fully presently, are, after all, the most
practical measures in the world. There have been several other absences
on leave, and a good many men have been released permanently. Moreover,
at Christmas, 1916, most of the British officials in the camp were given
three days leave in Berlin.

PRISONERS' ACTIVITY.

We may well be proud of the organising capacity of the British prisoners
at Ruhleben and of the resolute determination of so many to make the
very most of every slender opportunity, and to turn difficulties into a
stimulus for ingenuity. The following is from the _Manchester Guardian_,
February 23, 1916:

A letter from Mr. Walter Butterworth, dated January 22, and
written from his internment quarters at Ruhleben, Germany, has
been received by the Chairman of the Manchester Art Gallery, Mr.
F. Todd. After a reference to newly added pictures in the
Manchester Gallery and to the death of his friend, Mr. Roger
Oldham, Mr. Butterworth continues: "You will perhaps like to
hear a little about art matters in Ruhleben. We really have some
activity in arts and crafts. A great crowd of musicians are
here, including some composers and many excellently equipped
executants. We have actors in plenty, not without a sprinkling
of professionals. Professors, journalists, and lecturers are our
nearest approximation to workers in the literary field. There is
no stint of craftsmen, who produce very clever work in wood,
metals, etc. With provision tins they make the most astonishing
things, including tackle for our physics and chemical
departments, for weighing, testing, measuring, etc. With only
tins and wire a man made an amazing electrical clock, which has
kept faultless time for over a year. Other men made a handloom
for demonstration purposes, which wove cloth before our eyes at
a meeting of Yorkshiremen, at which I presided.

Turning to the fine arts of painting and sculpture, I did not
know we had any sculptors until this month, except one clever
young artist who models heads in clay. But this month we have
had a great deal of snow, and two men who have hitherto been
resting came forward, and, like Michael Angelo on a famous
occasion began to model in snow. But our designers and painters
are the most numerous and active (after the musicians). They
have a shed, in which art exhibitions are held periodically.
M