The North Otago Times SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13146, 29 August 1914, Page 4

The North Otago Times SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

"Full speed ahead!" shouted T)r P. Tleinek(i)i, .Director-Goiiernl of 'the Norddcntsehor-Lloyd a few months ago, ns lio closfid a panegyric, on the. Kaiser as the .supreme architect of German sea;powcr, both naval and mercantile. The German mercantile marine had its very mainspring in the determination to emancipate German trade from the slavish dependence on British vessels, "That humiliating condition was not effectively removed," said a well-known writer recently, 11 until P»ismareh inaugurated his great policy of vigorous Government support for l shipping.and export trade, consisting of ship subsidies,-'protective'tariffs, acquisition of colonies, and conquest of new markets,"

To-day a more humiliating state exists for the German mercantile marine, We have been told 'that-the Oennan. mercantile flag no longer Hies at sea, and that over 200 German ships of 3,000,000 tons, valued at upwards of £20,000,000, have been captured, Individual companies, which have suffered' most are the Hamburg-Amevika Line, the Norddeutseher-Lloyd,' and the Ger-man-Australian Line, The HamburgAmerika ""Line, the greatest shipping company in the world, owned upwards of 210 large steamers, including the Vaterland and Imperator, Since the outbreak of war, it has lost by capture so v,-c are told steamers, valued, with their cargoes aud freight's,'at £22,000,000. The Norddeutseher-Lloyd, 'whose ileet comprised 150 ships, has also suffered many losses'from eapftirc. 'Nearly onethird of the entire fleet of the Ger-man-Australian Company has been hard hit. Apart from the 'actual losses of vessels and... their cargoes, the entire stoppage of trade for German shipping means the lobs of millions of pounds.

Discussing Tommy Atkins in the Melbourne' Argus, Mr Donald Macdonald, who was in Ladysmitli during the siege, says: "Tommy Atlcins, it'must be un-derstood,-is no Paladinj|fired with the justice of his cause, /usliing into action with the cry of '.Gjory or the grave,' Heroics are the last: tiling in his composition. Indeed, his indifference to preseijt^de.atli,ffiiitl his unconcern as to the imppndiiig danger are canstant source of wopy4o his officers. If lie lias weak poiiife they, are never despicable \veaknessi i .."']fcj ! is brave cheerful,snd discipiiueil, .stands suffering with fortitude/ and', forgets it with surprising rapidity. \lt is the fact that lie doesn't seem to '.understand what heroism is that, makes-hiiri so often act the hero. He is confiding to'riri. amazing degree, believes almos'tiany absurd or extravagant story that, lis' mates or a stranger choose to tell liik As an officer of experience truly said, 'Our army thinks ridiculous trjvjfilticß,' and ; does great things to their accompaiiimont.' lie will do a liig anil describe it to you half-an hotir'afterwanis with ndjc.etives" froni- Shored itch of thereabouts that/ novor 'yet/ i'ouud their way into print." J%f' '■ > .