age of condemned parts may be taken as indicating the vigilance of the inspector, who thus shows that he is earning his money, and possibly merits promotion.

It is not quite clear how the inspection at the R.A.F. is arranged whether each shop has its own inspectors, under the shop foreman, or whether the output of all the shops and of the outside firms has to pass a central inspection shop in which the inspectors are unable to identify the particular place in which the work has been done; but, in either case, it is presumably easy to tell the R.A.F. product from the outside product, so that once there is a clear understanding that outside products must be condemned, and R.A.F. products passed, the harm is done, money is wasted, and the production of aeroplanes delayed.

Liquor Versus Labour.

It seems to me, as an unprejudiced observer, that the "Labour versus Liquor" question is of minor importance when workmen and foremen alike are in a position to hold up output in the manner I have indicated above. The scheming scoundrel is seldom a drunkard. He soon finds that drink fuddles his wits and upsets his schemes, and if he takes to drink he invariably gives himself away and is easily circumvented.

Nevertheless, the drink question does affect the matter of "losing quarters" and consequent unnecessary overtime. One of the works managers with whom I served many years ago had a theory that it was a mistake to start work before 8 a.m. because the men never did decent work "before the streets were properly aired." He believed that it was better to run from 8 a.m. till 12.30 p.m. without a breakfast-hour, and from 1.30 p.m. till 7 p.m., with half an hour for tea at 5 p.m., thus making a 9-our day, and from 8 a.m. till I p.m. on Saturday. It meant burning more gas in the evening, but he certainly got more work done, because lost quarters were very rare.

Still, lost quarters in a day beginning at 6 a.m. are chiefly due to going to bed at 11.30 p.m., or midnight, after three or four hours of steady soaking in the foetid atmosphere of a public-house; and undoubtedly if all public-houses shut at 8 p.m. most men would go to bed before 10 p.m. and could start easily at 6 a.m.and do it all the better for not having a skinful of alcohol and a head full of fumes. Closing at 8 p.m. would leave plenty of time in which to fetch the supper beer, which is a perfectly legitimate article of consumption-for those able to digest it.

The Treating Evil.

The argument that men will soak whiskey and beer at home if the public-houses are closed early may be true of a minority, but the bulk of the unnecessary and nocuous alcohol consumed is drunk because both in Clubs and Pubs there exists the foolish custom of

"standing one's round." If three men go into a publichouse, or an hotel, or even some of the less reputable clubs, each feeling that he really wants a drink, each knows he must stand a round, which means three drinks each instead of one. Probably they meet two or three friends, which means several more rounds. And so the original one necessary, or at any rate desirable, drink becomes five or six, which is absurd, for it does no one any good except the producer of the drink.

Owing to the fact that the effect of drink, simply as a thirst quencher, is transitory, this may happen two or three times in the course of an evening, but the effect of alcohol as a poison is cumulative and piles up from day to day and week to week. Hence the evil of continual treating among men who meet every day of their lives, whereas a gorgeous, blind burst, ending with a return home with the milk in the morning sunlight, say three or four times a year, is rather healthy than otherwise, being the equivalent of "breaking training" to an athlete.

No one would grudge officer or man returned from the trenches such a burst, nor would one grudge it, on occasion, to a workman who has been steadily working overtime for three months on end. But steady drinking without ever getting really drunk plays the. devil with good work, whether the drinking is done in the officers' mess-as is often the case or in a club, or in the working-man's pub. Therefore, the obvious thing to do is to shut down on all alcohol at 8 p.m., for then young officers will not have pink eyes at 6 o'clock parades, and workmen will not lose quarters.

The Crucial Time.

The next six months form the crucial period of the war. Also, they are the lightest months of the year. If everyone knocked off late drinking and took to working throughout the daylight hours during those months, abjuring artificial stimulants and artificial light as well, more work and better work would be done both by the workpeople and by the Services. The early morning air, after a good night's rest, of course, is the finest stimulant in the world. Those who have been through the Central Flying School, with its strict rules about "early to bed and early to rise" in the summer months, will bear out my argument.

The Government has complete control to-day of means of transit as well as sources of production. Let the Government arrange for easy conveyance of the workmen to their shops in the very early morning, and let them shut down all drink supplies at such an hour that the men can get a thorough and healthy night's rest, and they will go far towards producing efficiency in the production of aerial and other armament.-C. G. G.

GREAT BRITAIN.

From the "London Gazette," April 7th, 1915.

WAR OFFICE, APRIL 7TH. REGULAR FORCES.-GENERAL STAFF OFFICERS 1st Grade-Maj. C. C. Marindin, R.A., from 2nd grade, and to be temp. lieut.-col. March 9th.

2nd Grade-Maj. W. W. Warner, ret. pay, I.A., vice Maj. C. C. Marindin, R.A. March 9th.

3rd Grade-Temp. Lieut. R. F. Wigram, vice Maj. L. E. Morrice, D.S.O., R. of O. March 13th.

Deputy Director-Brevet Lieut.-Col. W. S. Brancker, R.A., from an assist. director, and to be temporary colonel. March 9th.

Assist. Director-Maj. D. S. MacInnes, D.S.O., R.E., from a dep. assist. director, and to be temp. lieut.-col. March 9th. Dep. Assist. Director-Capt. G. M. Griffith, R..A., from a staff capt. March 9th. Staff Capt. 9th.

Capt. W. B. Caddell, R.A., and seconded. March

ESTABLISHMENTS.-ROYAL FLYING CORPS.-MILITARY WING.-Flying Officers to be Flight Commanders.-March 24th: Lieut. G. A. K. Lawrence, R.A., and temp. capt.; Lieut. G. D. Mills, Notts and Derbys, and temp. capt.; Capt. J. G. Weir, 3rd Highland (Howitzer) Brig. R.F.A., T.F.

Assist. Equipment Officer-Lieut. D. L. Allen, R. Irish F., from a flying officer. March 29th.

Flight Coms. to be Squadron Commanders (and temporary majors). March 24: Capt. C. G. Hoare, 39th King George's Own Central India Horse, Indian Army; Capt. C. L. N. Newall, 2nd King Edward's Own Gurkha R. (the Sirmoor Rifles), Indian Army.

SUPPLEMENTARY TO REGULAR CORPS.-ROYAL FLYING CORPS.MILITARY WING.-Sec. Lieut. (on prob.) H. T. Musker confirmed in rank. G. O. Hayne to be sec. lieut. (on prob.).

January 25th.

*

From the "London Gazette," April 8th, 1915.

WAR OFFICE, APRIL 8TH. REGULAR FORCES. ESTABLISHMENTS.--ROYAL FLYING CORPS.-AERONAUTICAL INSPECTION DEPARTMENT.-: -Assist. Inspr. -Hon. Lieut. L. T. G. Mansell, from temp. Inspr. of Ordn. Mach., 3rd class, A.O.D., to be temp. lieut., and transferred to General List. March 23rd.

From the "London Gazette," April 9th, 1915.

ADMIRALTY, APRIL 7TH. ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-Prob. flight sub-lieuts. confirmed in rank of flight sub-lieut. : W. K. F. G. Warneford. Oct. 24th. C. W. Dickinson. Oct. 27th.

REGULAR

*

WAR OFFICE, APRIL 9TH. FORCES.-ESTABLISHMENTS.-ROYAL FLYING CORPS. MILITARY WING.-Flying Officer-Lieut. A. F. A. Hooper (N. Staffs.), from Res., and seconded. March 1. INFANTRY.-Royal Fusiliers.-Capt. R. P. Mills (flying officer, Royal Flying Corps, Military Wing), from 5th (S.R.) Batt., to be sec. lieut., and seconded. August 14th, 1912. (Substituted for notification in "Gazette" of January 5th.) Sec. Lieut. R. P. Mills to be lieut. January 21st, but rank for seniority from December 12th, with precedence next below R. F. Cooper, and remain seconded. (Substituted for notification in "Gazette" of March 27th.)

-Brevet Major H. R. P. Reynolds, R. E. March 27th. Capt. P. L. W. Herbert, Notts, and Derbys., and temp. maj. March 28th. Capt. D. S. Lewis, D.S.Ó., R.E., and temp. maj. April 2nd.

Flying Officers.-March 19th: Temp. Lieut. S. G. Gilmour, (12th A. and S.H.), and transferred to General List, New Armies; Lieut. L. F. Richard, R.A., and seconded; Sec. Lieut. M. H. Monckton, R.A., and seconded; Lieut. R. E. B. Hunt, 3rd Shrops. L.I., and seconded. March 29th.

INSPECTION STAFF.-Assist. Inspr.: Maj. H. D. Larymore, C.M.G., R. of O. January 15th.

NAVAL.

The following appointments were notified at the Admiralty on April 6th:—

ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-Mr. S. R. Hemingway granted a temporary commission as lieut., R.N.V.R., and appointed to the "President," for duty with Royal Naval Air Service, to date April 3rd.

Mid. E. C. W. Vane-Tempest, R.N.V.R., promoted to the rank of temp. sub-lieut., R.N.V.R., and appointed to the "President," additional, for duty with the Royal Naval Air Service, to date January 18th.

*

The following appointments were notified at the Admiralty on April 7th :

ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-Messrs. D. K. Cameron and C. W. Nutting granted temporary commissions as lieuts. R.N.V.R. and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date March 30th.

Messrs. O. H. Crowther, H. L. Crowther, and N. Lea granted temporary commissions as sub-lieuts. R.N.V.R. and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date March 30th.

The following appointments were notified at the Admiralty on April 8th :

ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-The following have been granted temp. commissions as lieutenants, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date as stated: G. C. Jackson, April 5th, and E. D. Adams, April 6th.

The following have been granted temp. commissions as sublieutenants Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and appointed to the "President," additional, for R. N.A.S., to date as stated: A. H. Hall, T. E. Viney, G. N. Lindman, April 5th; C. A. Maitland-Heriot, April 6th.

Prob. Flight Sub-Lieuts.-W. K. F. G. Warneford and C. W. Dickinson, confirmed in rank with original seniority, and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A. S., to date March 26th.

The following appointment was notified at the Admiralty on April 9th :

ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-Mr. J. G. Struthers entered as probationary flight sub-lieutenant, for temporary service, and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date April 6th.

The following appointments were notified at the Admiralty on April 10th :

ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-The undermentioned have been ertered as probationary flight sub-lieutenants and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., all to date April 7th J. H. Rose, F. H. Aspden, M. A. Simpson, J. F. Hutchinson, R. S. Smith, F. Fowler, G. F. Smythe, and E. Alexander de Lossy de Ville.

The following appointments were notified at the Admiralty on April 12th

ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-The following have been granted temporary commissions as lieutenants and appointed to the "President," additional, for duty with R.N. Air Service, to date as stated: E. L. Dale, April 9th; C. A. W. Taylor, April

11th.

The Press Bureau issued on April 10th a list of Admiralty awards for distinguished service in a supplement to the "London Gazette.' The following were awarded for flying service :

DISTINGUISHED Service Order.

The King has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following appointments to the Distinguished Service Order in recognition of services as mentioned :

COMPANIONS OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER. For services rendered in the aerial attack on Dunkirk, January 23rd, 1915:

Squadron Commander Richard Bell Davies.

Flight Lieutenant Richard Edmund Charles Peirse. These officers have repeatedly attacked the German submarine station at Ostend and Zeebrugge, being subjected on each occasion to heavy and accurate fire, their machines being frequently hit. In particular, on January 23rd, they each discharged eight bombs in an attack upon submarines alongside the mole at Zeebrugge, flying down to close range. At the outset of this flight Lieutenant Davies was severely wounded by a bullet in the thigh, but nevertheless he accomplished his task, handling his machine for an hour with great skill in spite of pain and loss of blood.

It is to be hoped that someone in the Air Department will bring to the notice of the draftsman of the official notice certain errors. For instance, it seems that "attack on Zeebrugge" would be more correct than "attack on Dunkirk."

Squadron-Commander is a rank in the Navy and not a grading, so that it seems wrong to write of "Lieutenant Davies," in an official document. That is not even the corresponding rank in the Navy proper, for a Squadron-Commander is a two-and-ahalf striper, and throughout the Navy officers of such rank— Lieutenant-Commanders-are colloquially addressed as "Com

mander."

Further, the word hydroplane is used in quite an erroneous sense. A hydroplane is a species of motor-boat. The official word for an aeroplane flying off water is "seaplane," and technically these are divided in "hydro-monoplanes" and "hydro

biplanes," or "sea-monoplanes" and "sea-biplanes," or even the journalist's word waterplane may be used, but hydroplane is utterly wrong.

Finally, the French military title for "Quarter-master" is "Maître-de-Logis." It is possible that the French Navy may use the words "Quartier-Maître," but it is very unlikely, and it looks as if the draftsman of the document had translated with the help of a dictionary from a dispatch written in English.

*

On Thursday, April 8th, about 11.45 a.m., a balloon was seen coming from the direction of Purfleet over the West Thurrock marshes, at about 20 feet, and as it reached the edge of the river the basket struck the high river wall, throwing out its occupant, Sub-Lieut. Fletcher, R.N.A.S., who fell into the mud, which was very soft owing to the tide just having gone down. He landed about 3 feet from the edge of the water and managed to get ashore with the assistance of a bystander.

He was taken to the local vicarage, where he changed his clothes and afterwards proceeded to rescue his balloon, which had travelled down to Grays, where it became entangled with the s.s. "Exmouth." Later it was rumoured locally that the balloon was a captive which had broken away from Wormwood Scrubs, though one does not vouch for the fact.

MILITARY.

The Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief the British Forces in France reported as follows in a communiqué issued on April 6th :April 5th, 1915.

(1) The situation still remains quiet on our front. A change in the weather has limited the possibilities of activity on the part of our aviators.

The following appeared in the Casualty List issued on April 7th:PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING, NOW UNOFFICIALLY REPORTED TO HAVE DIED AS THE RESULT OF AN AEROPLANE ACCIDENT: Warrand, Lieut. A. St. J. N., the Black Watch and Royal Flying Corps.

Alastair St. John Munro Warrand, who was the younger son of Mr. T. A. Warrand, of Lemtram, Bridge of Allan, entered the Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) in October, 1907, and was promoted lieutenant in August, 1910. In April, 1912, he was employed with the West African Frontier Force. He was appointed to the R.F.C. last year, being gazetted as Flying Officer on October 21st, 1914, and acted for a time as adjutant to Major Longcroft at Brooklands.

He took his certificate, No. 840, on a Vickers biplane at Brooklands on July 14th, 1914. He was born at Polmont, Scotland, on January 13th, 1889.

It is reported from France that Mr. Warrand died in hospital at Lille as the result of injuries received when he was brought down by German fire, and that he was accorded a military funeral by the German military authorities.

The following daily rates of pay, including flying pay, are notified by Army Order for the new ranks of the Royal Flying Corps: Wing Commander, 38s.; Wing Adjutant, 278.; Equipment Officer, 24s. 6d. Officers shall be appointed to be Assistant Equipment Officers, who shall receive, according to their classification, either (a) the ordinary rate of pay, without flying pay, provided for a Flying Officer, or (b) the rate provided for a Quartermaster. They shall receive in addition flying pay at the rate of 5s. a day for each day of ascent.

The following additional grades and daily rates of pay will be provided: Technical quartermaster-sergeant, 10s. non-technical quartermaster-sergeant, 4s. 6d. Flying pay shall not be admissible in addition.