The watchmaking industry in Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, has, it is stated, already suffered a loss of £700,000 since the outbreak of the war. This is attributed entirely to the competition of the Watch on the Rhine. * * * With reference again to the Silent Guns which the Germans claim to have invented, it is only fair to point out that, before they were heard of, English artillery-men had silenced many of the noisy ones. * * * "FREE PASSES AND OVER-CROWNING." _Evening Standard._ There was some excuse for this misprint, for the offence complained of took place at the Coronation Picture Palace. * * * CAUTION.--The members of the Old Boys Corps simply hate being called "Old B.C.s." * * * * * Plucky little Wales again! Russia may have her Przemysl, but it transpired in certain police-court proceedings last week that Glamorgan has her Ynysybwl. We would suggest that the competition should now stop. * * * * * Illustration: _Recruiting Sergeant._ "WANT TO JOIN THE CAVALRY, DO YOU? KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HORSES?" _Applicant._ "WOT--ME? THREE WINNERS AND A SECOND YESTERDAY! LUMME, GUV'NOR! WOT DO YOU THINK?" * * * * * THE RECRUITING PROBLEM SOLVED. The recruiting problem would surely be solved easily if Lord KITCHENER would send for _Captain Desmond, V.C._, and his legions from Lahore. It will be remembered that in a polo tournament at that military station _Captain Desmond_ and his team reached the final after "they had fought their way, inch by inch, through eight-and-twenty matches." (Ch. XVI., _Captain Desmond, V.C._, by MAUD DIVER.) If we generously assume that the hero's team played in the only tie in the first round the rest being byes--we arrive at the result that there were 268,435,457 teams or 1,073,741,828 men playing. Might not just a small percentage of these, if brought over to France, decide the issue at once in favour of the Allies? Some of the four or five billion ponies might also be utilised for remounts and for transport. Nor should the committee which successfully managed this tournament be lost sight of. They showed a power of organisation which could scarcely fail to be of use now at the War Office. * * * * * "Rosa pulled off her hat as she spoke, throwing it carelessly on the bed, and she laughed nosily."--_Ottawa Citizen._ This is generally supposed to be an American habit. * * * * * A censored letter from a correspondent at the Front tells us that the most popular song with our Troops is the following:-- "It's a long way to ----, It's a long way to go; It's a long way to ----, To the sweetest ---- I know, Goodbye ----, farewell ----; It's a long, long way to ---- But my heart's right ----."