Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-08-09
NEWS OF THE DAY.

Americas enlarged military pro-
gram contemplates the organization
and maintenance of ninety-eight di-
visions of troops, of which eighty
are to be maintained in France and
eighteen in this country. in other
words, On the basis of 10000 men to
a division, the force abroad would
reach the total of 100000 and the
army at home would number 100000,
the grand total being nearly A.
100000 men. These figures were
given to the Senate Military Affairs
Committee Wednesday by Gen. Peyton
c. March, the chief of staff.
The small American unarmed
steamer Merak was shellea, torpedoed
and sunk by a German submarine
near the North Carolina coast Tues
day afternoon. Announcement CT
the destruction of the ship-the third
sent down in that vicinity since last
Sunday-was made yesterday by the
Navy Department. The Merak's crew
of 43 men got away in small boats
and were landed safely, 23 at Norfolk
and the remaining at Elizabeth City,
n. C.
Norway's loss of "A vessels in July
through German submarine ruthless
ness, the Norwegian legation here
yesterday announced, brings Nor
ways total losses to $50 vessels,
aggregating 1,1G9,5S7 tons, since the
beginning Of the war. In these sink
ings, 1902 of Norway's seamen lost
their lives.
On wooden cross at the head of a
grave at the edge of wood at Cham
cry, east of Fereen-Tardenois, is this
inscription: Lieut.. Quentin Roose-
Welt, buried by the Germans" The
grave was found by an American avi-
ator. The inscription is in English.
The application Of the work-or-f!ght
rule in connection with the new draft
ages submitted to Congress is ex-
pected to strip Washington of its
great army of men clerks between
the ages Of Is and 45. Only older
men, cripples and women viii be left
at the desks of all departments and
branches of the government. Man
power to be released under this rule,
which will apply to all industry as
we'll as to government departments,
is expected to go into the essential
industries and thereby release for az
tual military service in the line the
men of the first draft age, y to 81,
who have been deferred classification
by virtue of being employed in essen
tial work.
William D. Peters, SIS, railroad
carpenter, and once active in Repub-
lican politics in the Cumberland, Nd,
district, committed suicide Wednesday
by sending a bullet through his heart
from a revolver. Peters hal suffered
intensely from the heat, and it Is
thought his mind became affected.
There is once ',ort an allied East
ern front" The British war office
late yesterday issued an official state
ment on the fighting which followed
the landing of allied detachments at
.Archangel. 1t shows that "the OPP
posing force supported BY Germans"
has been driven back seventy miles
south of Archangel, which port is
firmly held by the allies. The charac-
ter and nationality of the opposing
force" is not defined by the official
statement.
Bulgaria is engaged in peace Of
fensive synchronizing with the Ger
man movement in the same direction,
according to Alexander Carapanos.
former minister of foreign affairs of
Greece. She is playing particularly
upon the friendly sentiment existent,
at least in the past, in Great Britain