The following additional gifts in kind reached us last week :—
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Miss E. Ashburner, Olverston (2 pairs stocks, 3 scarves, 1 body belt).
Mrs. and Miss Birth, Chatham (2 sweaters). Miss M. Crawshaw, Doncaster (9 scarves, 9 body belts, 9 helmets, 9 pairs socks, 12 pairs gloves). Mrs. and Miss Dennison, Leamington (4 scarves, 2 pairs mittens, 4 packets cigarettes).
Miss I. Garland, York (1 scarf, 1 pair gloves). Mrs. Gibson, Liverpool (1 helmet, 1 body belt, 3 pairs
cuffs). Mrs. G. J. Gibson, Ayton (4 scarves, 2 body belts, 2 pairs so-k).
Mrs. A. Cl. Inglis, ..Aughton (10 pairs socks, 7 body belts, 4 pairs boot laces). Mrs. T. Myrtle, Harrogate (8 pairs socks, 1 scarf, 2 body belts, 2 housewifes, 10 handkerchiefs, 1 pair knee caps). Mrs. Leyland Parr, South Woodford (2 body belts, 1 pair mittens, 3 packets cigarettes).
Mrs. Phipps, Cookley (4 helmets). Mrs. G. Stapler, Ebford (2 scarves, 3 body belts, 5 pas
socks, 1 doz. handkerchiefs' 1 packet stationery). Miss Tinne, Liverpool (4 bundles hide bootlaces, 12
scarves, 4 body belts, 3 pairs socks, 4 doz. handkerchiefs). Mrs. Trotter Harrogate (1 body belt). Wakeford Bros., Emsworth (6 pairs gloves, 2 pairs socks, 2 body belts, 1 scarf).
Miss E. L. Wigglesworth, London (11 body belts, 4 scarves, 6 helmets, 4 pairs mittens).
Mrs. Wood, North Finchley (4 body belts). Anonymous (3 pairs gloves, 2 pairs mittens, •1 helmet). Mrs. E. W. Bishop, Forest gate (2 scarves, 3 pairs mittens).
Miss Fanner, Wimbledon Cloranton (I. scarf, 2 packs cards, 1 pipe' 1 tin tobacco).
Mrs. A. A. Remington, Birmingham (1 doz. scarves, 1 doz. pairs seeks).
CoiltrOrts 'way.
During the past week, progress has been very rapid in respect of the completion of the organization for the purchase, collection, sorting and despatch of comforts of one kind and other. Facilities are now available, and are, indeed, in use, for the effective handling of large numbers of gifts of woollen goods of all kinds.
Upon receipt of each parcel, its contents are carefully examined and checked, and acknowledgments are promptly posted to the senders, either on behalf of Mrs. Long, or of the Editor of this journal, as the case may be. The contents of bundles are then distributed into large q.eparated stock bins, labelled " helmets," "belts," `‘`` scarves," etc., whence they are withdrawn as required for the making up of cases for despatch to the various units at the Front. The method adopted enables us to ensure that no appreciable interval occurs between the receipt of woollen and other gifts in kind, their sorting and their actual
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consignment to the respective columns. Our great. aim is to keep our stores empty, curious as that may seem.
Already a number of such cases are on their way to the various Cavalry Supply Columns ; others will
follow immediately to all units.
Sufficient tobacco has now been ordered, and will b.-) sent to the Front within the next week or so, to provide a substantial gift of the best quality shag or golden bar cake, or high-class Virginia cigarettes, to every soldier in the Mechanical Transport Columns of the Army Service Corps which are already on active service on the Continent. These now number in all, when on full strength, 15,000 men to date.
Then, with regard to gloves, very exhaustive tests have been made in order to ascertain which of the many samples submitted by ,manufacturers would prove to be the best value and best suited to the strenuous conditions which obtain in France and Belgium. Samples of gloves have been soaked in water for two days, then dried, and cgain soaked in Diesel engine oil and then subjectea to destructive
tests. The gloves which after that still most resembled their original shape and revealed signs of still being able to yield further service, were, providing prices were suitable, aelected for purchase. After final approval by the Ladies Committee, who were also asked to take an interest, even if only an academic one, in the selections of tobacco which had already been made, first orders for nearly 1500 pairs of horse-hide gloves have been placed, and a number of these are, at the time of writing, already being boxed for despatch.
It has become known to us, through our representatives at the Front, that gifts of new or second-hand sweaters or undervests will be very gratefully received by the men for whom our fund is acting. Second-hand garments of this kind can be made quite useful as a rule by means of a little judicious mending, and it. is hoped that those of our readers who can collect such gifts, either from their own chests of drawers or those of their friends, will send along a supply-to our stores for early forwarding.