PRISONERS IN GERMANY.

The latest reports on German camps for prisoners of war, forwarded by the American Ambassador at Berlin, include an account by Mr. J. Jackson of a visit paid by him on Feb. 2 to the chemical works at Spandau, where 73 British prisoners were employed. The men are engaged in the preparation of rubber for insulating electric cables, and work night and day shifts, having one Sunday free every two weeks. They are paid 90 pfennig per day, with extra pay for overtime work and work on Sundays.

“They described their food as not bad, but said they counted on the receipt of parcels. Although the work was not hard, they would prefer to be sent back to the Döberitz camp, as they had not volunteered for work. No prisoners of war of other nationalities are employed, although there are a number of civilian labourers, including Chinese.

“As usual in the ‘working camps’ which I have visited the sleeping quarters for the men are not so good and are not so clean as those in principal camps. At present the men sleep in a well-aired loft in which, however, there is not space enough for each to have his own bed, and some of the night workers sleep in the places of those who work by day. New and larger quarters are in preparation, which are to be occupied in a few days. Of late no ground has been available for exercise in the open air. On speaking of this I was promised by the manager of the works and the officer who accompanied me that an arrangement would be made to permit the men to exercise in a field touching on the factory. I talked freely with the men, who had no hesitation about making their wishes known, and as a general rule they were in good health and spirits.”

In hospital at Spandau Mr. Jackson found Captain J. H. C. Coulston, the King’s Own Regiment, who was transferred from Blankenburg. Captain Coulston referred in complimentary terms to his treatment by the German medical officers. He spoke of the food as not being to his taste (it is the same as is given to the German wounded), but said that he made out very well with the assistance of the parcels received from England and elsewhere (fruit from Switzerland).

“Recently he had a conversation with Princess Friedrich Leopold of Prussia, who visited the hospital, but ordinarily he had little opportunity to talk, as he speaks only a few words of German, French, or Russian. On my speaking of this I was told that an effort would be made to have English-speaking German officers call on him from time to time.”

A CAMP NEWSPAPER.

Hannover, Münden, and Göttingen camps were inspected by Dr. Ohnesorg and Mr. Dresel on Feb. 1 and 2. Of the total of 560 officers interned in the former six are British, and there are also 16 British soldiers acting as orderlies. The six officers are quartered together in one large room.

The grounds have been extended in area, a good tennis court has been built, and another is shortly to be laid out. The messing and canteen arrangements are in charge of the officer prisoners, the canteen profits being used for their benefit. Walks throughout the surrounding country have been instituted. The general conditions of the camp now appear to be very good, and no complaints were made by the officers, with all of whom the inspectors conversed in the absence of the camp authorities.

At Göttingen about 7,000 men are quartered, 500 of whom are British. In addition, 300 British are detailed to outlying working camps. “We inspected those of the British who were at the time in the camp, and found them sufficiently provided with clothing and shoes. The condition of the camp was very satisfactory. The men had no complaints to make as regards their treatment. A fortnightly paper is published by the British, and each nationality has its weekly theatrical performance.

“The physical condition of the British prisoners of war was excellent. There were some 20 in the hospital with trivial complaints. Lieut. J. A. Brewster, of the Royal Fusiliers, the only British officer in the camp, was in the officers’ ward. He has been an invalid for many months, owing to a gunshot wound in the right thigh, involving the bone, and informed us that he was shortly to undergo a second operation. He expressed himself as satisfied with his professional and general treatment, and seemed to be in good spirits.”