WAR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1916, Page 8

WAR NOTES.

DUTCH ARMY AND NAVY. The military preparediirss of Holland is oi peculiar interest at tlie present time. 'I lie Dutch bad gained the, vemstalion of being among the most pacific ami least prepared peoples of Europe, but since the outbreak of the war strenuous efforts have been made to strengthen and equip the army. According to an Act of 11)12 the army is partly voluntary and partly conscript, but voluntary enlistments have borne a small proportion to compulsory. (Service, in the army has been determined by lot, substitution not being permitted. On a peace footin" the army was 22,000 strong, with a war strength, on paper, of about 200,000. It was fully mobilised in the momentous months of 1014, and not only has it been maintained fully mobilised, hut> its strength lias been greatly increased. Bv the middle of last year the Dutch Army numbered nearly 400,000 men. . Many young men who had avoided training through the generous exemptions of the Dutch system were not in the army, and a ilamour arose for national military service, which was expected to raise the army to (>OO,OOO. The Government ste.'i-ed a middle course, and inaugurated a system which, while not bringing every eligible man into the army, drew "largely on those who had been exempted and on men whose period of service with the Landstorm had expired. The. effect of this lias been further to enlarge the army, while materials of war have been produced in commensurate quantity. The Dutch Navy comprises seven battleships—none of the Dreadnought type—and four cruisers. There are aiso a number of gunboats, 40 torpedo boats, and a few submarines. Eight destroyers were added bet-ween lftll and 1012; four others were being built in Germany when the war broke out and were taken over by that country. Within the last few months the Dutch States-General has authorised the construction of two cruisers, four submarines and some seaplanes. A portion of the fleet is stationed in the Dutch East Indies, which have a garrison of 30,000, men, two-thirds being natives.— Auckland Herald.

GENERAL SJIUTS'S CAREER. General Jan Christian Smuts, who !» leading the force now operating against German East Africa, is Minister for Defence in the Union of South Africa, His age is 46. Both before and during the present war lie lias been General Botha's right-hand man in (lie field of politics and on the field of battle. His share in General Botha's complete victory over the German forces in the South-west African campaign of last year was important. He held the command in the southern theatre, while General Botha, the supreme commander, had control of the northern army. General Smuts initiated the plan of operations which result; ed in Hie enemy's evacuation of Seehcim and Keetmansiieep, an achievement to which Brigadier-General Van de Venter's wonderful advance over 300 miles of most difficult country largely contributed! An enthusiastic tribute to General Smuts's military capacities in the fighting against the Boer rebel commandoes early in the war was given by an officer of the South African Rifles, who, writing a year ago, said:—"How General Smuts kept in touch with all these columns is a perfect marvel. ■ When one thought no one could possibly know where wc were, miles from a railroad or telegraph line, a motor despatch-rider would appear out of the night, with a concise, clear instruction from Smuts to move to mine point next day, and there we would find that a completed scheme had been worked out to a fine point, and perhaps a dozen far-flung forces perfectly co-ordinated for the surrounding of a rebel commando." In South Africa General Smuts has long been regarded as one of the most brilliant men the Boer raee ever produced. He gained double honors at the Capo University and at Cambridge, and was State Attorney in the Transvaal, When the South African War broke out.

AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT. The text of a highly important statejincnt by the former Minister of War in Russia is given in recent London files. Dealing with the shortage of guns and shells he declared that the position in May and .Tune of last year was "'tragic.'' "The lack of ammunitions paralvsc-d us," he said, "and obliged us to yield ground to the enemy, hut wo did not cede vicI tory, and. beating slowly retreat, we I only gained time to prepare ourselves for fresh decisive efforts. To-day I tell you categorically that the munitions crisHiio longer exists. It is a thing of the past, a sinister memory, but only a memory. In September, lfllo, the first results of our labors became evident. Our batteries began to make their action felt by the enemy, who had been accustomed to take no notice of them. Immense efforts and rigorous and inflexible measures were required. Almost everything had to be created, for we were used to receiving much from abroad, particularly from Germany. We got there. Tt has been an absolute revolution, an absolute transformation of our industrial activity, and almost of our customs." SOLDIER'S LOST RIFLE. •Tames Mallon and Michael Breen were remanded at the Southern Police Court, Dublin, 011 a charge of having iinlawfullv received and making away with a rifle and bayonet belonging to Private Martin Lyons, of (be 2ml Royal Irish Rifles. Lyons, who was home on nine days' leave from France, stated that lie - left the rifle, with Breen, who afterwards told him that he bad left it in Mallon's bail-dressing saloon. Mallon, however, said that the rifle was not . left there. Constable Barton: What punishment do you expect? Witness: I expect to get shot over it. / BEAR M'INE. The greater part of last year's French wine crop has already been removed to the distribution centres. Some growers are holding out for still higher prices than those now ruling. In the Paris wine market the indications arc in favor 'of 11 further advance, not only on account of the short crop, but of the scarcity of casks and the difficulties of transport. The consumption of wine in 'Paris he.s greatly decreased. The quantity brought into the city in November was little more than half of the amount in August. Concurrently, the capital is drinking three times as much eider as before.