The Spectator

Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, said that he wanted to change the law so that there would be no ‘means of communication’ which ‘we cannot read’, in order to thwart terrorists. Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, said this meant ‘scooping up vast amounts of information on millions of people — children, grandparents and elderly people who do nothing more offensive than visiting gardening centre websites’. Andrew Parker, the director general of MI5, said that 20 terrorist plots against the West had links to Syria in the past 14 months.

From ‘The British Reply and American Comments’, The Spectator, 16 January 1915: We have not the slightest desire to punish American commerce or any neutral commerce. Our whole object is to destroy our enemies, and it is only so far as American commerce interferes with that object that we interfere with American commerce. That the interference may have to be greater if the Germans continue to violate the rules of humanity and civilization ought to be sufficiently obvious to any outside critic.

From ‘News of the Week’, The Spectator, 16 January 1915: Friday's Times contains on its "leader" page an appeal to our soldiers by Sir William Osier in regard to inoculation against typhoid. He tells the soldiers in simple but stirring language that it is their bounden duty to keep themselves in as perfect a state of health as possible, and reminds them that their worst foes are those of their own camp—the foes of disease. He recalls the fact that in South Africa the bacilli of disease killed twice as many men as did the bullets of the Boers. He next goes on to point out how inoculation safeguards men from the terrible dangers of enteric, and how alight is the indisposition caused by inoculation.

From ‘Lord Curzon's Speech’, The Spectator, 9 January 1915: We are glad to record, though in no way surprised to find, that Lord Curzon takes a very serious and very clearly defined view of the duties of the Opposition during a period of national crisis. He recognized that part of these duties in war time can never, as in peace, be the effort to substitute one set of politicians for another in the work of government. On the contrary, in war the support of the King's Government in all the measures which they may think necessary for ensuring the safety of the country becomes the essential duty of the Opposition. But while this is so, it is in no way to be desired that the Opposition should forgo its function, may, obligation, of criticism.

From News of the Week, The Spectator, 9 January 1915: A Commission, under the chairmanship of Sir Ernest Hatch, has been appointed by the Government to advise and help local Refugee Committees in establishing workshops for Belgian refugees. In the recent Report of the Belgian Refugees Committee it was pointed out that the refugees were divided into three groups: (1) Those trained in industries in which there happens to be a shortage of British labour, such as the armament, woollen, agricultural, and motor industries. (2) Those trained in industries in which there is no shortage: tailors, dressmakers, printers, ironmongers, fancy goods makers, and carpenters. (3) Those who have had a professional training.

From News of the Week, The Spectator, 9 January 1914: It is with deep regret that we record the loss of this battleship, which was sunk in the Channel by a submarine on the morning of Friday week. The ‘Formidable’ was a vessel of 15,000 tons, and was completed in 1901. She carried a company of between seven hundred and eight hundred officers and men. The disaster happened in very heavy weather, and only two hundred and one lives were saved. The ship was struck about two o'clock, and remained afloat till after three o'clock. Four boats were launched under terribly difficult conditions, due not only to the heavy seas, but to the list of the shop. One of these boats, a barge, capsized, and several men were thrown out.