OCCASIONAL NOTE

Apart from the anti-submarine successes of the “Eagle” chasers at Durazzo, the combined Italo-British attack on this Austrian base appears to have been an extraordinarily audacious and successful performance. Even allowing for Austrian slackness and inefficiency the British and Italian commanders must have had remarkable confidence in themselves, as well as an exact knowledge of the defences, to take their ships close up to the harbour works, past submarines and through minefields, and bombard the place until they had achieved their objective. The dramatic character of the coup is heightened by the almost total immunity from casualties enjoyed by the Allies squadrons.

Durazzo has, of course, been constantly bombarded from the air for months, and from the sequel described by Signor Orlando in the Italian Chamber, the work of the Allied air squadrons must have been done most effectively, while their reports as to the quality of the Austrian defences were apparently accurate in a very high degree. It is not quite clear whether the entire base and all the ships moored in the harbour were destroyed or not, but apparently the Austrians are not in a position to refuse admittance to the Allied fleets at any time they may choose to visit Durazzo, and, if the harbour has not already been rendered untenable both as a naval and a submarine base, the probabilities are that it very soon will be.

INFLUENZA IN GOA

For nearly a month Goa has been suffering from influenza. The epidemic has spread with great rapidity. In some places it prevails with unusual virulence and has taken a heavy toll, but in other districts it prevails in a very mild form. In Ponda district entire families have been prostrated by it, not a single member being left immune to attend on the others, but it is of such mild character there that there have been comparatively very few fatal cases. It is observed that in no other epidemic of any kind till now have so many medical men been sufferers as in the present instance.

Three well-known doctors have already died at their post of duty and several others have been attacked by the malady. One of those who succumbed was Dr. Migyel Loyala Furtado, who was editor of ***India Portugueza***. The epidemic has invaded the establishments of various newspapers, some of which have intimated to their subscribers their inability to issue them with the usual regularity. One of the leading dailies has issued one sheet printed on one side only. The panic which prevailed at the beginning, and which was aggravated by the dearth of medical attendance in villages, and smaller towns, is now subsiding.

THE WOMEN’S WAR WORK BUREAU

The Women’s War Work Bureau, started by H.E. Lady Chelmsford last year with the object of enlisting women in India to help in war work in offices, nursing, hospital visiting, canteen work, etc., has now issued a modest little report for the past twelve months which shows that most valuable results have been attained. Already about two hundred ladies have been found useful employment, mostly in the Army Headquarters and other Government offices, where they have released men for active service, while a large number more have been registered and are waiting to help. Besides all these, matters relating to the welfare of the women who are so patriotically serving the Empire are being gone into, the amount of correspondence passing through the hands of the energetic honorary secretaries and their coadjutors being enormous.

POSITION OF DUAL MONARCHY

The Weser Zeitung, commenting on the great impression caused in Austria by the events in the Balkans, states that ministers have become panic-stricken and are fearing the collapse of their political edifice. They are now advocating the conciliation of their political opponents. Consequently federalisation plans are again prominent. Von Hussarek intends to form a Coalition Ministry prepared to carry out the necessary reforms. The journal predicts that federalisation would force Austria-Hungary to leave the ranks of the belligerents and abandon the alliance with Germany, and would spell the ultimate dissolution of the Dual Monarchy.

ALLIED LINE CREEPING STEADILY FORWARD

Reuter’s correspondent at the British Headquarters, telegraphing this afternoon, says: With our line still creeping westward beyond Lens and Armentieres and the whole Beaurevoir system reported to be in our hands, it may be said that yesterday was a good day.

A distinguished officer fresh from the thick of the fighting said: “We have the Germans trussed and cooked.” The trend of the fighting has swung nearly due north and the strategic effect of yesterday’s battle will possibly have far-reaching results. Our patrols have pushed out beyond the Beaurevoir line along the whole length of the new front. There was much heavy counter-attacking during the night. We were driven out of but recaptured the fortified positions of Beaurevoir mill and La Mottee farm.