UNDER THE SEARCHLIGHT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLVIII, 18 December 1914, Page 8

UNDER THE SEARCHLIGHT

PERSONALITIES OF THE WAR

A great friendship has sprung up between General Joffre and Field Mai-shal Sir John French. Tho Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces has the greatest admiration fervour brilliant general, and the two are now as David and Jonathan. "He is my best friend," exclaimed General Joffre to a brother-officer. A VIOLINISTS WOUND. A wound in the right arm, which Fritz Kreisler, tho famous violinist, has sustained when fighting in the Austrian Army, may raise an interesting question of. insurance- law. All great instrumentalists now insure their hands, arms, etc. Paderewski, for instance, has insured each 'fineer separately for £SOOO. Kreisler, no <loubt has taken similar precautions. The question is whether wounds received in battle can be regarded as accidents and come under tbe v cover of general insurance. BOTHA'S RETORT. Kitchener knows Botha, and trusts him implicitlv. They had to meet frequently during the South African -war, and the final battlo over the peace of Vecnniging was between the two opposing generals. The result is that Kitchener is quite content to withdraw British garrieons from tho Union "when the Germans made war, and leave Botha to look after all defensive and offensive preparations. Botha sometimes beat K. of K.; although in the end Kitcherier was trifumphant. One of ±ho former occasions was -when, after a, brief meeting at a hastly conference, some glimmering of Deace appeared on the horizon —Kitchener's temper was ; tried to snapping point. "I must get off now," he said; "I have to catch an armoured train seven mUes down the line." "Oh, don't huTry on that account," answered Botha, with a smile "we caught itfirst thing this morning." Botha is an honorary general in the British Army, and a Right Honourable Privy Councillor.

PRINCE OF WALES' MOTTO

Some people are wondering whether the war -will lead to-a change in the motto of the Prince of Wales. The famous "Ich Dien" is of German origin, having heen taken, so tradition says, by the' Black Prince, together with the three Prince of Wates' feathers, from the helmet of the blind King of Bohemia, who was slain at the battle of : Crecy. The general idea is that the English rendering, "I serve/' might be: substituted for the-German words.. In. the ,ordinary' course of procedure a change in the coat-of-arms is referred to the College of Arm's, but inquiries made of that body indicate that any alteration in the" BoyaJ Arms would be effected in the first place by an Order-in-Councii. It 19 interesting to note that the motto ji the Prince of Wales is the only German one in the British peerage, though many peers have French and Latin ones.