ECHOES OF THE WAR

Otago Witness, Issue 3475, 19 October 1920, Page 14

ECHOES OF THE WAR

(By Cable.)

BELGIUM'S GRATITUDE TO BRITAIN. LONDON, October 12. Princess Napoleon of Belgium, in the presence of a brilliant assemblage, including several Royal personages, unveiled a memorial on Victoria Embankment expressive of Belgium's gratitude for British hospitality to war refugees. M. Delacroix (Belgian Premier), in presenting the memorial, declared that the friendship between Belgium and Britain, established on the battlefield, must continue in the paths of peace. Earl Curzon (Foreign Secretary), in accepting the memorial, congratulated Belgium on her speedy recovery from war's ravages. ! THE JUTLAND BATTLE. LONDON, October 12. The Daily Mail understands that the delay in the publication of the report on the battle of Jutland is due to vital differences between Lord Beatty and Lord Jcllicoe regarding the positions and movements of the two fleets. Both refuse to give away. GENERAL ITEMS. The War Office has distributed 3,000,000 war medals, of which 275,000 are 1914-16 Stars. Six hundred thousand British war medals have gone to the overseas dominions and colonies. The announcement that Melbourne has adopted the town of Villers Bretonneux has delighted the French public. The newspapers recall the deeds of the Australian Division in saving Amiens and thedr victories in August and September, 1918. General Birdwood, who traversed the whole Passchendaele battlefield in his inspection of the work of the Australian Graves' Section, states that already 2000 people have returned to Villers Bretonneux, where building is proceeding slowly. Loyd's Exchange has contributed £172,000 to the Officers' Association for the relief of disabled officers and the families of officers who suffered during the war. The memorial plaque of gun metal with appropriate emblems of Great Britain's power is being sent to the relatives of those who died in the war, accompanied by the King's letter expressive of gratitude. The panel bears the name of the deceased with the inscription: "Died for Freedom and Honour." The Anglo-French loan raised in the United States for 500,000,000 dollars will mature on the 15th. and upwards of 200,000,000 dollars will be paid to bondholders by the J. P. Morgan Company.