COMPULSION AT HOME.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLI, Issue 12768, 10 February 1916, Page 5

COMPULSION AT HOME.

Received February 9, at OT2O p.m. * ... 'London, February 9. Thi> Miners'; Conference of Lancashire is discussing in camera its attitude towards the Military Service Act. Received February 10. at 10.20 a.m. London, February 9. The 3lincn>* Conference passed a. resolution opposed l to the spirit of conscription and> expressing determination to exercise a vigilant scrutiny of any proposed extension of the Military Service' Act. The Conference recommended the districts to consider the resolution and forward their decisions within a month.

COTTON EXPORT.

Received February 10, at 10.2Q,a.nt. Cairo, February 9. The export of cotton to Switzerland .•!■* permitted if it is consigned! to the Swiss Society for Supervision of Control.

COPPER BOOM.

Received February 10, at 9.10 a.m. London, February 9. The copper boom is attributed chiefly to American operations. The Financial News says that while it is very distasteful to the Allies to pay such 'inflated prices, there seems no way of restraining the Yankee boom tactics. The Daily Telegraph attributes the position to pig iron speculative operations checking legitimate trading.

BRITISH TRADE.

A GERMAN VIEW. Received February 9, at 10 p.m. Amsterdam. February 8. A German wireless message states that Dr rlelfferich (the German Chan-' ccllor 1 !, replying to Sir Edward Holden asserts that England's exports have been crippled to one-half, while her imports have increased till the balance of the trade was against England by £500,000.000 instead of £150,000,000. The war was costing Britain 2s a day per head, and Germany Is. (Sir Edward Holden. in the speech to which Dr Helfferieh refers, declared that London is "still the borrowing and the gold centre of the world. A pound sterling had never had to carry such a load as at the_ present time ; and had naturally declined in value iu accordance with the law of supply and demand. But while the exchange value of the sovereign in New York had depreciated by one point, bv 9 per cent, in Holland, by 10.3 in Spain, by .6 (sic) in Scandinavia, and by 3.9 in Norway, it had appreciated enormouslv elsewhere. The English pound was above par in Paris, by 10.8 in Italy, by from 2-5.4" to 69.7 elsewhere. The decline in Holland was due to our having exported there during the year over 17$ millions, while she had imported.2Bi millions. "We conld readjust this," said Sir Edward, "by .sending gold to Holland, but the specie might find its way into Germany. The Bank of England has 50 millons of gold, the Government has 281 millions, while the joint stock banks also have large sums, and there is a continuous tlovr of gold from South America."))

ITALY'S HELP WHERE MOST REQUIRED.

Received February 9, at 10 p.m. Rome, February 9. M. Briand, Premier of France, will shortly visit Italy to confer with Signor Salandra (Italian Premier) in order to secure that the total strength of the Allies will be wielded where the enemy is weakest.

SELLINC FOREICN BONDS.

BRITISH MONEY FOR GERMANY. THROUGH A DUTCH AGENCY. Received February 9, at 9.30 p.m. Loudon, February 9. The Daily Chronicle's Amsterdam correspondent states that at Lens thousands of pounds of English money is yearlv finding its way into Germany through" a Dutch firm selling coupons for foreign bonds of London, and making false declarations that they come from a Dutch holder, and that the proceeds do not benefit the enemy directly or indirectly.

THE ADMIRALTY

RU3IORED RESIGNATION OF FIRST LORD. Received February 9, at 9.45 p.m. London, February-8. The Daily Telegraph gives publicity to a rumor of the impending resignation of Sir Henry B. Jackson (First Sea Lord). The Admiralty refuses to give information concerning the matter.

CERMAN NATIONAL ANTHEM

KAISER-CUM-STRAUSS. J Received February 9, at 11.25 p.m. Berne, February 9. The Kaiser has composed tlio words of a new National Anthem, and commanded* Richard Strauss to compose the music. The Germans are gratified, as they resent the existing tunc, considering* it identical with the music of the British anthem.

(The German National Anthem is not, as might -be supposed, Lissauer's "Hymn of Hate," "Die Wacht am Rbein,*- or nber AUes," but the little-known "Heil dir im SiogcskraM,*' the music being the same as our 'God Save- the King. The composer of "God Save the King" has not been, definitely fixed, but the honor is shared: by Carey, Bull, and Oswald, ail British. "Tho air was adopted by Ger-» many and Denmark before' the end of the 18th century. Strauss, whom theKaiser has honored by -the command to set his words to music, is the composer of~ "Salome"- and"'Elecktra," and. judged by these n oris, * should fee • able to supply his countrymen with something wild enough 10-snit their humor.)

WAR PRAYERS.

Rome, February 8. d!Atunnuao*s war prayers have been placed on the- index. «xpnrgatorlum. Thev caused! enthusiasm among, the edacated'ltalians, hut the Sacred Congregation has denounced them as blasphemous parodies of the inspired Scrip- ■ *tuxe. s^v *'"**' J " - .. , * ■ «»;-.'"iii»" "•«- z& "<-~

COMPARATIVE FLEET POWER

I GERMAN MARITJMK I.O.S.SFS. H.x-ivfd I-V!.ni::ry '■'. ;.: 7 p.u:. London, February ''. An article in tin: Daily Chronicle, entitled ''The Alius and St-:i Power."'" says:—"Captain Permit!.-., in the Berliner Tageblatt, reviews !!••• naval maritime during the war. and shows that the losses of the British merchant marine, owing to Germany's naval campaign, have been le>s than 51 per cent, of the tonnage. The writer admits that British sea power is stronger than at the beginning of the war. Dealing with submarines, Captain Persiussays:- Germany had 30 submarines at the beginning of the war, and probably lias-the same number now-. ~ The AlKes',- submarines have. greatly increased'.- "■* Of -ISOO German merchantmen 200 jyero-captured at the outset of the waivand 600.t00k refuge in neutral -ports. Most of the remainder are docked at Hamburg and Bremen. :';:'<■":■ i .-.'-.:-.- >-.' •. ". . ... Received February 9, at 10 p.m. ...• London, February 9. ■• Tie-Daily Telegraph,'in its article on the Allies aqd sea power, says thst ate the-beginning of 1916 the Allies were thrice as strong as their enemies. The figures are as follows: "-,. Allies. Enemies. Prc-Dreadhoughts 89 33 Dreadnoughts and super-Dreadnoughts 62 21 Battle cruisers 71 6 jii«s?«?r vcrsels 133 35 Destrover' 542 180 The writer says it is more difficult to compare the submarine power, but it is believed that tl e proportion is the same as in. *hc larger units!' '

CERMAN OVERTURES TO BELGIUM.

PROPOSALS FOR PEACE. Received! February 10. at 8.35 a.m. Rome, February 9. The Giornale d'ltalia says that Germany recently proposed; a separate peace to Belgium based 1 oii restoration as before the war, King Albert's return to the throne, and' an indemnity by Germany for damages, and a treaty of commerce ostensibly favorable to Belgium, but in reality favorable to Germany, inasmuch as Antwerp and Ostend would 'become German ports. King Albert and the Government rejected! the proposals, declaring that negotiations were impossible without the Allies or before Germany was conquered l . One of the chief intermediaries was the Germanophilc Monsignor Porcelli, Nuncio at Havre.

SERVIAN REFUCEES,

Paris. February 9. Eighty thousand Servian civilians have landed in France and thirty thousand in Italy.

CERMANS USE FRENCH TROPHIES.

itcccircd February 10, at 8.35 a.m. Paris, February 9. Le Matin's correspondent, in visiting the- exhibition of war trophies at Berlin, noticed! the absence of French seventy-fives, and was informed that these "were sent to Essen and transformed into defence guns against aviators.

RECRUITING IN AUSTRALIA.

Received February 10, at 10.20 a.m. Melbourne, February 10. The Executive approved' a regulation compelling the despatch of war census cards before Ist March.

PAPER MANUFACTURE,

Received February 10, at 10.20 a.m. - Melbourne, February 10. The Swedish Consul Iras assured Msr Tudor that there is no German capital in Swedish pauer mills. Mr Tudor states that the Government bounty for producing paper is stilt available.

WHEAT PURCHASE.

Received February 10, at 10.20 a.m. Melbourne. February 10. Senator Russell says lie is unable to confirm the negotiations regarding the purcbase of the wheat crop, which is limited to possibilities of freight. One hundred and fifty thousand tons have beea offered) to the Allies.

WAR PROFITS.

Melbourne, February 10. The Cabinet has requested the InterState Commission to report on> war profits.

AUSTRALIAN TROOPS REORGANISED.

Received February 10, at 10.20 a.ui. Melbourne, February 10. After consultation- with the War Offico and General BirdwootK, it has been decided to organise two divisions out of the new 50,000 recruits, designated the Fourth and' Fifth Australian Divisions. Major-General M'Cay will" command one. It has been decided that the third division be formed here. The whole of the Light Horse Brigades now in Egy.ot, together with the New Zealand' Brigade, will be formed into a mounted division commanded by MajorGcneral Ohaavel. The units of the new division will bo officered by promoting a thousand 1 men who served at Gallipoll.