Evening star., 1915-07-25

to reach England. The case was tried
before Lord Chief Justice Bovill. the
prosecution being represented by Mr..
Denman. K. C.: and J. c; Matthew. and
the prisoner by Sir Edward Clarke.
who recently retired from the bar after
an exceptionally brilliant career. The
proceedings were comparatively brief.
the evidence of the prisoners brother
and wife. as well as the evidence of
the police, making it obvious that the
act was that of a deranged man. There
was the police letter to America, too
written before the crime, not to mem
tion the fact that the prisoner and
his victim were absolute strangers.
The jury. after being charged by the
lord chief justice, brought in verdict
of mot guilty" Soon after DIR. Blank
was taken to Broadmoor. there to be
confined. during her majestys pleas
ure," as the official phrase then went.
Sir James Murray listened to this
extraordinary tale with amazement
mingled with sympathetic interest
When the end had been reached he
begged the governor to take him to
DR.. Blank, and the meeting between
the two men of learning. who had cor
responded for so long and who now
met under such strange circumstances.
was an extremely impressive one.
Sir James remained at Broadmoor
for several days. and it is hard to say
which of the two enthusiastic pnilolo-
gfsts derived most pleasure from their
intercourse, which was also by no
means without its fruitful results so
far as the dictionary was concerned.
They parted on the best Of terms. Sir
James placing himself at the service
of his American confrere in any way
in which his help could be useful.
while DR.. Blank, on his side, promised
to continue, wholeheartedly, his work
for the dictionary.
The facts up to this point came into
the possession of the present writer
only recently. On writing to Sir James
Murray to ask if DIR. Blank were still
alive and as to his present where
abouts, the writer received from the
distinguished philogist the following
reply:
''Dr Blank is still alive. in America.
where his friends succeed led i'm taking
him few years ago. 1 correspond with
him from time to time. but cannot. dur
ing his lifetime, communicate anything
with regard to him. J only know Of
his help to the dictionary.
Copyright 1915. by Curtis Brown)
SO far it has been authoritatirely given
out that all American warships soon
will be equipped with nets for protec-
ton against submarine attack and that
important changes are to be made in
the design of American ships OF war
with a view to providing additional
protection against torpedo attack
There is nothing new i'll the idea OF
net, as nearly all the war vessels or
other first-cIass powers are equipped
with them. The net, when III place, ma
dc ha nf
but when not in use il may be drawn
tightly to the sides of a ship. thus per-
mitting the vessel to make full speed.
1t is also planned that hereafter every
American capital warship shall have an
extra bottom. or double bottom. but u
is understood Shat the modern CO i'ital
ships of the British, French. Italian and
German navies are constructed in this
way.
1t has been said on high naval
authority that one thing learned during
the war is that battleships built here
after Will have more compartments.