network of ground defences will ho shown !jy tiny pinpoints of light, and tidings will also be Hashed from a widespread system of listening posts, whose sensitive sound-locating instrument will trace the movements of aerial raiders, whoso convergence objectives will be indicated on the map by gradually advancing | waves of light, upon which orders will be Hashed to defending squadrons, whose movements the wonder map will similarly reveal. Thus the hidden headnuarters staff will have the full knowledge of what is occurring at vast heights in the night sky. They will bo no ordinary men, but veritable wizards of science, as from the subterranean chamber they will control searchlights, guns, and aeroplanes, and operate •smoke screens and other obstructions. They will wield almost superhuman powers.— United Service. MOTH PLANE CRASHES AUSTRALIAN OFFI3ER KILLED Tresis Association—By Telegraphr-Cop/right. MELBOURNE, March 7. An Air Force Moth aeroplane crashed n't Wangaratla on route to Richmond, Melbourne, this afternoon. Flyingofficer Herbert Warland was burned to death and Flight-lieutenant Swinbirnc was seriously burned in trying to rescue Warland. The aeroplane had refuelled and was taking o(f, when it struck a tree and nose-dived. IDLE MINES NEW SOUTH WALES SAFETY MEN TO REMAIN. Pros* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, March 7. The Miners’ .Federation has decided to allow the safety men to remain on duty at t' j northern collieries during the idleness of the mines. BRITISH BUDGET DEPUTATION TO CHANCELLOR TAXATION RELIEF URGED. (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. RUGBY, March G. Mr Winston Churchill yesterday received a deputation from the Association of British Chambers of Commerce. It is customary for the Chancellor to receive such a- deputation before the preparation of the Budget to enable representatives of commerce to place their views before the Chancellor on financial cpiestions. Tlie deputation expressed gratitude to the Government for the derating scheme, which it believed would be of great assistance to producers and manufacturers. It emphasised the need for tax remission, and advocated the introduction of penny postage. Air Churchill, in reply, undertook to give consideration to the representations made, referring to the outlook • regarding revenue. lie remarked that the Government started the calendar in « T hi ary with, as usual, a heavy deficit of over ,-£160,000,000, duo to the fact that expenditure flowed out evenly over the whole year, but the great bulk of the revenue came in in the last quarter. That deficit had already been reduced by £100,000,000, and was only just over £60,000,000, ith three and a-half weeks of the financial year still to go. 'l’he Government was engaged at present in surveying samples of the estimated profits for 1926 on which a forecast of the amount of income tax for the next year was based. ’These samples numbered many thousands, and it was on them that extremely accurate forecasts were based. Tic would not have the results for another fortnight, but be bad a feeling that things would not be so bad for Britain provided no violent dislocation or disturbance occurred in its affairs. ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS FOR ATLANTIC FLIGHTS AMERICAN COMPANY’S PROPOSAL. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 6. In the House of Commons, Sir 1 Samuel Hoare told a questioner that I 1 the Air Ministry was closely watching ] an American company’s proposal to lay ] down permanently anchored island1 stations across the Atlantic for the use of airmen.—Australian Press Associai tiou-United Service.

M. TROTSKY HOT WANTED IN FRANCE Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright PARIS, March 7. Cabinet has refused M. Trostky’s request for permission to reside in France. The warrant for his expulsion, issued during the war, is still in force. The Government sees no reason for withdrawing it. —Australian Press Association. SCHOONER DISABLED TOWED INSIDE SYDNEY HEADS Presa Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, March 7. The schooner Piri, hound from Melbourne to New Zealand, signalled when ton miles off Sydney’ Heads this afternoon that the rudder was disabled, and that assistance was necessary. The tug Stolaves steamed out and towed her inside the heads. She anchored safely at 7 o’clock to-night, and will remain till the morning.