THE MEDITERRANEAN AND BALKAN FORCES: AN APPEAL.
[TO THE mime OF TEE " SPECTATOR."] Sra,—I wish to make an earnest appeal for comforts for the forces in the Mediterranean and Balkans now under my husband General Sir Charles Monro's command. Winter, with all 'its hardships and terrible suffering, is now upon us. The cold is bitter and the storms have been very bad. Nothing can be obtained locally, and our men depend entirely for any comforts upon what we can send them from home. -Their needs must increase as time goes on, and I feel we cannot do enough to show them our deep appreciation and gratitude.
I am authorized to say that Her Majesty Queen Alexandra is specially interested in this appeal, and hopes that it will be generously responded to. I also have a message from Lord Kitchener, who has recently returned from the Near East and who knows the conditions intimately out there, to say that this appeal has his full approval. My husband writes that they have had gales of wind accompanied by rain and snow and bitter cold, and our men have suffered a great deal from the effects of the weather. I feel sure that all must realize the inevitable sufferings entailed and the noble sacrifices that our men are making for their King and country. I specially ask those who have friends and relations in the Mediterranean and Balkan Forces to assist me to send out ample supplies of comforts by giving a whole-hearted response to this appeal.
Queen Alexandra's Field Force Fund have kindly offered to receive, pack, and despatch all goods sent to me. We want warm clothing tobacco, cigarettes, pipes, &c., and money to spend on the comforts not supplied by the War Office. All gifts in kind and donations of money should be addressed to the lion. Lady Monro, 24A Hill Street, Knightsbridge, and marked " Comforts Fund for the Forces in the Mediterranean and the Balkans."—I am, Sir, &c., 24a Hill Street, Knightsbridge. MAnY C. Mon-no.
[We trust that Lady Memo will get a wide and generous support for her appeal. It would be little short of a national disgrace if, because of their distance from England and geogra- phical situation, our troops at the Dardanelles and in the Balkans suffered neglect. There is, however, a possibility of this happen- ing, not exactly through anybody's direct fault, but because the theatre of war is so far away. It seems easier to remember our soldiers in the familiar fields of France and Belgium, where 'names like Ypres are already household words. We all praise the gallantryof our Mediterranean soldiers. Let us not forget that they need comforts and the eJeasures of home gifts and parcels quite as much as, perhaps even more than, the men " somewhere ip France."—Ere Spectator.]
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