A remarkable incident occurred, says the Paris _Journal des
Débats_, at the opening matinée of the Comedie Française, when the
old-fashioned Roman tragedy, "Horace," was presented.
Written in 1639, when France was fighting Germany, it contains
numerous veiled allusions to the war and prophecies of successes
afterward realized by Louis XIII. One such is the Sabine heroine's
appeal to Rome to spare her country and seek conquests further
afield: "Hurl your battalions against the East; plant your flags on
the borders of the Rhine!"
The _Journal des Débats_ says:
"At these words a shiver of excitement passed over the whole dense
audience, which rose, cheering frantically, and continued the
applause for several minutes."
"THEY FACE A SOLID WALL!"
Paul Erco of the Paris _Journal_ says in a message from Furnes:
"It looks as if the Germans were out of ammunition. Yesterday we
spotted several of their batteries along the Yser, and as soon as
the French and Belgian guns opened fire they withdrew in a hurry,
declining combat.
"I asked one of General Joffre's ablest lieutenants if he thought
the enemy meant to give up the Yser and Yperlee lines. His reply was:
"'For obvious reasons I can't tell you what I think on that point;
but I will say that even if the Germans resume the struggle on our
left wing they cannot break through. From the Lys to the sea they
have a solid wall in front of them, which cannot be broken down and
before which they will shatter themselves to pieces if they try it.'"
* * * * *
The late King Charles of Rumania left an estate of $10,000,000, of
which $750,000 is bequeathed to the army and navy. The will states
that the money be set apart for the purchase of quick-firing guns
for the Rumanian army.
* * * * *
A Frenchman suggests the value of protective armor against shrapnel.
He says that metallic disks attached inside the cap, so as to
afford almost complete protection of the neck, back, and shoulders
when soldiers are firing prone, would no doubt save seven or eight
per cent. of the men. He cites the cases of two infantrymen who
thus utilized zinc mess tins which showed numerous scratches where
shrapnel had ricochetted and thus prevented wounds despite the
feeble defensive qualities of the material.
* * * * *
The British Government stopped the circulation of the _Irish World_
of New York in Ireland because of its attitude against recruiting in
Ireland.
* * * * *
A Paris newspaper recently printed the following: "Now begins the
twilight of the German gods. The Kaiser's expiation commences. It is
not Napoleon vanquished by his own conquests; it is not the eagle
bowing his crest, but a wretched vulture with the stomach ache. In
his sleepless nights, he must see, like Belshazzar's writing on the
wall, the words: 'The despicable little army of General French!'"
* * * * *
The tragedy of silence killed many of the women of Europe. Suicides
occurred by thousands, especially in Austria. Women did not know
whether their husbands and sons were alive or dead. They were given
no news. Wherever they turned for light they were confronted by an
impenetrable pall of silence. They were not permitted to dress in
mourning, nor were the bodies of their dead brought home for burial.
Insanity came to the relief of many. Thousands of others went to
suicides' graves.
* * * * *
The German army aviators discovered a method of making clouds to
hide them when shelled by the French. A French officer was watching
some German aeroplanes under fire when they suddenly disappeared
into a cloud of brown smoke. In a few moments they became perfectly
invisible. The French gunners were unable to find them again.
* * * * *
A former Edinburgh newsboy in the British army was awarded the
Victoria Cross for capturing a machine gun, an officer, and six men.