Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2576, 6 March 1915, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

A Shipwrecked Mariner, Indeed!

Ever since the return of Flight Commander Hewlett to after his wonderful rescue, from the Irish Sea into which he fell with his seaplane when taking part in the Cuxhaven raid we hare- wondered how it came about that he escaped internment by the Dutch us a prisoner of war. The explanation came from the, Hague to a London paper: The skipper of the steam trawler Maria van Hatteui found the aviator in tin; sea in danger of his life, "principally in consequence of tho bad weather." The trawl.t then continued fishing for a week. Arrived at Ymuiden, the skipper declared that he did not sec a single belligerent war vessel after the rescue of Commander Hewlett. The aviator was, therefore, allowed to return to England, "as he was regarded as a shipwrecked mariner, according l-o Artiefe 11. of The Hague Peace Conference." The lucU was ciTtnmiy with Maurice Hewlett's ;ioii that trip.

Tho Subtle Submarine,

The 18th of Kcbruarv w- now "oiiic distance behind us, and Germany's underwater craft have utterly failed to make good tho boast of Germany that the shipping of the world would soon be all .sunk beneath the wave. As a matter of fact, the submarine has not, been much in evidence of Jato as a destructive agent, and has even suffered catuutrpyliess, yachta uud

merchantmen daring to challenge and run down the periscopic pieate. | A great deal of controversy, by tho way, has been going on amongst . British, Continental, and American experts regarding the true value of the underwater craft in ihe war. In this connection, it is of interest to note tho considered view, also given before tho Congressional Committee, of Admiral Fletcher, who succeeded Admiral Badger in the supreme com- I maud at sea for U.S.A. This officer was asked what he thought of the exploits of the submarines. He replied with deliberation: "The useMif the submarine with its torpedoes m warfare may bo designated as a weapon of opportunity. If the opportunity occurs for its use it is formida- . bio and destructive, but a skilful cue- | my need not permit the opportunity to" occur." And the American expert is convinced that it is the battleship, not the submarine, that will win battles. ■

To-day's History

Michael Angelo born, Sir Charles Napier born, 1786. Mrs Browning born, 1809. Battle of Barotsa, 1811. G. dv Maurier, artist and author of "Trilby," born, 1834. Commencement of Taranaki war, 1860.

Artemus Ward died, 1867. Servia proclaimed a kingdom, 1882. x Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born on March 0. 1806. She and Christina- Rossetti arc the two greatest women poets in the history ol English literature. Mrs Meynell (herself ;i very real poet) says of Mis Browning's poetry that it is intellectually restless, and her "gentler work 'is certainly her best. The married life of the Brownings was entirely beautiful, and her husband's account of her death is unforgettable. "God took her to Himself as you would lift a sleeping child from a I dark, uneasy bed into your arms and I the light." ' Michael Angelo, the supreme" arliKt of the Italian Renaissance, was born at Florence on March (i 1175. Francis Beaumont, the dramatist (the first half of Beaumont and Fletcher), died on March 0, 1<516. Servia was proclaimed a kingdom ou March <>. 1882, ami Monaco demanded a Constitution on March 6, 11)10.