for
Perthshire, amid ominous cheering, "that the British taxpayer should be
called upon to pay L6,000 a year for the maintenance of a family which
includes this German officer?"

"The Question," replied the PREMIER, with something less than his
accustomed point in dealing with Supplementary Queries, "relates to a
particular individual."

House gladly got rid of disagreeable subject. But SARK tells me that,
when in due course the pension comes up in Committee of Supply, more
will be heard of the matter.

_Business done._--Several War Emergency Bills advanced a stage.

_House of Lords, Thursday._--K. of K. read brief paper on Military
Situation in Flanders. In matter of picturesque detail it did not quite
come up to pitch of "EYE-WITNESS'S" despatches from the Front, which in
the main it resembled. But it was as comforting as it was concise.
Summed up in sentence the position to-day of Expeditionary Force:
"Reinforcements have replaced our casualties, and the troops under Sir
JOHN FRENCH, now re-fitted, are in the best of spirits, confident of
success under their Leader."

Touched lightly on rout of Germans in Poland with which the world is
ringing; but said nothing about capture of KAISER'S cloak. SARK suggests
that this interesting robe should be put up for sale to highest bidder
(as if it were the First L1 note), proceeds to be contributed to Fund
for Relief of Belgians. This would give opportunity for remarking that
having taken off his coat to devastate the homes of the Belgians,
WILHELM gave them his cloak also.

Suggestion worth thinking about. Certainly something attractive about it
in way of poetic justice.

_Business done._--In the Commons UNDER-SECRETARY FOR INDIA gave glowing
account of the gallant deeds of Indian troops fighting in three
continents.

_Friday._--After heartening speeches by CHANCELLOR and FIRST LORD,
together going to show that "we've got the ships, we've got the men,
we've got the money too," Parliament adjourned till Tuesday, February
2nd, with promise that, if necessary, it can be specially summoned at
any time on six days' notice.

* * * * *

"The Germans did not even hesitate to bring up heavy artillery which
quickly became embedded in the mud, some of which has since been
found by our troops."

_Press Association War Special._

From what we hear, our troops have found all the mud they want.

* * * *