PREPARING FOR REVENGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8751, 13 October 1906, Page 1

PREPARING FOR REVENGE.

Von Kronhelm was, of course, welt aware of the formation- of the Defenders, but treated the League with contempt. If there was any attempt at a rising, he would shoot down the people like dogs. He declared this openly and publicly, and he also issued* a warning to the^ English people in the official "Gazette," a daily periodical printed in one of the newspaper offices in Fleet Street in both German and English. , The German commander fully believed that England was crushed, yet, as the days went on, he was puzzled that he received no response to his demand for indemnity. Twice, he ljad sent special despatch-bearers to Bristol, but on both occasions the result was the same. There was no reply. Diplomatic representations had been made in Berlin through- the Russian Ambassador, who was now in, charge of British interests in Germany, but ail to no purpose. Our Foreign Minister simply acknowledged receipt of the various despatches. On the Continent the keenest interest was manifested at what was apparently a deadlock. The British had regained command of the sea. ' Von Kronhelm's supplies were already cut off. The cables in direct communication between England and Germany had been cut; and the Continental Press, especially the. Paris jour< nals, gleefully recounted how two large Hamburg- American liners attempting to reach Hamburgh by passing north o| Scotland had been captured by^ritisti cruisers. - - ' .■'... In. the Channel, too,,- a number of German vesels had been seized, and one that showed fight off the North Foreland was fired upon and sunk. The public at home, however, were more interested in supremacy- on land. It was all very well to have command of the sea, they argued, but it did not appear to. alleviate perceptibly the hunger and privations on land. The Germans occupied London, and, while they did so, . all freedom in England was at an end. . ' ,

The great paster headed " English* men,?' already reproduced, was seen everywhere. The . whole country wm flooded with it, and thousands upon thousands of herolo Britons, from the i poorest to the wealthiest, clamoured to enrol themselves. , The movement waa aii absolutely national one , in every sense of the word. The. name of Gerald Graham, the new champion -of Eng-

land's power, was upon everyone's tongue. Daily he epoke in the various towns in the west of England, in Plymouth, Taunton, Cardiff, Portsmouth and Southampton, and, assisted by the influential committee, among whom

-were many brilliant speakers and men

whose names were a 6 household words, he aroused the country tojthe highest

pitch of hatred against the enemy. The Defenders, as they drilled in various centres through the whole of the west

iti Eng?an4, were a strange and incongruous body. Grey-bearded Army pensioners ranged side by side with keen, enthusiastic youths, advised them and gave them the benefit of their expert knowledge. Volunteer officers, in many cases, assumed command, together with retired drill sergeants. The digging of trenches and the making of fortifications were assigned to navvies, bricklayers, platelayers and agricultural labourers, large bodies of whom were under railway gangers, and were ready to perform any excavation work. The Maxims and other machine guns were mostly manned by Volunteer artillery ; but instruction in the working of the Maxim was given to select classes in Plymouth., Bristol, Ports Ijnouth. and Cardiff. Time was of ut-

most value, therefore the drilling was jpushed forward day and night. It was Jcnown that Von Kronhelm was alteady watchful of the morementß of j!he League, and was aware daily of its growth. Whether its gigantic proportions would place liim- upon # his guard was, however, quite uncertain. In London, with the greatest secrecy, the Defenders were banding together. In. face of the German proclamation posted upon the walla, Londoners were holding meetings in secret and enrolling themselves. Such meetings had, perforce, to be held in unsuspected places, otherwise all those present would be arrested and tried for conepiracy by martial law. Many of the (smaller chapels in the suburbs, schoolrooms, mission halls, aud such-like buildings were used as meeting-places; but the actual local headquarters or the League were kept a' profound secret except to the initiated.

German spies were everywhere. In one case at a house in Tottenham

Court Road, . where a branch, of the League was discovered, no fewer than twenty-eeven persons were arrested, three of whom were on the following day shot on the Horse Guards Parade as warning to others who might seek to incite, 1 the spirit of revolt against

German rule. Nevertheless, though there were many arrests, and though every branch, of the Defenders was crushed vigorously end stamped out wherever found, tho movement proceeded apace, and in no city did it make greater headway, nor were the populace* more eager to join than in our dear old London. Though the German Eagle flew in Whitehall and from the summit of St Stephen's tower, and though the heavy, tramp of German sentries echoed in Trafalgar Square, in the quiet, traffiokless streets in the vicinity, England was not yet vanquished.

The valiant men of London were still

'determined to sell their liberty dearly and to lay down their lives for the freedom of their country and honour of their King.