Again in October, 1917, a convention was held in Vilna with about 250 delegates from those parts of Lithuania occupied by German forces, to press their claim of independence for Lithuania. In January, 1918, representative Lithuanians assembled in the same city proclaimed independent Lithuania. Another convention of Lithuanian representatives from Russia and from Lithuanian communities in the United States, England, and Argentina, held in the same month in Stockholm, Sweden, approved the act of their countrymen under German domination. On March 13 and 14 American Lithuanians held a convention in New York City, giving their unanimous approval to the proclaiming of an Independent Lithuanian Republic; here a unanimous resolution was passed protesting against any Polish aspirations or claims to Lithuania, and demanding the inclusion of the Lithuanian part of East Prussia, with the old Lithuanian city of Karaliauchus (Königsberg,) in the Lithuanian Republic. Lithuanians claim those parts of the neighboring provinces where their language is spoken and where the inhabitants consider themselves Lithuanians. They claim the eastern part of East Prussia--about 13,500 square miles, with 700,000 or 800,000 inhabitants--and parts of the provinces of Minsk and Vitebsk; thus the Lithuanian-Lettish Republic would stretch over 131,000 square miles and have a population of over 11,500,000, inhabiting five centres--Karaliauchus, (Königsberg,) Klaipeda, (Memel,) Libau, Windau, and Riga. The country is very rich for agriculture, though it contains much undeveloped land, with many rivers, lakes, and large forests. Along the River Nieman in Druskeniki, Government of Goodns, and in Birchtany, Government of Vilna, there are salt springs of high healing qualities, but on account of a corrupt Russian Government they remain undeveloped and unexploited. The seabeach around Palanga, a little distance above Germany's border on the Baltic, could be turned into another Atlantic City, according to the opinion of experts, but the place remains neglected. Lithuania's soil is very rich in aluminium and in material for manufacturing glass. During my last visit to Lithuania, in 1914, the discovery of radium was reported in the vicinity of the mineral springs at Birchtany, but the war came on very soon and nothing further was heard of it. BRITISH LEADERS ON LAND AND SEA [Illustration: Gen. F. B. Maurice _Formerly Director of Operations at the British War Office, now holding a high position abroad_ (_Press Illustrating Service_)] [Illustration: Maj. Gen. S. C. Mewburn, _Canadian Minister of Militia and Defense_ (_Press Illustrating Service_)] [Illustration: Vice Admiral Roger Keyes _Who directed the British attack on Zeebrugge_ (_Central News_)] [Illustration: Brig. Gen. Sandeman Carey, _Who stopped the gap in the British line before Amiens_ (© _Underwood_)] [Illustration: A new type of tank made for the French Army (© _Underwood_)]