The arrival of the first party at Mürren was memorable as symbolizing a return to home life, and the men, one and all, turned out to demonstrate in honour of the event. An excited crowd of soldiers, armed with every conceivable instrument of noise, amongst which figured numberless cattle bells requisitioned from the peasants far and near, met the women at the railway station, and escorted them by the light of torches to their hotels. The visit must have passed like a dream, for Mürren remained _en fête_ during the whole fortnight, and our countrywomen had the time of their lives. From time to time, and not infrequently, the movement to and from Switzerland was interrupted owing to the exigencies of the military situation in France, but in all not less than 600 wives and mothers were privileged to visit their husbands and sons in Switzerland. I have often been asked by people who evidently bore in mind the cost of the operation, whether the visits were a success. The financial records of the "B.R.C.S.," London, for the year ending October, 1917, show that £12,187 were received from the public as donations to the fund for "relatives' visits." The records for 1918 are not yet published, but I am given to understand that the total expenditure will amount approximately to £15,000, thus averaging £25 per visitor, a reasonable figure when war-time conditions are envisaged. I think we have only to place ourselves in the position of the Interned to realize what such visits must have been to them. To my mind public sentiment did not err in responding so graciously to the special appeal made by Lord Northcliffe for funds to enable him to deal with this question, and in doing so struck a note which vibrated in sympathy with the hearts and souls of their Interned countrymen in Switzerland. Major Edouard Favre, in his official publication, "L'Internement en Suisse, 1917," gives the Swiss view of these visits. He writes: "We cannot sufficiently insist on the happy influence exercised by the visits of relatives. By this means a living contact with the family, that basis of social life, is re-established." In the field of sport, the men soon realized that they were in the midst of a sporting community, and football, lawn tennis, boxing, skating, ski-ing, and ice-hockey, were freely indulged in according to the season. Football was especially popular, many matches being played against Swiss and Allied clubs. The former were generally too strong for our men, who were never really fit enough to compete with the best Swiss teams. Boxing also was popular, the Swiss sending some of their best amateurs to take part in the tournaments held at Château d'Oex. The spirit was willing—for our men were ever ready to meet the Swiss—but the flesh was weak, and here again the condition of our men told against them.