The sixth memorandum gave detailed evidence in support of the charge that a systematic devastation of the country had been ordered by the German leaders. Letters found on German soldiers made it clear that the burning of villages and the shooting of the inhabitants were general measures, and that the orders were given by superior officers. Attention was called to this violation of The Hague Convention, and it was pointed out that it was on the proposal of the German delegates at the second Hague Conference that an article was inserted declaring that the belligerent guilty of such violation should be liable to pay an indemnity. In the remaining memoranda information was given as to the destruction of villages in the region of Paris, the murder of Red Cross nurses, and the burning of Affleville, under circumstances of particular brutality. The statement concluded: "The Government of the Republic, respecting international conventions which it has ratified, protests against those violations of international law, and holds up to reprobation before the opinion of the world the behaviour of an enemy who respects no rule and goes back on his signature affixed to international agreements." It was observed with immense satisfaction, not merely throughout the British Empire, but by our allies in the field, that Britain in her oversea possessions was quick to come forward with offers of help as soon as the situation on the Continent became known. In Canada, for example, the Government voted large supplies of wheat, cheese and so forth for the troops, and also undertook to raise two contingents, each 20,000 strong, to take part in the campaign. Patriotic funds were started in all the large towns throughout the Dominion, and the women of Canada raised funds for a supplementary naval hospital. Similar measures were taken by the Australian Government, and both Ministers and ex-Ministers declared that Australia would offer "the vigour of her manhood, the bounty of her soil resources, her economic organisation, all she possesses to the last ear of corn and the last drop of blood." This quotation is taken from a speech by Mr. Millen, the Commonwealth Minister of Defence, speaking at Melbourne on August 23rd. Similar utterances were delivered by his colleagues and by the Parliamentary Opposition. An appeal to Australians to form an Imperial Expeditionary Force resulted in an almost immediate reply from 20,000 volunteers. Offers of help on a proportionate scale came from New Zealand and South Africa; and the South African Government took steps both to guard the Union from German raids and to co-operate with the Imperial troops in any movement that might be made against the adjacent German colonies. A later and momentous step by the South African Union, taken at the request of the Imperial Government, was notified in the subjoined communications from Reuter's Agency: Cape Town, _Sept. 9th, 1914_.