NOTES FROM LONDON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144860, 11 December 1915, Page 3

NOTES FROM LONDON.

MESOPOTAMIA CAMPAIGN. INTRIGUES IN PERSIA. BY GERMANS AND SWEDES. TIMES AN'D SYDNEY SUN SERVICES. (Received Dec. ]l. 8 a.m.)‘ LONDON, Dee. 10. Russian reports of Persian intrigues accuse a Swedish colonel, majors, and captain of having conspired with the Germans and nearly cajoled the Shah to leave Teheran. The Germans have erected at Burugil a large munition factory and 800 gendarmerie have been collected at Hamadan with large, supplies of munitions and 2-50 Austrians liavo been sent to Ispahan where the ’tribes are armed. Turkish and German agitators have penetrated to Afghanistan and India, calling on Moslems for a holy war. Swedish and German conspirators tried to secure control of the Teheran arsenal containing stocks of Russian munitions. This was nipped in the bud. • PETROGRAD, Dec. 10. , A communique states that the Russians occupied Sultanhutak Pass, between Teheran .and Hamadan, after routing a force of gendarmes. ’ The Persian mercenaries are led by German and Turkish officers AMSTERDAM." Dec. 9. A .Turkish communique states: We continue to press tile enemy defending Kiitclamara Some enemy columns, in attempting to escape, lost heavily. THE MESOPOTAMIA FIGHTING. A TURKISH REPORT. (Received Dec. 11, 11.10 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Dec. 10. A Turkish communique states that the enemy’s resistance on the Tigris is decreasing. We repulsed British sorties with heavy loss.

A RUSH OF RECRUITS. IN LONDON PROVINCES. BT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, "Dec. 10. Despite a downpour of rain, long queues lined up at all recruiting stations, and there was a record enrolment in London, the previous figures being quadrupled. Some men were waiting from 7 o’clock in the morning, and manv offices were busy until midnight. There is an encouraging report of an immense response in all the provincial towns, and there has been such a rush of recruits that the medical examinations have to be deferred. THE RECRUITING BOOM. WONDERFUL SCENES IN BIG TOWNS. (Received Dec. 11, 9.43 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 10. The surprising rush of recruits throughout the country is largely attributed to the procrastination of eligible men until the eleventh hour and in a minor degree to the serious outlook in the Balkans. The scenes at Birmingham and Glasgow- were unprecedented. A large proportion have attested as munition workers. Lord Derby states that his report will be handed to Mr. Asquith on Sunday. MORE NEWS FROM THE FRONT. LONDON, Dec. 9. In the House of Commons, Sir John Simon said that in older to give more news from the West trout a daily communique will be issued in future. THE LIFE OF PARLIAMENT. LONDON, Dec. 9. The Government proposes to make the maximum life of Parliament six years, instead of live as at present. SALE OF FROZEN MEAT. LONDON, Dec. 9. Mr. Runciman, in the House of Commons, .said the Government began to market the surplus of imported meat at the end of May, and had thus disposed of 70,000 tons, mostly mutton and lamb, by the end of October. ANOTHER PARIS CONFERENCE. LONDON, Dec. 9. Lord Kitchener and Sir Edward Grey have arrived in Paris, and are conferring with the Government. THE FORD MISSION. SEA-SICK BUT HOPEFUL. (Received Dec. 11, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Dee. 10. A thousand wireless messages have been received from Mr. Ford’s ship announcing rough weather. The passengers are mostly sea-sick. The missionaries believe that the British will detain them at Kirkwall and examine the credentials of the passengers, several of whom have German names, and search for contraband. Those not sea-sick jneet daily to pass resolutions in favour of peace and applauding Mr. Ford’s enterprise. The Fordists declare' they know that England regards it is a huge joke and vulgar advertisement, but believe its publicity will accelerate peace. Mr. Ford sent a wireless message to Reuter of several thousand words of the Rev. Mr. Aked’s sermon comparing the mission to those of St. Paul, Thomas Clarkson, Neal Dow and the Pilgrim Fathers. “Maybe,” said Mr. Aked, ‘‘Mr. Ford irill bring a peace conference nearer and rank with the Washingtons and Lincolns. AVe will erect the peace standard in neutral European countries to which all the wise and good will repair. A BY-ELECTION. (Received Dec. 11, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 10. The election for Cleveland rendered necessary by the appointment of Mr. - iniuel re the post of Chancellor of the ; .iiehv of Lancaster, rendered vacant ~ Mr. Churchill’s retirement resulted; Samuel 7312, -Knight-1453, L