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New Zealand Tablet, 18 January 1917, Page 34

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Christmas Greetings ■ We have received kindly Christmas greetings from Chaplain-Captain Doyle, of Auckland, who is now with the New Zealand Forces in France. We trust that Father Doyle may continue to enjoy the best of good health in order to keep pace with the grand work which, as we hear from all sides, he is doing for the spiritual welfare of our soldiers, v ' .-.- •.-;■•'

Reviews . . We have received Blue and White the magazine of St. Patrick's College, Wellington, and- the Students' Magazine of the Sacred Heart College, Auckland. Both publications are finely illustrated and contain articles of interest for the general reader as well as for the college students, past and present. The lengthy chronicle of. ' old boys ' proves in a striking manner how well our Catholic colleges train their students for success in life, while the long Roll of Honor tells its own sad, but glorious, tale of service unto death for this fair country. Lord French and a Climax High military authorities are so chary about committing themselves to an expression of opinion regard-* ing the war that when they do open their lips we are naturally all attention. Here is a recent utterance by Lord French on the subject of present conditions and prospects: ' I am not going to indulge in any vain prophesy as to the future of the war, but I may be allowed to express this opinion—it seems to me that the contest is probably approaching a climax, either now or in the spring. If we compare the position of the Allied armies a year ago with the position now, I think we shall find much to fill us with confidence and hope. The relative positions of the Allies and the enemy have undergone a marked change—a considerable transformation. At the same time, we must always remember that the climax of a great war like this docs not necessarily mean that the end is in sight.' No Winter Lull According to Mr. Hilaire Belioc, there will be no winter lull on the Western front this season except in so far as weather conditions make it absolutely compulsory. Discussing the November advance on the Somme, he says: 'Perhaps , the most significant thing about the whole affair is its date. The thing theenemy most needs (and, as he takes his wishes for realities, the one thing he believes in), is the ''winter lull." The race between his wastage and his recruitment is directly connected with this supposedly necessary phase in the.course of hostilities. Last year he had it, and it built up his new reserves. After the occupation of Serbia there were four full months in which his entries into hospital fell lower and lower, his discharges as continually rose, his class 'IG could be trained with ample opportunity and leisure. The lull was duetto the Allies' preparation of munitionment and arms. It was not broken till he himself chose to break it on the 21st of February by the initiation of the Verdun offensive. He has calculated on a repetition of the affair this winter. His training of 1918 and the "combed out,"his returned of convalescents, is based on the expectation of such a respite. It. trill not be given him. Here in mid-November lie is again shuck as hard as ever he was in the summer, and every patch of dry weather will put him in peril again.' Will the German Fleet Come Out ? There is a widespread popular impression that the war will not end until there has been a decisive clash between the German and British fleets, and though that was once the generally accepted view it is not now shared by the well informed. Mr. J. M. de Beaufort,

who has- been making ' a voyage of discovery in Germany,' writing in the Quarterly-Review says:— 'I have been asked many times since my return from Germany, if I thought the German fleet would come out. My answer can be found in : Von Koester's speech, where he says: "We must not allow ourselves to be inveigled into an [ engagement in which we might possibly be beaten " I think, in fact lam almost convinced, that the German fleet is never going to risk a .battle in which its existence will be at stake. In other words they are not likely to venture far from their base. that conviction'has been gained from many conversations, inquiries, arguments/and observations among well-qualified Germans. The "charge made by Von Koester against England—viz., that she desires to be present at the peace negotiations with a fleet intact, applies to Germany.' Some Egyptian Stories Mr A. E. P. Weigall tells some good stories of the children of Egypt in the Cornhill Magazine:—' The Egyptian is generally inclined to be very literal in the interpretation of his instructions, and several amusinoanecdotes are told in this regard. An English official died suddenly at a lonely outpost in the Sudan, and the Egyptian officer on whom the charge of affairs had devolved wired, acquainting the authorities with the sad news. Very wisely the Englishman at headquarters, who had heard stories of persons being buried alive, telegraphed back, saying, "make certain that he is really dead before burial." The reply of the Egyptian officer was received a few hours later. It read: " Have made certain with a revolver." ' J * ' An Egyptian clerk at a railway station in the far south was much disinclined to act on any occasion without precise instructions. One day the officer at the depot received a telegram from him which read: "Stationmaster is being devoured by lion on platform. Please wire instructions." On another occasion this same clerk telegraphed down the line to the nearest English official the following startling message: "Station attacked by lions, tigers, bears, and wolves." The Englishman replied: "Your message ridiculous. Wire precisely what you mean." To this the clerk, after some hesitation, humbly answered, Delete tigers and bears." '