Grand Forks daily herald., 1915-05-29
INTFRNED|SOLD|ERS
SEEN CONT|'ENTED
British Navy Men Are on the
Best Terms With Guards
Keep up. Camp.

Groninsen, The Netherlands, May
29.-Correspondence OF The Associat-
cd Press Fifteen. hundred men Of
the British navy In the interment
camp here are proving their right to
the name OF "hahdymen," by accom-
modating themselves with remarkable
success to their change in lot.
OF Groningen, ls the most healthy and
well situated interment depot in this
country, and Its practical arrangement
has been carried out by the. tackics
themselves.
The encampment is about a mile in
circumference and is on the sandy
hcather-coatcd soil usual In this part
OF Holland. Four immense huts have
been erected side by side along the
as 'dormitories and dining rooms by
the three battalions OF sailors and are
named after renowned British admir-
ais-Benhow. Drake and Collingwood.
The fourth hut is church, thoater and
recreation hall combined and seats
about 1000 men. On other parts Of
the ground are the administration
nuts. a capacious gymnasium. wash
houses, workshops, store ROBINS, lib
rary and guard-rooms: for the Dutch
soldiers in charge. The spirit and dis
cipltne of the men are very high and
they show great Willingness to per-
form any duty allotted to them by the
Dutch authorities. with whom they
are on excellent terms.
Learn Languages.
Numbers Of the men have entered
the courses Of higher mathematics at
Groningen university; others give,their
time to the study Of flnodern languages
French. German, Italian and Dutch.
the last Of which, is now spoken with
more or less facility by all the men.
Then there are fretworkers. wood
carvers, shoemakers and repairers.
and a large number of knitters ana
matmakers. who manufacture with
Vari-colored wools articles Of real ar
tistic value as well as OF use. At an
exposition of the mems work this week
collection of exhibits was gathered
which was of very high class charac-
tire. The proceeds of the sale of the
work are devoted to the provision of
comforts for the less fortunate British
prisoners over the frontier in Ger
many.
A brass band ia in daily practice
with Instruments presented by friends
when it turns out for its daily route
march under a small Dutch guard over
the neighbering country. - .......
A dramatic club also has been
formed under the leadership Of son
of the late English actor Penley.
"The Timberton FqHies," a burlcs-
que troupe, has attained such success
that it filled the opera house in Gron-
ingen for many nights and has been
invited, with the permission of .ne
Dutch military authorities, to per-
form in the Hague.and other cities.
Make Costumes.
The men make all their own CO.'S
tunes and paint their own scenery,
much Of which would do credit to q
first class theater -, g. d..
Small truck gardens are, beginning
to produce good results under the
careful attention, Of 4the termed men,
and&the fresh Vegetables raised make
a welcome addition 70 the ample meat.
bread and jam5for molassess potatoes
and canned foods pflcially served.
Pretty flower gardens also have been
laid out in the form of anchor, boats
and other naval devices.
Church parade, at which attendance
is obligatory every Sunday by all ranks
Of the British navy and army, is con-
Quoted by a chaplain of the Church
of England. The Catholics and nom
conformists among the men, however,
are marched off separately to town
churches Of their respective denom-
nations under guard. The Scotsmen
in the camp who speak only Gaelic are
provided for with special service TN
that tongue. t5f AEI 20 a..;4 , .