the modern guns. As we told you the other day, these guns fire
heavy shot which will pierce through such strong walls that the old
methods of defence are of little use.

Under these circumstances, in considering the kind of coast defence we
would make, it became necessary to find something that would resist these
powerful guns.

It was thought that an embankment of sand, placed in front of the walls of
the fort, would lessen the force of the shot, and render it almost
harmless before it could reach the wall, so a small fort was built as an
experiment.

The result proved to be exactly what the designer had supposed it would
be.

Three guns of different power were tried on the bank, and fired at short
range.

It was found that the sand-bank was an ideal defence.

The heavy shots ploughed into the bank, and, meeting the great resistance
of the sand, were turned out of their course, and forced upward to the top
of the sand-pile, without having reached the concrete wall at all.

The test was considered very satisfactory, especially as such
fortifications can be very easily made all along the coast, and at a very
small expense.

* * * * *

Permission has been granted by the President for General Miles, the
commanding general of our army, to go to Greece and study the war there,
and on his way back to visit all the other European nations and observe
their armies. He will make a report to the War Department on his return.

He expected to sail on May 6th.

* * * * *

There has been a change in the Ministers who govern Greece. The angry
people demanded the change after the retreat from Larissa.

M. Delyannis resigned his position as Prime Minister, and M. Ralli, the
leader of the Opposition, was chosen in his place.

M. Ralli declared that he was able to save his country, and that he would
do so. His brave words encouraged the despondent Athenians, and he became
the hero of the hour.

He stated that all the trouble had arisen because the army needed thorough
reorganizing, and that as soon as he had taken the oath of office, he
would go to the army, strive to give the soldiers fresh courage, and make
the changes that he considered necessary.

M. Ralli has long been a very important man in Greek politics. His party
has been opposed to that of the King, and he has never hesitated to speak
his mind when he thought things were not being properly conducte