WAR NEWS BY MAIL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14744, 25 October 1915, Page 8

WAR NEWS BY MAIL.

OUR SHELL OUTPUT. 100 TIMES MOnE THAN IN SEP TEMPER. I PARIS, August 11. An important Interview, which throve much, light on the present situation regarding, the production of munitions in England, has been granted by Mr LlOyd George to M. Joseph Galtier, the correspondent of the Temps “Taking the figure 1 as representlu. the output in September, 1914, ' said the Minister! ‘‘the figure for July 1915, is 50 times greater. It will be a hundred times greater in August, and Irom then onwards the curve will cc.tiiiue to rise surprisingly. ‘‘Ebnte my arrival at the Ministi< of Munitions, I have established 16 new factories, and have decided to open more to work exclusively for war. ‘ "Twelve thousand skilled workmen who had enlisted have been recalled from the front to the factories. Fort> thousand new workmen have been taken on by manufacturers in accoi luuce with my instructions." “Energy and will,” says the correspondent, "are radiated by Mr Lloyd George's personality. It is easy to see also that he does not lack that quality which is often wanting in Englishmen —personality.” THE BkITISH ARMY. GLOWING FRENCH TRIBUTE. Jean Richepin, the French Academician, in an-article iu the Inlrausigeant entitled ‘‘Th6 English Miracle,” pours the vials of nis splendid vituperation on the fainthearted and cauious who minimise the British effortAfter paying tribute to the British fleet, M. Richepin turns to the British army. ‘•England,” he writes, "unlike France, has never had but a small professional army—brave, but far from numerous. And now she has raised 2,000,000 men, equipped, instructed, trained them, in less than a year. Think of that, messieurs the fainthearted, messieurs the funks; and down on your knees before the English miracle which has taken but a year to germinate, and will soon blossom like an aloe in the thunder of the guns. Down bn your knees before the coming explosion, you lilylivered gentlemen, you whey-faced loons!” DEVOURING COAL. NORTH OF PRANCE, August 8. Tte Germans have organised a sort of general cool bureau at Antwerp in order to exploit the mines which they have taken possession of in Belgium and the North of France. The mineral is divided roughly into two parts, one of which is requisitioned for the needs of the army and the German munition factories. The rest is exported to Switzerland, where it is resold by agents. The manner in which the mines are worked can only be described as. devouring the coal- Only one end is considered —the getting of as much out of the pile as possible, without any consideration for the customary operations necessary for the consolidation and permanency of the mines. U is, unfortunately, only too clear that after the war a considerable time must elapse before the mines can once again be put in a sound condition for their economic working.